HomeSangamon Valley Collection Manuscript Collection Index
The Sangamon Valley Collection owns a number of unique collections of materials from Springfield businesses, organizations and families. These items are stored in a secure area and must be requested. No materials in this collection are available for circulation.
Click a link below to be taken farther down the page to a brief description of the collection.
Booth/Grunendike
Buckley Family
Carillon Belles/Rees Carillon Bell Society
Citizens Tribune Newspaper v. John Hunter
Golden Gloves Tournament
Governor
Samuel H. Shapiro Manuscript
Green Family
Grimm Family
Henry B. House
Hutton
Family
Iles Manuscript
Johnston, Knox, Morgan Families
Johnston Family
Knotts
LaBonte Family
Martin
Myers Brothers Department Store
Power Farmstead
Prehn
Saint Nicholas Hotel Bankruptcy
Sangamo Electric Company
Sangamon County Chapter
Infantile Paralysis Foundation
Skelton
Soap Box Derby
Springfield Aviation
Company
Springfield Community Concert Association Collection
Springfield
Municipal Opera
Springfield Nature League
Springfield Pleasure Driveway and Park
District
Springfield Transportation Company
Stout Family
Vachel Lindsay
Vaughn
DeLeath
Weaver Garage and Manufacturing Company
Wheeler
World War II Oral
History Project
Booth/Grunendike
The Booth/Grunendike Photograph Collection is a collection of four photo
albums containing photographs circa 1900 to the 1940's relating to the family,
property and travels of members of Springfield wagon-maker Amasa Stevens Booth,
Sr.'s family and that of their son-in-law, Edward Howell Grunendike. It is
believed that Mary E. (Booth) Grunendike was the photographer for most of the
photos.
Buckley Family
The Buckley Family Photograph Collection consists of photographs reproduced
from glass negatives and gives a pictorial essay on one family's lifestyle in
Springfield during the early part of the 20th century. William T. Buckley was a
local florist who ran his own greenhouse and many of the photographs involve his
business. In addition, the manner of dress, interior decoration and activities
of that period in time are visually portrayed both in family portraiture and at
varied Springfield surroundings including Washington Park and the Illinois State
Fairgrounds.
Carillon Belles/Rees Carillon Bell Society
The Carillon Belles/Rees Carillon Bell Society Collection is an integration
and reorganization of documents, newspaper clippings, carillon programs,
memoranda and photographs from the collection of Mrs. Violet Touch, longtime RCS
Board member and founder of the Carillon Belles, a group supporting the Rees
Carillon in Springfield, Illinois. The Thomas Rees Carillon was built in 1962
and named after the former Illinois State Register publisher who had bequeathed
money for the carillon upon his death nearly 30 years prior.
Citizens Tribune Newspaper v. John Hunter
This collection contains materials from the files of J.R. Fitzpatrick, owner
of the Citizens Tribune, relating to the lawsuit the Tribune filed against the
Commissioner of Public Property for the City of Springfield, John Hunter in
1950. The Citizens Tribune sought a judgment of nearly 5 thousand dollars for
advertisement and other materials relating to Hunter's 1947 run for the
Springfield city council, but Hunter was ultimately found innocent. The
materials within this collection is comprised primarily of legal documents
relating to the lawsuit, background and evidence against Mr. Hunter and other
general materials relating to his years in office. Also included are related
files, audio cassettes of speeches and other materials kept by Fitzpatrick on
Hunter, including materials on Hunter's various campaigns for office.
Golden Gloves Tournament
The Golden Gloves Tournament Files collection contains background
information, correspondence, newspaper publicity, expense records, etc.,
relating to the Citizens Tribune newspaper's involvement with Golden Gloves
Tournaments in Springfield from 1944 through 1956.
Governor Samuel H. Shapiro Manuscript
This collection contains items from Governor Samuel Shaprio's private and
public activities, including photographs of his private and public activities,
correspondence from state and national political figures including Paul Simon,
Adlai Stevenson and Hubert Humphrey and various certificates related to his
career. Shapiro was involved in Illinois politics for most of his adult life,
serving as a member of the Illinois House beginning in 1946, elected Lt.
