University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois I-Mark

The items in the Digital Collections of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library contain materials which represent or depict sensitive topics or were written from perspectives using outdated or biased language. The Library condemns discrimination and hatred on any grounds. As a research library that supports the mission and values of this land grant institution, it is incumbent upon the University Library to preserve, describe, and provide access to materials to accurately document our past, support learning about it, and effect change in the present. In accordance with the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement, we do not censor our materials or prevent patrons from accessing them.

If you have questions regarding this statement or any content in the Library’s digital collections, please contact digitalcollections@lists.illinois.edu

American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Statement

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at the University Library
Service
Repository
Collection Structure
Resource Type
Showing 41–80 of 87 collections
  • James R.B. Van Cleave Collection of Lincoln Centenary Letters (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the James R.B. Van Cleave Lincoln Centenary Letters consists of letters written to the Lincoln Centennial Association from 1907-1911, primarily relating to the centenary of Lincoln’s birth, which occurred in 1909. The Lincoln Centennial Association (now the Abraham Lincoln Association) was formed in Springfield, Illinois, in 1908, to facilitate the national ceremony of the centennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln in 1909. James R.B. Van Cleave (1853-1931) was a life member of the Association. He served as Secretary of the Publicity Committee and was a member of the Committee on Souvenirs and Printing. For the centennial, Van Cleave was tasked to gather reminiscences from those who knew Lincoln personally or professionally. The digitized content contains letters written to James R.B. Van Cleave describing the artifacts that they were donating to the Lincoln Centenary, or their personal memories of meeting Abraham Lincoln. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the James R.B. Van Cleave Lincoln Centenary Letters (MS 1104) The collection was completely digitized in 2023. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Jay Montgomery Hurd Memoirs (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Jay Montgomery Hurd Memoirs consists of the autobiographical writings of Jay Montgomery Hurd, titled “A Few Incidents in the Life of a Sexagenarian.” The memoirs describe Hurd’s life story from 1809 to 1874. Jay Montgomery Hurd held many jobs in his lifetime; his first position was helping newly freed slaves settle in Illinois. He later became a constable, farmer, storekeeper and politician. Hurd helped to establish Jersey County, Illinois, and served as a judge in Jerseyville from 1847-1869. During this time he became known by prominent politicians such as Stephen A. Douglas. Hurd moved from Greene County to Christian County in 1858, and then to Johnson City, Nebraska, in 1872. The digitized content contains the handwritten memoirs of Jay Montgomery Hurd, written in 1874. In his memoirs Hurd described politics, travel to the East Coast, and farming operations, as they evolved into mechanized processes during his lifetime. Hurd also mentioned abolition, religion, and frontier life, among other topics. Although Hurd lived through the Civil War, it is rarely mentioned in his writing. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Jay Montgomery Hurd Memoirs (MS 791). The collection was digitized in 2020. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • John McClernand Letter (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the John McClernand letter consists of one printed letter from Camp Cairo, Illinois, to Ulysses S. Grant, dated November 12, 1861. An unknown author added a handwritten note at the bottom of the last page. John A. McClernand (1812-1900) was a Democratic politician from Shawneetown, Illinois. He served with Abraham Lincoln in the Illinois General Assembly in the 1830s and was eventually elected to the United States House of Representatives. In 1861, McClernand accepted a commission as brigadier general of Volunteers for service in the Civil War. Many of his contemporaries, including General Ulysses S. Grant, found McClernand incompetent in the field. Grant was McClernand's commanding officer during the Battle of Belmont in southeast Missouri, which was a Union loss. Grant relieved McClernand from his military duties in 1863, after McClernand gave a report to the press without approval. After dismissal, he continued his political career in Illinois and served as district judge of the Sangamon District. The digitized content consists of a printed letter from John A. McClernand to Ulysses S. Grant, dated November 12, 1861, five days after the Battle of Belmont in southeast Missouri. McClernand described the events of the battle in detail, praising the efforts made by soldiers under his command and by Grant himself. He also recounted many deaths following the Battle of Belmont, including Polish American aide-de-camp Captain Alexander Bielaski. Below McClernand's printed signature is a handwritten note from an unknown author, who recounted how many times McClernand mentioned himself in the letter. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the John McClernand Letter on the Battle of Belmont from Cairo, Illinois, 1861 (MS 1100). The collection was completely digitized in 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Jonathan A. Catlin Collection (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Jonathan A. Catlin Collection consists of a diary, a photograph, and two letters, mainly documenting the Civil War service of Jonathan A. Catlin in the 52nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The items date from 1862-1865 and 1883. Jonathan A. Catlin joined Company G of the 52nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1861. The 52nd Regiment was organized at Geneva, Illinois, and engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, the Siege of Corinth, operations against Vicksburg, the Atlanta Campaign, and the March to the Sea. The digitized content contains Catlin's diary, an undated photograph of Catlin taken in Quincy, Illinois, and two letters. Catlin's diary contains a few entries on his life before and after the Civil War, but mainly documents his experience in the war. Among the materials is a letter dated January 14, 1883 from Jane Van Horn of Churchville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to her cousins in Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Jonathan A. Catlin Collection (MS 513). The collection was completely digitized in 2018. