Clarke Historical Library
Central Michigan University

Finding aid for
Abel Bingham Family Papers

Finding aid created by
Marian Matyn

Summary Information

Title: Abel Bingham Family Papers,
Creator: Bingham, Abel.
Inclusive dates: 1765-1964, and undated
Extent: Approximately 14 cubic ft. (in 29 boxes)
Abstract:

The papers include correspondence, diaries, journals, accounts books, tintypes, prayerbooks, sermons, hymns in Ojibwa, a New Testament in English and Seneca, and photographic images.

Call number: MSS.
Language: The material is in English and Ojibwa and Seneca
Repository: Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University

250 East Preston Street
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
Phone: 989-774-3352
Fax: 989-774-2160
Email: clarke@cmich.edu
Website: http://clarke.cmich.edu

Access and Use

Acquisition Information:

No Acc#

Access Restrictions:

Abel Bingham Family Papers are open for research.

Copyright:

Copyright is unknown.

Preferred Citation:

Abel Bingham Family Papers, Folder # , Box #, Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University

Arrangement

Arrangement is chronological, then by type of material.

History

Biography:

Abel Bingham (1786-1865) was a Baptist clergyman. He was born on May 9, 1786 and died in 1865. He married Hannah Brown (May 26, [year unknown]- died 1868). They had five children: Adoniram Judson (April 5, 1820-1868), Ann Hasseltine (July 18,1822-1900), Hannah Marie (November 13, 1827-?), Angeline (March 21,1830-?), and Sophie Hascal (December 11,1833-1910). (This information is from the collection.)

Collection Scope and Content Note

Family papers, 1765-1964, and undated, include: correspondence relating to Rev. Bingham's associations with the Baptist Missionary Society, Boston, his ministry at the Tonawanda Indian Mission in New York State, the Baptist Indian Mission at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and his social activities in Grand Rapids, Michigan; diaries of Bingham and his wife, journals, account books, and tintypes. Also included are prayer books and hymns in Ojibwa, Bingham's sermons, in English, and a New Testament in both English and Seneca. Among his correspondents is John Claude Buchanan, his son-in-law, whose letters relate to Buchanan's service with the 8th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War, 1861-1864. Three boxes of photographic images complete the collection.

The collection includes correspondence relating to Bingham’s associations with the Baptist Missionary Society, Boston, his ministry at the Tonawanda Indian Mission in New York State, the Baptist Indian Mission at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and his social activities in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Correspondents include John Claude Buchanan, Bingham’s son-in-law, relating to his service with the 8th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War.

The collection is also available on 19 reels of positive microfilm Acc# 359 (Section 4, 1 reel) and 444 (18 reels). Some letters are available on 2 reels of positive microfilm Acc# 614 of the American Baptists Foreign Mission Society, 1800-1900, American Indians and 1814-1900, France.

Subject Terms

Subjects:

• Bingham, Abel.
• Bingham, Hannah.
• Bingham, Sophie.
• Gilbert, Angelina Bingham.
• Buchanan, John Claude, 1823-
• Red Jacket (Seneca chief), circa 1756-1830.
• United States. Army. Michigan Infantry Regiment, 8th (1861-1865)
• Missions.
• Baptists--Michigan.
• Baptists--Massachusetts--History.
• New York (State))--History.
• Grand Rapids (Mich.)--History.
• Sault Sainte Marie (Mich.)--History.

