Collections

Detroit social activist involved in GLBT organizations and activities. The collection consists of correspondence, essays and articles, e-mails, conference materials, organizational records, publications and articles on the subjects of GLBT history, gay civil rights, gay marriage, interracial and interfaith marriage, GLBT families, sexual and gender equality, violence against GLBT persons, religion and homosexuality, gay clergy, clergy with AIDS, and violence against GLBT persons. The collection also includes materials related to the development of public transportation in the Detroit Metropolitan area; election campaigns and vote suppression of ethnic minorities; and U.S. and international politics and economy.

The collection, spanning 40 years of John Kavanaugh's activism, documents both the history and challenges faced by the Michigan and national GLBT community, as well issues facing the area's racial and ethnic minorities. Of most value, the collection provides documentation regarding the position of various denominations on questions of homosexuality and gay and interracial marriage; racial and ethnic discrimination, and voters' suppression based on race and ethnicity. Kavanaugh's correspondence includes letters and hard copies of e-mails, many of them sent to individual clergy and to groups of citizens. His writings are sometimes represented in form of a self-published newsletter or e-newsletter (e.g. The bead reader and The missing lines). The collection contains a great number of non-mainstream publications, as well as articles and clippings from obscure and rare periodicals. The collection also includes a significant amount of material on the subject of public transit in Michigan, specifically, in the city of Detroit.

The collection is organized into five series: Issues; Black and White Men Together; Religion; Public Transit; and Digital materials.

The John Louis Ligonier letter books (containing 842 letters) are made up of the outgoing letters of the field marshal, master general of the ordnance, and commander-in-chief of the British army during the Seven Years' War. In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a recipient index, which may be accessed here: John Louis Ligonier Letter Books Recipient Index.

The John Louis Ligonier letter books (1758-1760, 237 pages; and 1760-1761, 279 pages) contain outgoing letters of the field marshal, master general of the ordnance, and commander-in-chief of the British army during the Seven Years War.

The 1758-1760 volume contains copies of 298 letters, most of which are outgoing items signed by Ligonier with 30 signed by his secretary Richard Cox. Ligonier communicated frequently with various officers and officials in the British military, including Secretary of War William Barrington, Major General Jeffery Amherst, Lord George Beauclerk, Judge Advocate Charles Gould Morgan, Marquis of Granby, Major General Napier, William Pitt, Duke of Richmond, Lord George Sackville, Earl of Shaftesbury, Prince Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, and James Wolfe. Ligonier's letters deal primarily with personnel and regimental matters, including troop provisioning and payment of troops, problems with recruitment, appointments and promotions, troop movements, troop health, desertions and mutinies, prisoners of war, and orders for officers. While his focus was on the war in America, Ligonier also commanded armies in Scotland and England, and British invasions into France. In addition to the letters, this volume also contains a report on the court martial of George Sackville for failure to follow orders (April 23, 1760), and a document concerning ordnance management, containing instructions for military recordkeeping (pages 85-90). See additional descriptive data for a complete list of the letters.

The second letter book, 1760-1761, contains 544 outgoing letters from John Louis Ligonier (442 items) and his secretary Richard Cox (102 items). Ligonier communicated most frequently with Secretary of War William Barrington, Lord George Beauclerk, the Marquis of Granby, Marquis Townshend, the Mayor of Bath Ralph Allen, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Napier, Lieutenant General Alexander Duroure, and Major General Studholme Hodgson. Ligonier discussed financial matters, recruitment issues, troop movements, the succession of officers, and the selling and purchasing of commissions. The most pressing matters that Ligonier wrote about were depleted financial resources, inadequate numbers of soldiers, and the lack of new recruits. The volume also includes congratulatory letters to officers returning from campaigns and correspondence pertinent to William Barrington's transfer to become Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ligonier's letters to Jeffery Amherst contain remarks on the Siege of Quebec (July 25, 1760) and the capture of Belle Isle (October 28, 1761).

