American Association of University Women, Erie Branch, Collection. This comprehensive collection documents the activities of this group of college-educated women on educational, civic and social problems of the community, along with activities on a state, regional and national level. The collection contains by-laws and the constitution, Erie Board minutes (1932-1965) and Erie Branch minutes (1902-1986), membership records (1902-1984), policies, publications, correspondence, invitations, Educational Foundation activity, convention information, legislative committee guidelines and reports, legislative amendments and bills, including the Equal Rights Amendment, Holly Trail and Heritage Trail programs, surveys, questionnaires and study groups, committees, Green Circle Program, other programs, events, presentations, publicity, the Erie AAUW newsletter publication Erie Pressible span dates: 1945-1987, and the Keystoner, the Pennsylvania Division of AAUW publication, 1959-1980, 1982-1987; yearbooks, 1946-47, 1954-1990; membership publications, Women’s History Week activities, photos, 1960-1981, 1984; scrapbooks, span dates: 1941-1988; financial records, information on the publication Erie History: The Women’s Story; correspondence, publications, relating statewide AAUW issues. Collection span dates: 1902-1988. Donated by Mercyhurst College Archives and AAUW, Erie Branch. (MCA) 41h, scrapbooks, print boxes. GUIDE FILE available.

Harry Thacker Burleigh Collection. Mr. Harry [Henry] T. Burleigh (1866-1949) was born in Erie and became a well known singer and composer of Negro spirituals. Mr. Burleigh learned to write arrangements for the plantation songs his grandfather Hamilton Waters taught him when Isador Sobel funded his trip to New York City’s National Conservatory of Music. This collection includes Hamilton Waters’ certificate of freedom; Burleigh and Waters family genealogies; sheet music, programs and personal papers of Harry Burleigh; letters to and correspondence between Norman Sobel (son of Isador) and Anne Simpson re: research on H.T. Burleigh; and articles on Burleigh and other black musicians by Sobel and Simpson. span dates: 1832, 1892-1994. Donated by Norman T. Sobel, Mrs. Ted Buczek and Harry Burleigh, II. (ECHS). 5h. GUIDE FILE available.

John S. Chaffee Collection. John S. Chaffee, M.D. (1914-2000) was born in Erie to Dr. Orel N. and Eliza Baldwin Chaffee. He was a surgeon at Hamot Medical Center and in 1991 he wrote and published the book Reflections on Erie County Physicians. This collection includes notes, photographs and xeroxes of photos which represent his memoirs, A Trilogy from the Memoirs of John S. Chaffee, M.D.; Norton-Chaffee-Hatch family genealogy; Central and Strong Vincent yearbooks, class reunion photographs and program. The collection also includes papers found in a G.E. Co. building by Warren C. Langdon: newspapers, letters, photos, a Brighton Institute Journal, 1840-41, a prayer book c.1836; and a Times-News article about Mr. Langdon and his collection. span dates: 1836-1994. Donated by John S. Chaffee. (ECHS). 4h. GUIDE FILE available.

Koehler Brewery/Erie Brewing Company, Inc. Collection. This extensive collection includes thorough documentation of the business and corporation. By-laws, Board meeting minutes, Stockholders’ certificates and meeting minutes, advertising including clippings, public service announcements, correspondence from ad agencies, and scrapbooks; prohibition era regarding Erie Dry Ice Company, and brownie soda production; community activities including Koehler Polar Bears at the Erie Zoo, scholarships, workers’ newsletter “Koehler Comments”, production records, recipes, beer surveys, and studies, correspondence regarding the merger with Schmidt, liquidation correspondence and appraisals, legal papers including leases, trademark correspondence, chain of title for land, financial reports, cashbooks and correspondence, photographs of all aspects of the business, distribution information, 1978-81, company stock certificates, span dates: 1958-1978. Trademark registrations for Koehler labels and beers, and listing of the Erie Brewing Company assets, deeds, leases, property descriptions, litigation, C. Schmidt & Son charter and by-laws. span dates: 1949-1978; a list of job injuries at the Erie Brewing Company, 1967-1978. Documents from related companies Imperial Petroleum Products Corp. and Clover Leaf Mining Co. are included. Donated by J. Martin Magenau, Jr. (ECHS). 9h 24H 30 vol.

