Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Milton C. Abrams papers, 1872-1998
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Abrams, Milton C. (Milton Charles), 1918-.
- Title
- Milton C. Abrams papers
- Dates
- 1872-1998 (inclusive)18721998
- Quantity
- 14 boxes, (6.75 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 471
- Summary
- This collection consists of materials that Abrams collected throughout his career with the Utah Historical Society, as Director of the Merrill Library at Utah State University, as Chairman of the Executive Board of the Utah Bicentennial District 1, and as a community leader.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Milton Charles Abrams was born November 22, 1918 to George Franklin and Nettie Rebecca Schenk Abrams. From 1939 to 1941 he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northern States Mission. He was married to Lucille Pixton with whom he had three children. They later divorced, after which he married Lois Allred, who passed away. He then married Mattie Ann Robinson Callister. Milton Abrams served as an officer in Europe during World War II, receiving military honors for his bravery. During the Korean War he trained troops.
After leaving the military Abrams began his lifelong career in education. He worked as a high school teacher and later at Utah State University. Over his 40 years there he served in various capacities, including chair of the Educational Policies Committee and Director of the Merrill Library and Learning Resources Program. He was active in civic and community affairs, including an extended tenure as the chair of the Board of State History. A staunch Democrat, Abrams held both county and state offices and even ran for Utah's first congressional seat in 1985, but was handily defeated by Republican incumbent James V. Hansen.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Milton C. Abrams papers consist of 14 boxes of materials that Abrams collected throughout his career with the Utah Historical Society, as Director of the Merrill Library at Utah State University, as Chairman of the Executive Board of the Utah Bicentennial District 1, and as a community leader. These materials are beneficial to anyone interestsed in the Utah Historical Society's work with historic sites, the history of Manti, Utah, Utah's American Revolution Bicentennial celebrations, or Milton Abrams' life and career. The materials are split into four sections: the Utah Historical Society, the Manti Public Library, correspondence, and the Utah American Revolution Bicentennial Commission.
The first eight boxes contain the Utah Historical Society records that Abrams accumulated over his time as a member of the organization. These files include reports on historical sites and committees, meeting minutes, correspondence, and other materials related to the Society.
The next two boxes hold information concerning Sanpete County, Utah. During Abrams' time as Director of the Merrill Library, he became interested in acquiring historical materials from various counties in Utah to place in the Library's archive. The bulk of the Sanpete County records appear to have been transferred from the Manti Public Library. Among the materials are papers of the Mothers of the Boys in Service, a service organization started during World War II by Bertha Christiansen. The group's files include minutes of the organization, poems written by the mothers and wives, and letters written by the boys of the 145th Field Artillery to the organization. Also included in the Manti files are biographies of residents such as John Haslem Clark and Foster Kenner, as well as records from the Manti Commercial Club, the Manti first Presbyterian Church, and other organizations and institutions.
Boxes 11 and 12 include correspondence from Milton Abrams' 1985 congressional campaign and his participation in the Democratic Party as well as letters from the Peace Institute, the Mountain West Center for Regional Studies and other organizations and individuals.
The last two boxes, containing the 1990 donation, hold material pertaining to the Utah American Revolution Bicentennial Commmission (UARBC), in which Abrams was involved as a UARBC Heritage Committee member and as Chairman of the Executive Board of the Utah Bicentennial District 1. These files include meeting minutes, memorandums, reports, letters, newspaper clippings and promotional material, as well as UARBC grant project proposals and planned events.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Milton C. Abrams papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Milton C. Abrams papers USU_COLL MSS 471, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 471, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection has been arranged by document type.
Processing Note
Processed in December of 2016
Acquisition Information
This collection consists of two donations. The first, found in boxes 1 to 12, was transferred to USU Special Collections from Milton Abrams' office shortly after his death in 1998 and processed in May 2013. The second, housed in boxes 13 and 14, was donated by Milton Abrams in 1990 and processed in December 2016.
