The Miami University Libraries Walter Havighurst Special Collections and Archives received several John Hough James manuscript letters from a generous donor, Mr. Arthur F. Humphrey III.

The letters consist of personal correspondence, land deeds, and a court case.

John Hough James (1800-1881) was a native of Urbana, Ohio and a graduate of Cincinnati College.  He was a lawyer, banker, railroad builder, scientific farmer and stockbreeder, legislator, politician, editor, lecturer and writer.

One letter, dated 1 December 1845, written to his son John Henry James while the elder James was in Philadelphia with his wife and daughters describes encountering President John Quincy Adams while dining at a nearby Jones Hotel restaurant. James describes approaching Mr. Adams and how they spent over an hour visiting with the former President. It’s not every day one has the opportunity to spot a former President let alone sit and chat with him for any length of time.

The letters regarding land transactions were John Hough James serving as legal representative and also the seller of land in Urbana, Ohio

One letter, dated 17 November 1828, involving Mr. James as legal representative before the State of Ohio defending Andrew Murphy. Mr. Murphy was charged with selling “Spirituous Liquor” without a license. It appears from the letter that Mr. Murphy did this on more than one occasion.

A friend of Henry Clay and William Henry Harrison, James utilized his work as a lawyer and legislator in advising Whig leaders in Congress and the General Assembly of Ohio.  As a banker and railroad builder, James was a pioneer in the development of western banking and transportation.  He was treasurer and president of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, building one of the earliest railroads of the country.  He also pursued farming and stockbreeding.  James founded Urbana University, the first Swedenborgian College in the world, giving the land for the campus and serving as a lifelong trustee for the institution.

The Havighurst Special Collections and Archives  collection features the diaries of John H. James beginning in 1821 and concluding in 1881 and correspondence sent and received by members of the John H. James family from 1814-1863. The letters describe James’ life as a student, his experiences in the Ohio State Senate, the creation of the Urbana Banking Company, and finally, various trips and excursions taken by James and his family.

These items add to the richness that is the John Hough James papers while providing a view into the personal and legal lives of men, women, and family, and insight into United States and Ohio history.

Our generous donor Mr. Arthur F. Humphrey, a former trustee of the Johnny Appleseed Museum in Urbana, also included images of the James family so look for those in future posts!

Preservation constructs numerous boxes and enclosures for Special Collections materials. In fact, in 2014 we made over 400 boxes for special collections materials. Occasionally we will receive an item that needs a little bit more than a normal box can provide. Usually these items are extra fragile or oddly shaped, and need a customized box to help support and protect the item.

Artist books by Diane Stemper

Special Collections recently acquired a small collection of books from artist Diane Stemper. The collection of unique artist books revolve around the theme of Charles Darwin, and use very non-traditional binding materials and structures, such as altered books and glass petri dishes.

Cell: Compendium #42

These materials posed a unique shelving and storage challenge. Not only do the books contain fragile glass materials, but none of the items are the basic rectangular or square shape of a traditional book. Preservation was tasked with constructing enclosures that would ensure the safe storage and handling of these materials.

Cell: Compendium #42 in a custom drop front box

The first book, Cell:Compendium #42, presented the challenge of containing both glass and fragile three-dimensional aspects. Usually, the four-flap boxes we construct for our materials rely on the bulk of the book to support the overall structure, which clearly could not be done in this case. For this item we constructed a five sided box with a separate lid. With this type of box, the sides hold up the weight of the lid, so that the top of the book can remain untouched by the box. We also included a drop front on the box to assist when removing the book from the enclosure.

Darwin’s Darlings

Darwin’s Darlings is actually a set of three books, each contained in a glass petri dish. Darwin’s Darlings presented the challenges of being made of glass and having a round, rather than angular shape. In addition, Special Collections wanted the three items to be shelved and boxed together in a single enclosure.

Custom box constructed for Darwin’s Darlings

Our solution to these challenges was to create a “tray” that would sit inside a four-flap box. The bottom of the tray is lined with ethafoam for additional padding. There is also a piece of foam cut to shape (visible in the photo above) that fits on top of the items when they are housed in the box.

