University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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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Library contain materials which represent or depict sensitive topics or were written from perspectives using outdated or biased language.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.

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Showing 1–40 of 26,906 items
  • Central Illinois Jewish Communities Oral History Project Collection
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The born digital content of the Central Illinois Jewish Communities Oral History Collection consists of interviews with Jewish individuals who resided in Illinois during the mid-to-late 20th century, with a focus on members of small to midsized Jewish communities in central Illinois. The collection reflects the lived experiences of Jewish Illinoisans and documents the history of Jewish communities in the state. Interviews typically discuss religious practices, education, community and faith-based organizations, immigration, and Jewish identity. The born digital content includes MP3 audio files of interviews and PDF files of interview transcriptions. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the items of the Illinois Jewish Communities Oral History Collection. Interviews were primarily collected by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections starting in 2023; however, interviews conducted by community interviewers in 2022 are also included. 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.
  • Illinois and US History Broadsides and Printed Ephemera Collection (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Illinois and US History Broadsides and Printed Ephemera Collection consists of consists of nineteenth and early twentieth-century ephemeral materials mostly related to the history of Illinois and the Midwest, collected by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections (IHLC) and its predecessor, the Illinois Historical Survey. The digitized content includes circulars, pamphlets, periodicals, posters, newspaper clippings, advertisements, handbills, leaflets, and various financial documents dating from circa 1800 to 1937. The materials document U.S. and Illinois history related to politics and government, education, religion, financial matters, and various advertising endeavors. The physical items of the Illinois and US History Broadsides and Printed Ephemera Collection are managed by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections at the University of Illinois Library. The Illinois and US History Broadsides and Printed Ephemera Collection was partially digitized in 2017 and 2018. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Harlan Hoyt Horner and Henrietta Calhoun Horner Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Harlan Hoyt Horner and Henrietta Calhoun Horner Papers consists of bound scrapbooks compiled by Henrietta Calhoun Horner. These scrapbooks focus on articles and scholarship related to Abraham Lincoln, and their pages include newspaper and magazine clippings, book reviews, and other ephemera with Lincoln as the subject. Harlan Hoyt Horner and Henrietta Calhoun Horner graduated from the University of Illinois in 1901. As avid Lincoln scholars, the Horners aspired to collect every title listed in James Jay Monaghan’s Lincoln Bibliography, 1839-1939 and amassed a large personal collection of Lincoln-related texts. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation, in 1951, the Horners donated their extensive personal library of Lincoln-related books and research and created an endowment to support its continued preservation and growth. This donation became the nucleus of the Lincoln Room, the predecessor to the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections. Along with the Horner personal library, the donation included 26 volumes of Lincoln scrapbooks, created by Henrietta Calhoun Horner prior to 1953. The materials within the scrapbook are derived from many different newspapers and other publications dated between 1932 and 1953. The digitized content contains a series of scrapbooks compiled by Henrietta Calhoun Horner documenting Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy. Scrapbook pages feature political cartoons, interviews providing recollections of Lincoln throughout his life and career, announcements and reviews of Lincoln biographies, and other works detailing his life. Each scrapbook contains its own index, handwritten by Henrietta Calhoun Horner. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Harlan Hoyt Horner and Henrietta Calhoun Horner Papers (MS 1200). The collection was partially digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Historic Illinois County Atlases