Contents List

Container / Location		Title
		Abel Bingham Family Papers are open for research. [series]:
Box   1	F   1	Biographical Information, undated
Box   1	F   2	Newspaper Clippings, 1874
Box   1	F   3	Autobiographical Sketch, 1786-1829
Box   1	F   4	Abel Bingham Diary, 1822-1827
Box   1	F   5	Digest, Various Dates, undated
Box   1	F   6	Journal No. 1, 1828-1832
Box   1	F   7	Journal No. 2, 1832-1836
Box   1	F   8	Journal No. 3, 1836-1840
Box   1	F   9	Journal No. 4, 1840-1844
Box   1	F   10	Journal No. 5, 1844-1864
Box   1	F   11	Copies of Letters, 1835-1854
Box   1	F   12	Angie Bingham's Coin Purse and Letter from her mother, Hannah, March 21, 1858
Box   2	F   1	Articles of Faith and Covenants; List of members in Grand Rapids Baptist Church, 1857-1862
Box   2	F   2	Abel's Sermons, 1835-1851
Box   2	F   3	Hymns and Prayer Book in Chippewa Language, undated
Box   2	F   4	Account Book (of Unknown Origin), 1765-1773
Box   2	F   5	Account Book of Baptist Mission at Sault Ste. Marie (with Index), 1844-1854, 1857
Box   2	F   6	Abel Bingham "Remembrancer of Thoughts, Actions, Incidents, Plans, Hypotheses, and Conclusions of the Outward and Inward Demonstration of My Life", 1844-1848
Box   2	F   7	First Epistle General, John, Printed in Seneca and English, undated
Box   3	F   1	Sophie Bingham Diaries (3 volumes), 1827-1829, 1850-1851, 1851-1853
Box   3	F   2	Hannah Bingham Diary, Partial, 1826-1827
Box   3	F   3	Hannah Bingham Diary, 1829-1830
Box   3	F   4	Hannah Bingham Diary, 1830-1832
Box   3	F   5	Hannah Bingham Diary, 1840-1845
Box   3	F   6	Hannah Bingham Diary, 1845-1849
Box   3	F   7	Hannah Bingham Diary, February 1-April 23, 1853, April 24-July 29, 1853
Box   3	F   8	Hannah Bingham Diary, 1853-1854
Box   3	F   9	Hannah Bingham Diary, 1854-1858
Box   4	F   1	Deeds, 1778, 1782, 1789
Box   4	F   2	Letters, 1790, 1795, 1799
Box   4	F   3	Letters and Receipts, 1800-1809
Box   4	F   4	Letters, 1810-1814
Box   4	F   5	Letters and Receipts, 1810-1814
Box   4	F   6	Letters and Receipts, 1815
Box   4	F   7	Letters and Receipts, 1817
Box   4	F   8	Letters, Certificate Accounts, 1818-1819
Box   4	F   9	Letters, 1820-1822
Box   4	F   10	Letters, 1823-1824
Box   4	F   11	Letters, 1825-1826
Box   4	F   12	End of Letters to Tonawanda Mission, 1827
Box   4	F   12	Letters to Abel Bingham at Sault Ste. Marie, 1828
Box   4	F   13	Letters, 1829
Box   4	F   14	Letters, 1830
Box   4	F   15	Letters and Receipts from Mission Station, 1831
Box   4	F   16	Letters, 1832
Box   4	F   17	Letters, 1833
Box   4	F   18	Letters, 1834
Box   5	F   1	Letters, 1835
Box   5	F   2	Letters, 1836
Box   5	F   3	Letters, 1837
Box   5	F   4	Letters, 1838
Box   5	F   5	Letters (folder 1 of 2), 1839
Box   5	F   6	Letters, includes Confidential Letters of William H. McKee to Miss Caroline Campbell (folder 2 of 2), 1839
Box   5	F   7	Letters, 1840
Box   5	F   8	Letters, January-July 1841
Box   5	F   9	Letters, August-December 1841
Box   5	F   10	Letters, 1842
Box   5	F   11	Letters, 1843
Box   5	F   12	Letters, January-July 1844
Box   5	F   13	Letters, August-December 1844
Box   5	F   14	Letters, January-June 1845
Box   5	F   15	Letters, July-December 1845
Box   5	F   16	Letters, January-July 1846
Box   5	F   17	Letters, August-December 1846
Box   5	F   18	Letters, January-April 1847
Box   5	F   19	Letters, May-July 1847