In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a recipient index, which may be accessed here: John Louis Ligonier Letter Books Recipient Index.

• March 17, 1752: A bill for accounts of land and sea services, spanning 1746-1752, addressed to Mr. Gashry
• July 12, 1758: A copied letter from Ligonier to Louis de Brunswick (in French)
• November 25, 1758: A copied letter from Ligonier to Monsieur La Houliere at Bath, England (in French)
• Undated: A copied letter from Ligonier (in French)

The John P. Cook photograph collection contains 9 photographs associated with U.S. Army officer John Pope Cook, including 7 images given to Cook by Dakota Territory-based Indian trader Charles Philander Jordan.

The John P. Cook photograph collection contains 9 photographs associated with U.S. Army officer John Pope Cook, including 7 images given to Cook by Dakota Territory-based Indian trader Charles Philander Jordan.

Among the photographs that were given to Cook by Jordan are a heavily retouched cabinet card studio portrait of Sitting Bull and a stereograph view on a cabinet card-sized mount captioned "No. 45 Spotted Tail's Tepee," both taken by photographer W. R. Cross; a studio group portrait of Red Cloud and Charles P. Jordan on a mount of Washington, D.C.-based photographer John Nephew bearing the verso inscription "To my most esteemed friend Gen. John Cook. C. P. Jordan July 9/89"; and five studio portrait photographs taken by John Alvin Anderson of six of Jordan's children born to his Lakota wife Julia Walks First Jordan (1859-1913; a niece of Red Cloud's, also known as Winyan Hoaka, True Woman, Weah-Wash-Tay, The Beautiful One), identified through verso inscriptions as "Mary J. Jordan," "Everard Cady Jordan," "Collins Custer Jordan," "Edwin E. & Wm Ward Jordan," and "Ella Adaline Jordan." The date and location of the portrait of Red Cloud and Jordan may point to the possibility of that image having been produced while the subjects were in Washington, D.C., during the 1889 Sioux Land Commission negotiations.

Also present are two photomechanically-illustrated postcards that date to the early 20th-century. One postcard bearing an advertisement for the Northern Pacific Railway was postmarked June 11, 1915 and addressed to John P. Cook's daughter Nina Cook in Frontier, Michigan, with the message "Dear Nina: I am on my way wish you were with me love Fred." The second postcard bears a profile view of the U.S.S. Nebraska and appears to have been postmarked August 1, 1910 and was addressed to Cook at his residence in Ransom, Michigan, with the message "Dear cousin sorry to make you all wait so long for ans (sic) to your kind letters but can't be helped this is a photo of one of the ships with the Atlantic fleet."

The John Vaughan papers document British activities in the West Indies during the American Revolution. Covered are Vaughan's incoming letters, dispatches, bills, reports, and memoranda during his command of the Leeward Islands from November of 1779 to March 1781, as well as several postwar manuscripts pertinent to the British Colonial West Indies. Due to its physical condition, this collection is currently unavailable for use except via digital facsimiles. Please contact the library for more information.

The John Vaughan papers (3 volumes and three loose items) document Vaughan's first two years as commander-in-chief of the Leeward Islands, from November of 1779 to March 1781. The papers comprise approximately 470 items, almost all of which are incoming letters, dispatches, bills, reports, and memoranda from naval commanders and subordinates, officials in England and North America, and friends and relatives in England. Due to its physical condition, this collection is currently unavailable for use except via digital facsimiles.