Darwin at Sea

Darwin at Sea was the most difficult of the three books to house. The item consists of an altered book with four glass petri dishes adhered into the cover of the book. Not only is the challenge of round, glass objects present like in the previous books, but the objects are permanently attached to the altered book, with the front having a different configuration than the back.

Custom trays to fit Darwin at Sea

As with Darwin’s Darlings, we utilized the technique of making trays to fit both sides of the book. The trays were constructed out of corrugated board and then wrapped in gray book cloth. Once wrapped, the trays were then attached to the inside of a four-flap box. The top tray was attached to an outside flap, so when the box is closed, the flap remains in the correct position.

Darwin at Sea resting in the bottom tray

Darwin at Sea with the top tray/flap in place

With these custom enclosures, the newest additions to the Special Collections artist book collection can be safely stored, handled, and enjoyed for years to come.

The finished enclosures

Ashley Jones
Preservation Librarian

Though it is not technically a “new” collection, the McKee family papers has recently been processed and is now available for use.  This collection has been in the department’s backlog for awhile, but with the help of intern Kristie Salyers, the collection has been processed and the finding aid created.

The McKee collection consists largely of series of correspondence between George H. McKee (I) and his wife Maria (Marshall) McKee as well as later correspondence between George H. McKee (I)’s cousins Agnes M. McKee (Scott) and Jessie McKee and his son George H. McKee (II). The collection also includes correspondence from other family members, legal, financial, military, and tax documents collected by family members over the years. There are a number of photographs, photograph albums, prayer books, diaries, account books, and other bound materials included as well.

So who exactly is the McKee Family?

George H. McKee (I) (1842-1888)
George H. McKee (I) was the seventh of thirteen children born to William and Louise (Stipp) McKee. Born in Bourbon County Kentucky, George H. (I) was a lieutenant in the Union Army during the Civil War. Serving ones country was important in the McKee family as George’s grandfather, John McKee, fought and died in the Revolutionary War. According to a biography of George (I)’s father, William McKee, in, A History and Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers, Cincinnati Ohio “Four of his sons . . .” William McKee’s sons, “were in the late war.”(Pg. 558) George (I) volunteered as a member of the Ohio National Guard to serve in the war. In February of 1865 he was given the title Lieutenant of the 3^rd U.S. Colored Artillery (Heavy). He was recommended for a full commission as a member of the Regular Army of the United States in April of the following year and was given a “Grand Army of the Republic, Honorable Discharge.” (1866). Over the course of his life, as a soldier and after his discharge, George H (I) was a frequent traveler. He was a resident of Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. He married Maria Marshall in 1866 and had three sons. Two of those sons, Charlie and John, died before the age of twenty-five. After serving in the army, he became a journalist. George worked as the editor of The Saturday Review in Greenburg Indiana and continued his work as a journalist after moving to Florida with his second wife. After the death of Maria, George H. (I) married his first cousin, Ann E. (Lizzie) McKee, Samuel McKee’s daughter. In a newspaper article it was written, “A Hoosier bachelor wants to marry his first cousin, who resides in Bourbon, and writes us to know if the laws of Kentucky prohibit the marrying of such relatives. They do not.” George and Ann traveled to Covington, Kentucky to marry as it was illegal for them to do so in either Ohio or Indiana. In addition to working as a journalist, he was also the Post Adjutant of the “Pap Thomas Post” of the Grand Army of the Republic in Greensburg, Indiana. He received a letter from then Secretary of State, James G. Blaine, thanking him and the “Pap Thomas Post” for their condolences when President Garfield was wounded. George lived out the rest of his life living in Leesburg, Florida. He was forty-six at the time of his death in 1888.

