RG 30. Personal Papers

Scope and Contents Geoffrey T. Blodgett’s career as a professor and scholar of American history at Oberlin College is well documented in these papers, from his appointment at Oberlin in 1960 to his retirement in 2000 and death in 2001. A small amount of material dates from prior to his faculty appointment. There is very little of a personal nature in the papers, but his correspondence with respected and valued colleagues, as well as many former students, reveal warm relationships with many of them and their...

Scope and Contents The Marlene Deahl Merrill Papers reflect her professional activity from 1978 to 2017 as an independent researcher, documentary editor, author, speaker and consultant, Research Associate for the Oberlin College Library, and Affilate Scholar for Oberlin College for over fifteen years. Her area of expertise is 19th century American history, particularly that of Oberlin as situated in the larger national context on the issues of education and rights of Black people and...

Scope and Contents This collection was created, compiled and organized by Beverly Soll in preparation for the writing of her book, I Dream a World: The Operas of William Grant Still (University of Arkansas Press, 2005).  The collection consists primarily of copies pertaining to Still’s operas from the William Grant Still and Verna Arvey Papers at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, but also includes material from the Library of Congress and other sources, as well as...

Scope and Contents The Dale Broadhurst Papers consist of materials relating to his research concerning the Solomon Spaulding manuscript and its relationship to the Book of Mormon. Documents include transcriptions of the Spaulding Manuscript and comparative textual studies of its contents. Also included are three computer diskettes containing computer copies of included documents and a CD-ROM about the Spaulding manuscript and the Book of Mormon produced in part by Broadhurst.  Also included is a copy of the...

Scope and Contents The papers of Sherlock Bristol document the last few years of Bristol's ministerial work before his death in 1906, which he presents his views on popular religious topics at the turn of the century. The thirteen letters to Reverend William Marsh confirm that the fearless Bristol had remained steadfast to "Oberlin Perfectionism" all his life. His letters continually take up the gifts of spirituality in general and what it meant to accept faith, by way of the Bible, in particular....

Scope and Contents The papers of Mariah Crabb document her manumission, include information about her former enslavers, and detail the activities of her family members in the 1830s and 1840s. Of particular note is Mariah Crabb's handwritten Manumission Indenture. On July 1, 1831, Mariah and her family purchased their freedom for $150 from Martin, Elizabeth, and David Hausman.Consisting largely of personal letters written to Mariah Crabb from her former enslavers, Martin and Elizabeth, the letters...

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The Ricky Clark Papers are entirely made up of publications, and all but two of those are by Ricky Clark. The other two were written by others about Clark’s work.  These writings take the form of books, exhibition catalogs, a festival program, and articles. All of the writings concern quilts, embroidery, rugs, and other textiles.

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The papers were arranged by William K. Farquhar into three groupings: Series I. Correspondence during Military Service in World War II, 1943-1946; Series II. Memoir of Military Service during World War II, 1945-1946, 1996 (in four binders); and Series III. Additional Materials, 1944-1946, 1984, 2005-2006, undated.

Scope and Contents The Paul Patrick Rogers Papers comprise copies of the FBI’s files (1944-1968) on Rogers, Oberlin College Professor of Spanish language and literature, 1929-1966. The files are photocopies of documents (e.g., letters, reports) complied by the FBI during the agency’s investigation of Rogers’ ties to the Communist Party, including his interest in the Communist Party in Mexico, and involvement with the Ohio State Communist Party in Cleveland, Ohio. See the biographical sketch for more...

Scope and Contents The papers of Harold H. Sprout consist of letters sent and received by Sprout. Oberlin College Class of 1924, and his family. The bulk of the letters were written during his student days at Oberlin College, 1920-1924.  Sprout corresponded with his parents (George and Grace Sprout) and sister (Chastina) regarding life at Oberlin and family matters. Also included are letters from other friends and relatives, “Round Robin” letters from high school classmates from Benzonia High School in...