Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

The collection includes for Millbrook Lodge (3.25 cubic ft. of the records): histories, a student paper, reports, financial records, membership materials, correspondence, published materials, minute books, and miscellaneous; and for Blanchard Lodge No. 183 (Blanchard, Mich., .75 cubic ft. of the records) correspondence, officers' bonds, financial records, membership records, minutes, among other materials.

The collection includes the records of both the Blanchard and Millbrook Lodges. It is important in documenting these local organizations, but it is of particular interest because of Lewis D. Capen’s membership in the Millbrook Lodge. The collection is organized by series into Blanchard and then Millbrook Lodge materials, and then alphabetically and chronologically within each series.

The records of Blanchard Lodge No. 183 (.75 cubic ft.) includes: correspondence, 1944; membership, roster books, 1903-1939; minute books, 1923-1932; and various financial records, 1903-1930.

The records of Millbrook Level Lodge No 219 (7.25 cubic ft.) include historical background in a student paper about the records by Bradley A. Jerdon, 2001, two anniversary histories of the lodge, 1973 and 1948; and a printed Third Degree (ceremonial?) piece; various membership certificates and applications; correspondence from state and national officers and committees, other local chapters, and Lewis D. Capen, while serving in various offices, 1904-1981, undated; Ephemera, including pins and stars, 1922, undated; various members and officer lists; mortgage and lease papers; bank account statements; proclamations and resolutions; receipts, 1923-1981; various reports, 1950, (state and local) 1973-1981; a Ledger and Treasurer’s account, cash, and receipt books, 1909-1959; record and minute books, 1919-1958; membership books, 1909-1979; and various miscellaneous items.

The collection includes: the Council of Michigan Colleges of Education constitution, undated; Inter-faculty Council of Michigan correspondence, records, meeting minutes, and miscellaneous, 1953-1966; and Interfaculty Association of Degree-granting State Colleges and Universities of Education Articles of Incorporation and proposed reorganization papers, 1965-1966.

The collection was compiled from the records of some Central Michigan University (CMU) representatives to the Council as well as CMU vertical files. It is organized and alphabetical and chronological order. Included are some records of the following three organizations:

The Council of Michigan Colleges of Education is represented only by a Constitution, undated (1 folder).

The Inter-faculty Council of Michigan includes correspondence, committee records, meeting minutes, miscellaneous, materials of CMU students including a petition about student governance issues, and student senate meeting minutes, 1953-1966 (10 folders).

The Inter-faculty Association of Degree-granting State Colleges and Universities of Education consists of Articles of Incorporation and Proposed Reorganization papers, both undated, as well as one set each of meeting minutes for 1965 and 1966 (2 folders).

Processing Note: Duplicates, and 1950s financial records, such as receipts, were withdrawn during processing (approximately .25 cubic ft.).

Collection includes 45 glass-plate negatives of people, log cabins, maple syrup gathering, bicycles, horses and buggies, saws, steam engines, and Pierce School, 1907,1913, and undated, of Ionia County, Michigan, and a positive glass slide of Gaylord, Michigan, undated.

The collection includes 45 glass-plate negatives measuring approximately 4.5 inches by 5 inches each of Ionia County, Michigan, people, log cabins, maple sugar gathering, bicycles, horses and buggies, saws, steam engines, and Pierce School, 1907, 1913, and undated. Also included is one positive glass slide, measuring 3 inches by 4 inches, manufactured by Moore, Bond and Co., Chicago, with the caption of "Henry Goslow and his mill, Gaylord, Mich.," undated. People documented in the negatives include: D. C. Minturn, Joe Bliss, Wm. C. Petrie, and H. S., George, and Irene Sargent. There is one folder of biographical information from census records of the people in the negatives. The identity of the creator of the collection is unknown.

Most of the people named in the collection lived in Orange or Sebewa townships of Ionia County, Michigan.Pierce School was located in Orange Township.

Records include fair newspaper articles, contracts, correspondence, requests for privileges, floor plans, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes newspaper articles (copies), contracts and correspondence concerning the renting of booths and the parade, requests for privileges (form requesting booth space if any remained), floor plans for booth layouts, rules for the election of the Fair Queen and her court, and miscellaneous, 1949-1956, undated.

The collection contains biographical materials, correspondence, field notes, legal documents, receipts of the Sylvester Sibley family, along with a Speech of Hon. H.H. Sibley on the Territories and Our Indian Relations.

Jeffers papers consist mostly of diaries belonging to him, his parents, wife, and other relatives, describing their daily lives in Binghamton (New York), Lone Tree (Nebraska), and Palo, Michigan, as well as Ira’s participation in the Civil War and his work as a barber and furniture dealer.

