Finding Aid of Peninsula Family History records

Dublin Core

Title

Finding Aid of Peninsula Family History records

Subject

Traverse City

Description

Finding Aid of Peninsula Family History records. Collection is part of the holdings of the Peninsula Community Library.

Creator

Amy Barritt; Mary Morgan , 1963-

Source

Local History Collections, Peninsula Community Library, Traverse City, MI

Publisher

Peninsula Community Library

Date

2023

Contributor

Peninsula Community Library staff

Rights

This document is protected by copyright law. Contact the Peninsula Community Library for permission to reproduce, display, or transmit this document.

Relation

Peninsula Family History records

Format

PDF

Language

English

Identifier

LHC008pcl-findingaid.pdf

Coverage

Peninsula Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

PDF Text

Text

LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS
PENINSULA COMMUNITY LIBRARY
2893 Island View Road Traverse City, MI 49686

Creator: Peninsula Township residents
Title: Peninsula Family History records
Inclusive dates: 1856-2022
Bulk dates:1987-1994, 2021-2022
Extent: 4.25 linear feet, 1 oversize folder
Call number: LHC 008 Pcl

Language: Material is in English
Acquisition: Various
Accruals: Periodic additions to the collection are expected.
Access: The collection is open without restriction.
Photographs: Box 5
A-V Material: Box 2
Digital Material: https://localhistory.tadl.org/collections/show/37
Copyright: Copyright is held by the Peninsula Community Library.
Copyright for oral histories held by creators.
Processed By: Amy Barritt, 2013, 2014, 2017, Mary Morgan, 2020, 2021, 2022, Ted Arnold 2022, Mary Morgan 2023,2024
Abstract
The Peninsula Family History records include records created by, or collected by, Township residents to formalize the history of the township and the people that have lived there. Series in the collection are: Leffingwell Resort Families, Local History Talks, Oral Histories, Periodicals, Photographs, Published Works, Reminiscences.

History
The settlement at Old Mission was founded in May 1839 by Reverend Peter Dougherty and Reverend John Fleming, and was the first European settlement in the Grand Traverse Bay region. In addition to the mission, the settlers founded a school there, and developed peaceful relations with the native population, consisting of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, living in and around the harbor.

As word spread of the excellent growing conditions in the area, and roads were extended northward, white settlers moved to the area. In 1853, the Peninsula Township was formally organized. On May 20, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law. The act, which took effect January 1, 1863, granted 160 acres of unappropriated public lands to anyone who paid a small filing fee and agreed to work on the land and improve it, including by building a residence, over a five-year period. In the spring of 1874, the Indian reserves were opened to homesteaders, bringing more settlers to the area. With this growth, seven distinct unincorporated communities were established. Each boasted a one-room schoolhouse and were placed such that no child had to walk further than a reasonable difference (approximately 1.5 miles) to attend classes there. (In 1955 a bond was passed to consolidate into one school).

The communities were all rural farming communities, growing a variety of fruits, predominantly apples. Organizations, such as the Grange and Woman’s Clubs, and the volunteer fire department, were significant in building a sense of community. Resort communities also grew, including Leffingwell Resort, the Neahtawanta Resort Association (Bowers Harbor), the Old Mission Beach Resort, and the Illini Cottagers Association.

In 1905, cherries became the fruit of choice. In 1974 the first 35 acres of vines were planted for growing grapes specifically for wine making. Wineries, cherry and apple orchards and other agricultural ventures continue to be essential for sustaining and growing the community. Although the center of commerce has shifted to Traverse City at the base of the Peninsula, the area continues to be a tourist destination for its beautiful landscape and farms.



Scope and Content Note

Leffingwell Resort Families includes brief histories of notable residents of the Leffingwell Resort (located just north of Haserot Beach).

Local History Talks is an online video collection of various talks that took place at Peninsula Community Library recounting stories and information about families on Old Mission Peninsula.

Oral Histories consists of four cassette tapes recorded at Old Mission Historical Society (OMHS) events held in 1987, and a series of oral histories, recorded OMHS events, and short histories, all produced by local historian and OMHS member, Ken Weaver.

Also this collection contains a subset of transcribed women’s oral histories, specific to the Peninsula that were obtained via the Women’s History Project of Northwest Michigan (WHPNM), a 501c3 which was begun in Traverse City, Michigan (2000-2019). It was a membership organization led by a Board of Directors. Its mission was to preserve and recognize the contributions of women to their families and communities in northwest lower Michigan. These recollections offer insights into women’s domestic and professional lives covering much of the 20th century. The complete collection of oral/written histories resides in the archives at the main branch of the Traverse Area District Library (TADL).