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Historic Illinois County Atlases consists of atlases of Illinois and several counties and townships from the 19th and early 20th centuries. County atlases, which began to be produced after the Civil War, are a uniquely American nineteenth-century publication. County atlas publication initially was centered in Philadelphia in the 1860s, but by the 1880s, Chicago had taken the lead. The atlases provide a snapshot of late 19th-century economics and agriculture. The primary foci of the county atlases are township maps that show property ownership, roads, and railroads. Additional contents might include county, state, and national maps; directories of businesses, county officials, landowners, and rural residents; photographs or drawings of residents, farms, homes, public buildings, churches, businesses, and prize livestock. The digitized content contains several dozen atlases, most of which were produced in the 19th century. These county and state-wide atlases were compiled from county records and surveys. The atlases include county histories, colored maps, indexes, and some drawings. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items included in this Historic Illinois County Atlases collection. A selection of county atlases held in the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections was digitized in the 2010s, with additional atlases digitized in 2022-2024. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Abraham Lincoln Newspaper and Periodical Collection
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Abraham Lincoln Newspaper and Periodical Collection consists of reproductions of newspapers and other published periodicals related to Abraham Lincoln. There are three subcollections that make up the Abraham Lincoln Newspaper and Periodical Collection. The Campaign Plain Dealer consists of a 1960 facsimile reproduction of The Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereignty Advocate, a weekly paper out of Cleveland, Ohio created to support Democrat Stephen A. Douglas’s 1860 campaign for the presidency. The Railsplitter consists of a 1950 facsimile reproduction of The Railsplitter, a weekly paper out of Cincinnati, Ohio created to support Republican Abraham Lincoln’s successful bid for the presidency in 1860. The IHLC Collection of New York Herald Facsimiles consists of eighteen commemorative facsimile advertisements printed on interior pages of reproductions of The New York Herald, announcing Lincoln’s assassination on April 15, 1865. These facsimile reproductions were created by companies to advertise their products to consumers. The subcollections within the Abraham Lincoln Newspaper and Periodical Collection can be accessed from this page under the subcollections heading. Individual issues of each publication can be found by browsing and searching within these pages. The digitized content of the Abraham Lincoln Newspaper and Periodical Collection contains three subcollections of facsimile reproductions of newspapers. Topics covered within these facsimiles are the 1860 election, Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, Republican politics, Democratic politics, slavery, secession, and Lincoln’s assassination. The facsimiles also include advertisements from companies in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Abraham Lincoln Newspaper and Periodical Collection. The collection was completely digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Charles Chiniquy Collection (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Charles Chiniquy Collection (1878-1909) consists of correspondence from Charles Chiniquy, John Carroll Power, and others to Edwin A. Sherman; one from Sherman; and a small collection of leaflets and broadsides. Subjects include the Roman Catholic Church, Abraham Lincoln, and the activities of the Lincoln Grand Guard of Honor, an organization founded to protect the tomb of Abraham Lincoln. Charles Chiniquy (1809-1899) was a Canadian Catholic priest who left the Catholic Church in 1858 and became strongly anti-Catholic. In 1885 he wrote a book entitled Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, in which he charged that the Vatican was behind the Confederate cause and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Edwin A. Sherman was an American soldier, miner, and resident of the Western states, notable for serving as the Commander in Chief of the Lincoln Grand Guard of Honor and for being vigorously anti-Catholic. His book, The Engineers of Hell: or, Rome’s Sappers and Miners (1883), purported to uncover and tell the story of the secret code of the Jesuits and their plans for world domination. The digitized content contains letters, primarily from Charles Chiniquy, but also from others, addressed to Edwin A. Sherman. It also contains a few letters from Sherman to members of the Lincoln Grand Guard of Honor. Also included are a few broadsides, leaflets, and circulars related to the books published by Sherman and Chiniquy. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Charles Chiniquy Collection (MS 134). The collection was completely digitized in 2023. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Clarendon Van Norman Jr. Collection of Ephemera (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Clarendon Van Norman Jr. Collection of Ephemera consists of printed ephemera dating from 1828 to 1939, related to Illinois. The digitized content contains Illinois broadsides and printed ephemera primarily from the nineteenth century. The materials include a variety of works from the pre-Civil War era such as prospectuses, periodicals, advertisements, newspaper clippings, government documents, and financial records. The items cover topics in Illinois history such as politics and government, construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and business transactions. Also contained within the digitized content are college commencement programs, religious sermons, materials from fraternal organizations, correspondence, sheet music, carrier addresses, and other printed works. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Clarendon Van Norman, Jr. Collection of Lincoln and Illinois Ephemera (MS 852). The collection was partially digitized in 2016, 2017, and 2018. 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.
