Manuscript Collections

 This collection consists of two folders. The first contains original correspondence and typed transactions of that correspondence. The second folder contains a compact disc of digitally scanned images of the same correspondence. The letters date 1863, except for one, which dates 1898. C.L. Leach wrote the 1898 letter to George Bush, and in it Leach notes that he is now married and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He mentions people that he and George both know and asks George to write with any news. Frederick wrote some of the 1863 letters, and Christian, Jr. wrote the others. They are all addressed to their father, Christian Sr., and their brother George. The brothers reflect on the war and describe their experiences. They reveal a disdain for both abolitionists and African Americans and seem to regard the abolitionists in particular as a main cause of the war. The brothers describe some of their combat experiences. Gettysburg is among the battles described by Frederick (Christian was apparently hospitalized at the time). The brothers provide opinions of other men and officers and on the progress of the war. They seemed to often feel that generals were too slow to attack. They sometimes commented on medical care, their health and the weather and expressed longings to return home.

 This collection contains five items: the first is a lithograph of Company G, 21st Michigan Volunteer Regiment in Color Ink on paper. It lists names of officers and enlisted men. Decorations include an eagle, pillars with flag burning, and drawing of Mount Vernon (Virginia), near top. Second, there is an image of a Parade of the Grand Army of the Republic in Washington D.C. depicting street and buildings with soldiers parading and citizens cheering from the sides. Third, a birds-eye view depicting Andersonville Prison in Sumter County, Georgia. Prison stockade and camp outside of stockade. Fourth, a Diploma for Degree of Flora for Mrs. J.W. Ernest. Finally, a view of Libby prison in Richmond, Virginia. Drawing of Confederate flag, tents and soldiers in the backgound.

 This collection contains Civil War letters from Justus A. Balcom and George Woodward. The letters from Justus talk about his experience as a solider during his service. The letter from George references the death of Justus.

 An oral history of George Taylor from Lansing, Michigan. He talks about his service during World War II as some of the first blacks to go into the Marine Corps. George Taylor served in the 51st Defense Battalion.

This collection contains photographs from R.C. Leavenworth dated c. 1905-1998. A majority of Leavenworth's photographs are of commercial clients, particularly Oldsmobile and REO.

This collection contains letters to Hubert F. Miller from family as well as pension certificates for his time in service as a private in the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Co. C. The collection also contains a two dollar Confederate bill.

Part of the Bess Britton One-Room School House Collection (One-Room School House Memory Project) located at the Webster Memorial Library (Van Buren District Library System), Decatur, Michigan. Interviewer and Transcriber: Kenneth H. Baker. Includes transcript and audio compact disk. Interview conducted in a conference room located at the Allegan County Fairgrounds (c. 2011).

 This collection holds Douglas Elbinger's photographs from the early 1970s to the early 2000s of political figures. Photographic subjects include figures from both the national and state level, and events like the Michigan Democratic Convention. There are also photographs of people and buildings in connection with the Cooley Law School in Lansing.

 This collection consists of nine letters written during the American Civil War. In three letters to his sister, Van Norman describes his time in Nelson General Hospital at Camp Nelson, Kentucky. The five letters to his father were written from Strawberry Plains and describe the skirmishes he was in, interactions with prisoners, and catching fish and eels in the river. The last letter, written by Lieutenant Wallace W. Dickinson, informs the Van Norman family of Benjamin's bravery and death.

 Journal and ledger kept at Quartermaster's Department in Detroit by Andrew J. Weston, a clerk and bookkeeper, during the Civil War. Contains items of clothing issued to members of Company G, Second Michigan Infantry.

 This collection contains a letter from E.J. Fish to A.R. Wood, July 24, 1861, discussing the war, religion and the men of Sturgis, Mich.; a letter form Ebenezer French to William Allma, May 3, 1862, discussing A.R. Wood's death and financial matters relating thereto; a letter from M.C. Meigs, Quartermaster General, to William L. Stoughton, House of Representatives, Dec. 20, 1870, relating information regarding burial place of A.R. Wood; a newspaper obituary of Mrs. Julia Wood, wife of A.R. Wood.

 This collection contains letters from John L. Brooks and his diary from the year 1862. John primarily writes to his daughters from Key West, Florida.

Discharge papers for Private Henry Mishler of the 100th Indiana Infantry, Company D. He was discharged at Madison, Indiana on December 30, 1864. 

 This collection consists of the discharge order of Benjamin Balderson, dated 1864.

 This collection consists of a letter from Eugene Joseph Stocking, Camp Buford, Oct. 4, 1863, to his parents. The letter includes a list of battles in which Stocking participated.

 This collection contains items of or relating to George Dallas Sidman, winner of the Medal of Honor. The collection contains nine illustrated pages containing biographical and service records of Private Sidman, Company C, 16th Michigan Infantry. There are also two photographs of Sidman, one as a soldier, and one as a later date. Their is a receipt for item #48 given by Sidman to the Michigan Military Museum, 1874 and newspaper clippings about Sidman. The last part of the collection is a letter from Thomas Davey, Sept. 19, 1915, to George D. Sidman relating to badges and dues (G.A.R.?), and a listing of comrades.

 This collection contains typescripts of Civil War letters of Arza Bartholomew, Jr. Company G, 21st Michigan Infantry, to his wife Frances, and typescripts of Civil war letters of Jacob M., George W., William G., and Clarence (Charles) L. Houseman.

 This collection consists of typescript letters written by Leonard G. Loomis to Elizabeth Abbott, from Oct. 28, 1860 to Oct. 2, 1864, from various places throughout the South during the Civil War.

 This collection consists of documents of Lyman H. Hutton. The collection includes the discharge papers of Hutton from the 188th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, dated Sept. 21, 1865; his discharge papers from the "Squirrel Hunters", dated Sept. 1862; a resolution of appreciation to Hutton for service in the "Squirrel Hunters", dated March 4, 1863; and a pension certificate issued to Hutton, dated Jan. 8, 1903.

 This collection consists of a photocopy of notes from a diary kept by John Vogel (1804-1907), a Dutch immigrant, Civil War soldier, and founder of Vogel Center, Missaukee County, Mich. The notes mentions John Torrent, Ducey Lumber Company, William S. Hofstra, John Lynch, John W. Blodgett, Albert DeGroot, Martin DeGroot, and the Vogel family. The notes were copied by Fred C. Hirzel of Moorestown, Mich.