Related Materials
Utah American Revolution Bicentennial Commission papers (Coll Mss 92)
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Utah Historical Society, 1950-1984Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | State History review |
1977-1983 |
| 1 | 2 | Utah Historic Preservation Office local government certification process |
1984 |
| 1 | 3 | Roster of historical and cultural sites in Utah, Beaver to Rich County |
undated |
| 1 | 4 | Roster of historical sites in Utah, Salt Lake City to Weber County |
undated |
| 1 | 5 | Reports on Goals for Utah |
1965-1971 |
| 1 | 6 | A People's History of Utah |
1980 |
| 1 | 7 | National Historic Publication and Records Commission |
1977-1980 |
| 1 | 8 | Cathedral of Madeleine |
1975 |
| 2 | 1 | Historical Sites, "Cobble Knoll", the Cannon/Evans home |
undated |
| 2 | 2 | Utah's historic preservation plan |
1970-1973 |
| 2 | 3 | Historic sites preservation |
1977-1983 |
| 2 | 4 | Historical Sites, reports |
1972 |
| 2 | 5 | Historical Sites, miscellaneous |
1971 |
| 2 | 6 | Accession sheets |
1977-1978 |
| 2 | 7 | General Historical Society awards |
1967 |
| 2 | 8 | Appropriations |
1973 |
| 2 | 9 | Annual Appropriation Request Development Services - State History |
1973 July 1-1974 June 30 |
| 3 | 1 | Follow-up committee, Utah Governor's Conference on Library and Information Services |
1980-1982 |
| 3 | 2 | Fine Arts Executive Mansion Policy Committee |
1977-1982 |
| 3 | 3 | Historical and Cultural Sites Review Committee |
undated |
| 3 | 4 | Preservation Section Review Committee |
1982 |
| 3 | 5 | Historical and Cultural Sites Review Committee |
undated |
| 3 | 6 | Antiquities Committee |
1975-1982 |
| 3 | 7 | Antiquities Committee |
1980-1981 |
| 3 | 8 | Antiquities Committee |
1982 |
| 4 | 1 | Committee reports, Utah Historical Society |
1950-1965 |
| 4 | 2 | Committees |
1975-1977 |
| 4 | 3 | Utah Historical Society reports |
1972-1982 |
| 4 | 4 | Utah Historical Society reports |
1968-1972 |
| 4 | 5 | Utah Historical Society reports |
1971-1973 |
| 5 | 1 | Utah Historical Society reports |
1970-1971 |
| 5 | 2 | Utah Historical Society reports |
1978-1983 |
| 5 | 3 | Utah Historical Soceity reports |
1977-1978 |
| 5 | 4 | Utah Historical Society - miscellaneous |
1974-1980 |
| 6 | 1 | Historic Sites - minutes |
1971-1972 |
| 6 | 2 | Utah Historical Society minutes |
1971-1972 |
| 6 | 3 | Utah Historical and Cultural Sites Review Committee |
1984 |
| 6 | 4 | Minutes and agenda |
1970-1971 |
| 6 | 5 | Historical Sites Committee minutes |
1972-1975 |
| 6 | 6 | Utah Historical Society minutes and agendas |
1965-1981 |
| 6 | 7 | Utah Historical Society minutes and agenda |
1978-1983 |
| 6 | 8 | General Utah Historical Society |
1969 |
| 7 | 1 | Historic Sites correspondence |
1972 |
| 7 | 2 | Historic Sites Committee correspondence |
1979-1983 |
| 7 | 3 | Historic sites, Sevier County |
1975 |
| 7 | 4 | Utah Historical Society Committee |
1968 |
| 7 | 5 | State archives |
1978-1979 |
| 7 | 6 | State history correspondence |
1979-1983 |
| 7 | 7 | Statehood Day celebration |
1974-1983 |
| 7 | 8 | Census program |
1981 |
| 7 | 9 | H.B. 373 |
1979 |
| 8 | 1 | Utah Historical Society correspondence |
1968-1969 |
| 8 | 2 | Utah Historical Society correspondence |
1970 |
| 8 | 3 | Utah Historical Society correspondence |
1971-1972 |
| 8 | 4 | Utah Historical Society correspondence |
1971-1973 |
| 8 | 5 | Utah Historical Society correspondence |
1974-1979 |
| 8 | 6 | Utah Historical Society - miscellaneous |
1971-1972 |
Manti Public Library, 1800-1987Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 9 | 1 | Brief sketch of R. Clair Anderson |
1902-1972 |
| 9 | 2 | Funeral services for R. Clair Anderson |
1972 |
| 9 | 3 | A sketch of the life of John Haslem Clark |
1840-1923 |
| 9 | 4 | "Frederick Walter Cox Sr.: Frontiersman of the American West", by John Clifton Moffitt |
1800-1862 |