Erie Yacht Club Collection. This comprehensive collection includes the Constitution and by-laws; minute books; annual reports; house and grounds budgets; annual statements; correspondence; Women’s Auxiliary minutes, clippings, financial records; deeds and documents; subject information on house renovations and additions, flags and locations, sailing regattas, Avalon Yacht Club, Commodore’s Ball, and other parties; Centennial celebration, including the time capsule; publications including the Pilot, Flashlight, Rudder and The Log, span dates: 1896-1987; photograph albums; 35mm. slides; film reels; framed items. Donated by the Erie Yacht Club. (ECHS). 25h 11H. GUIDE available.

General Electric Company Collection. The first building of GE’s Erie plant was built in 1910. Ever since that time it has been an important part of Erie’s business community and economy. This collection provides insight into life at GE through company newsletters. It includes both individual issues and 47 bound volumes of General Electric Co. newsletters 1916-1988: The Coupler, 1916-July 1925; GE Work News, Aug. 1925-1970; This Week, 1971, 1980-1982; and The News, 1982-1985, 1988. Local #618 statement of intention to strike, 1983; GE advertisements; and information on its Learning and Communication Center complete the collection. (ECHS). 5H, 47 vol. GUIDE FILE available.

Grubb Family Collection. John Grubb was one of the members of the militia who guarded Andrew Ellicott and his surveying party when they arrived in what was to become Erie County in 1795. This extensive collection of family papers includes records which document John Grubb's military career (Captain in 3rd Co., 7th Battalion in Lancaster, PA) 1792, an Orders book kept during the Whiskey Rebellion, 1794-1795 (28 p.). There is a Justice Docket, Erie Township, Allegheny County, 1797-1803, recording legal transactions and lands sold by the Pennsylvania Population Company in the Erie area to John Grubb, span dates:1795-1802 and a commission on becoming Justice of the Peace in 1801. There are cyphering books of Alicia Cooper, wife of John Grubb. Diaries and journals of daughters Delia and Armfield Grubb document what life was like in Erie County during the first half of the 19th century. Many other types of documents including financial and legal records, court dockets, and examinations of title, farm records, correspondence, books of poetry, genealogy charts and manuscripts may be found in this comprehensive collection of an Erie County pioneer family. Donated by John C. Reed, Michael Reed and others. (ECHS). 8h. GUIDE FILE available.

Hammermill Paper Company, Inc. Collection. Collection includes information on the watermark process developed by E. Behrend, patent searches and copies, correspondence, agreements, and detectives’ reports, span dates: 1901-1922. There is an extensive segment of photographs of logging operations in Matane, Ontario. Seven bound volumes contain 156 newsletters of Hammermill Paper Co.'s Hammermill Bond, from1917-1930. There is a collection of German language technical journals on papermaking; Wahrspruche von Moritz Behrend (Wise Words of Moritz Behrend); account book of Hammermill Paper Company, Dec. 1913-Dec. 1916; yearly balance sheets, June 1900-Dec. 1912. The balance of the collection consists of bound volumes of correspondence, 1900-1911; information on stocks, 1899-1922; financial records, 1898-1951; sales, 1911-1912; production orders inventories and payroll, 1923-1945; and scrapbooks, including information on mill expansion, workers’ wages, proposed mergers, and conservation, 1948-1967; annual reports, stockholder notices, and financial reviews, span dates: c. 1889-1985. (ECHS). 8h, 5H, flat stored volumes. GUIDE FILE available.

Nagle Steam Engine and Boiler Works Collection. The engine works companies of T.M. Nagle span 1879-1942. This extensive collection includes 356 bound volumes of journals, financial records, price lists, customer lists, contracts, orders, shipping information, receipts, machine records, time books and pay rolls. Correspondence regarding orders and quotes; telegrams; financial papers; T.M. Nagle’s estate papers; catalog sheets; printing plates; casting numbers; and plans and drawings for engines and parts are also included in the collection. Records prior to 1879 may be those of Erie City Iron Works. span dates: 1853-1943, n.d. Donated by Tom Schiewe and Erie Castings. (ECHS). 46H and 365 bound volumes. GUIDE FILE available.