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Jonathan Baldwin Turner Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Jonathan Baldwin Turner papers consists of letters, images, certificates, patents, and circulars pertaining to the life and career of Jonathan Baldwin Turner, a teacher, preacher, agriculturalist, and educational and political advocate. Jonathan Baldwin Turner (1805-1899) was born in Massachusetts and moved to Illinois after receiving his degree in classical literature from Yale University in 1833. He settled in Jacksonville, Illinois, where he was a professor at Illinois College. Turner was an integral figure in the establishment of land grant universities, as well as the founding of the Illinois Industrial University, now the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was also an agriculturalist who improved agricultural methods and established the use of Osage orange trees for hedge farming. The digitized content contains incoming and outgoing correspondence, images, patents, circulars, and certificates from Turner's career in agriculture and educational advocacy. Correspondents include Illinois politicians, national politicians, and friends and associates involved in Turner's educational pursuits. Many of the letters concern Turner's decade-long effort in establishing the Illinois Industrial University. Turner's circulars and patents concern innovative agricultural methods, including improvements for seeding machines and Pulverizers, and the promotion of Osage orange trees for hedge farming. Images include portraits of Turner, his family, and their residence in Jacksonville, Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Jonathan Baldwin Turner Papers (MS 333). The collection was partially digitized in 2020, 2021, and 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Joseph Gurney Cannon Photo Album (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Joseph Gurney Cannon Photo Album contains digital copies of photographs from Cannon’s album, documenting the construction progress of the Danville Soldier’s Home in Illinois. Joseph Gurney ("Uncle Joe") Cannon was a leading figure in U.S. politics during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives for a total of 46 years, between 1873 and 1923, and served as Speaker of the House from 1903 to 1911. Cannon was the leading force in bringing the Veterans Administration Hospital (formerly a branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers) to Danville, Illinois, in 1898. Cannon's photo album includes pictures of the hospital and its occupants, employees, surrounding grounds, and events. The buildings and grounds were later adapted for use by the Danville Area Community College. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Joseph Gurney Cannon Photo Album and Book (MS 505). The collection was partially digitized in 2000 (individual photographs) and fully digitized in 2022 (full album). For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Joseph Hand Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Joseph Hand Papers consists of letters dating from 1843-1903 and a set of two broadsides from 1844-1845 relating to Joseph Hand, a farmer who immigrated to Illinois from England with his family in 1845. The correspondence, the bulk of which dates from the 1840s and 1850s, highlights the lives of the Hands both before and after they left England. Joseph Hand was a farmer living in Yoxall, Staffordshire, England. In 1845, Hand sold his farm and set sail for America with his wife and six of their seven children. Hand's wife, Sarah Shipton Hand, died while the family was at sea. Upon arriving in Illinois, Hand purchased land at Paddock's Grove in Madison County, and soon expanded the farm across the county line into Bunker Hill in Macoupin County. After Joseph's death in 1860, his daughter Sarah A. Hand took over management of the family farm. The digitized content contains correspondence, dating from both while the Hands were living in England and after their arrival in the United States. The collection illustrates the lives of rural English people, English politics and social conditions in the 1840s, and exchanges between family members in England and the United States. The digitized content also contains auctioneers' broadsides for the sale of the family's farm in Yoxall. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Joseph Hand Papers (MS 688). The collection was partially digitized in 2013. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Knight Family Correspondence (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Knight Family Correspondence consists of letters written between the Mack family of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois and the Knight family of Selma and Towanda, Illinois, dating from the 1850s to the 1880s. Most of the letters were written by Martha Mack to her sister, Isabella Knight. Martha and Isabella Gill were sisters and Irish immigrants. Isabella married Harvey J. Knight and they had two children, Martha (Mattie) and Anna Knight The Knight family lived in Selma, Illinois before moving to Towanda, Illinois, outside of Normal, so that Isabella and Martha could be closer to each other. Martha Gill married John T. Mack and the two lived in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. The digitized content contains letters written between Martha and Isabella about farm life and family updates. Harvey and John also wrote to each other about their farm work. Later letters are written by Mattie and Anna Knight to their mother and father; these letters are about their education in Normal, Illinois, where they were learning to be teachers. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Knight Family Correspondence (MS 041). The collection was completely digitized in 2020 and 2021. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • League of Women Voters of Champaign County, Ill. Records (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the League of Women Voters of Champaign County, Illinois, Records consists of the Official Secretary Records Volume 1. These records span from October 9, 1922, until May 2, 1933, and include notes on meetings, resumes of presentations by guest speakers, reports of officers and committees, newspaper clippings, and material on the Junior League of Women Voters. The League of Women Voters of Champaign County was formed in 1922. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan grassroots organization that promotes civic involvement and encourages active participation in the government through voter education. The digitized content contains Volume 1 of the League of Women Voters of Champaign County’s Official Secretary Records. This volume contains 152 bound pages with 44 loose pages of additional materials. These pages include meeting notes, summaries of presentations by speakers, officer and committee reports, newspaper clippings, and material on the Junior League of Women Voters. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the League of Women Voters of Champaign County, Ill. Records (MS 063). This collection was partially digitized in 2024. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Lincoln Prints and Ephemera Collection (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Lincoln Prints and Ephemera collection consists of 14 political cartoons featuring Abraham Lincoln, members of Lincoln’s administration, and Union Army command. These political cartoons are depicted in a variety of formats, most notably prints and envelopes. The Lincoln Prints and Ephemera collection includes several hundred depictions of Abraham Lincoln and various people, places, and topics related to his life and legacy. The materials within this collection were created by a variety of artists spanning from 1854 to present day and were combined into a single artificial collection by Illinois History and Lincoln Collections staff. The items from Lincoln Prints and Ephemera represented within the Digital Collections are a subset of the larger physical collection. The digitized content contains political cartoons depicting Abraham Lincoln and other political and military figures who would have been in Lincoln’s inner circle. These political cartoons depict Lincoln, his cabinet, his political rivals, and members of Union Army command, set primarily in the context of the ongoing Civil War and Lincoln’s 1864 bid for re-election. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Lincoln Prints and Ephemera Collection MS 1045. The collection was partially digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Louis Sullivan Architectural Drawings of Bradley House, Madison, Wisc.
