The collection is composed of records and manuscripts from a variety of backgrounds. If there is one theme, it is that all are related to the history of Genesee County. Documents reflect the founding of Genesee County in the 1830s to early developments in infrastructure in the 1840s and 1850s, contributions of county residents in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the First World War, ledgers and other documents detailing business activity, and organizational records from GCHS.

Those documents that detail the early history of Genesee County include oaths sworn and signed by initial officers of the county: sheriff, public notary, justice of the peace, and county surveyor. Other documents show the impetus and funding passed for a bridge over the Flint River.

Contributions county residents in various wars are reflected in clippings about Corydon Foote, a veteran of the Civil War and letters written by Herman Crites, a decorated veteran of the First World War. The letters of Crites reveal another side of a soldier who received the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery. His letters made light of daily life in the Army from before American entry into the war to preparing family members that he might die while serving in France.

Business records reflect activities undertaken by farms and stores in Flint and in the wider county. A member of the Crapo family, or an employee of the Crapo farm, kept a diary of daily activities on the farm for several months in 1895. Related to the business records are those from various civic and social organizations, such as ladies’ library associations in Flint and in Atlas Township.

The organizational records from GCHS reflect many activities taken by it and its members. Visitors logs from the old museum, informally known as the Flint Museum, list names and addresses of visitors. Curators’ reports document activities of GCHS, including collecting policies and exhibitions. Many letters are addressed to Charles M. Barber, who served as curator for GCHS for many years. Included also are many manuscripts written by Barber.

Portions of the collection were digitized for preservation concerns and for research purposes. These portions include oaths from early county officials, a contract for a bridge in 1848, a record of stockings sewn by county women during the Civil War, and a speech by Levi Walker to the Genesee County Agricultural Society.

The collection represents documents relating to both times George Wilber enlisted in the United States Army, first in 1898 and later in 1899 after having been mustered out of service. Wilber initially enlisted in 1898, possibly as a minor. A letter details that either a parent or legal guardian would have been required to endorse his decision to enlist, should he have been a minor at the time. Wilber enlisted into the 35th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The regiment was transferred to Georgia, but never saw combat. The Spanish-American War ended a mere three weeks after it had completed its training.

Wilber was mustered out shorty after but chose to reenlist the following year, which saw him placed in the 42nd Infantry Regiment. That unit was transferred to the Philippines via San Francisco and Honolulu. A newspaper clipping details a letter written to his mother where he described the flowers on Oahu and the queen’s palace. Wilber was later promoted to the rank of First Sergeant.

Included also in the collection are several military manuals from throughout the 1890s. It is probable that Wilber consulted them over the course of his service.

The collection contains correspondence, receipts, and a diary from various members of the Perry family. The correspondence details members keeping one another up to date with events in their lives. The date range stretches from the late 1820s to the early-1880s. Deeds come from when the Perry family resided in Rhode Island and reflect inheritances. The receipts show what family members bought and for how much. Many record purchases made at businesses in Genesee County. The diary was kept by Clarissa Potter Perry. It describes farm life, if sparingly, but from a woman’s perspective as well as her time at training school to become a teacher and recipes and ingredients. Perry occasionally kept track of ingredients bought and the prices involved.

Numerous documents relating to the Crapo Family compose the collection, but particularly of Henry H. Crapo and Mary Ann Crapo. Documents include family correspondence, valentines sent by John Orrell to Mary Ann, a handwritten manuscript from 1843 by Mary Ann on why learning is preferable to financial wealth, a 1904 typed manuscript celebrating the life of Henry Crapo, and Civil War-era military passes issued to John Orrell in 1862. Other documents of interest include correspondence from the Cemetery Board of New Bedford, Massachusetts and teaching certificates issued to Mary Ann Crapo from New Bedford in 1852, 1853, and 1856.

The collection is a short, handwritten autobiography by Harrison Conger. Conger was born in Bangor, Franklin County, New York, but emigrated from there to Michigan in 1836. He wrote it in 1892. His autobiography recounts his travel across several waterways to reach Michigan and work done under several men before he settled down after marrying Deniza Ann Seeley in 1839. Conger offered few details regarding the work he did prior to and after he married Deniza. The marriage occurred at the intersection of where Kearsley Creek met the Flint River. Both later settled in Davison Township.

The collection consists of two copies of invitations to a New Year’s party at the Idlewild in Flint. Room managers were identified as George Stevens, William Lewis, and Vene Cole. Music was to be provided by Kinman’s Band. D.W. Denio was identified as the proprietor of the Idlewild. Entry cost $2.