The papers primarily relate to the conduct of the Revolutionary War in the West Indies, and reveal a close coordination between the army and navy in the region. Topics documented include the capture of St. Eustatius, the capture of transports by the French, the treatment of prisoners of war, and the provisioning and paying of troops. Also covered are promotions, discipline, and reports on hardships, such as endemic sickness, supply shortages (food, candles, rum, and money), poor barracks, a lack of doctors and medicine, and bad weather. Of note are the letters from William Mathew Burt, governor of Antigua and St. Christopher's; Gabriel Christie, commander at Antigua; Lucius Ferdinand Cary, commander at Tobago; George Ferguson, governor of Tobago; Commodore William Hotham; Admiral Hyde Parker; Admiral Samuel Hood; George Brydges Rodney, commander of the Leeward Island Station; Anthony St. Leger, brigadier general at St. Lucia; Major Henry Fitzroy Stanhope; and Loftus Anthony Tottenham, brigadier general at Barbados.

• Volume 1, item 23: After March 19, 1780: Memoranda for an answer to Christie's letter of March 18-19
• Folder 1: May 11, 1784: Vaughan's deposition sent to Isaac Howell, for a property dispute involving Edward Foord, Samuel Delprat, Richard Clark, and Simon Nathan, over a lawsuit in Jamaica
• Folder 1: September 29, 1789: Vaughan to an unknown property owner (partnered to a Mr. Alexander Ellis) concerning purchasing land on the Mohawk River
• Folder 1: September 17, 1794: John Vaughan to William Wyndham, reporting on specifics of British troop strengths throughout the Caribbean. Mention of surrender of Belville Camp, Guadeloupe, by capitulation in October, and lost companies in that affair. Martinique is the most important island from a military perspective. St. Lucia. Enemy strength at Guadeloupe, specifying around 400-500 "whites" and 4,000 or 5,000 "Blacks" armed with muskets and bayonets. Guadeloupe would require a Garrison of troops, with the number of men needed to attack. Believes that they should raise the siege of Basse-Terre and keep the enemy in check. Royalists can't be relied on. Strength at Antigua, St. Christopher's, and Dominica. Sir Charles Grey, Admiral Jarvis, and islands of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas. Current assessment of privateers. British and French reinforcements. Capt. Hare's 10th Light Dragoons: when they came from America, they had "hardly a sound horse amongst them"--consider discontinuing this expensive Corps.

Volume 1 contains 246 items; Volume 2 contains 276 pages; and Volume 3 contains 207 pages.

John Williams kept this account book in 1843 to record brief accounts of expenses related to the construction of houses, barns, or other construction projects, likely near Hartford, Connecticut.

John Williams kept this account book in 1843 to record brief accounts of expenses related to the construction of houses, barns, or other construction projects, likely near Hartford, Connecticut.

The accounts reflect labor costs for framing, painting, oiling, scoring timber, carting, carpentry, and masonry. Purchase costs for various goods are also represented, such as lumber, doors, nails, glass, shingles, flooring, brick, lime, clapboards, stairway railings, and more. There are very brief notes regarding the sale of peaches and apples.

Papers of Michigan architect John Ward Jickling. The collection mainly consists of Jickling's architectural projects, including correspondence and blueprints. The bulk of the collection contains papers from Jickling's involvement with the Oakland Land Conservancy and committees. In addition, the collection contains papers of his father, Clare Jickling, and his wife's father, James Fairman. It also contains a large amount of genealogy research that Jickling and his family conducted. There are photographs in the collection ranging from the mid-19th century to the early 2000s.

The collection mainly consists of Jickling's architectural projects, including correspondence and blueprints. The bulk of the collection contains papers from Jickling's involvement with the Oakland Land Conservancy and committees. In addition, the collection contains papers of his father, Clare Jickling, and his wife's father, James Fairman. It also contains a large amount of genealogy research that Jickling and his family conducted. There are photographs in the collection ranging from the mid-19th century to the early 2000s. The collection consists of three series: Professional (2 linear feet and 2 outsize folders), Personal (1.5 linear feet and a tube), and Photographs (1 linear foot).

The Jonathan Demme Papers consist of materials related to Demme's extensive filmography from 1970-2008, including "The Silence of the Lambs". Materials are arranged chronologically by project, and cover most aspects of pre- and post-production, as well as publicity and related awards. As of November 2023, only the "Silence of the Lambs" series has been processed and made available. Additional series will be completed at a later date.