Papers include correspondence, accounts, pension papers, estate papers, bills, receipts, contracts, land and legal records, and miscellaneous of Isaac Bronson.

The collection includes Isaac Bronson’s correspondence, 1792-1839, undated; accounts, 1818-1838, undated; pension papers relative to Isaac Bronson’s claims of service in the Second Regiment of Light Dragoons of the Connecticut Line during the American Revolutionary War, 1828-1846, undated; estate papers, 1842; bills, receipts, contracts, land, legal, and miscellaneous papers, 1792-1861, undated.

The Clarke also has the original papers of Frederic and Arthur Bronson, Isaac’s sons, and the Bronson Family Papers (See those finding aids.). These collections include some additional papers of Isaac Bronson.

On microfilm, the Clarke has the Bronson Family Papers deposited at NYPL (Mss. Micro F-40, 30 reels of positive microfilm). Here, amidst papers of numerous Bronson family members, are found Isaac’s letters, 1802-1838 (reels 1-2), 1820-1832 (reels 11-12), 1833 (reel 19), 1760-1838 and 1814-1836 (reels 20-21). Also available at the Clarke on microfilm are selected papers of Isaac Bronson which are deposited at NYPL (3 reels of negative microfilm, no Acc#). These papers were filmed at the NYPL in 1970 and donated by Dr. John Hager.

The organizational records include: an organizational history, bylaws, meeting minutes with attachments, staff and volunteer lists, magazine clippings (copies), photographs, and related materials.

The Organizational Records, 1970-2018, and undated, include: financial reports, grant information, organizational history, one lease agreement, list of staff and volunteers, meeting minutes (agendas and reports), newspaper clippings (copies), photographs, and one oversized scrapbook. The majority of the collections consist of both meeting minutes and financial reports. The collection is organized by alphabetically and chronologically. Although the ICDC was founded in 1969, the organizational records donated to the Clarke begin in the year 1970.

A copy of William Theunissen’s book Isabella Child Development Center, a history of the Center is separately cataloged in the Clarke.

Processing Note: One cubic foot of duplicate materials and acidic materials, were removed from the collection during processing. Copies of the acidic materials were retained within the collection.

The collection documents the activities and history of the Isabella County Girl Scouts.

The collection of Organization Records, 1930-1980, undated, documents fifty years of the Council. Materials include: financial records, 1937-1945, 1953-1962; scrapbooks, 1951-1980; bulletins, 1951-1959; record book, 1947-1962 (with correspondence, bulletins, and meeting minutes); photographs, 1945, 1959, 1980; constitution and by-laws, 1938, 1955; journals of activities, 1930-1956 (meeting minutes of the Leadership Council); annual reports, 1952-1958; directories, 1940-1962; some loose correspondence and meeting minutes, which document the leadership, not the actual Girl Scout meetings, 1960-1962, 1954-1964. Special events such as Senior Round-Ups and conferences are also included in the collection. Boxes 1-2 contain letter-size materials while Box 3 contains legal-size materials and Box 4 has oversized materials.

This collection is the incomplete organizational records of the Isabella County Historical Society.

This collection is the incomplete organizational records of the Isabella County Historical Society. The majority of the collection consists of scrapbook pages documenting their successful efforts to preserve, restore, and relocate the Isabella County Courthouse cupola, with many black and white and color photographs, 1972-2023; meeting minutes, for Board and membership, with treasurer’s reports, some attachments 2007-2022; and related foundational and tax documents, 1987-2021 (Scattered). The collection is organized alphabetically by folder heading, and then chronologically. The collection is in excellent physical condition. All the materials are letter-size or smaller. Researchers may be interested in a folder of earlier Society materials, 1958-1963, and undated, which is separately cataloged.

Processing Note: .25 cubic foot of miscellaneous financials and a few duplicates as well as two empty binders were returned to the donor as per the donor’s agreement.

Collection includes Isabella County, Michigan, farmstead and and barn surveys, photographs, maps, and drawings for six townships.

The collection includes farmstead and barn surveys of some of the Isabella County, Michigan, townships. The surveys were completed by volunteers between 1993 and 2017 and include colored photographs, some maps and drawings, township, section, date, address, owner’s name, common name of farm, types of buildings, their condition, notes on details, type of land plan, size, and condition of barn listing its architectural features, names or advertisements, foundation, and a sketch of the farm layout. Also included are some unidentified black and white and colored photographs.

Surveys of farmsteads and barns in Coldwater, Deerfield, Denver, Fremont, Gilmore, Nottawa, and Union townships of Isabella County, Michigan, were completed by 2000 and compose this collection. Townships that have not yet been surveyed include: Vernon, Wise, Sherman, Isabella, Broomfield, Chippewa, Rolland, Lincoln, and Coe.