Ohio History Journal

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BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS

 

Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Library of the Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society. By Elizabeth C. Biggert. (Columbus,

Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, 1953. x-153p.; index.

Paper, $1.50; cloth, $2.50.)

The social, economic, and political history of Ohio is well represented in

the manuscript collections of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical

Society Library, which totals approximately 1,500,000 separate pieces. This

library is the repository for certain groups of the archives of the state of

Ohio, which include papers dealing with the government of the Northwest

Territory and the correspondence of the governors of Ohio.

The entries in this guide are arranged in 'alphabetical order by the title of

the collection. A collection may be represented by one piece or a number of

volumes or boxes. The term "box" may include as few as five or six pieces,

or as many as two hundred pieces. This varied method of designation results

in the listing of 1,128 manuscript collections.

The descriptions are brief, giving concise contents notes, often listing

special features of the collections, and including pertinent biographical data.

Reference to published letters is made. Miss Elizabeth C. Biggert, manuscripts

librarian, has given an excellent idea of the contents of the collections. The

Preface states that details concerning any collection may be procured from

the library's card catalog or from the manuscripts librarian.

The Index is very complete, containing entries for persons, places, and

subjects. Subheadings under the names of counties and larger cities bring

together many topics relating to their history and development. A special

feature of the Index is the listing of material under both the name of the

county and that of the township. Another feature is the completeness of the

subject entries, which include references to courts, medicine, pioneer life,

railroads in Ohio, and religion in Ohio, to mention only a few.

The collections described in this guide are of particular importance to

students of Ohio's history. The political history of the state is represented

by the papers of Ohio senators, representatives in congress, Ohio governors,

and members of the Ohio General Assembly. The institutional development

is found in the records of the various churches and sects, of the courts and

schools. The history of business and industry is included in collections

relating to small businesses and large industries. The steady development

of internal improvements is well represented by many collections relating