The Jonathan Demme Papers consists of approximately 150 linear feet of materials from 1970-2000. Materials include correspondence, legal and business documents, and photographs, as well as extensive documentation of film production, including pre- and post-production phases. In some cases, awards and publicity materials are also included.

The "Silence of the Lambs" series consists of approximately 13 linear feet. The material follows the project through the phases of production, and includes many drafts of the final script and novel adaptation, as well as extensive pre-production and location scouting information.

As of November 2023, only the "Silence of the Lambs" series has been processed and made available to researchers.

Josephine Augustus kept this journal between 1899 and 1904, writing record and diary-like entries of her experiences running a boarding house and farm near Columbus, Ohio.

Josephine Augustus recorded her work repairing and cutting dresses, cutting carpet rags, making clothing, quilting, creating a scrapbook, and washing. She also noted how many persons were present for dinners and work done by her assistants. Augustus also made notes on the weather, illnesses, and the travel and activities of other persons (such as who attended a funeral). On February 25, 1900, "Jose Ruth Mag Katie & Bina Martin" went to M-P church to hear a woman from Japan lecture.

Josephine Augustus produced fewer entries between 1901-1902 and afterward her writing becomes more internally focused and personal, detailing her struggles with difficult nights and grief for her mother. The last entry is dated January 5, 1904; the rest of the notebook is blank save for two brief pages of expenses, possibly written by Augustus.

This collection is mostly made up of letters that Josephine Dyer Varnum ("Josie") and John P. Varnum, natives of Massachusetts, wrote to each other and family members while living in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida, in the 1880s. They commented on daily life, their young children, John's involvement in the newspaper trade, and his political work. Two letters relate to his work to ensure fair elections in the face of racial violence targeting the African American community of Madison and Greenville, Florida, in 1880.

This collection (76 items) is mostly made up of letters that Josephine Dyer Varnum ("Josie") and John P. Varnum, natives of Massachusetts, wrote to each other and family members while living in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida, in the 1880s. They commented on daily life in Florida, their young children, John's involvement in the newspaper trade, and his political work. Two letters relate to his efforts in 1880 to ensure fair elections in the face of racial violence targeting the African American community of Madison and Greenville, Florida.

Letters from Josephine Dyer Varnum ("Josie") mostly consist of those she wrote to her mother and other family members while living in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida, in the 1880s. The first two items are letters from Josephine L. Dyer to John P. Varnum ("Johnnie"), her future husband, written in October 1872. The remaining correspondence largely consists of Josephine's letters to her family in Massachusetts, in which she discussed many aspects of her life in Florida, such as food, weather, and her daily activities. She commented on a new sewing machine (April 1, 1884) and described some of her living quarters. Her letters include news of her husband John, who worked in the newspaper industry. Several letters are written on newspaper letterhead, and she commented on people wanting to work with John to start up a new paper, its sale, and its impact on his health. She writes about John's unsuccessful political campaing in 1877, and how he attended to visiting senators in 1884. Josephine also wrote about her children Charles ("Archie"), Grace ("Gracie"), and Edith ("Edie"). She wrote about the children's development, schooling, their feelings about their grandparents, and other subjects. She also sent a letter to an absent child about Christmas celebrations and gifts (December 30, 1883).

Josephine's letters provide a view of the family's social dynamics and racial beliefs. Several of her letters refer to her "Northern standpoint" or desire for a "Northern home." She notes at least two toys their children were using connected to racial stereotypes, an Uncle Remus book and an automaton bank of an African American man. She used racial epithets at least once (September 25, 1882), when she accused a domestic servant of causing her to burn her pies, suggesting at least some of the household workers were African Americans. Several other letters reflect a degree of prejudice, including disparaging Florida as "fit" only for African Americans (September 30, 1883), a preference for a white servant (February 11, 1885), and discomfort with integrated schools (September 28, 1885).