  • Campaign Plain Dealer (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Campaign Plain Dealer consists of twenty issues of a 1960 facsimile edition of the Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereignty Advocate, published by Lincoln College. The Campaign Plain Dealer was a weekly publication out of Cleveland, Ohio, published by Cleveland’s major newspaper, The Plain Dealer. Published from June 30, 1860, through November 17, 1860, The Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereignty Advocate was created to support the presidential campaign of Democrat Stephen A. Douglas in the 1860 election. This weekly publication would include news and updates from Douglas’s campaign for presidency, political cartoons, and published speeches from notable Democrats and Douglas supporters. The 1960 facsimile edition of the Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereign Advocate was created after former Lincoln Memorial University President Stewart W. McClelland found a complete file of the publication in a Seattle book shop. 500 facsimile sets of the publication were produced under the direction of Ralph G. Newman, a Lincoln scholar and owner of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. The digitized content contains twenty facsimile issues of the Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereignty Advocate, published by Lincoln College. Frequently discussed topics within the publication include Stephen A. Douglas, the 1860 election, slavery, secession, Abraham Lincoln, politics, and the Democratic Party. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical facsimile copy of the Campaign Plain Dealer and Popular Sovereignty Advocate, which was completely digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Elisabeth Hanson Papers (Born Digital Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The born digital content of the Elisabeth Hanson Papers consists of the digital records relating to Elisabeth Hanson, an amateur local researcher, and her research on the ecology, geography, and history of East Central Illinois and her 2012 book East Central Illinois: Exploring the Beginnings. Elisabeth Hanson was born November 2, 1917 in Columbia, Missouri. In 1945 Elisabeth moved to Champaign, Illinois, and became interested in researching the history of East Central Illinois. In 1967, Hanson began a study of the pre-settlement landscape of Piatt County, the first government land surveys of the area, and the first purchases of public lands. This study expanded to include ecological and cultural developments in East Central Illinois, and in 2012, Hanson published her book East Central Illinois: Exploring the Beginnings. Elisabeth died at age 98 in 2016. The born digital content contains a 2002 video interview of Elisabeth Hanson; a PDF of her book from 2014; and correspondence, research materials and other writings by Elisabeth Hanson from 1991-1998 including writings on Chief Illiniwek, local history, and Native Americans in Illinois. The content is organized into three folders: Interview with Elisabeth Hanson; Correspondence, Research Materials, and Other Writings; and PDF of East-Central Illinois: Exploring the Beginnings. The physical items of the Elisabeth Hanson Papers are managed by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections at the University of Illinois Library. The born digital content comprises a portion of the Elisabeth Hanson Papers and was migrated from CDs and DVDs in 2018. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Frederick Hill Meserve Selected Photographs (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Frederick Hill Meserve Selected Photographs consists of photographs of Abraham Lincoln, dating from 1846 to 1865, that were collected by Frederick Hill Meserve. The photographs were collected in an album that was prepared by Meserve and Carl Sandburg for the creation of "The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln," published in 1944. Frederick Hill Meserve was born in 1865 and was the son of William Neal Meserve, a Civil War veteran. Frederick Meserve began collecting Civil War era photographs in the 1890s to illustrate his father's war diary. He became a prominent collector and historian of photographs from the era, especially photographs of Abraham Lincoln. He worked alongside historian Carl Sandburg to publish "The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln" in 1944. Meserve died in 1962, and his extensive collection of original photographs, amassed with the help of his daughter, Dorothy Meserve Kunhardt, was purchased by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University in 2015. The digitized content consists of over 100 photographs of Abraham Lincoln, dating from 1846 to shortly before Lincoln's death in 1865. The photographs are 20th century reproductions made from original daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and negatives, which were collected in an album to prepare for the creation of "The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln." The bulk of the photographs depict Lincoln during the years of his presidential campaign and the subsequent five years he spent in the White House. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Frederick Hill Meserve Selected Photographs (MS 1027). The collection was partially digitized in 2013. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu. The Library wishes to acknowledge the Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation, which gave us permission to digitize the photographs and to reproduce the text of the image captions supplied by Frederick Hill Meserve in "The Photographs of Abraham Lincoln."
  • First Italian Presbyterian Church, Chicago, Ill. Records (Digitized Microfilm)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the First Italian Presbyterian Church, Chicago, Ill. Records, 1891-1940 consists of the Minutes of the First Italian Presbyterian Church of Chicago, Ill., 1891-1926, as well as the Church Register for those years, listing pastors, elders, deacons, communicants, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. In addition, the collection includes the Minutes of the Session of the Samaritan (later Waldensian) Presbyterian Church, a splinter group of the First Italian Presbyterian Church, 1923-40. The First Italian Presbyterian Church in Chicago was the earliest Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and it is considered the first church organized in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in June 1833, it is the oldest continuously operating institution in Chicago and predates the founding of Chicago as a town by two months. The digitized content contains organizational records of the Church’s members, meetings, and functions. The content provides information on subjects including Cook County, Italian Americans, Presbyterianism, and religious communities in Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the microfilm copies of the First Italian Presbyterian Church, Chicago, Ill. Records, 1891-1940 (MS 629). The original records are held by the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The microfilm copies held by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections were 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.