Box   5	F   20	Letters, August-September 1847
Box   5	F   21	Letters, October-December 1847
Box   5	F   22	Letters, January-March 1848
Box   5	F   23	Letters, April-June 1848
Box   5	F   24	Letters, July-December 1848
Box   6	F   1	Letters, 1849
Box   6	F   2	Letters, 1850
Box   6	F   3	Letters, 1851
Box   6	F   4	Letters, 1852
Box   7	F   1	Letters, January-June 1853
Box   7	F   2	Letters, July-December 1853
Box   7	F   3	Letters, January-June 1854
Box   7	F   4	Letters, July-December 1854
Box   7	F   5	Letters, January-June 1855
Box   7	F   6	Letters, July-December 1855
Box   7	F   7	Bingham's Resignation, 1855
Box   8	F   1	Letters to Hannah from James, Miscellaneous, 1855
Box   8	F   2	Letters, January-June 1856
Box   8	F   3	Letters, July-December 1856
Box   8	F   4	Letters, January-April 1857
Box   8	F   5	Letters, May-December 1857
Box   8	F   6	Letters, 1858
Box   8	F   7	Letters, Miscellaneous, undated
Box   9	F   1	Abel Bingham's Service Papers, 1835-1862
Box   9	F   2	Miscellaneous Related Papers (Photocopies), 1962
Box   10	F   1	Letters from Europe, 1858
Box   10	F   2	Letters, 1859
Box   10	F   3	Letters, 1860
Box   10	F   4	Letters, January-June 1861
Box   10	F   5	Letters, July-December 1861
Box   10	F   6	Letters, January-June 1862
Box   10	F   7	Letters, July-December 1862
Box   10	F   8	Typed Copies of Letters (Sophie Buchanan to John C. Buchanan), 1862
Box   11	F   1	Miscellaneous Letters (Sophie Buchanan to John C. Buchanan), 1863
Box   11	F   2	Letters, January-July 1863
Box   11	F   3	Letters, August-December 1863
Box   11	F   4	Letters, January-June 1864
Box   11	F   5	Letters, July-December 1864
Box   11	F   6	Letters, January-May 1865
Box   11	F   7	Letters, June-December 1865
Box   12	F   1	Miscellaneous Letters, undated; Tintype of Bingham (?), undated, undated
Box   12	F   2	Letters, January-April 1866
Box   12	F   3	Letters, May-December 1866
Box   12	F   4	Letters, 1867
Box   12	F   5	Letters, 1868
Box   12	F   6	Letters, 1869
Box   12	F   7	Letters, 1870
Box   13	F   1	Letters, 1871
Box   13	F   2	Letters, 1872
Box   13	F   3	Letters, 1873
Box   13	F   4	Letters, January-April 1874
Box   13	F   5	Letters, May-December 1874
Box   13	F   6	Miscellaneous, undated
Box   14	F   1	Letters, 1875
Box   14	F   2	Letters and Receipts, 1876
Box   14	F   3	Letters, 1877
Box   14	F   4	Letters, 1878
Box   14	F   5	Letters, 1879
Box   14	F   6	Letters, 1880
Box   14	F   7	Letters, 1881
Box   14	F   7	Letters, 1882
Box   14	F   7	Letters (folder 1 of 2), 1883-1884
Box   14	F   8	Letters (folder 1 of 2), 1885-1886
Box   15	F   1	Letters, 1887
Box   15	F   2	Letters, 1888
Box   15	F   3	Letters, 1889
Box   15	F   4	Letters, 1890
Box   15	F   5	Letters, 1891
Box   15	F   6	Letters, 1892
Box   15	F   7	Letters, 1893
Box   16	F   1	Letters, 1894
Box   16	F   2	Letters, 1895
Box   16	F   3	Letters, 1896-1899
Box   16	F   4	Letters, 1900
Box   16	F   5	Letters, 1901
Box   16	F   6	Letters, 1902
Box   16	F   7	Letters, 1903
Box   16	F   8	Letters, 1904
Box   16	F   7	Letters, 1903
Box   16	F   8	Letters, 1904
Box   16	F   9	Letters, 1905
Box   17	F   1	Letters, 1905-1909
Box   17	F   2	Letters, 1906
Box   17	F   3	Letters, 1907-1908
Box   17	F   4	Letters, 1909
Box   17	F   5	Letters, 1910
Box   17	F   6	Letters, 1911-1919
Box   17	F   7	Letters, 1920-1929
Box   17	F   8	Letters, 1930-1939
