Collections

Research materials created and collected by the political scientist David Porter during the course of his doctoral research in Algeria.

The bulk of the papers is Porter's own handwritten notes, but also includes materials he saved from other sources (such as local newspapers) and typewritten proposals presented by Porter to his dissertation committee. The papers remain in Porter's original order. Porter's research focused on socialist and anarchist forces in Algeria immediately following independence. Materials are in both French and English.

The David Ross papers contain financial documents and correspondence regarding the estate of Pennsylvania merchant Mark Freeman and the Revolutionary War-era tobacco business of Virginia planter David Ross, who handled Freeman's financial affairs after Freeman's departure for Europe in 1779.

The David Ross papers contain financial documents and correspondence regarding the estate of Pennsylvania merchant Mark Freeman and the Revolutionary War-era tobacco business of Virginia planter David Ross, who handled Freeman's financial affairs after the latter's departure for Europe in 1779.

Most early items are financial documents, such as accounts related to Mark Freeman's estate. These pertain to Freeman's purchases in the 1770s and to debts owed after his death. Also included is a power of attorney granting Mark Freeman, William Temple, and Robert Wilson, all of Middletown, Pennsylvania, the right to represent the estate of James Forbes, also of Middletown (May 4, 1776). Other financial records concern the firm Forbes & Patton's purchases of snuff, rolling paper, tobacco, and other goods.

Later items primarily pertain to David Ross, who took over Freeman's affairs in 1779. The collection contains a copy of an indenture allowing Ross to become Freeman's attorney (August 2, 1779) and records regarding Freeman's finances. These documents reflect the difficulties of conducting trade during the American Revolution. Ross traded indigo, tobacco, and other products throughout the war, often in the Caribbean, and repeatedly mentioned the complications presented by the war. In one item, Ross discussed the possible future of Kentucky (January 29, 1781).

The David V. Tinder Collection of Michigan Photography consists of over 100,000 images in a variety of formats including daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, cartes de visite, cabinet photographs, real photo postcards, stereographs, and mounted and unmounted paper prints. The collection is primarily made up of vernacular photographs of everyday life in Michigan taken by both professional and amateur photographers from the 1840s into the mid-twentieth century. In addition to supporting local history research, the collection has resources for the study of specific events and subjects. Included are images related to lumbering, mining, suburbanization; the industrialization of cities; travel and transportation; the impact of the automobile; the rise of middle-class leisure society; fashion and dress; ethnicity and race; the role of fraternal organizations in society; and the participation of photographers in business, domestic, and social life. The collection is only partially open for research.

The subject contents of different photographic format series within the Tinder collection vary, depending in part upon how each format was historically used, and the date range of that format's popularity. For example, cartes de visite and cased images are most often formal studio portraits, while stereographs are likely to be outdoor views. Cabinet photographs are frequently portraits, but often composed with less formality than the cartes de visite and cased images. The postcards and the mounted prints contain very diverse subjects. The photographers' file contains many important and rare images of photographers, their galleries, promotional images, and the activities of photographers in the field. See individual series descriptions in the Contents List below for more specific details.

Included throughout are images by both professional and amateur photographers, although those by professionals are extant in far greater numbers.

This diary (around 29 pages) was maintained by 18-year-old David Weston in July and August of 1863 in Boston and Reading, Massachusetts. His entries reflect the labor he performed, such as making shoes, sawing and splitting wood, and agricultural tasks. He also added notes regarding the Boston Draft Riot, its aftermath, and other Massachusetts military events.

This diary (around 29 pages) was maintained by 18-year-old David Weston in July and August of 1863 in Boston and Reading, Massachusetts. His entries reflect the labor he performed, such as making shoes, sawing and splitting wood, and agricultural tasks. He also added notes regarding the Boston Draft Riot, its aftermath, and other Massachusetts military events.

Weston wrote about the impact of the draft on his friends and family; for example, on July 16, 1863, "the Governor ordered troops to be in readiness, in the evening a crowd got together in front of the Armory of the 11th Battery in Cooper St. . . . the crowd pulled up bricks from the sidewalk & began to storm the door..." (page 5). A portion of an envelope laid into the volume lists the weights of six individuals (including Weston) taken at the Reading railroad depot in October 1862.

This volume, apparently kept by David Zerbe of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, consists of physician's accounts for the purchase of medicines, ingredients, and supplies from 1861 to 1880.