Maria (Marshall) McKee (1844-1882)
A native of Bath County Kentucky, Maria (Marshall) McKee was born in 1844 to William and Nancy Marshall. Her sister was the wife of Samuel McKee, George H. (I)’s paternal uncle. She was a student of The Oxford Female Institute in Oxford, Ohio. As a student at the Female Institute, Maria wrote George telling him of events happening at the school, about her classes and schedule, and about the homesickness she occasionally felt. She sometimes wrote to George about his dream to serve in the army, and how she was not too fond of that dream. Often the topic of discussion was the Civil War and the rebel raids that passed through parts of Kentucky, including Maria’s home town. The relationship between George and Maria was at times passionate and at times tumultuous. In October of 1863 Maria wrote to George about his reasons for entering school. It is unclear just what George said to upset May, but her understanding was “that you no longer love me” and that, “that was sufficient to break the engagement.” She told George “you are free.” In a letter written a few months later Maria writes, “I suspect I love you more than Jacob’s Rachel did him . . .”(1-15-1864) Though they had their arguments, many letters expressed their love and devotion to one another. After years of correspondence navigating a long distance relationship, Maria became the wife of George H. (I) in 1866. She died in October of 1882 at the age of thirty-eight survived by her husband and three young children.

George H. McKee (II) (1880-1942)
The youngest of George (I) and Maria’s three sons, George H. (II) was the only one of their children to reach full adulthood. His brothers died at the ages of nineteen and twenty-five. His mother died when he was two years old. This appears to be the reason for the large number of correspondences between himself and his father’s cousins. A letter written in 1883, a few short months after Maria’s death, from Lizzie McKee, George (I)’s second wife, to George (I) McKee discusses George (II) having been left with Lizzie and Jessie in Seven Mile, Ohio. It seems that George (II) spent part of his childhood being raised by his father’s cousins until the marriage of George (I) and Lizzie (Ann E.) McKee. After the death of George (I) in 1888, George (II) remained in Florida with his step-mother, Lizzie McKee, and his brother, John. Born in Indiana, George H. (II) was very much like his father, a traveler. Throughout his life he lived in and traveled to Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, California, Tennessee, and Washington. He also wrote a large number of correspondences to Agnes and Jessie from Europe. He worked as a hotel clerk and manager, and as US postal service clerk. In an undated letter, George wrote about finding work on the sets of silent films. It appears that, for a short time, George looked for work in Hollywood. He wrote “I went out Friday for my money and he said he could use me at a station sceen Saturday morning, I said all right I’d come; tho it did not mean much money as one simply went down to the station and got excited about someone arriving or departing.” He was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. George (II) married somewhat later in life at the age of thirty-seven. He and his wife Celeste had three children, one daughter and two sons. George spent much of his married life living and working in California. George died at the age of sixty-two in California in 1942.

Jessie E. McKee (1862-1950)
Jessie was the youngest of Samuel McKee’s five children and frequent correspondent of George H (II). Jessie’s maternal aunt was Maria (Marshall) McKee, George (I)’s first wife. Her sister, Lizzie, was George (I)’s second wife. Jessie lived with Lizzie, John, and George (II) for a few years in Florida after the death of George (I). Jessie was a teacher. In a letter written in April of 1890, Jessie discussed her plans to “teach thru May.” For some time, Jessie also taught painting. In a letter written to her mother dated June 2, 1891, she stated, “I have given up my town painting pupils.” She was also a student. In a letter written by Lizzie February 23, 1892, she stated, “Jessie stayed home in the morning and studied her Dutch.” During her time in Florida Jessie helped Lizzie, John, and George with the work to be done on their grove. She wrote to her mother in February of 1890 about helping Lizzie and getting the “home folks” out of debt. Letters written in 1892 discuss the families boxing and selling fruit, particularly oranges. Jessie was involved in culture and society often attending lectures and parties. Throughout her life she travelled to see her widely dispersed family. There are letters addressed to and from Jessie in Florida, California, and Ohio. Though she travelled often, Jessie always returned to the homestead in Seven Mile, Ohio. The family were regular attendees of church services. Jessie and Agnes were both members of a missionary society. They stayed involved with the happenings of their local church. She never married. As she was the youngest, and last remaining, member of her immediate family, she was responsible for the care and upkeep of the Seven Mile home. For this reason there are a number of legal and financial documents addressed to Jessie in regards to the family home. Jessie died in Seven Mile shortly after a stroke in December of 1950 at the age of eighty-eight.