Governor in 1961 and served out the remainder of deposed Governor Otto Kerner's
term as Illinois Governor in 1968. Also included in this collection is a short
8mm film of his 1961 inauguration as Lt. Governor.
Green Family
The Green family letters are a group of 23 letters written to and from
members of the William Green family of Orvil Township, Logan County, Illinois
between the years 1864 and 1884. These letters contain descriptions of social
life and customs of Logan County, Illinois in the period at the end of and just
after the civil war.
Grimm Family
This collection consists primarily of letters written to Mildred Jean Grimm
by her father, Lester R. Grimm. Lester R. Grimm lived alone in a home on Holmes
Avenue in Springfield during the period of these letters, while Mildred Jean
lived away from home. In his letters, Lester comments on national affairs of the
day, neighbors, Litchfield, Illinois relatives, gardening and other aspects of
domestic life in Springfield. This collection also includes personal items of
Mildred Jean Grimm, including tax forms, business cards, addresses, and
descriptions of her work experience.
Henry B. House
The Henry B. House Collection contains letters to Henry House, an actor and
director of local theater productions until his death in 1953. Amongst a myriad
of artistic endeavors, Mr. House also helped found the Community Players, a
group of Springfield amateur actors and the Little Theater, in which he acted
and directed its productions for many years. The collection also contains
photographs of actors and productions put on by those groups and by the Baker
School of Drama at Yale University as well as manuscripts and scripts written by
Mr. House. Also included are related items such as dance cards, concert and play
programs from local and out-of-town theaters, Chatterton Opera House programs
and some of House's own personal notes from his various writings on the history
of theater in Springfield.
Hutton Family
The Hutton Family Collection consists of a series of letters written by
Dorothy Hutton as a young girl (1913-1924) from Auburn, Illinois to her mother
in Denver, Colorado. Many of these letters describe the daily activities typical
of farm and family life in rural central Illinois during the period above.
Iles Manuscript
The Iles Manuscript Collection contains the original, handwritten copy of
Iles' autobiography, Sketches: Early Life and Time in Kentucky, Missouri, and
Illinois as well as other materials relating to the genealogy of Iles and his
family as donated by Mrs. Thelma Iles White Teel and her five children.
Johnston, Knox, Morgan Families
The Johnston, Knox, Morgan Families Collection represents three generations
of one family: Leonora Knox Morgan, her father, James Madison Knox and her
grandfather, Levi Johnston, although the majority of materials concerns Leonora
K. Morgan. Her papers include documents related to her teaching career and
memberships in various organizations. The remainder of the collection consists
of materials regarding Levi Johnston, including correspondence with his brother
and sister in the mid-1800's and his various business dealings in and around
Springfield and James M. Knox, to include certificates commissioning him a
Notary Public and Justice of the Peace in the area. Obituaries for many of these
people are included as well.
Johnston Family
This collection is comprised of several types of items, including
correspondence (letters, memos and telegrams covering the years 1932-1955),
flight school and pilot training materials, and flight log books for Mabel and
C.R. Johnston. Mabel Sherman Johnston was an artist and a pilot who married
Charles R. Johnston and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma with him, where he managed the
Spartan School of Flying and where she rated as a flight instructor at the
school and ultimately trained pilots for WWII. They later moved to Springfield
in 1947, where he became manager of the then newly-opened Capital Airport. In
addition to the materials listed above, this collection also contains bound
volumes of aviation magazines and graduating class books from the Spartan School
as well as materials from Mr. Johnston's later career as manager at Allis
Chalmers.
