The manuscript is a handwritten account of early Flint history from 1819 with the arrival of Jacob Smith to cultural, infrastructure, and political developments in the mid-1850s. It was either dictated or written by Mrs. C.M. Clarke, one of the early settlers in Flint. Events were often described in brief sentences, sometimes no more than one to three in length. Events experienced by Clarke were described in much greater length.

She detailed how Smith acquired property for his trade post and relations with local Native Americans. Coverage then shifted to 1833 when Clarke began describing other early homes, such as a log tavern kept by John Todd and Lyman Stowe, who resided in Smith’s old cabin. She recorded the construction of the first bridge over the Flint River, which occurred in 1834. Travelers had previously been ferried by canoes operated by Native Americans.

Other firsts were described, such as the first meeting of Flint Township officers in 1836, when Beach and Wesson established the first store in Flint, the creation of the first mill dam in 1836, and the construction of the first saw mill by Rufus Stevens on Thread Creek. Clarke gave extensive coverage to the development of schooling. Early schooling began in the 1830s with a private school for boys. Parents paid the teacher, Daniel Sullivan, 10 cents weekly. Boys had to follow an old Native American path to Second Street to reach the school. A girls’ school later opened in 1841 with Sarah Bush teaching at the Presbyterian Meeting House. Public schooling later improved, which included free graded schooling, and private education declined.

Events from the 1850s include the incorporation of Flint, the establishment of the Michigan School of the Deaf, various newspapers, and the founding of the Ladies Library Association, which Clarke described as energetic.

Clarke wrote in great detail about her family’s journey to Michigan in 1839. Her father, mother, and six children including herself left Syracuse, New York, traveling by wagon, the Erie Canal, the steamer Constitution across Lake Erie, and wagon again from Detroit to Flint. She described the road between Grand Blanc and Flint as the worst part of the journey.

The collection consists of 6 photographs. 5 of the photographs depict blizzards at or around 3114 Feilding Street in Flint, Michigan and are dated May 1959. The last photograph is of a Hungarian Military Band based in Michigan and is not dated.

This collection documents the social activities of Lloyd Tyson during the 1940s-1960s at work as a parts inspector at AC Sparkplug. The materials also depict him performing in factory choirs and as a cast member of the Flint Community Players. The materials include photographs, pamphlets and newspaper clippings.

Lloyd Tyson was born about 1912 in Flint, Michigan to George Tyson, a factory worker, and his wife Genia (Jenice). Lloyd had three brothers and lived with his family at 524 Mathewson Street. He was active in high school, where he graduated from Central High. In addition to playing the fleugel horns in the band, he was also an assistant editor for the yearbook and participated in theater, student council, the Belle Masque Club, the Hi-Y Club, and Delta Epsilon Alpha. On April 7, 1938, Lloyd married Ilene Smith of Coldwater, Michigan. They had a son named Dale.