The collection was originally received by the Museum on September 7, 1993. Images were added to the collection through 2007. The collection reflects the work of a committee that was founded to compile Black history. Not all images in the collection have been digitized. Access to the full collection is available in the Sloan Museum of Discovery Research Room by appointment.

The collection depicts scenes of Black life in Flint, Michigan including people, buildings and objects. The images feature ordinary and prominent members of the community as they went about their daily lives.

The records contained in this collection span over two centuries. Their media compose correspondence (with envelopes in some instances), military manuals, a marriage certificate between Louisa Smith and Chauncey S. Payne, a document detailing the estate of Jacob Smith, banking records, a reunion roster for the 16th Michigan Infantry, and newspaper clippings. The majority of the records focus on the early military career and Civil War service of Thomas B.W. Stockton. The records are limited to correspondence and orders received for various assignments after he graduated from West Point in 1827. He initially saw service in the Western Department of the US Army, which oversaw territory between the Mississippi River to California. He later transferred to Washington, D.C. to serve as an assistant quartermaster.

Later service saw him transferred to Detroit to participate in what correspondence describes as construction of the Sagana Road. Stockton resigned in 1837 to assume a civilian post with the Army as an engineer. He left in 1840 and returned in 1844. He sought a commission in the army to raise regiments for the coming Mexican-American War. From there a gap exists until orders were received for him to remove the 16th Michigan to Washington, D.C. in late 1861. Correspondence details his time as a prisoner of war before being paroled and a request to assistance Andrew Johnson in raising three regiments to participate in operations in Tennessee.

Personal aspects of his life remain absent from the records. Other records focus on Jacob Smith, which include correspondence between him and family members. Related to these are correspondence from his children. Later records represent children and other descendants of Stockton and their efforts to carry on his legacy. These are documented in correspondence and newspaper clippings.

The collection consists of records reflecting the lives of Elmer Halsey, Edgar Haymond, and the W.A. Paterson Co. The records can be broadly split into three areas, each concerning the lives of Halsey, Haymond, and the business operations of the Paterson Co.

Records reflecting the lives and Halsey and Haymond concern both their personal lives and professional accomplishments. Both men were partners and dealers in carriages and carriage parts. They served as agents for the W.A. Paterson Co. (Flint, MI), H.A. Moyer Carriage Co. (Syracuse, NY), and Columbus Buggy Co. (Columbus, OH). Their operations were based in a shop located at the corner of Third and Harrison Streets in 1909. Correspondence and bills of lading largely compose the business records.

For Halsey, the records reflecting his life predominantly concern correspondence and receipts for work done on his house in 1910. These including hiring of contractors for construction and water and plumbing and lumber companies supplying building materials. Additional records include a 1911 membership for the Loyal Guard and tax rolls for property owned by a Retus or Ritus Halsey from Grand Blanc Township in 1911. Records concerning Haymond are less in volume, but show that he was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

The W.A. Paterson Co. was established in 1869 by William A. Paterson. It may be better known for the motor buggies from the early 20th century, but was steeped in carriage construction, producing 30,000 yearly by 1900. The records in this collection reflect carriages produced by the company and cover the period between 1910 and 1912. Many receipts and official documents compose these records. Correspondence from a Mrs. Allen shows how she paid $5 per month for a carriage. Other documents mention requests for buggies and “driverless wagons.”

A handful of other records without apparent connection to Halsey, Haymond, and the W.A. Paterson Co. show political ads for Republican candidates for political office and a ration book from the Office of Price Administration.

Photographs accessioned with the documents were removed at some point and filed into subject folders in the photographic cabinets. They retain their object identification numbers.

Records of the collection primarily reflect the business activities of members of the Atwood family, and of them mostly J.B. Atwood and Island Mill Lumber. These predominantly come in the form of correspondence written to Atwood and the mill and reflect transactions, negotiations, and other matters. Little correspondence comes from Atwood. Correspondence that is personal shows relations between family members and that they were often lending money between one another. The correspondence and other records stretch from 1867 to 1911, but the bulk of it is from between 1869 to 1876, which may have been a very active time for J.B. Atwood and Island Mill Lumber.

An unrelated document is a small booklet printed by General Motors in 1911 about its operations.

Unrelated to the other contents is a yellow legal pad with previous processing notes written on its pages. These notes offer details on specific letters. It has been retained because of its potential value to researchers and staff alike.