Knotts
The Howard C. Knotts collection primarily covers the period of Knotts' life
from 1915 to 1921, with a few materials relating to his work in aviation law and
his death in 1942. Knotts delayed his stay at Harvard Law School long enough to
join the United States Aviation Corps to fight in WWI, where he shot down
several German planes and eventually became a POW. Ultimately, Knotts-having
earned the Distinguished Service Cross from the U.S. and the Distinguished
Flying Cross from the U.K.-returned to Springfield and practiced law, even
writing much civil aviation code, until his untimely death in 1942. The majority
of materials in the collection focus on his military experiences in WWI and the
beginning of his career in aviation law.
LaBonte Family
This collection consists of materials from LaBonte's Luggage Shop in
Springfield, founded by Charles LaBonte and later owned by his son Louis.
Included in this collection are a few items from the LaBonte business, trade
catalogs, legal documents and income tax reports.
Martin
The items in this collection come from a scrapbook personally compiled by
Mary C. Martin, a graduate of the Lincoln College of Law in Springfield, former
Assistant State's Attorney of Sangamon County, and member of the Illinois
Supreme Court, U.S. District Court and U.S. Supreme Court bar. Martin enlisted
in the Women's Auxiliary Corps during WWII and ultimately she became one of the
prosecutors in the Criminal War Crimes Trials in Tokyo, Japan. Most of the items
in this scrapbook come from her time in Japan in 1947-48.
Myers Brothers Department Store
This collection is made up of a variety of materials related to the Myers
Brothers Department Store which opened on the east side of the square in
Springfield in 1886. Ultimately and after a fire destroyed their original
building, the Myers Brothers Department Store took up its familiar location on
the west side of the square, where the building still stands. Included in this
collection are many photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence and many
materials relating to sales promotions of various types.
Power Farmstead
The George Power Farmstead Manuscript Collection contains some of the few
remaining documents-deeds, last will and testament-as well as newspaper stories
written through the years about the family and the farmstead of George Power,
one of the earliest settling families of Sangamon County and one the oldest
documented residences remaining in the county, a place that acted as both a
residence and courthouse for the county from 1829 until nearly 1850. Indeed
Abraham Lincoln pled some of his earliest cases in the residence and this fact
alone makes the residence worth note. This collection also contains photographs
of the farmstead from the early part of the 20th century as well as draft and
final copies of the nomination form used in successfully entering the property
to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Prehn
This collection contains correspondence, photographs, blueprints, business
records, and newspaper clippings dealing with the personal and business life of
Harold W. Prehn, a prominent Springfield businessman and active citizen in the
community during the mid-20th century. Prehn owned and operated a Dodge-Plymouth
dealership in Springfield, his company built the first Howard Johnson's in
Springfield, the Lincoln-Douglas Estates Condominiums, and the Everett Dirksen
Nursing Home in addition to many other projects. In his equally prominent civic
life, Prehn served as chairman of the Illinois Office of Defense Mobilization,
the president of the Illinois State War Fund during WWII and later became an
assistant commissioner for the Federal Housing Authority. Also included in the
collection is material on the Harold Prehn Foundation Scholarship, which awarded
five underprivileged students a year scholarships for college.
Saint Nicholas Hotel Bankruptcy
Springfield businessman J.R. Fitzpatrick served as trustee in Bankruptcy for
Springfield's St. Nicholas Hotel from 1973-1976, although he later withdrew
before bankruptcy procedures were completed. This collection of papers consists
of Fitzpatrick's correspondence, working papers, audits and reports from his
three years a trustee. They also included copies of many earlier items such as
St. Nicholas deeds, mortgages, assets, legal agreements and employee records.
Sangamo Electric Company
This collection consists of correspondence from company president R.C.
Lanphier, information on a proposed company merger, tariff negotiations and the
Springfield Refrigeration Company as well as annual reports, meter purchase
contracts and company minutes from the Sangamo Electric Company. Originally
founded in 1899 by Lanphier and Jacob Bunn, Jr., the Sangamo Electric Company
went from producing electric meters in its early years to manufacturing
transformers, computer equipment and even tape recorders in the later years. At
its height it employed over 3,000 people in Springfield. Also included in the
collection are numerous photographs of the Springfield plant buildings, a
handwritten manuscript about the history of the company, the official company
history by R.C. Lanphier and bound volumes containing ledgers for the Illinois
Watch Company and other Sangamo entities as well as a box of artifacts
containing Sangamo employee pins, advertising pencils, matchbooks and other
memorabilia.