Correspondence to and from John P. Varnum comprises the rest of the collection, with many addressed to Josephine. He wrote about newspapers and politics. In a letter dated June 19, 1880, he scoffs at the Boston Globe, and recommends in addition to choosing a better paper that the recipient reads Albion W. Tourgée's A Fool's Errand, identifying some of the figures the characters represent and calling it "the most truthful novel ever penned." In his letters to his wife he wrote frankly about his frustration with politics and the stance of Northerners, the 1880 presidential election, the death of President James Garfield (September 20, 1881), and more.

In a 31-page letter to his wife dated November 6, 1880, he wrote in detail about the 1880 election in Madison and Greenville, Florida, and the racial violence and attempts at voter suppression targeting African American voters. He described threats and attempted violence against marshalls and himself as they worked to supervise the polls, noting attempts of fraud, the vigilance and protective efforts by members of the Black community, how they worked to evade being caught by white mobs, and the suggested presence of the Ku Klux Klan. He described his narrow escape as he was shot in the arm as he attempted to leave by train. In a subsequent letter dated February 9, 1881, John noted efforts to secure testimony about the contested election in Madison, leading to a verbal assault against an African American man, a retaliatory shooting that resulted in death, and subsequent imprisonment, threats of murder, and fleeing into the swamp.

Two letters are addressed to John P. Varnum from his father. Another correspondent wrote to Mr. Dyer from the Office of the Adjutant General at Tallahassee, Florida, on February 5, 1873, and reflected disparagingly on Florida's "second 'reconstruction' administration," comparing Governor Ossian Bingley Hart's wife, Catherine Hart, to Lucy Stone and referencing Josiah Walls' removal from office. Two items refer to John's military involvement, including his election as an active member of the 1st Florida Light Artillery (November 12, 1884) and his interest in applying for a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the army (December 10, [no year]).

The collection contains three undated documents: a manuscript map of properties along the Indian River; a printed list of letters of recommendation; and a partial manuscript addressed to the "republicans of Alachua county" opposing the National Party.

Joseph Kumao Sano was a Japanese American veteran and lawyer whose family was forcibly removed to illegal detention centers during World War II. While incarcerated, Sano was recruited by the Army to serve as a Japanese language instructor for the Army Intensive Japanese Language School. Sano's military work extended beyond language instruction; he participated in the Strategic Bombing Survey in 1945 and served as a bilingual arbiter for the International War Tribunal for the Far East from 1946 until 1948. His papers consist of materials related to Japanese American incarceration; pedagogical notes for the Army Intensive Japanese Language School; and Sano's arbitration work. It also includes Sano's personal files, scrapbooks, and concentration camp ID cards.

The Joseph Kumao Sano papers are divided into three series: Personal Papers; War-time Imprisonment and Military Service; and Scrapbooks and Artifacts. His personal papers primarily consist of biographical material; identification and permits; and documentation from Sano's work with the California Bank. It also includes correspondence between Sano and his family.

Materials in the War-time Imprisonment and Military Service series document the forced removal of the Sano family from California to the Santa Anita detention center and the Jerome concentration camp; and Sano's work for the Army Intensive Japanese Language School, the Strategic Bomb Survey, and his service during the International War Tribunal for the Far East. It also includes his work post-war with the Bank of Japan.

The Scrapbooks and Artifacts series contains scrapbooks and albums documenting Sano's life until the forced removal of Japanese Americans in 1941, his work for the International War Tribunal for the Far East, certificates, Bank of Japan photographs, and personal photos of the Sano family. Also included are a number of objects collected by Sano during the war in the United States, and from Post-war Japan.

Researchers should note that this collection documents the forced imprisonment of Japanese Americans at the Santa Anita detention center and the Jerome concentration camp. For more information regarding language and the arrangement of this collection, please see the processing note.