The Patrie Files at the Colrain Library (GML)

 The Griswold Memorial Library has offered its "Patrie files" to the Colrain Historical Society. These files are in a 4-drawer wooden file cabinet on the main floor of the library. The purpose of this blog post is to inform others of what is being offered so that we can decide if CHS wants this collection. After a brief viewing it is clear that this is a "treasure trove" of local history, with well organized genealogies and other material. These files are probably the research done by Lois McClellan Patrie for her 1974 History of Colrain.


Last Monday (Nov 18)  Dave Allen and Nina Reyes made a quick visit to view the files.  Chelsea, Library Director,  said that in her five years at the library, she does not recall anyone studying these files.
There is no label on the cabinet saying that these are Patrie's papers, but the drawers are filled with research material.
The bottom drawer seems to have a dozen or so family genealogies in black 3-ring binders. As shown in 2nd picture below, the "Clark Family" binder is typed, has many pages, and is well organized with subject tabs and an index.  We only looked at this one binder.






Another drawer is filled with bundles of paper sorted in plastic bags. The first sheet of the first bag is a  typed military service record of a "Howard Chapin Root", who enlisted in the Navy ca 1917. See below:


Another drawer, also filled to the brim , has several hardbound ledgers and etc.  We photographed the first ledger. No further examination. See below:
 
Another drawer is filled with other hardbound volumes, which we did not peruse. See below.


The top drawer is 3/4 full and has a large roll of maps and other material we did not peruse.  There are two typed up partial shelf lists apparently made by the library after acquisition.  On top of the file cabinet are some other maps and binders which are part of the Patrie collection.
Conclusion ...  after brief viewing:
1) it appears to be a very valuable local history collection
2) it appears to be well organized
3) It appears not to have been disturbed since it's acquisition by GML.

Accession needs if CHS  acquires this:
1) Prepare a shelf-list of contents, drawer by drawer. We would number each batch of items and then prepare a one paragraph description of each batch (binder, plastic bag, etc). A photo would be ,made of the outside of each batch.
2) Assess the effort required to scan these files.  The well-organized genealogies will be easy to scan.

Plan the next steps
1)  should we scan all... if so, consider fund-raising to pay for this.
2)   if scanned, where to store originals.  Probably "deep storage".
3)    Use the empty wooden cabinet in the office.
3)   Publicity .   If this collection is as valuable as it appears, this acquisition and scanning project would be worthwhile publicizing... 


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