Reed Family Papers. This collection documents the lives of four generations of the Reed family of McKean Township, Erie Co., PA. The family farm was located 3 miles southeast of Middleboro in McKean Township. Oren Reed taught school and farmed. He was County Auditor in 1852-55 and 1863-65. He was town Assessor in 1873-74. Known as a progressive farmer, Oren Reed was responsible for bringing Morgan horses to McKean Township. Otis Reed, his son, also was a teacher and farmer. He taught school from 1858-1870. He was Clerk of McKean 1862-75. In 1880 he was a census enumerator, Tax Auditor 1878-81 and Assistant Assessor in 1882. A majority of the papers document the activities of Oren Reed (1808-1893), Otis Reed (1838-1920) and Oren Reed (1894-1985), son of Otis Reed. A few early documents provide a glimpse of the lives of Shubael Reed (1771-1844) and his wife Mehitable Hale Reed (1775-1834). Thirty letters document the activities and thoughts of women in the family, including a letter from Martha Campbell, letters to Julia M. Nye Reed (Mrs. Otis) (1859-1914), and letters to Sophia Reed, daughter of Julia Nye Reed from other women in the family, span dates: 1870-1924. Other records in the collection include farm accounts, broadsides, tax records, church records, school records, wills and other genealogy information on the family. Purchase. (ECHS). 6h. GUIDE FILE available.

Woman’s Christian Temperance Union Collection. This collection contains records of the National, State and Erie County WCTU unions. Erie County records include a history of Erie’s WCTU 1882-1982, clippings, photographs, minute books 1900-1997; corresponding secretary’s books 1902-1960; a roll book 1941-1960 and financial records. Announcements, programs, directories and reports from county conventions 1899-1993 are also included. Pennsylvania WCTU records include two books on the history of the PA WCTU 1937, 1976, photographs, post cards, state convention programs 1883-1992 and annual reports 1953-1994. Records of the National WCTU include: a biography of Frances E. Willard 1898, song books 1924-1974, n.d. and national convention reports 1964-1965, 1973-1974. span dates: 1898-1997. Donated by Mrs. Ruby Kimball. 12h, 1H, 1 flat box. GUIDE FILE available.

Woodruff Family Papers. Battles Collection. Woodruff family papers contain an autobiography and sermons prepared by Ephraim Treadwell Woodruff, 1802-1832; letters to Samuel E. Woodruff, 1874, a business card and documents regarding the settlement of his estate, 1871-1881 by his son, Thomas S. Woodruff; business and personal papers of Thomas S. Woodruff including a book of judgments, 1873-1925, 1900 presidential campaign scrapbook, financial records, an account book which records his activity in inventing a bicycle at the turn of the century during the bicycle craze, and other documents relating to his legal career. There are also papers of E. P. Woodruff, Nora Pearce Woodruff, Calvin L. Randall and Margaret E. Randall, and Mary Woodruff Johnston. Sarah Hayes Woodruff papers include letters to her, 1898, powers of attorney, an early land patent and Porter farm deeds and correspondence, 1846-1911, a scrapbook dated 1924, and her personal estate accounts kept by her brother, Thomas S. Woodruff, Jan.-Sept., 1925. Collection span dates: 1802-1928. Donated by the Battles Estate. (ECHS). 4h.

J. A. Zurn Manufacturing Co./Zurn Industries Inc. and Hays Manufacturing Co. Coll. This collection relates to Zurn Industries Inc., businesses bought by Zurn Inc., and the career of the company founder, John A. Zurn (1874-1957). The collection includes: forty-six scrapbooks recording the history of Zurn Industries Inc.; J.A. Zurn Manufacturing Co. and Zurn Industries records; J.A. Zurn insurance papers; financial and business records, correspondence, literature, clippings, photographs, audio/visual media, real-estate documents, personal papers, and the Pat Liebel files. The collection also contains Hays Manufacturing Co. records. span dates: 1883-1971. Donated by James A. Zurn. (ECHS). 7h, 1fl h, 10H, 48 vol. FINDING AID available.