Collection

Mrs. C.M. Clarke Papers

• 1901 (Création/Production)

One acid-free folder.

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.

Past practices described the contents of this collection individually. Each item received an object ID number and was treated as a distinct artifact. Records have been reunited, but their original order may have been lost.

No restrictions. Contact the Collections Department and the Archivist to arrange use for research at collections@sloanlongway.org or (810) 237-3421.

The manuscript is handwritten in cursive and ink. Its pages are paper and are housed between front and back covers of cardstock. The title, author’s name, and note that it was read before the DAR were handwritten in cursive on the front cover.

The overall condition is fair despite its age. Small tears are present where pages were bound together with a red string. Tears were found and made during processing as the pages were turned. The string was cut and removed to prevent future damage. This leaves the covers and pages unbound to one another. Pages retain considerable flexibility but given its age, users are advised to turn the pages with care. They can still tear easily if improperly handled. Some fading exists among the handwriting but it is slight at worse.

No restrictions. Reproductions are done and charged in accordance with Sloan Museum Archives Fee Service Policy.

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A downloadable PDF finding aid is available.

Minnie Cuthbertson donated the manuscript from the estate of Mrs. C.M. Clarke. The manuscript had been read before the local chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution in 1901. Roger Van Bolt received it on March 15, 1966.

None.

Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd edition

Jonathan Kirkwood, Archivist
April 19, 2023 (PastPerfect)

Jonathan Kirkwood, Archivist
April 10, 2024 (Access to Memory)

• American Revolutionary War
• Schools
• Politics

• Flint, Michigan
• Flint Township, Michigan
• New York

• Bush, Sarah (Sujet)
• Clarke, C.M. (Sujet)
• Smith, Jacob (Sujet)
• Stevens, Rufus (Sujet)
• Stowe, Lyman (Sujet)
• Sullivan, Daniel (Sujet)
• Thompson, E.W. (Sujet)
• Todd, John (Sujet)
• Wesson, Oliver (Sujet)