  • Allen Avner Oral History Interviews
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The born digital content of the Allen Avner Oral History Interviews consists of nineteen interviews with Richard Allen Avner conducted by Alexander Scheeline between December 2022 and January 2023. In these interviews, Avner discussed his family, military service, work at the University of Illinois’ Computer-Based Education Research Laboratory, and involvement with Jewish organizations in Champaign-Urbana. Born in 1937 in Fort Sheridan, Illinois, Richard Allen Avner earned a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology from Georgia Tech in 1961 and master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Illinois in 1964. From 1964-1966, Avner served in the United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory at Fort Novosel (previously Fort Rucker), Alabama. From 1967-1993, he was a principal research scientist at the University of Illinois Computer-Based Education Research Laboratory. Active in Champaign-Urbana’s Jewish community, Avner is a longtime member of Sinai Temple and has served on the board of directors of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation. Alexander Scheeline is a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Illinois, having joined the faculty in 1981. He is also a member of Sinai Temple and has served on the board of directors of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation. The born digital content includes MP3 audio files of interviews and PDF files of interview transcriptions. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the items of Allen Avner Oral History Interviews (MS 1178). The born digital content was migrated from a USB flash drive in 2023. 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.
  • Elizabeth Ambrose Merrill Letter (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Elizabeth Ambrose Merrill Letter consists of a letter from Elizabeth Ambrose Merrill to Anna Burnham of Fort Towson, Oklahoma. Writing from October 23 to November 8, 1837, Merrill described the events leading up to the murder of Elijah Lovejoy by an anti-abolition mob in Alton, Illinois. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Elizabeth Ambrose Merrill Letter (MS 1134). The collection was completely digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Evarts B. Greene World War I Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Evarts B. Greene World War I Papers consists of the files of Evarts B. Greene (1870-1947). These files are associated with the University of Illinois’s response to World War I. Evarts B. Greene, the head of the History Department at the University of Illinois and former dean of the College of Literature and Arts, served as the chairman of several World War I-related committees. These included the Committee on the War Aims Course (1918), the University War Committee (1918-1919), Central Committee on the Belgian Children's Relief Fund (1917), and the Christmas Relief Fund Committee (1920). He was also a member of the Committee on the History of Participation of the University in the Great War (1919-1920). The digitized content primarily relates to the War Issues, a course required by the War Department for all university students enrolled in the Student Army Training Corps. Materials include correspondence with other universities, instructors, section leaders, and circulars and correspondence from the War Department. Also included in the collection are correspondence with multiple war and humanitarian aid committees. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Evarts B. Greene, World War I Papers, 1916-1920 (MS 355). The collection was partially digitized in 2025. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Gibbs Family Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Gibbs Family Papers consists of the papers of the Rowley family, a family related to the Gibbs family. Materials include correspondence, and legal and financial papers from 1838-1863. Justus A. Gibbs was born in Florence, New York, and moved to Illinois in 1836. He became a teacher in Harkness Grove, and then purchased a farm in Elmwood, Illinois. He soon after married Betty Smith in 1838. Ichabod Rowley was one of twelve children of Justus and Betty Gibbs. The digitized content contains the correspondence, and legal and financial papers of the Rowley family from 1838-1863. Most correspondence is between Dexter M., Eliza H., Helen Rowley, and their Pulsipher family cousins. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Gibbs Family Papers (MS 053). The collection was partially digitized in 2019. 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.
  • George W. Lienesch Collection (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the George W. Lienesch Collection of Ephemera consists of political ephemera, including trade cards and ballots, as well as various other printed ephemera from the 1880s and 1890s collected by George W. Lienesch, a farmer in St. Clair County, Illinois. George Washington Lienesch (1866-1922) of St. Clair County, Illinois, participated in music and theatre groups as a young adult and was a member of the Shiloh Valley Grange. He lived on a farm near Shiloh and O'Fallon in St. Clair County. The digitized content includes political ephemera Lienesch collected, including election ballots for various parties and newspaper clippings from the 1884 and 1888 elections as well as cards of the candidates. The collection also contains an 1886 almanac advertising the "Seven Barks" patent medicine, several humorous broadsides, and two postcards from the 1893 World's Fair. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the George Washington Lienesch Collection of Political Ephemera and Other Materials (MS 073). The collection was completely digitized in 2017. 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.
  • 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.