Sangamon County Chapter Infantile Paralysis Foundation
Material in this collection consists primarily of correspondence between
officers of the local Infantile Paralysis Foundation Chapter and Basil O'Connor,
president of the National Foundation. The subject of much of the correspondence
is the local chapter's disagreement with the national organization over
financial arrangements, a disagreement which ultimately led to revocation of the
Sangamon County Chapter's charter. Also included in this collection are
promotional materials from the Foundation.
Skelton
Charles Leonard Skelton (1890-1957) was a Springfield author best known for
the novel Riding on the Pony Express, which was reprinted for twelve editions
and sold tens of thousands of copies worldwide. Skelton also spent many years in
government service, working for Secretary of State William Stratton and in the
office of the Governor. The majority of material in this collection consists of
correspondence, literary manuscripts and photographs from Skelton and includes
articles and short stories he wrote. Also included are many stamp collecting
columns Skelton wrote as an avid collector over the years.
Soap Box Derby
The material in this collection consists primarily of photographs of the
Springfield Soap Box Derby and the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio.
The photographs are primarily of the races and the contestants and cover
mid-1950's period. Also included in this collection is correspondence between
local and national race officials and other items including rulebooks, programs,
awards lists and press releases.
Springfield Aviation Company
The Springfield Aviation Company Collection is a collection of photographs,
newspaper clippings, various periodicals and other publications dating from the
years 1927 to 1955.
Springfield Community Concert Association Collection
The Springfield Community Concert Association Collection, 1936-1989, is a
collection of documents, newspaper clipping and photographs donated by former
association board member Charles Keating. It includes records of board meetings;
correspondence, financial audit and a nearly-complete run of Springfield
Community Concert programs from 1936-1998
Springfield Municipal Opera
The Springfield Municipal Opera Collection is an integration and
reorganization of documents, newspaper clippings, memoranda and financial
reports from the early 1930's to the mid-1990's. The Muni's history can be
traced back to 1935 when E. Carl Lundgren directed two shows on a specially
built stage to mark the dedication of Lake Springfield. After WWII, Lundgren
convinced city officials to establish a permanent site near Lake Springfield,
where its current configuration was completed in 1964. Today the Muni continues
to thrive, entertaining nearly 30 thousand fans each year. This collection also
contains programs from many of the Muni productions and collections of
photographs from select shows.
Springfield Nature League
This collection consists of yearly programs, diaries, and newspaper clippings
from the Springfield Nature League, formed in 1932 when some local citizens from
various nature organizations decided to focus their nature and conservation
efforts on one central club. The Nature League was an active group, with an
ambitious program of monthly lectures, early morning tramps, museum tours,
nature exhibitions and even an affiliation with the Illinois State Museum in
establishing a series of classes which led to a certificate of Amateur
Naturalist. The League also sponsored several young people's groups in the areas
and provided custodianship of the Wildlife Sanctuary at Lake Springfield. Also
included in this collection are membership lists from 1934-1949. By 1960, the
Nature League had merged with the National Audubon Society and became the
Springfield Audubon Society.
Springfield Pleasure Driveway and Park District
The Springfield Pleasure Driveway and Park District Board was established in
1900 after a vote of the citizenry to develop, organize and administer a park
system for the City of Springfield. Among the early parks developed Washington
Park was the first newly created park under the new Board, Iles Park was given
to the District by Elijah Iles in 1903 and Susan Enos donated the land for Enos
Park in 1905, while Lincoln Park was added to the system the same year. The
materials in this collection related primarily to the first decade of the Park
District's existence, and consist of the hand-written petition for organization
of the District, election results for its officers, minutes of the Board,
financial statements of the District and miscellaneous committee reports from
committees of the Board as well as other assorted documents from that early
period.