Periodicals is a scattered collection of periodicals that mention some aspect of Old Mission Peninsula life and Grand Traverse County. Most of these have been collected by the Peninsula Community Library staff, and are locally published.

Photographs include a small collection of largely unidentified and undated images.

Published Works include written accounts by Old Mission Peninsula residents about their lives on the Peninsula. Various authors, dates and subjects are represented. Also a copy of “Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan”, which contains brief biographies of prominent residents at the time of publication (1903).

Reminiscences include unpublished written accounts by Old Mission Peninsula residents about their lives on the Peninsula. Various authors, dates and subjects are represented.



Container No. Description

Leffingwell Resort Families [series]:

Box 5 Various brief biographies of notable Leffingwell Resort residents,
written by Tom Dalluge, including, but not limited to:
-Ernest DeKoven Leffingwell
-Charles E. Wilkes
-Victor Vaughan (from a talk given to the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society on November 5, 2020)

Published Works [subseries]:

Box 4 “A Doctor’s Memories”, by Victor C. Vaughan, 1926, The Bobbs-Merrill
Company, Indianapolis

Local History Talks [series]:

Digital A 7 Generation Farm Family Presentation (Holman/Fowler):
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25059

Box 1 Powerpoint presentation of “A 7 Generation
Farm Family on Old Mission Peninsula, 1856 – Present”.
This information was provided by Georgia and Laurie
Holman and was presented on May 20, 2022.

Digital A History of the Brown/Giles - Brys Winery Estate Presentation:
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25061

Box 5 The Brown Family Farm/Brys Estate and Vineyard - Powerpoint presentation of “A History of the Brown/Giles - Brys Winery Estate Presentation”. This information was provided by the Walter Brys family and was presented on October 26, 2021 at a Peninsula Community Library Local History Talk.

Digital Cavasos-Carroll Connection Presentation
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25058

Digital Early European Settlers Presentation:
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25043

Digital History of the Old Mission Peninsula and its Families (Buchan/Carroll/Holman)
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/30398

Digital Leland Gore Talk
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/30397

Digital Ogdensburg Talk
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25063

Digital “Once Upon a Peninsula” Activity/Coloring Book Presentation:
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25062

Box 5 Once Upon a Peninsula Coloring/Activity Book, along with Powerpoint hardcopy slides (with speaker’s notes) from the June 21, 2022 Peninsula Community Library Local History
Talk. Also an article from the June 19, 2022 Record Eagle
about the Coloring/Activity book.


Digital The Boy from Archie Presentation (George McManus):
https://localhistory.tadl.org/items/show/25049


Oral Histories [series]:

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Historic Society”, 18 November 1987 (cassette tape)

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Sesquicentennial Party”, 26 January 1987 (cassette tape, Note: “Historical Group and Children with
questions”)


Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Library’s Historical Meeting”, 23 April 1987 (cassette tape, Note: “Tape made during one hour session
with 25 oldtimers attending”)


Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Lester Buchan reciting poems”, recorded December 1987 (cassette tape, Note: “Mr. Buchan was 96 years
old”)

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Oldtimer’s Night, lecture by Dr. Joanne Westphal, Michigan State University, Landscape Architecture”, 16 October 1998 (video cassette tape)

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Axel Ostlund, 26 October 1993” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer, ”Fred Dohm, 26 September 1994” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer,
”Helen Altenburg, 19 November 1993” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer,
”Molly Levin, 22 September 1994” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Marty Hyslop and Dr. Elizabeth Potter, 2 September 1993” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer,
”Jim Wilson, 9 August 1994” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer, ”Marty Hyslop and Elizabeth Potter, 29 August 1993” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer, “Lardie Hess Tape, Delano Lardie, 1988” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer, “William Duckwitz on Neahtawana, 17 October 1994” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Ida Bee, 7 October 1993” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer for Old Mission Historical Society, ”Oakley Lardie, 2 May 1994” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Old Mission Historical Society, “Bud Kroupa, 3 November 1993” (cassette tape)

Box 2 “Interview with Maurice DeGraw, 21 September 1994,
at his home 13117 Bluff Rd.,” (cassette tape)

Box 2 Interview by Walter Johnson and Julianne Meyer “Marguerite Swaney Bartlett, 27 July 1994, at the Bartlett hideaway in Bluff”
(cassette tape)

Box 2 Ken Weaver interviewing Ross Richardson, “The Search for the Westmoreland” (restricted use, please get Weaver’s permission to publish) (compact disc)

Box 2 Ken Weaver interviewing Ross Richardson, “Shipwrecks of Sleeping Bear Point” (restricted use, please get Weaver’s permission to
publish) (compact disc)

Volume 1 Transcribed oral histories from the Women’s History Project of Northwest Michigan

DeVol, Helen: Grand Traverse County, Old Mission cherries
Dodd, Margaret: Grand Traverse County, politician/mayor of TC, from Scotland, teacher, Red Cross worker.