| 9 | 5 | "Condelie Morley Cox: Woman of the Wilderness", by John Clifton Moffitt |
1823-1907 |
| 9 | 6 | The Early History of Manti |
1849-1854 |
| 9 | 7 | The Epidemiologic Transition in a Frontier Town, Manti, Utah |
1849-1977 |
| 9 | 8 | Records of the First Presbyterian Church, Manti, Utah |
1877-1881 |
| 9 | 9 | House Types of Southern Utah |
1978 |
| 9 | 10 | Biography of Foster Kenner |
1889-1957 |
| 9 | 11 | Luke Family of Manti |
1759-1975 |
| 9 | 12 | The Manti co-op sheep herd |
1979 |
| 9 | 13 | History of Manti North Ward Chapel |
1908-1973 |
| 9 | 14 | The Mormon Miracle Pageant, Manti, Utah |
1982 |
| 9 | 15 | "One Foot in the Old World", by Albert Antrei |
undated |
| 9 | 16 | Autobiography by Alma C. Peterson |
1892-1980 |
| 9 | 17 | "Reminiscences of Early Manti: History of South Sanpete", by Adelia B. Sidwell |
undated |
| 9 | 18 | Article by Betty Ramsey from the Saga of the Sanpitch |
undated |
| 9 | 19 | Sanpete County summer recreation |
1987 |
| 9 | 20 | Utah Cattle: A Time Honored Industry |
1967 |
| 9 | 21 | Veterans of World War I |
undated |
| 9 | 22 | The F.W. Cox home, First North and First West, Manti, Utah |
undated |
| 9 | 23 | Manti History, Mothers and Wives of the Boys in Service |
1941 May-1943 January |
| 9 | 24 | Letters from the boys in service to the mothers of the boys |
1941-1943 January |
| 9 | 25 | Mayfield, Utah commencement exercises |
1905 |
| 10 | 1 | Captain Augustus Erastus Dodge |
undated |
| 10 | 2 | Book of remembrance, the Jens Hansen family |
undated |
| 10 | 3 | Manti Commercial Club Record |
1908-1914 |
| 10 | 4 | Manti Commercial Club Record |
1914-1923 |
| 10 | 5 | Elvira Pamela Mills |
undated |
| 10 | 6 | Roll call of the pioneers by Albert Antrei |
1849-1850 |
| 10 | 7 | Biography of George Sidwell by Mecham |
1833-1883 |
| 10 | 8 | The Westenskow families of Manti |
undated |
| 10 | 9 | List of registered, Local Board of the County of Sanpete |
1918 |
| 10 | 10 | Veterans of World War II |
1941-1946 |
| 10 | 11 | "Historic Spots in Utah", by Howard R. Driggs and "The Railroad Accident", by Orville Day |
1919 |
Correspondence, 1972-1987Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 11 | 1 | Arnold Friberg home and studio preservation |
1976 |
| 11 | 2 | Arnold Friberg home and studio preservation |
1976 |
| 11 | 3 | Arnold Friberg home and studio preservation |
1976 |
| 11 | 4 | State Division of History on exploration and excavation of historic ruins |
1983 |
| 11 | 5 | Utah Department of Development Services |
1979 |
| 11 | 6 | Theron Luke letters |
undated |
| 11 | 7 | De Vere Hinckley letter |
undated |
| 11 | 8 | Peace march (Peace and Human Environment Foundation) |
1986 |
| 11 | 9 | Eathel L. Winkelman letter |
undated |
| 11 | 10 | Melvin T. Smith |
1972 |
| 12 | 1 | Abrams, personal correspondence |
undated |
| 12 | 2 | Abrams, personal correspondence |
undated |
| 12 | 3 | Committee - City of Logan Board |
undated |
| 12 | 4 | Democratic correspondence |
undated |
| 12 | 5 | Democratic Party (committees and candidates) correspondence |
undated |
| 12 | 6 | Government correspondence |
undated |
| 12 | 7 | Henrietta Locke |
1987 |
| 12 | 8 | Jerold Sorensen |
undated |
| 12 | 9 | Letter to Mattie and "Mick" Abrams from the Swensons |
undated |
| 12 | 10 | Mountain West Center for Regional Studies |
1987 |
| 12 | 11 | Peace Institute |
1984-1986 |
Utah American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, 1972-1976Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Organizational Files |
|||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 13 | 1 | Commission roster |
1974 |
| 13 | 2 | Organization and memorandum |
1974 |
| 13 | 3 | Staff reports |
1973-1974 |
| 13 | 4 | District letters |
1974 |
| 13 | 5 | District 1 correspondence |
1975 |
| 13 | 6 | District 1 meeting minutes |
1973-1975 |
| 13 | 7 | Commission meeting minutes |
1973-1975 |
| 13 | 8 | Bicentennial Heritage Library Committee correspondence |
1974 |