  • Alvin French Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Alvin French Papers consists of typed transcripts of the correspondence of Alvin French, a Union soldier from Springfield, Illinois. The correspondence is dated from 1861 to 1864. Alvin S. French, born circa 1840, was the son of Alonzo W. French of Pittsfield, Illinois. He lived in Springfield with his uncle, Dr. Amos Willard French, a dentist and early resident of the city. Alvin French enlisted as a corporal in the 114th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1862, and served as a hospital steward and then as First Assistant Surgeon for the regiment. He was killed in action in June 1864 at Guntown, Mississippi, reportedly while tending to wounded soldiers on the field. The digitized content contains transcripts of Alvin French's correspondence dating from 1861 to 1864. The incoming letters are from French's friends and family, and discuss the war, troop activities, or news from home. Outgoing correspondence, typically from French to family members, details the activities of the 114th on the front, his work in the regiment hospital, or other personal matters. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Alvin French Papers (MS 641). The collection was partially digitized in 2018. 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.
  • 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.
  • Annette Feldman Autobiographical Volume (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of this collection consists of an autobiography authored by Annette Feldman, a Jewish resident of Hoopeston, Illinois. Annette Feldman (née Yonkelowitz) was born in Hoopeston, Illinois, in 1916 to a family of Lithuanian immigrants. The family practiced Orthodox Judaism until she reached high school, when they began attending Temple Beth El, a Reform congregation in Danville, Illinois. Annette Feldman enrolled at Northwestern University in 1934 and then transferred to the University of Chicago, where she studied Home Economics and met her husband, Jerry Feldman (1911-1986). The two married in 1941. During the war, Jerry Feldman volunteered with the U.S. Army Medical Corps, while Annette Feldman worked as a food and nutrition specialist as part of the Home Economics Extension Service at the University of Illinois. In 1946, the Feldmans moved to Hayward, California, where they raised two children, Jill (born 1949) and Robert (born 1952). Annette Feldman died in 1995. "Remember Me" contains Annette Feldman's recollections of life (work, marriage, and family) in Hoopeston, Illinois; Richmond, Virginia; and Hayward, California; among other locations. This collection also includes diary entries that reflect daily life and travels to Europe and South America, a short biography for Jerry Feldman, as well as family trees. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Annette Feldman Autobiography, "Remember Me" (MS 1115). The collection was completely digitized in 2023. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Henry Van Sellar and Sallie Pattison Correspondence (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Henry Van Sellar and Sallie Pattison Correspondence consists of letters written in 1863 and 1865 between Sallie Pattison and Henry Van Sellar. Henry Van Sellar lived in Edgar County, Illinois, as a teacher before enlisting in the 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1861. There he served as Captain for about a year. He was then assigned to the staff of the Fourth Division of the 15th Army Corps, later commissioned to Lt. Colonel in 1864. He was discharged on July 10th, 1865. After the war, Henry moved to Paris, Illinois, and became a lawyer. Sallie Pattison was living in Paris, Illinois while writing to Henry. Their relationship began through correspondence. The two married in February 1864 and continued to write to each other until Henry came back from war in August 1865. The digitized content contains 44 letters between Henry Van Sellar and Sallie Pattison from 1863 and 1865. During this time, Sallie was living at home in Paris, Illinois and Henry was in the 12th Illinois Infantry. These letters detail the effects of war not only on the front lines, but also on the home front. Earlier letters (1863) establish the love between Henry and Sallie, while later letters (1865) detail the anxieties and cruelties of conflict, reactions to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and hopes for life after war. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Henry Van Sellar and Sallie Pattison Correspondence (MS 360). The collection was partially digitized in 2020. 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.