This volume, apparently kept by David Zerbe of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, consists of physician's accounts for the purchase of medicines, ingredients, and supplies from 1861 to 1880. The entries variously include quantities, items, prices, suppliers, and receipt information. The quantities were measured in drams, quarts, pints, vials, ounces, or by the dozen. A few items include alcohol, mace, yellow beeswax, peppermint oil, aqua ammonia, hemlock, raw linseed oil, Spanish saffron, quicksilver, lead (red, white), rhubarb, orange peel, and gum camphor.

This volume contains handwriting exercises produced by David Ziegler in German Schrift during the 19th century. The penmanship practice is in a blank book with a printed cover headed "Ships," with an illustration of ship and a short passage using sailing as a religious metaphor. "Stereotyped by L. Johnson of Philadelphia."

This volume contains handwriting exercises produced by David Ziegler in German Schrift during the 19th century. The penmanship practice is in a blank book with a printed cover headed "Ships," with an illustration of ship and a short passage using sailing as a religious metaphor. "Stereotyped by L. Johnson of Philadelphia."

Deborah Bryan wrote these seven letters to her sister between 1862 and 1863, from Great Neck, New York. She provided family news, observations on the impact of the Civil War on aspects of society such as farmers' wages, the New York City draft riots in July 1863, worries about the draft, and infant death.

Deborah Bryan wrote these seven letters to her sister between 1862 and 1863, from Great Neck, New York. She provided family news, observations on the impact of the Civil War on aspects of society such as farmers' wages, the New York City draft riots in July 1863, worries about the draft, and infant death. She wrote with phonetic spelling.

In a letter dated August 5, 1863, Deborah Bryan commented on the New York City draft riot and race riot, remarking on the police, burned houses, people "hunting" African Americans (using racial epithets) to the point where "they had to hide in the heeps of manure," an uncertain peace, and further comments about the draft.

The Delmar Lepper Civilian Conservation Corps photograph albums consist of two volumes containing 59 photographs, 15 postcards, and two letters documenting the daily life and experiences of a young man in the Civilian Conservation Corps in California and Idaho.

The Delmar Lepper Civilian Conservation Corps photograph albums consist of two volumes containing 59 photographs, 15 postcards, and two letters documenting the daily life and experiences of a young man in the Civilian Conservation Corps in California and Idaho.

Volume one (14 x 21 cm) has leather covers with a stereotypical design of a Native American man wearing a war bonnet and the words "Snap Shots/Co. 544/ Delmar Lepper" stamped on the front cover. This album contains approximately 40 snapshots and 15 half tone color postcards. Images of note include a picture of a bear being fed by a man outside of a car and postcards featuring Californian scenery. One of the postcards was sent to Lepper’s brother Albert in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Volume two (19.5 x 26.5 cm) has red pressed paper covers with a hawk and the word "Photographs" stamped on the front in silver. The album contains 19 snapshots as well as two letters written by Lepper in 1935 addressed to his brother Albert. One letter discusses Lepper's recommitment to the C.C.C. and his anxiety about doing so while the other letter describes a trip to a ship in the Pacific Ocean as well as his weight gain. The photographs appear to have been previously moved around in the album as many are loose.

National dental fraternity founded at University of Michigan. Constitution and by-laws, minutes, financial records, fraternity newsletter, memorabilia and artifacts, textbooks, citations and plaques, photographs, and miscellaneous manuscripts.

The records of Delta Sigma Delta provide an interesting view into the organization of a professional fraternity, and into the activities and personalities of those individuals drawn to such a social organization. Because it is such a visual collection, with many photographs, scrapbooks, and artefactual items, the Delta Sigma Delta collection provides a varied source of information about the affairs of a distinguished professional fraternity.

The Delta Sigma Delta collection includes both the records of the fraternity as well as related materials collected over the years by fraternity historian, Dr. Frank O. Clifford, and as such, there is a wide diversity of materials spanning more than a century of activity, 1882 to 1992.

The records of Delta Sigma Delta, at the request of the fraternity, are divided between those records stored archivally and other materials on display in the Delta Sigma Delta Room of the library. This finding aid will describe both sets of records with indications where they might be found.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (University of Michigan) Publications (0.8 linear feet) include bibliographies, brochures, directories, flyers and newsletters dating from 1933 to the present. These publications primarily document the activities of the department, faculty, staff, students and alumni. In addition, there is information on the summer geology program run by the University of Michigan at Camp Davis in Jackson, Wyoming and Mill Springs, Kentucky.

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Publications are divided into two series: Unit Publications and Topical Publications. The bulk of the publications document the Department of Geological Sciences.