The Hurford Janes papers contain about 200 pages letters to and from Hurford Janes for his proposed biography of James A. M. Whistler, the American painter. The collection also contains several newspapers, photocopies of old letters, postcards, pages of poetry, and two manuscripts: one of the biography and one titled "The Whistler Mystery."
The Charles T. Simpson collection contains photographs, account statements, letters, minutes, contracts, typescripts, articles, certificates, membership cards, manuscripts, notes, photocopies, and a plant specimen, which document the lengthy botanical and zoological career of the early 20th century naturalist.
This collection contains a manuscript of over 11000 words on 72 pages regarding service in the Spanish-American War. Written by V. Hansen of Company A, 13th Infantry Regiment, the account begins by detailing the organization of the Fifth army and the Rough Riders in Tampa Bay, Florida. Hansen tells of encountering Colonel Roosevelt and refers to the Rough Riders several times during battle descriptions. Hansen describes the rough sea trip on the transport ship "Saratoga," the preliminary naval maneuvers, and the uneventful landing at Sibonay. Numerous stories are told of the various fighting men, included one of a Cuban soldier who killed his horse to feed his starving family, upon which he was tortured and executed as military punishment.
William P. Halstead was a Professor of the University of Miami English Department. The collection contains manuscripts, essays, reprinted articles from periodicals, notebooks, and photographs.
The English Manuscript Collection contains 19th century official documents on vellum parchment. Included are 21 indentures, 7 last will and testaments, and 7 documents granting privileges to women in name of the 1833 "Act for the Abolition of Fines and Recoveries, and for the Substitution of more simple Modes of Assurance."
The Jamaica Manuscripts Collection contains 20 documents, most of which concern Jamaica in a variety of ways (others are regarding the British West Indies at large). Included, among other things, are plantation records, correspondence, journals, official documents such as power of attorney documents and affidavits, notes on the climate of Jamaica, and Spanish reports on English possessions. Some of these are originals, where others are later 20th century documents about Jamaica or typescripts of letters.
Dr. Charles A. Bicking was an award-winning mechanical engineer active in the fields of Industrial Engineering, Industrial Statistics, Engineering Statistics, Operations Research, and Quality Control. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Techology, Bicking has held numerous posts as an engineer, consultant, and lecturer in a number of countries. Bicking also published and presented dozens papers in the above fields. Bicking was an official U.S.A. delegate for the 1953 session of the International Statistical Institute in Rome. He won the ASTM Award of Merit in 1962. Some of the organizations, corporations, and associations that Bicking worked with include the American Society for Quality Control, the American Statistical Assocation, A.S.Q.C., Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, White Sands Missile Range, Carborundum Company, Hercules Powder Company, NASA, Nashua Corporation, Tracor Jitco, the American Society for Testing and Materials, and the Control Data Corporation.
The Charles Bicking Papers contains documents spanning across the entirety of Dr. Bicking's career, as described above.
The collection includes a substantial body of writings by George Merrick, known primarily as the founder of the city of Coral Gables in South Florida. In 1916, he married Eunice Peacock, granddaughter of Coconut Grove pioneers, Charles and Isabella Peacock. The correspondence, short stories, essays, manuscripts, poems, speeches, clippings, proposals and plans from the collection document the literary aspirations, as well as the real estate career of George Merrick. His papers also include correspondence, clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera from Eunice Peacock Merrick and other members of the Peacock and Merrick families. George Merrick’s close ties with the University of Miami and his contributions to the institution’s expansion are documented through correspondence, newspapers clippings, and ephemera. Finally, the collection includes extensive literature (newsletters and books) from the Rosicrucian and Christian Science communities. Please refer to the bibliography for a listing of the books.
The journal of Aaron Thomas is a 374 page leather-bound volume containing approximately 367 pages of handwritten material. The journal begins on June 15, 1798 and concludes on October 26, 1799, and chronicles the experiences and adventures of a British seaman serving in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Lapwing in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary wars. The journal contains insightful, first-hand accounts of naval operations, customs of the day, and humorous, detailed anecdotes involving shipmates and superiors. Thomas, who joined the navy in 1793, includes entries regarding the health and punishment of the men aboard ship, as well as his personal views on slavery, religion, and morality. With the exception of the final three pages, all entries are written in Thomas's hand.
Irving Stone (July 14, 1903 – August 26, 1989) was an American writer known for his biographical novels of famous historical personalities. The papers contain a 1944 manuscript for his book Immortal Wife, the Biographical Novel of Jessie Benton Fremont.