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Kaye Centers and Wendy VanderVeen Collection

 Collection
Identifier: RH-A-3379

Scope and Contents

According to a genealogy compiled by Kaye Centers in June 2006, Alexander Barton Cropsey came to Cass County in the 1850s. The family reunions began in 1908. The ledger began in 1918 originally by Gertrude Elizabeth Humiston James, Alexander’s granddaughter. The book is filled with information on reunions and specific information on family members including births, engagements, marriages and deaths. Newspaper articles on these specific events were cut out and placed in this book. It appears that it was compiled between 1918 and 1975.

Dates

  • Creation: 1918-1975

Creator

Extent

.25 Cubic Feet ; 16” x 11” x 2”

Language of Materials

English

Physical Description

The collection amounts to .25 cubic feet and is composed of the original reunion book, 16” x 11” x 2”. There are a total of 498 pages although not all the pages are used. Pages 261 to 455 are blank. Several of the pages have handwritten information. There are pages with newspaper clippings, photographs and other items like memorial cards. All of the information in the book relates to the Cropsey family. In addition, there is a photocopy of the reunion book which is what will be available to the public along with an index to the book and two different genealogies of the Cropsey family. Both the back and front covers and spine of the original book are worn. The pages are yellowed although the handwritten information still is very legible. There are several pages which have yellowed due to the newspaper articles on the opposite side. Some of the articles were taped into the book.The tape is yellowed and the adhesive has worn off.

General

Any patrons, who want to access this information, will be using the photocopies. The original book will be stored in the Archives’ safe.

Title
Kaye Centers and Wendy VanderVeen Collection Finding Aid
Author
Lynn Houghton
Date
2010-04-22
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490