Agnes M. McKee (Scott) (1849-1937)
Agnes Mary McKee was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky to Samuel and Margaret (Marshall) McKee. She married David Chamberlain Scott in 1874. They had one child, Harry McKee, born 1877. Both David and Harry died long before Agnes. Thou
gh it is unclear exactly when they died, a letter written to Agnes in July of 1904 mentions the deaths of both Agnes’ husband, David, and son, Harry. Newspaper clippings further reveal an approximate date of death for both men. Harry died from “consumption” in February of 1902, while David died from

Along with Jessie, Agnes was very active in the church. She too was a member of the same missionary society as Jessie. After the death of their mother, Agnes and Jessie were responsible for the family estate in Seven Mile. They travelled to visit George (II) and his family. While they were away they received updates about the estate via the mail from whom they left in charge to look after things. Agnes died in Seven Mile, Ohio in 1937 at the age of eighty-eight.

McKee Family Papers Finding Aid

Check back for more information about our collections!

Johnathan Cooper
Manuscripts Librarian

*Biographical content and family tree done by Kristie Sayler

from East of the Sun and West of the Moon by Kay Nielsen, 1922, in the King Collection of Juvenile Literature.

Happy New Year everyone, from all of us in Special Collections. We are looking forward to an exciting new year, full of changes.

First of all, we are welcoming a new Head of Special Collections & Archives, William M. Modrow. Bill comes to us from Florida State University and brings rich experience in instruction and outreach as well as rare books. You’ll be getting to know Bill virtually on these pages in the coming months, but I hope you’ll have the opportunity to meet him face to face as well. I know he’ll bring some great direction to the department.

Of course, change can be bittersweet. We had to say goodbye to Kim Tully last month when she left to accept a position at Temple University. We thank Kim for all she did while she was here and wish her well in her new job. We know she’ll do great things for Temple.

We are in the process of searching for Kim’s replacement, so we’ll be welcoming another librarian in the spring.

Speaking of spring, our spring semester exhibit will be curated by Katie Wills, a Miami history graduate student, who is producing a fascinating exhibit as part of her thesis. The Ready Ones: American Children, World War II, and Propaganda will be available in the Special Collections exhibit gallery from Monday, January 26 through May 15, 2015.

We’re also delighted to have a new graduate assistant for spring semester. Dana Bogart, also a history grad student, will be completing her master’s in May. Dana started working with us in December and is already proving herself an asset to the department.

Check back with us here for more on the exhibit, the spring exhibit reception, and some other changes coming later this year.

Meanwhile, stay warm, everyone, and best wishes for a happy, healthy 2015!

Elizabeth Brice
Assistant Dean for Technical Services & Special Collections

(L-R): Kim Tully (moderator), Roland Duerksen, Carole Gross Colca, Mark Levy

2014 is almost over! A few updates about our digital holdings before the break.

First, the recording of our second Special Collections Annual Lecture Telling our Stories: Building the Freedom Summer Legacy is now online here. Please note the audio master volume is set a little low so it may be necessary to turn up your speakers. The video features a panel of Freedom Summer volunteers first recounting their own stories and then taking questions from the audience.

The Ready Ones: American Children, World War II, and Propaganda

Our fall exhibit Stories of Freedom Summer from the Western College Memorial Archives is over, but you can still enjoy the experience of our digital storytelling version here. Be sure to come in this spring to see The Ready Ones: American Children, World War II, and Propaganda, an exhibit guest curated by graduate student Katie Wills! Katie writes about the exhibit:
‘Stories from people who were children during World War II and the objects in this exhibit animate the past and inform us of a time when war took over daily life. “Retrospect is a very interesting thing,” says Ruthie Kallnder. “At the time I don’t recall any of the information we got as being propaganda,” but the government tried to influence children to make “necessary” sacrifices. Propagandists made the war a battle between good and evil, democracy and fascism. They also asked children to share in the war effort. In response, many children took on more responsibilities. Ruthie explains that boys and girls felt “if that’s what it was going to take” to win they “were willing to do it.” The memories of the people in this exhibit and their wartime actions show the power of propaganda’s messages and its lasting affect on their lives. Propaganda posters, children’s books, and classroom assignments demonstrate how propagandists reached children and involved them in the national war effort.’

