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University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library

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Harold Studley Gray Papers, 1896-1972

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Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Select recordings within this collection have been digitized. Original sound recordings are only available for staff use.

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Summary

Creator:
Gray, Harold Studley, 1894-1972
Abstract:
Conscientious objector during World Wars I and II and founder of the farming cooperative Saline Valley Farms. Correspondence, diaries, notebooks, and other materials relating to all phases of his career, including his work as Y.M.C.A. worker in England, 1916-1917, and as teacher at Central China University, Wuchang, China, 1922-1926; also family correspondence of Philip H. and Almena S. Gray, 1874-1926; also photographs and motion pictures.
Extent:
12.5 linear feet
1 oversize folder
2 oversize volumes
6 film reels
2 digital audio files
Language:
English.
Call Number:
851418 Aa 2 UAm
Authors:
Finding aid prepared by: Michigan Historical Collections staff

Background

Scope and Content:

The Harold Gray papers have been divided into seven series: Correspondence; World War I era activities; Personal and Miscellaneous; Printed, clippings, and miscellanea; Family and genealogical; Saline Valley Farms; and Visual Materials (photographs and motion pictures). The great strength of the collection are correspondence, administrative files, diaries, and visual materials documenting the operation of the Saline Valley Farms. There is significant, though smaller quantities of papers detailing Gray's opposition to serving in the military during World War I and his career as a teacher in China in the 1920s.

Biographical / Historical:

Harold Studley Gray was the developer and owner of the Saline Valley Farms, an experiment in cooperative farming and living. Born in Detroit, February 23, 1894, Gray was a graduate of Exeter Academy, then attended Harvard University as war broke out in Europe. Leaving school, he volunteered for duty with the Young Men's Christian Association in England working in a German prisoner-of-war camp. His experiences during this time led Gray to take a stand for non-violence. When he returned to the United States, he was drafted but he claimed exemption on the grounds of conscientious objection. After a court-martial, Gray was sentenced to life imprisonment (later commuted to twenty-five years at hard labor). In 1919, he was dismissed dishonorably from military service.

After his release, he returned to Harvard, receiving his A.B. and M.A. degrees. He next went to China where for four years he taught economics in Central China University, Wuchang, China. During his time in England and while in prison, Gray began developing ideas for an experiment in social farming and economic security. He had some thought that this might be possible in China. But when revolutions in China made this impossible, Gray began to contemplate a similar venture in the United States. In 1932, he purchased farm land acreage near Saline, Michigan. The land included an abandoned farmhouse and barn. His goal was to raise the standards of agricultural life by combining farming and industry, selling the product of the farm directly to the consumer.

One of the aims of Saline Valley Farms cooperative was to provide a measure of economic security during this time of depression. Gray sought to employ as many people as possible in marketing the products of the farm. The Saline site was chosen because of its proximity to the Detroit area and to the University of Michigan. Many of Gray's first employees were of high-school age. Their work on the farm, Gray believed, would enable them to stay in school and to earn sufficient income that they could to go to college.

Many of the people employed at the Farms brought valuable training and experience. One, Harold Vaughn, was a former county agricultural agent hired by Gray to be farm manager. Vaughn devoted his time during this early period to planting orchards, assembling machinery and livestock, and preparing the land. With their work and planning and with the efforts of the other members of the cooperative, the Saline Valley Farms grew but never really prospered financially. The depression was in part responsible for the early success of the Farms. At the close of World War II, Gray confronted the unsteady economic state of the operation. Workers were able to get better wages outside; Gray had difficulty getting people to work for him at the prices he could afford to pay. Finally, in 1953, he decided to abandon the program and in 1959 the cooperative was formally dissolved.

Gray kept the property until 1969 when he sold it to the Teamsters Union for their use as a recreational and retirement center.

Gray died April 5, 1972.

Acquisition Information:
The collection was the gift of Harold Gray (donor no. 3393 ) and came to the library in 1969 and 1972.
Processing information:

In preparing digital material for long-term preservation and access, the Bentley Historical Library adheres to professional best practices and standards to ensure that content will retain its authenticity and integrity. For more information on procedures for the ingest and processing of digital materials, please see Bentley Historical Library Digital Processing Note. Access to digital material may be provided either as a direct link to an individual file or as a downloadable package of files bundled in a zip file.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:
The Christian century.
Conscientious objectors.
Cooperative societies -- Michigan -- Saline.
Farm life -- Michigan -- Saline.
Pacifism.
World War, 1914-1918.
Young Men's Christian Associations.
Agriculture -- Michigan.
Cooperatives.
Dwellings -- Michigan -- Detroit.
Dwellings.
Farms.
Interiors.
Prisoners of war -- United States.
Recreation.
Resorts -- Michigan.
Traffic accidents.
World War, 1914-1918.
Formats:
Diaries.
Digital file formats.
Motion pictures.
Photographs.
Sound recordings.
Videotapes.
Names:
Columbia Conserve Company.
Fellowship of Reconciliation (U.S.)
Studley family.
Gray, Almena Studley.
Gray, Harold Studley, 1894-1972.
Gray, John Simpson, 1841-1906.
Gray, Philip Hayward, 1865-1922.
Vaughn, Marian.
Allinson, Brent Dow.
Baldwin, Roger N. (Roger Nash), 1884-1981.
Bennett, James O'Donnell, 1870-1940.
Chaplin, Maxwell.
Couzens, James, 1872-1936.
Crane, Henry Hitt, 1890-1977.
Dunham, Arthur, 1893-
Eddy, Sherwood, 1871-1963.
Fey, Harold E. (Harold Edward), 1898-1990.
Hapgood, William Powers, 1872-1960.
Hennacy, Ammon, 1893-1970.
Jones, Edgar De Witt, 1876-1956.
Jones, Paul, 1880-1941.
Libby, Frederick J. (Frederick Joseph), 1874-1970.
Lunde, Erling H.
Morrison, Charles Clayton, 1874-1966.
Mott, John Raleigh, 1865-1955.
Muste, Abraham John, 1885-1967.
Nelson, Walter Morrow.
Page, Kirby, 1890-1957.
Porter, David R.
Sayre, John Nevin, 1884-1977.
Shaw, Mark Revell, 1889-
Swomley, John M., 1915-2010.
Thomas, Emma Mattoon.
Thomas, Evan W. (Evan Welling), 1890-1974.
Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968.
Vaughan, Harold M.
Zhang, Fuliang, 1889-
Places:
China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949.
England.
Saline (Mich.)
Saline Valley Farms (Saline, Mich.)
Au Sable River (Mich.)
Charlevoix (Mich.)
China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949.
Detroit (Mich.) -- Dwellings.
Mackinac Island (Mich.)
Oscoda (Mich.)
Petoskey (Mich.)
Saline Valley Farms (Saline, Mich.)
Saline Valley Farms (Saline, Mich.)

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open for research.

Select recordings within this collection have been digitized. Original sound recordings are only available for staff use.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

Margaret Gray has transferred any applicable copyright to the Regents of the University of Michigan but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.

PREFERRED CITATION:

item, folder title, box no., Harold Studley. Gray Papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

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Collection

Harold Studley Gray Papers, 1896-1972
Call Number 851418 Aa 2 UAm
Total components 175
Items available online Online 26
Last indexed 2023-08-08