Box   17	F   9	Letters, 1940-1949
Box   17	F   10	Letters, 1946-1949
Box   17	F   11	Letters, 1950-1957
Box   18	F   1	"Proverbs by Angie" Notebook, undated
Box   18	F   2	Composition Notebook, 1847-1848
Box   18	F   3	Letters, 1876-1889
Box   18	F   4	Letters, 1890-1907
Box   18	F   5	"Life with the Ojibway Indians", undated
Box   18	F   6	Writings of Angie Bingham Gilbert (folder 1 of 4), undated
Box   18	F   7	Writings of Angie Bingham Gilbert (folder 2 of 4), undated
Box   18	F   8	Writings of Angie Bingham Gilbert (folder 3 of 4), undated
Box   18	F   9	Writings of Angie Bingham Gilbert (folder 4 of 4), undated
Box   19	F   1	Miscellaneous Notes, undated
Box   19	F   2	(Detroit and Grand Rapids) Newspaper Clippings, Pamphlets, 1876-1947
Box   19	F   3	Newspaper Clippings, Circulars, Miscellaneous, 1902-1909, undated
Box   19	F   4	Speeches (Parts?), undated
Box   19	F   5	Poems and Essays Written by Others, undated
Box   19	F   6	Reminiscences and Sketches, Old Sault, Angie Bingham-Gilbert's Book, Volumes 1-2, undated
Box   19	F   7	Reminiscences and Sketches, Old Sault, Angie Bingham-Gilbert's Book, Volume 3, undated
Box   19	F   8	Songs Written in Indian Languages, undated
Box   19	F   9	Speeches Given in Grand Rapids by Angie Bingham-Gilbert, undated
Box   19	F   10	Speech to Muskegon Pioneer Society, undated
Box   20	F   1	Miscellaneous, undated
Box   20	F   2	Sophie Buchanan, Papers and Notes (folder 1 of 2), undated
Box   20	F   2	Sophie Buchanan, Papers and Notes (folder 2 of 2), undated
Box   21	F   1	Biography and Genealogy, undated
Box   21	F   2	Church, Religious, Indian topics, undated
Box   21	F   3	Poems and Essays, undated
Box   21	F   4	Land and Politics topics, undated
Box   21	F   5	Miscellaneous, 1860-1964
Box   21	F   6	Miscellaneous, 1884-1889
Box   21	F   7	Miscellaneous, 1862-1939
Box   22	F   1	Journal and Stories by H.O. Bingham, 1860-1864
Box   22	F   2	Literary Club Notebooks, Sophie Buchanan, 1877-1879
Box   22	F   3	Letters and Notes, 1883-1886
Box   22	F   4	Linguistic History Articles by Sophie Buchanan, 1887-1889
Box   22	F   5	Historical Essays by Sophie Buchanan, 1892-1898
Box   22	F   6	Essays by Sophie Buchanan, 1900-1906
Box   22	F   7	Essays by Sophie Buchanan, 1907-1909
Box   23	F   1	Miscellaneous, 1846-1939
Box   23	F   2	Miscellaneous 1862-1906
Box   23	F   3	Bills and Receipts, 1843-1852
Box   23	F   4	School Bonds, 1864-1870
Box   23	F   5	Letters (folder 1 of 2), undated
Box   23	F   6	Letters (folder 2 of 2), undated
Box   23	F   7	Letters to Sophie and Angie, undated
Box   23	F   8	School Bond Certificates, 1875-1876
Box   23	F   9	Emerson Birthday Book (copyrighted 1881), 1883
Box   24	F   1	Newspaper Clippings, 1859-1926
Box   24	F   2	Newspaper Clippings and copies of "Marine Review", 1899-1943
Box   24	F   3	Newspaper Clippings, Angeline Bingham-Gilbert, 1894-1911
Box   24	F   4	Newspaper Clippings, Sophie Buchanan, 1897-1915
Box   24	F   5	Poems, Receipts, Doctor's Statements, Constitution of the Indian Temperance Society, 1859-1891, undated
Box   24	F   6	Scrapbook, 1885-1909
Box   24	F   7	Account Book (only middle section), 1850-1854
Box   25	F   1	Diary (partial), 1910
Box   25	F   2	Diary (partial), 1911
Box   25	F   3	Thomas D. Gilbert Memorial Dedication Booklet, 1896
Box   25	F   4	Diary and Account Book, 1848-1858
Box   25	F   5	Account Book, 1874-1876?