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
  • Margaret A. King Correspondence (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Margaret A. King Correspondence consists of original correspondence written between February and October 1864, primarily from Margaret A. King, who lived in Warren, Illinois, to her husband Philander B. King, who had moved to Nevada Territory. Philander and Margaret King were farmers who lived in Warren, Illinois, though Philander moved west to Washoe City, Nevada Territory in 1864 to try to find work in the gold mines. While he was away, Margaret cared for their farm and their children. The Kings moved to the state of Washington in 1902, where Margaret died in 1906 and Philander died in 1907. The digitized content contains sixteen letters, most of which are from Margaret King to Philander King. In her letters to her husband, Margaret described the difficulties of her life alone on the farm, as well as details such as the weather and the prices of goods. She also wrote about local news from Warren, Illinois, especially news regarding the Civil War. The digitized content also contains letters from Philander to Margaret, which give insight into his life in Washoe City, and letters sent to Philander from his relative J. M. Barber; J. E. Scace; and D. C. Allen. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Margaret A. King Correspondence (MS 037). The collection was completely digitized in 2018. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Marion H. Drake Campaign Leaflet (Digitized content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Marion H. Drake Campaign Leaflet consists of a campaign leaflet from the Marion H. Drake Campaign Committee. Marion H. Drake was the Progressive Party candidate in the April 1914 election for alderman of the First Ward in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from the Chicago College of Law in 1892 and worked as a suffragist and lawyer. Drake ran against incumbent John “Bathhouse” Coughlin, who began his career as alderman for the First Ward of Chicago in 1892. Drake lost the 1914 election to Coughlin, who would serve as alderman until his death in 1938. The digitized content contains an envelope and a campaign leaflet. The campaign leaflet is promoting alderman candidate Marion H. Drake in her campaign against Alderman “Bathhouse John” Coughlin, accusing Coughlin of crime and graft while promoting Drake for her strength and virtue. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Marion H. Drake Campaign Leaflet, 1914 (MS 1184). The collection was completely digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Mary Jane Foster Letter (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Mary Jane Foster Letter consists of one letter written in 1869 by Mary Jane Foster to her father, Octavio. Mary Jane Foster lived in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, during the 19th century, with her husband, George, who owned a business in Chicago. Her father, Octavio, lived in the eastern United States. The digitized content contains one letter written by Mary Jane Foster to her father, Octavio, in 1869. The letter discusses Mary Jane’s move from Chicago to Evanston, Illinois, due to high rent prices, local transportation, and her intention to build a house on the plot of land she recently purchased. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Mary Jane Foster Letter (MS 1047). The collection was completely digitized in 2020. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • McNitt Family Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the McNitt Family Papers consists of correspondence and related materials, dating from 1861 to 1886, of three sisters, Sophronia, Hellen, and Jennie McNitt. The bulk of the correspondence is between soldiers serving in the Illinois infantry during the Civil War and Sophronia McNitt. The McNitts were a farming family who lived in rural Montgomery County, Illinois, near the townships of Hillsboro and Irving. The family, including the three daughters, Sophronia, Hellen, and Priscilla ("Jennie"), had connections throughout the county. During the Civil War, many men that they knew left the county to make lives in the West or fight in Illinois volunteer infantry regiments. These men, along with other friends, maintained connections to the McNitts through correspondence. The digitized content contains letters written to the McNitt sisters, particularly Sophronia, by friends, suitors, or other connections from their local community in Montgomery County. These letters give a glimpse into the activities and lives of Civil War soldiers from rural Illinois, politics and anti-war movements of the 1860s, and courtship of the era. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the McNitt Family Papers (MS 117). The collection was partially digitized in 2018. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Minor and Abigail Deming Correspondence (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Minor and Abigail Deming Correspondence consists of both personal and family letters of the Demings from 1844-1846 as well as official correspondence related to the role of the governor and state militia around the time of the arrest and subsequent murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in 1844. In 1838, two years after marrying, Minor Rudd Deming (1810-1845) and Abigail Barnum Deming (1810-1890) moved to St. Mary's in Hancock County, Illinois, where Minor worked on their farm and taught school. He also served as a brigadier general in the state militia. Minor was elected sheriff of Hancock County in 1844 following the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. This was a time of significant conflict between Mormon and anti-Mormon citizenry in the area. After seeking to arrest those charged with the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Minor was perceived to have pro-Mormon sympathies and was targeted by anti-Mormon factions. Minor died a few months after killing a prominent anti-Mormon in self-defense. The digitized content contains letters of personal and family correspondence primarily between Minor and Abigail Deming and their family in Litchfield, Connecticut. These letters document their personal experiences of living in Ohio and Illinois, and discuss their strong religious faith and trust in God. There are also letters of official correspondence and proclamations relating to Minor Deming's service as a Brigadier General during the arrest and subsequent murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. These include letters to and from Governor Thomas Ford, letters to the citizens of Hancock and Adams counties, and a letter to the editor of a newspaper in Warsaw, Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Minor and Abigail Deming Correspondence (MS 491). The collection was completely digitized between 2017 and 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Montraville Reeves Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Montraville Reeves Papers consists of 15 letters mostly from Montraville Reeves to his brother, Ransom Reeves. These letters discuss Reeves’s experiences and thoughts during the Civil War. Montraville Reeves was from Douglas County, Illinois. He enlisted as a private in Company E, 79th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1862. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant of Company G of the same regiment in 1863. He was discharged in 1864. The digitized content contains twelve letters from Montraville Reeves to Ransom Reeves, his brother. Also included are two partial letters to Ransom Reeves from his nephew F.S. McCawley and one letter to Ransom Reeves from his brother Artimas Reeves. Montraville’s letters describe army life, skirmishes, the condition of the Shiloh battlefield after the fighting, and the battle of Chickamauga. He also gave his thoughts on Copperheads, the Emancipation Proclamation and his opposition to black troops, and wrote about his fear of the war reaching Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Montraville Reeves Papers (MS 222). The collection was completely digitized in 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • New York Herald Facsimiles Collection (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the IHLC Collection of New York Herald Facsimiles consists of eighteen commemorative facsimile advertisements promoting companies and products for purchase. These advertisements are printed on the interior pages of facsimile copies of various editions of The New York Herald from April 15, 1865, announcing President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The New York Herald was a New York City based newspaper, printed from 1835 to 1924. The use of commemorative newspaper reproductions as advertisements began around the United States centennial in 1876 and continued until roughly 1908. To attract potential customers, companies would print their advertisements on reproductions of newspapers from notable days in American History. The reproduction of The New York Herald from the day of Lincoln’s assassination to create facsimile advertisements was relatively common, as at least 32 facsimile versions of this paper have been identified. These reproductions have frequently been misidentified for original New York Herald editions announcing Lincoln’s assassination. The digitized content contains eighteen commemorative facsimile advertisements for consumer products printed on reproductions of The New York Herald from April 15, 1865. Some of the most frequent advertisers include Grain-O-Coffee, Kitchel’s Liniment, and MA-LE-NA liver pills. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the IHLC Collection of New York Herald Facsimiles (MS 216). The collection was completely digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Neziah Wright Bliss Ledger Book (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Neziah Wright Bliss Ledger Book consists of a ledger book with records from the years 1854-1862 regarding weather statistics in Warsaw, Illinois, as well as diary entries, recipes, garden and farm notes, and data on natural phenomena. Neziah Wright Bliss was born in Vermont in 1862 and died in Illinois in 1910. He kept a ledger book from 1854-1862 with weather data and farming information. The digitized content contains a ledger book with records from the years 1854-1862 regarding weather statistics in Warsaw, Illinois, as well as diary entries, recipes, garden and farm notes, and data on natural phenomena. In this ledger book, he keeps track of the weather by morning, noon, and evening degrees, and also notes the wind and general weather notes like rain, hail, or clear skies. His garden and farming records are thorough and include the exact types of fruits and vegetables being planted, when and how many were planted, and how long they will need to fully mature. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Neziah Wright Bliss Ledger Book (MS 472). The collection was completely digitized in 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • North American Phalanx Records (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized microfilm of North American Phalanx. Records, 1843-1855 consists of the Record of the Proceedings of the North American Phalanx, 1843-44, and the minutes of the sessions of the Executive Council and resident members, Jan. 5 - Feb. 1, 1847, along with other various administrative documents, 1843-55. The North American Phalanx was an experiment in secular utopian socialist commune life, established in September 1843 in Colts Neck Township, New Jersey. The complex’s vital mill was destroyed by a fire in September 1854, which ended the experiment. The community was the longest-running of about 30 Fourierist Associations in the United States. Prominent members of the North American Phalanx included Albert Brisbane and Horace Greeley, who were two leading members of the Fourierist movement. The digitized content contains their constitution, meeting minutes, account books, correspondences, newspaper clippings, and publications relating to the North American Phalanx and research on the Fourierist movement. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the North American Phalanx. Records, 1843-1855 (MS 155). This collection was completely digitized in 2023. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Osbun Family Letters (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Osbun Family Letters consists primarily of photocopied Civil War letters written to Private Freeman Osbun, Company D, 102nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, by various family members from 1862-1866. There are no letters from Freeman Osbun in the collection, only letters addressed to him or between other parties. Private Freeman Osbun served in Company D of the 102nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Company D was mustered on September 6, 1862 at Covington, Kentucky, and was mustered out on June 30, 1865 at Nashville, Tennessee. Most of the letters Osbun received were from his immediate family in Mansfield, Ohio, especially his sister Emma and his brother Mel. His parents, Ezra and Emily Osbun, wrote their 19-year old son frequently as well. The digitized content contains photocopied letters addressed to Private Freeman Osbun of Company D, 102nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. The collection contains only letters addressed to Osbun from various family members, or between other parties. The letters, written mostly by women, describe their perceptions of the war, Copperhead sentiments against the war, and life on the home front. Many of the letters also mention the railroad being built nearby and problems with Irish railroad workers. Also included is a letter describing the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Osbun Family Letters (MS 167). The collection was completely digitized in 2017. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Paul F. Victor Sr. Papers (Digitized and Born Digital Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized and born digital content of the Paul F. Victor Sr. Papers consists of materials that document the construction and history of the Victor family home in River Forest, Illinois, designed by renowned architect Harry F. Robinson. The materials document the home's construction and attempts to renovate and preserve the house. Paul F. Victor Sr., secretary and treasurer of the Victor Manufacturing and Gasket Company in Chicago, Illinois, had a new home built for his family at 930 Ashland Avenue in River Forest, Illinois. The home was designed by Harry F. Robinson in 1918 and 1919. The Victor family lived in the home from 1920 to 1929, and it was then sold to the Mars family. The Victor family maintained an interest in the house and worked to maintain preserve its history. However, despite the family's efforts to ensure the preservation of the home as a historic structure in River Forest, Avra Properties purchased the property in 2014 and demolished the house the following year. The digitized content contains architectural drawings and blueprints created during the design of the home at 930 Ashland in River Forest, Illinois. The born digital materials include photographs of 930 Ashland, taken during renovation and preservation efforts in the 21st century, and PDF documents relating to the family's efforts to preserve the house. Also included are a PDF copy of an article concerning the construction of the house, published in The Economist in 1918; a building permit for construction in 1919; and photographs of the Victor family while they lived in the home. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Paul F. Victor Sr. Papers (MS 899). The born digital content comprises a portion of the Paul F. Victor Sr. Papers. Items were migrated from USB drives in 2018. Selected items from the physical Paul F. Victor Sr. Papers were also digitized in 2018 and 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • The Perfectionist and Theocratic Watchman (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of The Perfectionist and Theocratic Watchman. (Digitized Microfilm) consists of publications from Volume 4 Issue 1 (1844) to Volume 5 Issue 24 (1846). The periodical was published in Putney, Vermont by publisher S. R. Leonard and editors J. H. Noyes and J. L. Skinner. The newspaper’s creator and editor, John Humphrey Noyes, was an American preacher and utopian socialist who founded the Bible Communists in 1836 in Putney, Vermont and the Oneida Community in 1848 in Oneida, New York. The digitized content contains periodical issues discussing Christian perfectionism, collective settlements in Putney, Vermont, complex marriage, and utopian socialism. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the microfilm copies of the The Perfectionist and Theocratic Watchman. (Digitized Microfilm). The collection was completely digitized in 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • The Perfectionist (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of The Perfectionist (Digitized Microfilm) consists of publications from Volume 3 Issue 1 (1843) to Volume 3 Issue 23 (1844). The periodical was published in Putney, Vermont by editors J. H. Noyes and J. L. Skinner. The newspaper’s creator and editor, John Humphrey Noyes, was an American preacher and utopian socialist who founded the Bible Communists in 1836 in Putney, Vermont and the Oneida Community in 1848 in Oneida, New York. The digitized content contains periodical issues discussing Christian perfectionism, collective settlements in Putney, Vermont, complex marriage, and utopian socialism. Each issue contains doctrinal essays by John Humphrey Noyes, contributions on spiritual topics by members of the community, essays on other religions and their comparison to Perfectionism, news of the second coming (which the community believed would happen in 1843), editorials, and a page of correspondence. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the microfilm copies of The Perfectionist. (Digitized Microfilm). The collection was completely digitized in 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand Legal Document (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand Legal Document is comprised of a legal document transferring ownership of the belongings of Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand to his sister, Marie-Therese Dugué Piot de Langloiserie. Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand (1675-1736) was a French military officer who served as commander of outposts at Mobile, Natchez, Louisiana, and the Illinois Country. In 1719 he led an expedition to the Illinois Country and established an outpost that became the center of military and civilian activity in the area, positioned eighteen miles north of Kaskaskia. Later, Dugué de Boisbriand was appointed the fourth governor, serving from 1724 to 1726. The digitized content consists of a legal document written in French, specifying the transfer of the entirety of Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand's belongings in Louisiana and Canada to his sister, Marie-Therese Dugué Piot de Langloiserie. The document was written at Kaskaskia in the absence of a notary on March 10, 1721, and ratified in Montreal before a notary on March 30, 1722. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Pierre Dugué de Boisbriand Legal Document (MS 943). The collection was completely digitized in 2023. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Pope County Survey Plat Book (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Pope County Survey Plat Book consists of one volume of land survey records from Pope County, Illinois, and includes three hundred and seventy pages of entries covering almost every township from the 1830s to the 1880s. Pope County was founded in 1816, from Gallatin and Johnson Counties and is the southeasternmost county in Illinois. The county was named after Nathaniel Pope, who served as the secretary of Illinois territory from 1809-1816, served as U.S. district judge for Illinois from 1819-1850, and whose efforts led to the statehood of Illinois 1818. The digitized content contains one volume of three hundred and seventy pages with hand-drawn entries recording surveys of Pope County, Illinois, from the 1830s until the 1890s. Pages document surveying landmarks, such as oak, sycamore, or gum trees, and land ownership, including the names of owners and when they acquired particular sections. The collection may have been an official county record or belonged to a land survey company. The author of the volume may have been James Hanna (1821-1909), who served as county surveyor of Pope County, Illinois, during the nineteenth century. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Pope County Survey Plat Book (MS 197). collection was completely digitized in 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • The Railsplitter (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Railsplitter consists of thirteen facsimile issues of a 1950 facsimile edition of The Railsplitter, published by the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. The Railsplitter was a weekly publication out of Cincinnati, Ohio, created to support Abraham Lincoln in his campaign for the 1860 presidential election. Self-described as a “Pictorial Paper, Devoted to Fact, Arguments, and Incidents which will be of great service to the Republican cause throughout the United States,” The Railsplitter platformed leading Republicans of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, allowing them to voice their opinions on the political matters central to the 1860 presidential election. The digitized content contains thirteen facsimile issues of the Railsplitter, published by the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. Frequently discussed topics within the publication include Abraham Lincoln, the 1860 election, slavery, secession, Stephen A. Douglas, politics, and the Republican Party. The 1950 facsimile edition of The Railsplitter was created after Chicago collector Foreman M. Lebold made his complete set available to Ralph G. Newman, a Lincoln scholar and owner of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. 150 facsimile sets of the publication were produced by the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop under Newman’s direction. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical facsimile copy of The Railsplitter, which was completely digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Records
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Records consists of the meeting minutes for the Illinois Yearly Meeting of Friends from the year 1875 until 1923. The Religious Society of Friends Illinois Yearly Meeting was established in 1875 by the Blue River Quarterly Meeting and the Prairie Grove Quarterly Meeting. These Quarterly Meetings were previously affiliated with the Hicksite branches of the Indiana and Baltimore Yearly Meetings, respectively. In 1900, the Illinois Yearly Meeting joined with six other Hicksite Yearly Meetings to form the Friends General Conference, with which it remains affiliated to the present. The collection of records was begun in 1977. Since then, Illinois Yearly Meeting and many constituent Quarterly and Monthly Meetings have deposited additional materials in the collection, and the archives as a whole is expected to grow in the future. The digitized content contains seven volumes of Illinois Yearly Meeting Minutes. The volumes cover meeting minutes from 1875 to 1923. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Records, 1828-2022 (MS 960). The collection was partially digitized in 2024. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Robert Christy Hallowell Diary (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Robert Christy Hallowell Diary consists of the 1864 journal of principal musician Robert C. Hallowell, who served in the 39th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The diary contains descriptions of skirmishes and daily military life between February to September 1864. It also details Hallowell's travels after he was discharged. Robert C. Hallowell was from Leroy, Illinois. He served in the Illinois infantry as a principal musician from September 1861 to September 1864. He also owned several properties in Leroy, which he rented out. The digitized content contains Hallowell’s diary, which discusses military travels, skirmishes, and activities. It also describes the travels of Hallowell and his friend, R.C. Randolph, who after being discharged visited Washington, D.C, Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before returning to Leroy. While traveling, the two visited tourist destinations, churches, and a Republican parade. Some pages of the diary have also been used to record financial gains and spending. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Robert Christy Hallowell Diary and Business Records (MS 683). The collection was partially digitized in 2020. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Sara Tanner journal and photographs (Digitized content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Sara Jane Tanner Journal and Photographs consists of a 27-page diary kept by Tanner as she traveled through Illinois and Iowa in 1874, as well as photographs of Tanner and her husband, Oscar M. Tanner. Sara Jane (née Spaulding) Tanner (1832-1924) was born in Granville, New York. She married Oscar M. Tanner in 1851 in Kane County, Illinois, and the couple had six children. The family lived on a 185-acre farm in DeKalb County, Illinois. The digitized content contains a 27-page diary kept by Sara Jane Tanner during a wagon and train trip from Hinckley, DeKalb County, Illinois, to Nashua, Chickasaw County, Iowa, and back. Tanner traveled with her husband, Oscar M. Tanner and the Brooks family, between August 17 to September 11, 1874. She describes the countryside, the Mississippi River, and other points of interest along the journey. Two photographs of the Turners are also included in the collection. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Sara Jane Tanner Journal and photographs, 1874 (MS 308). The collection was completely digitized in 2021-2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Sheffer Family Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Sheffer Family Papers consists of materials documenting the lives of George K. Sheffer and his extended family across the Midwest and West. The materials date primarily from 1836-1911, with items dated as late as 1993, and include family correspondence, Civil War military service documents, financial and family records, and miscellaneous photographs and newspaper clippings. George K. Sheffer was born in Williamsport, Indiana in 1840. He served in company K of the 33rd regiment of Indiana Infantry during the Civil War and was wounded at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek. In 1866, he and his family moved to Champaign where Sheffer was a member of the G.A.R. and served multiple terms as the Champaign Township Clerk. The digitized content primarily consists of letters exchanged by family members across the Midwest and Western U.S., as well as military, financial, and family records. The military service materials relate to George K. Sheffer's service in the Civil War and include discharge papers and pension documents. The family records include George and Martha's marriage certificate from 1864, with a list of their children on the reverse side. There are also mixed materials with items relating to various organizations and clubs to which different family members belonged, photographs, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous ephemera. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Sheffer Family Papers (MS 304). The collection was completely digitized (with the exception of one especially fragile item) in 2016. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Sodus Bay Phalanx Records (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Sodus Bay Phalanx Records, 1844-1846 (Digitized Microfilm) consists of legal and organizational records by the Sodus Bay Phalanx in Rochester, New York. This collection contains copies of their legal and organizational records, volumes of meeting minutes in 1844, data on individual members, stock certificates, and various loose receipts and agreements. The Sodus Bay Phalanx was communitarian experiment based on Fourierist principles, following the utopian system of Charles Fourier (1772-1837), under which society was to be organized into self-sufficient cooperatives. The phalanx occupied a domain on Sodus Bay and lasted two years. The digitized content contains copies of organizational and legal records of the phalanx. The content covers subjects including Communitarianism, Fourierism, New York, and farming. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the microfilm copies of the Sodus Bay Phalanx Records, 1844-1846 (MS 284). The original records are held by the Rochester Historical Society in Rochester, New York. The microfilm copies held by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections were completely digitized in 2024. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • The Spiritual Moralist (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of The Spiritual Moralist (Digitized Microfilm) consists of publications from Volume 1 Issue 1 (1842) to Volume 1 Issue 2 (1842). The periodical was published in Putney, Vermont by editors J. H. Noyes and G. Cragin. The newspaper’s creator and editor, John Humphrey Noyes, was an American preacher and utopian socialist who founded the Bible Communists in 1836 in Putney, Vermont and the Oneida Community in 1848 in Oneida, New York. The digitized content contains periodical issues discussing Christian perfectionism, collective settlements in Putney, Vermont, complex marriage, and utopian socialism. Each issue contains doctrinal essays by John Humphrey Noyes, contributions on spiritual topics by G. Cragin, and testimonies from members of the community. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the microfilm copies of The Spiritual Moralist (Digitized Microfilm). The collection was completely digitized in 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • St. Clair County, Ill. Perrin Collection (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the St. Clair County, Ill. Perrin Collection, 1722-1809 consists of microfilm copies of official records of the French, British, and early American periods in Illinois found in the archives of St. Clair County. These copies are mainly from the Perrin Collection, and include the Registre des Insinuations des Donations aux Siege de Illinois, 1737-69, the oldest court record in the Upper Mississippi Valley; "Record Book A" of the Court of Common Pleas, 1795-96; marriage contracts, 1763-1802; marriage certificates, 1791-1807; and marriage records, Volumes A, C, and D, 1807-45. The collection also contains extensive catalogs, calendars, and indexes that inventory the microfilm reels and transcripts of two documents concerning a 1786-87 suit over the consignment of goods. The Perrin Collection was created by J. Nick Perrin, a lawyer, judge, Illinois history enthusiast, and co-founder of the St. Clair County Historical Society in 1905. Upon Perrin’s death in 1940, the collection was transferred to the Illinois State Archives for permanent safekeeping. The collection is comprised of documents relating to the French, British, and American regimes at Cahokia and to early St. Clair County at Belleville. The digitized content contains marriage contracts, partial indexes, records of donations, and catalog cards for select entries relating to Cahokia and St. Clair County in Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the microfilm copies of the St. Clair County, Ill. Perrin Collection, 1722-1809 (MS 248). The collection was partially digitized in 2022. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Stephen A. Forbes Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Stephen Alfred Forbes Papers consists of Civil War diaries and correspondence of Captain Stephen Alfred Forbes, a soldier in the 7th Illinois Cavalry, as well as a photograph of him in uniform. Stephen Alfred Forbes (1844-1930) enlisted at age 17 to serve in the 7th Illinois Cavalry during the Civil War, attaining the rank of Captain. During the war, he faced a number of challenges, including imprisonment and disease, but he survived to become a premiere natural historian for the state of Illinois. The digitized content contains the entirety of Stephen Forbes's original Civil War diaries from 1861, 1862, and 1864-1865 as well as over a dozen letters from the same era. The digitized materials also include a photograph of Stephen A. Forbes in uniform, circa 1862. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Stephen Alfred Forbes Papers (MS 815). The collection was partially digitized in 2017, 2018, and 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Stephen Dennis Letter (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Stephen Dennis Letter consists of one letter written by Stephen Dennis to his grandfather, William A. Dennis. Stephen Dennis was a farmer in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois. William A. Dennis lived in Virginia. The digitized content contains a letter Stephen Dennis wrote to his grandfather in 1850. The letter describes family matters and challenges of the past three crop seasons, including weather and the transition from farming corn to farming wheat. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Stephen Dennis Letter (MS 920). The collection completely digitized in 2020. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Thomas Babb Diaries and Notes (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Thomas Babb Diaries and Notes consists of 8 travel journals created by Thomas Babb from 1905-1912. Thomas Babb was born in 1841 in Staffordshire, England, but moved to the United States in 1860. Settling first in Ohio, where he was married, Babb moved to Mahomet, Champaign County, Illinois, in 1861. Babb spent the next two decades acquiring and farming several hundred acres of land throughout the county, before starting a hog and grain business in 1880. These businesses flourished, and in 1897 Babb began splitting his time between Illinois and Texas, where he owned a cattle business. After his wife's death, Babb traveled throughout the world until his own death in 1915. These diaries document Babb's daily life during his travels. Book A describes a return trip to Great Britain in 1905, while Books B-D record a lengthy trip around the world from 1908-1909. Books E-F trace Babb's travels in Italy, Egypt, and the Middle East in 1909 and a 1910 journey through Texas. Book G begins with a visit to England in 1911, and ends with a trip to Texas, where he remarried in early 1912. Finally, Book H is a record of a trip to the West Coast and back during fall 1912. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Thomas Babb Diaries and Notes (MS 444). The collection was completely digitized in 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Thomas Halligan Affidavit (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Thomas Halligan Affidavit consists of a New York soldier's affidavit allowing a proxy voter to cast his vote in the 1864 presidential election. Thomas Halligan, born in 1823, was a private in Company I of the 104th New York Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He was from Lansingburgh, Rensselaer County, New York. Prior to the Civil War, New York soldiers away from home at the time of an election could not vote, but in 1864 the State of New York passed an act permitting men serving in the military to vote in elections via proxy. The digitized content contains three forms filled in by hand, giving John Tracy of Lansingburgh, New York, power of attorney to cast a vote on behalf of Thomas Halligan in the November 8, 1864 general election. The forms, completed while Halligan was stationed in Petersburg, Virginia, were signed by a witness and commanding officer. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Thomas Halligan Affidavit (MS 1052). The collection was completely digitized in 2020. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Thomas J. and Elizabeth Chambers Morgan Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Thomas J. and Elizabeth Chambers Morgan collection consists of letters, notes, speeches and addresses, and newspaper clippings regarding Thomas and Elizabeth Morgan involvement with Mother Jones, the labor movement, and the Socialist Party. Thomas J. Morgan (1847-1912), a lawyer, socialist, and labor leader, was born in Birmingham, England, and came to Chicago where he became president of the Machinists' Union in 1874. He was active in numerous labor organizations as an official, speaker, and writer as well as a frequent labor and socialist nominee for political office. From 1909 to 1911, he issued a weekly publication, The Provoker. His wife, Elizabeth Chambers Morgan, was also deeply involved in the labor movement. Among other activities, she investigated sweatshop conditions among women workers in Chicago in 1891. She compiled the correspondence and clippings in this collection. The digitized content contains letters, notes, speeches and addresses, and newspaper clippings relating to Thomas and Elizabeth Morgan's involvement with Mother Jones, the labor movement and the Socialist Party, and Morgan's The Provoker. Included are letters to Thomas J. Morgan expressing support of The Provoker and some criticizing him for the publication, and letters to and from Elizabeth Morgan about the Woman's Federal Labor Union. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Thomas J. and Elizabeth Chambers Morgan Collection (MS 139). The collection was partially digitized in 2019. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Tighlman Howard Papers Jones (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of Tighlman Howard Jones Papers, 1861-1864 consists of the personal papers kept by Sgt. Tighlman Howard Jones, 59th Ill. Vol. Inf. during wartime, before he was mortally wounded in the fighting around Nashville late in 1864. The collection kept by Sgt. Tighlman Howard Jones, 59th Ill. Vol. Inf. includes letters, and two diaries kept during the war. The letters in this collection were exchanged between Jones and his family in 1861, 1862, and 1864. There are about 45 letters available on microfilm as well as paper transcriptions of 9 letters (4 of which are also available on microfilm). Written from Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, Jones described his experiences in wartime. The digitized content contains letters and a diary covering Sgt. Jones’s experiences in the American Civil War from 1861-1864. Topics include the military, politics and government in the United States, and the Civil War, 1861-1865 in the United States. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items and microfilm copies of the Tighlman Howard Jones Papers, 1861-1864 (MS 767). The collection was partially digitized in 2023. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.