| 13 | 9 | Annual report of the UARBC |
1973 |
| 13 | 10 | Utah Bicentennial guidelines |
1973 |
| 13 | 11 | Utah Bicentennial newspaper clippings |
1973-1976 |
| 13 | 12 | Bicentennial promotional material |
1972-1975 |
Grant Projects |
|||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 13 | 13 | Planned Bicentennial projects |
1975 |
| 13 | 14 | Weber State College proposed Bicentennial activities |
1974-1976 |
| 13 | 15 | "Publication of Membership Applications of the Utah Society, SAR" |
1975 |
| 13 | 16 | "Botanical Garden, Gallery of History and Art, Cache Public Library" |
1975 |
| 13 | 17 | "Bicentennial Expedition Commemorative Postage" |
1975 |
| 13 | 18 | "Impez-Topex 1979" |
1975 |
| 13 | 19 | "'Old Glory's' Bicentennial Festival" |
1975 |
| 13 | 20 | "Laketown Relief Society Building Restoration" |
1975 |
| 13 | 21 | "Avalon Bicentennial Community Center" |
1975 |
| 13 | 22 | "Marking of the Carter Trail" |
1975 |
| 13 | 23 | "Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum" |
1975 |
| 13 | 24 | "1866 Grantsville Meetinghouse" |
1975 |
| 13 | 25 | "Old Glory and Her Predecessors in Utah" |
1975 |
| 13 | 26 | "Preservation and Restoration of Historic Peace Treaty Marker at Fish Lake, Sevier County, Utah, and Creation of Public Access Trail to Marker" |
1975 |
| 13 | 27 | "Restoration of Richfield's Old Academy Hall Bell, Richfield's First Community Bell" |
1975 |
| 13 | 28 | "Historic Monument for the Town of La Sal" |
1975 |
| 13 | 29 | "Sociable 'Bi-Centennial' Publication" |
1975 |
| 13 | 30 | "Restoration of Drown Cabin" |
1975 |
| 13 | 31 | "Continuing Demontrations - 'Sheep to Shawl' Heritage" |
1975 |
| 13 | 32 | "Wheeler Living Historical Farm" |
1975 |
| 13 | 33 | "Murray City Park Amphitheater Restoration" |
1975 |
| 13 | 34 | "Bernard P. Brockbank Bicentennial Park" |
1975 |
| 13 | 35 | "An Exhibit: 'The Jew in American History'" |
1975 |
| 13 | 36 | "Beautification and Preservation of the Fort Union Pioneer Cemetery" |
1975 |
| 13 | 37 | "Fitness America" |
1975 |
| 13 | 38 | "Our Pioneer Heritage" |
1974 |
| 13 | 39 | "The Heritage Theatre" |
1974 |
| 13 | 40 | "Preservation of School Bell and Installing Name Plate" |
1974-1975 |
| 13 | 41 | "Laketown Cemetery Beautification" |
1975 |
| 13 | 42 | "Arts and Crafts of the Utah Pioneers" |
1975 |
| 13 | 43 | "Restoration of the Castle" |
1975 |
| 13 | 44 | "The Collection, Publication, and Exhibition of the Sculptural Works of Cyrus E. Dallin (1861-1944)" |
1975 |
| 13 | 45 | "Provo Patriotic Reader" |
1975 |
| 13 | 46 | "American Fork City Memorial Park" |
1975 |
| 13 | 47 | "Preservation and Renovation of Pioneer Church Building and Relief Society Building" |
1975 |
| 13 | 48 | "Milford Historical Park" |
1975 |
| 13 | 49 | "Indian Artifact Collection" |
1975 |
| 13 | 50 | "Jensen Bicentennial Cemetery Beautification and Restoration Project" |
1975 |
| 14 | 1 | "Bi-centennial Coal Mining Museum" |
1975 |
| 14 | 2 | "Completion of 'Southwest Chicano Heritage Mural'" |
1974-1975 |
| 14 | 3 | "Old Tooele City Hall - Museum, Plaza Restoration" |
1974 |
| 14 | 4 | "Utah Indian Village Amphitheatre in Pioneer Trail State Park" |
1975 |
| 14 | 5 | "A Collection of Heritage Tales from Midway, Utah, USA" |
1975 |
| 14 | 6 | "Northern Box Elder Museum Development" |
1974-1975 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Historic preservation--Utah.
Personal Names
- Abrams, Milton C. (Milton Charles), 1918-
- Abrams, Milton C. (Milton Charles), 1918---Correspondence.
Corporate Names
- Democratic Party (Utah)
- Merrill Library--History--Sources.
- Utah State Historical Society
- Utah State University--History--Sources.
Geographical Names
- Manti (Utah)--History.
- Sanpete County (Utah)--History.
- Utah--Politics and government--20th century.
Finding aid/Register created by Elisabeth Cropper, Andrew Izatt, Bria Corry, and Clint Pumphrey
2017
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