Springfield Transportation Company
The Springfield Transportation Company came into existence in 1933 when the
Illinois Power Company, which had previously operated Springfield's street car
lines split into a gas and electric division and formed a separate company-The
Springfield Transportation Company-to operate the lines. The first buses began
operation in 1936 as the final street cars were phased out by 1938. By 1960, the
Springfield Transportation Company became the city operated Springfield Mass
Transit District. The materials in this collection include photographs,
newspaper clippings, employee records, newsletters and information from the
founding of the SMTD from the 1930's to the 1970's.
Stout Family
The materials in this collection consist mainly of deeds for land purchased
in Ball and Woodside Townships by members of the Stout Family, most notably
Philemon Stout, Jr. and his son Joab. The Stout family was one of the early
pioneer families to settle in Sangamon County, with Philemon Stout Sr. and his
wife Penelope arriving with their children in 1836 from Kentucky. Philemon Stout
Jr. became a prominent farmer and landowner and in 1898 he held a "historic
dinner" to commemorate his 62 years in the county. That dinner was attended
by nearly 4,000 people and required vast amounts of food. Other materials
included in this collection include a bill from grocers for that dinner as well
as other family documents.
Vachel Lindsay
This collection is comprised largely of materials containing the published
prose and poetry of Vachel Lindsay in formats such as posters, newspapers and
magazine articles, booklets, pamphlets magazines and books. Other items include
newspaper and magazine articles that contain biographical information on Lindsay
and his family, critiques of his work and memorials on and tributes to Lindsay.
A small collection features photos of Lindsay and his family and phonograph
recordings of Lindsay reading his poems and his son, Nicolas Cave Lindsay
reading his father's poems. Another part of the collection features two
scrapbook albums put together by Fannie Hamilton, the younger sister of
Lindsay's mother and bound volumes that feature some of his works.
Vaughn DeLeath
The Vaughn DeLeath Manuscript Collection is composed primarily of photocopies
of previously published sources, such as newspapers and periodicals; and other
items from the Vaughn DeLeath collection of Mrs. Dorothy Barringer, including
publicity items, sheet music, correspondence and unpublished manuscripts that
span the life and career of Vaughn DeLeath, singer, composer and musician born
at Mount Pulaski, Illinois in 1894.
Weaver Garage and Manufacturing Company
This collection consists of approximately 700 photographs and various issues
of advertising and promotional literature as well as a small collection of
photographs of wrecked automobiles all from the years 1926-1927 from the Weaver
Garage and Manufacturing Company. This company was founded by the Weaver
brothers in 1910 and eventually became "…the largest factory in the world
devoted to the exclusive manufacture of garage equipment." The Dura
Corporation eventually purchased the company in 1959 and closed its Springfield
plant in 1973, moving operations to Paris, Kentucky.
Wheeler
This collection consists of eight composition notebooks kept by Pearl Irene
Wheeler as a student at Springfield High School, from which she graduated in
June, 1913 and as a student at the Springfield Teacher's Training School which
she graduated from in June 1914. These notebooks cover coursework in physiology,
English history and physics as well as Industrial Education, Nature Study,
Psychology, Phonics and Arithmetic and lesson plans for her practice teaching.
Also included are two Springfield High yearbooks for the years 1911 and 1913,
with Irene Wheeler's photo appearing on page 31 of the 1913 yearbook and her
diploma from the teacher's school. She died in Clinton Iowa in 1982.
World War II Oral History Project
The WWII Oral History Project sponsored by the Illinois State Historical
Society is a collection consisting of 24 audio cassettes of 17 local individuals
interviewed by Glenn Kniss regarding their experiences during the war. Topics
include the bombing of Pearl Harbor, German POW camps, Black soldiers in the
U.S. Army, nursing in the army and the home front in Sangamon County, Illinois.