Herkner, Lynda: Old Mission History, Real Estate, Creative Arts.
Hicks, Michele M.: Old Mission Peninsula History, National Forest Service Volunteer, Traverse City Senior Center.

Hyslop, Martie: Grand Traverse County, homemaker, family resort on Old Mission.

Johnson, Mary: Grand Traverse County, nurse, cherry farm owner, Peninsula historian, music teacher.

Levin, Molly: Grand Traverse County, rural homemaker, local historian, and cherry farm wife.

Lyon, Mary: Old Mission Peninsula; Cherry Farmer on Centennial Farm; Catholic Faith; Volunteer extraordinaire.

McDermott, Dorothy: Old Mission Peninsula History, Crocheting.

Mericle, Rebecca: Grand Traverse County, NMC librarian, Inuit art.

Milliken, Helen: Grand Traverse County, First Lady of Michigan 1969-83, worked on passage of Equal Rights Amendment and other women's issues, environmental issues, gardening.

Olson, Sharon: Old Mission Peninsula; Nurse; Veteran.

Solomonson, Violet: Grand Traverse County, telephone operator on Old Mission for 56 years.

Wunsch, Anna: Grand Traverse County, journalist, teacher, Peninsula cherry farming.

Periodicals [series]:

Box 1 Newspaper clippings, 2014, 2021

Photographs [series]:

Box 5 Various photographs, including: Bert Kroupa Family (1910), Margaret Wilson Memorial at the fork of Center & Peninsula Dr, McManus family gathering, Edward E. Miller (2nd Caucasian child born in OM, 1847), Louisa Porter,Lou & Alice Archer, Agnes Griffin, Clarence Ladd, Louise Pratt, Mary Ladd & Irma Drew, Roy Drew & Bert Eckstine, Lucia Stone, William R. Stone & Family, Ann Dean (Pratt)

Published Works [series]:

Box 1 “A Century of Service: The People and Places on Old Mission Peninsula,” published by Peninsula Telephone Company, Jack and Vi Solomonson, 2008 (note: an addendum to the volume is a single sheet of paper tucked in the front that shows photographs identified or corrected after the volume was published). Included with the book is an index of names/photos and page numbers, created by PCL Library Staff (2023).

Box 1 Old Traverse City, by Gull Gallery, 1973.

Box 1 “Pilgrims of the Night”, by Frederick William Faber, 1884; previously owned by (Martha) Belle Reese of Old Mission, illustrated copy of the poem

Box 1 “Memories Hidden, Memories Found”, by Julianne Meyer and Walter Johnson, 1995 (2 copies)

Box 1 “Reflections of Yesterday,” by Julianne Meyer, 1988

Box 3 “Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan : embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions, together with interesting reminiscences”, by Sprague, Elvin L., 1903.

Box 4 “The Story of Old Mission”, by Elizabeth V. Potter, 1956, Edwards
Brothers, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (Elizabeth Potter’s Obituary is included in this box)

Reminiscences [series]:

Box 1 Various authors, dates and subjects, including but not limited to:

History of OMP, by Fida Tompkins Myers

Parmalee Family History, by John Marshall

Writings of Williams Holdsworth and his daughter Clementine, by Julianne Meyer

Margaret (Menauch) Wilson, by Helen Wilson Vogel

John Kroupa, by Lola Zaremba

Marion Island, by Ngnetta Kroupa

Archie, by George McManus

Early development of Cherry Industry, by Lola Zaremba

Early Development of Processing & Marketing, by Lola Zaremba

Notable Women of the Old Mission: A Sampler, by Karen Reiser

Victor Vaughan presentation given to OMPHS, by Tom Dalluge

Box 1 S.E. Wait Memorial souvenir pamphlet, 21 July 1922

Box 1 “Certain Memories of Old Mission, Michigan,” by David Jones, 1984

Box 1 “Old Mission Post Office”, by Helen DeVol, March 1988

Box 1 “Memories Hidden, Memories Found,” by Julianne Meyer and Walter Johnson, 1995 (Unpublished edition, contains some better copies of photographs than the photocopied, published edition. Addendums include corrected copies of Louise N. Pratt’s “History of Old Mission,” Molly Sobkowski’s “History of the Old Mission Peninsula,” and interviews with Molly Levin and Helen Altenburg.)

Box 5 Pratt Family History

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