  • Illinois Artillery, 1st Regiment Record Book (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Illinois Artillery, 1st Regiment Record Book consists of the company muster book for Joseph Cross's company in the 1st U. S. Artillery Regiment. The record book contains registers of men, priority rolls, accounts of equipage, and individual accounts, all dating from 1812 to 1814. It also features additional content from the 1830s, when some pages in the book were used for secondary purposes. The company of the 1st U. S. Artillery Regiment led by Captain Joseph Cross served at several forts along the Mississippi River in Louisiana Territory during the War of 1812. The regiment saw duty at Fort Belle Fontaine and Fort Massac, with detached services at Forts Madison and Osage. The digitized content contains the company's record book, which contains priority rolls of enlistment and description; registers of men tried, discharged, or transferred; registers of dead, deserted, and missing; provision returns; accounts of clothing and equipage; and individual accounts. In the mid-to-late 1830s, several pages were used for secondary purposes. Some pages were used to record legal fees, and others appear to have been used as scrap paper by a schoolchild. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Illinois Artillery, 1st Regiment Record Book (MS 800). The collection was completely digitized in 2018. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • Edward Caldwell Cherry Mine Disaster Research Collection (Born Digital and Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The born digital and digitized content of the Edward Caldwell Cherry Mine Disaster Research Collection consists of research and source materials collected by Edward Caldwell related to the 1909 mining disaster in Cherry, Illinois, its victims, and the aftermath of the incident. Materials date from 1903 to 2007 and include publications, letters and diaries, compilations of newspaper articles, reports, photographs, and indexes of victims' names. Edward E. Caldwell (1930-2015) was an engineer with an interest in local history. He began collecting and organizing materials related to the Cherry Mine disaster in 1975 and continued gathering research for the next three decades. The Cherry Mine disaster, which resulted from a fire that started on November 13, 1909, in the Cherry, Illinois, coal mine, was the third most deadly coal mining tragedy in U.S. History, and 259 men and boys lost their lives. The born digital and digitized content contains digital copies of a variety of sources on the Cherry Mine disaster compiled by Caldwell. The sources include transcribed newspaper articles primarily from 1909-1910, publications dating from 1909 to 2007, official reports on the disaster and the response, the coroner's inquest, legal documents for the mine, transcribed diaries and letters, photographs of the mine and miners, and indices of victims' names to various sources. Online access to some documents and the photographs is restricted due to copyright. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Edward Caldwell Cherry Mine Disaster Research Collection (MS 515). Both born digital and digitized items were migrated from DVDs in 2017. 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.
  • Westfield, Illinois, Photographs (Digitized content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the Westfield, Illinois, Photographs contains photographs in or near Westfield, Illinois, circa 1900-1930s. Woods, cornfields, farm animals, town events, and scenes along the North Fork of the Embarras (or "Embraw") River are pictured. About 350 photographs are mounted in two large volumes, many with notations as to their location. About 40 additional photographs are loose, a few identified. The majority of the pictures are of fields, farms, or woods, mainly in summertime, showing a variety of basswood, elm, sycamore, and white oak. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Westfield, Illinois, Photographs (MS 841). The collection was fully digitized in 2021. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.
  • World's Columbian Exposition Stereographs (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content of the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, Ill.) Stereographs consists of five stereograph cards, also called "stereoviews", from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The stereograph cards were photographed and published by B.W. Kilburn of Littleton, New Hampshire, in 1893. Stereographs were made in the 1850s and were popular from the 1870s-1920s. Stereoviews consist of two nearly identical photographs paired on thick card mounts, glass negatives, or daguerreotypes. When put through a stereoscope, the two images combine to create a three-dimensional single image to view. The digitized content contains the five cards that depict scenes at the fair, including images at the Horticultural Hall, Illinois State Building, California State Building, the Wool Exhibit at the Agricultural Building, and Puck (a character from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream) at the fair. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, Ill.) Stereographs (MS 1076). The collection was completely digitized in 2025. 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.
  • 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.
  • Corrie Family Papers (Digitized Content)
    Illinois History and Lincoln Collections  ·   Digital Special Collections
    Description
    The digitized content consists of the Corrie Family Papers from 1814 to 1897. The collection contains mainly family letters, as well as family genealogy documentation and various pieces of ephemera. In 1828, Robert Corrie (1779-1863) emigrated with four of his brothers from England and Scotland to Wabash County, Illinois. He and his wife, Sarah, (1785-1864) maintained active correspondence with family, particularly with those who remained in England. The correspondence was continued by their children: Jane (1827-1908), who married a Presbyterian minister, Samuel C. Baldridge, and John Robert (1816-97), who maintained the family farm in Wabash County. Lester Linn Corrie of Urbana is the grandson of John Robert Corrie. The digitized content contains microfilm images of the nineteenth century letters in the collection, as well as accompanying typed transcriptions for some letters. It also includes legal documents and some printed ephemera. This collection highlights an emigrating family's continuing cross-Atlantic ties, with references to contemporary events, presidents, and the Civil War. The Corrie family also had extensive land holdings which are frequently mentioned in the correspondence. The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Corrie Family Papers (MS 558). The collection was completely digitized in 2021; however, only the nineteenth century materials are currently available online. 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.