Of course, it wouldn’t be one of my blog posts without mention of our digital collections. I was browsing some of the statistics of our digital collections website and learned some interesting things, most exciting of all (to me, at least) is that fewer than half of our users are accessing our digital collections within Ohio, and a full 15% of our users are coming in from outside of the United States. So to all of you – wherever you are – thank you, happy holidays, and wishing you all a very, very happy 2015!

Marcus Ladd
Special Collections Digital Librarian

New Years postcards from the early 20th century

The Grolier Club is a private and prominent club for book collectors and other bibliophiles that dates to the late 19^th century when the collecting of fine books and the history of printing arts were the hobbies of wealthy men. Chartered by a group of eight interested collectors its membership now numbers 800. The Club occupies a building in midtown Manhattan and has grown far beyond its original private club purpose to serve the needs of scholars and the interest and education of the general public.

One of the Grolier Club’s more popular traditions is its series of exhibits and accompanying publications known as the Grolier 100. The current exhibit in that series, just opened this past week, is One Hundred Books Famous in Children’s Literature. It so happens that two of those one hundred books on exhibit at the Grolier Club are from the Walter Havighurst Special Collections – one from the Edgar W. and Faith King Collection of Juvenile Literature and the other from the McGuffey Reader Collection.

Magasin des enfans, ou, Dialogues entre une sage gouvernante et plusieurs de ses élèves de la premiére distinction : dans lesquels on fait penser, parler, agir les jeunes gens suivant le génie, le tempérament, & les inclinations d’un chacun … par Made Le Prince de Beaumont. A Londres : Se vend chez J. Haberkorn, dans Gerard-Street, Soho : & chez les Libraires de cette ville, 1756.

Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (1711-1780) was a teacher and writer who participated in documenting the French fairy tale tradition. Among the many fairy tales she wrote is the best known version of Beauty and the Beast. In her Magasin she compiled a variety of stories, fairy tales and moral tales for young readers.

The volume on exhibit is the first edition of Magasin des enfans, and Miami’s copy retains its very rare frontispiece (shown below).

The eclectic first reader for young children consisting of progressive lessons in reading and spelling mostly in easy words of one and two syllables, by W.H. M’Guffey … Cincinnati, Pub. by Truman and Smith, 1838.

It’s impossible to talk about the history of American children’s literature without referencing William Holmes McGuffey, who, during his brief tenure at Miami University, began the series of schoolbooks for which he became famous, if not rich. While teaching at a frontier schoolhouse in Kentucky before being hired at Miami, McGuffey realized that a lack of useful teaching resources was hampering the instruction of reading. The expansion of literacy was one of the major reforms of the early 19^th century, and McGuffey discovered that there was little available outside of the New England Primer. He exploited the educational theory of his time to develop readers that coupled simple texts taken from major cultural sources – the Bible, Shakespeare, American history – with woodcuts of objects familiar to western Americans living in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and the other frontier states. He, and other contributors, then created a progressive series of readers geared to developing literacy skills.

The First Reader was originally published in 1836, shortly followed by the rest in the series. The publishers bought all the rights from McGuffey, and the McGuffey Readers became a publishing goldmine throughout the 19^th century and into the 20^th. In fact the Readers are still in print, for sale online, and used by home schoolers and church schools.

The Grolier Club exhibit will be open through February 7, 2015. If you are in New York City before then, stop by and enjoy this fabulous exhibit. Special Collections is honored to play a small part in it.

Elizabeth Brice
Assistant Dean for Technical Services & Special Collections