Box   25	F   6	Diary, 1890, 1897
Box   25	F   7	Miscellaneous, 1853-1894
Box   25	F   8	Poems and Essays by Angie Bingham, 1871-1899
Box   25	F   9	Miscellaneous Pamphlets Concerning the Bingham Family, 1855-1893
Box   25	F   10	College Pamphlets, 1844-1936
Box   25	F   11	Miscellaneous, 1857-1946
Box   26	F   1	Artifacts, handmade two-year-old Boy's vest, 1822; handmade Birchbark Book, undated; Leather Wallet, undated 1822; undated
Box   26	F   2	Hannah Bingham's Diary, 1827-1829
Box   26	F   3	Angie Bingham Gilbert, Poems by Angie Bingham Gilbert, 2 printed copies of A Tale of Two Cities, a Speech by Angie Bingham Gilbert, 1897-1907; (two copies) of Newspaper Articles regarding the Clarke Historical Library's accessioning of the Abel Bingham Papers, 1962, 1897-1907, 1962
Box   26	F   4	Two typed copies of Bingham Family History (Abel Bingham's Autobiographical Sketch), 1786-1840 (1 copy has 2 p. 146s and the other is missing p. 146), 1786-1840
Box   27	F   1	Photographic Images, Photographs, Abel Bingham, undated
Box   27	F   2	Photographic Images, Photographs, Ada Bingham, undated
Box   27	F   3	Photographic Images, Photographs, Bingham Family (folder 1 of 2), undated
Box   27	F   4	Photographic Images, Photographs, Bingham Family (folder 2 of 2), undated
Box   27	F   5	Photographic Images, Photographs, Hannah Bingham, undated
Box   28	F   1	Photographic Images, Identified images, Reverend Abel Bingham, undated
Box   28	F   2	Photographic Images, Identified images, (Grandmother) Hannah Brown Bingham (Mrs. Abel Bingham, 3), undated
Box   28	F   3	Photographic Images, Identified images, Miss Sophie Bingham, undated
Box   28	F   4	Photographic Images, Identified images, (Captain) John C. (Claude) Buchanan (2), undated
Box   28	F   5	Photographic Images, Identified images, (John) Claude Buchanan, Sophie Bingham Buchanan (2), undated
Box   28	F   6	Photographic Images, Identified images, (Grandfather) Samuel Buchanan, undated
Box   28	F   7	Photographic Images, Identified images, Sophie Bingham Buchanan, Angie Bingham Gilbert, Daughters of Reverend Bingham, undated
Box   28	F   8	Photographic Images, Identified images, (Uncle) Thomas Dwight Gilbert, undated
Box   28	F   9	Photographic Images, Identified images, (Aunt) Angie Bingham Gilbert (3), undated
Box   28	F   10	Photographic Images, Identified images, Thomas Dwight Gilbert and Angie Bingham Gilbert, undated
Box   28	F   11	Photographic Images, Identified images, Angie Buchanan McKee, undated
Box   28	F   12	Photographic Images, Identified images, James Henry McKee (2), undated
Box   28	F   13	Photographic Images, Identified images, Laura E. McKee, undated
Box   28	F   14	Photographic Images, Identified images, Montagu McKee, undated
Box   29	F   1	Photographic Images, Identified images, Sara Purmet (a Chippewa Indian woman, servant in Bingham household (2), undated
Box   29	F   2	Photographic Images, Identified images, Hannah Powell Sqiren, undated
Box   29	F   3	Photographic Images, Identified images, Aunt Ann Taylor, Aunt Clara Matechogs, Uncle Samuel Buchanan, father, undated
Box   29	F   4	Photographic Images, Identified images, Three Indian Girls and an Indian Boy from Mission School, undated
Box   29	F   5	Photographic Images, Unidentified images (18 images), undated
Box   29	F   6	Military insignia [patch] (Trumpet and 8), undated