The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections The University of ToledoFinding Aid
Navarre-Williams Family Papers, 1815-1980s MSS-042
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Size: 1.5 lin. feet
Provenance: Helen Williams Lang inherited the material in this collection from her father and mother and, probably in a few cases, from her father’s first cousin Gabrielle Navarre Houk. She donated part of this collection to The Ward M. Canaday Center of The University of Toledo Libraries in 1983. In 1989, Helen Lang’s daughter, Judy Lang, donated the remainder of the collection to The Canaday Center.
Access: open
Collection Summary: Collection includes deeds, other land and property documents, marriage and religious records, tax receipts, school memorabilia, a few Civil War and Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) documents and letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
Subjects: Social Life and Customs
Related Collections:
Copyright: As copies of Federal records, copyright probably does not apply to entries in this volume. The original application files are part of Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration, in the National Archives. Researchers bear full legal responsiblity for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code. The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.
Completed by: Processed by Paul M. Gifford April 1986, and Nola Skousen, September 1989
Reformatted by: Arjun Sabharwal, September 2009; last updated June, 2014.
Introduction
This collection consists of material relating to the family of Alexis (Alexander) Navarre (1800-1868) and his descendents. The Navarre family was among the earliest settlers of Oregon Township, and was prominent in the history of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The collection includes deeds, other land and property documents, marriage and religious records, tax receipts, school memorabilia, a few Civil War and Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) documents and letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
These papers would be useful to the researcher interested in the early settlement of Oregon Township and Toledo, in land tenure among the early French-Canadian settlers, and in 19th century life in and around Presque Isle.
Scope and Content Note
Toledo has long held Peter Navarre (1788-1874) in esteem as a symbol of the city’s beginnings and as a hero of the War of 1812. Members of the large Navarre family also were among the original settlers of Monroe and Detroit, Michigan. This collection is significant as documentary evidence of one of the best-known families in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio.
Original copies of warranty deeds comprise a large part of the collection. Although the chain is broken in some cases, the deeds (and mortgages) document the transfer of title between owners. The deeds concern three nearby tracts, all in the northwest corner of what is now the City of Oregon. The first is a sixty acre parcel, originally part of the Navarre Tract, sold by Alexis (Alexander) Navarre, brother of Peter, to his brother James in 1840. The second is a twenty-eight acre parcel, originally part of a tract granted to an Ottawa woman, Pe-tau. This parcel has remained in the hands of descendants of Mary Elizabeth (Navarre) Williams, daughter of Alexis Navarre, ever since. The third tract is a five acre parcel owned by Peter Momany, great-grandfather of the collection’s donor.
Although the deeds themselves are duplicated in the records of the Lucas County Recorder, other documents sometimes accompanying the deeds -- loans and receipts -- are not. These additional documents are valuable as evidence for methods of selling land in 19th century Lucas County.
Other documents are legal and financial records, including 19th century tax receipts. One document, the marriage certificate of James (Jacques) Navarre to Catherine Couture, deserves special notice. Signed by Father Gabriel Richard, early religious and intellectual leader of territorial Detroit, it was probably printed on Richard’s press, the second one in the frontier city.
Another significant part of the collection is the photographs. Many of these were taken by Cleo Keller, a friend and neighbor of the Navarre and Williams families; they provide good informal views of late 19th century life. There are also tintypes and ambrotypes dating from the Civil War.
Also of interest are a few Civil War letters that describe events in camp, mention the capture of a Colonel, and discuss the practice of paying for a substitute to serve in the army.
Folder List
Box |
Folder |
Description |
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1 |
Marriage and Religious Records |
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1 |
Marriage Certificate: Jacques Navarre-Catherine Couture, |
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20 Feb. 1815 |
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Marriage Announcement: Guy K. Houk-Gabrielle Navarre, |
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30 Jun. 1897 |
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Confirmation Certificate: Elmer Lang, 23 Apr. 1916 (with |
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photographs of Lang and Pastor Schuh) |
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OVERSIZE #1 |
Marriage License: Exivia Navarre-Anna McCarty, |
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22 Jan. 1871 |
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OVERSIZE #1 |
Baptismal Certificate: Elmer Lang, 30 Mar. 1902 |
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2 |
Estate Records |
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Will: James Navarre, 1855 |
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Quitclaim: James Navarre, 1858 |
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Will: Catherine Navarre, 1858 |
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3 |
Land Records |
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1830s |
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Pe-tau (Indian woman) to Marquis Baldwin, |
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OVERSIZE* |
Stephen G. Austin et al. to James Navarre, 7 Nov. 1837 |
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4 |
1840s |
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Alexander and Mary Ann Navarre to James Navarre, |
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27 Jul. 1840 |
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(Bill of Sale) Alexander Navarre to James Navarre, |
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27 Jul. 1840 |
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(Property) Francis Navarre to Exivier Navarre, |
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9 Sep. 1841 |
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Lucas County to Daniel F. Cook, 11 Jan. 1848 |
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OVERSIZE* |
Marquis Baldwin and wife to John Fitch, 18 Oct. 1844 |
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5 |
1850s |
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(Lease) James Myers to Antoine Berdioux, |
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18 Mar. 1853 |
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John Fitch to Warren Salsbury, 13 Jul. 1853 |
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Alexander Navarre to James Navarre, 17 Jun. 1854 |
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Sheriff, Lucas County, to Alexander J. Navarre, |
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25 Mar. 1859 |
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Stephen and Harriett Arquett to Peter Momany, 23 Apr. 1859 |
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6 |
1860s |
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Alexander J. Navarre to Exivia Navarre, 24 Aug. 1860 |
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Jonathan Wynn et al. to Cadwalader M. Williams, |
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4 Sep. 1865 |
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7 |
1870s/80s |
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Exivia D. and Anna Williams to Cadwalader M. Williams, 23 Aug 1871 |
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(Quitclaim) C. M. and Elizabeth Williams to Exivia D. Navarre, 28 Mar. 1874 |
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(Mortgage) Cadwalader M. and Elizabeth Williams to |
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James Dupont, 3 Sep. 1880 |
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8 |
1900s |
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(Mortgage) Peter Momany to Peter B. Bogart, 8 Oct. 1900 |
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Cadwalader M. and Elizabeth Williams to Thaddeus |
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Williams, 2 Jan. 1912 (with copy) |
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(Life lease) Thaddeus and Rena Williams to |
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Cadwalader M. and Elizabeth Williams, 2 Jan. 1912 |
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(Receipt) Nora Smith to Thaddeus Williams, 23 Jan. 1912 |
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(Receipt) Alta Liedel to Thaddeus Williams, 23 Jan. 1912 |
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(Real estate option) Cad M. and Elizabeth Williams to |
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Thaddeus Williams, 4 Mar. 1919 |
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(Real estate option) Thaddeus and Rena Williams to |
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Walker Montgomery, 4 Mar. 1919 |
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9 |
1930s/40s |
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Thaddeus Williams to Rena A. Williams, 12 May 1930 |
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C. Archie Williams to Helen W. Lang, 16 Aug. 1948 |
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10 |
Other Legal Records |
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Summons, to Alexander Navarre et al., Lucas County |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1857 |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1858 |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1859 |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1860 |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1861 |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1862 |
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District Court, 10 Apr. 1863 |
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Financial Records |
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11 |
Bills and receipts, 1832-1893 |
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Tax receipts |
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12 |
James Navarre, 1838-1855 |
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13 |
Alexander Navarre, 1842-1868 |
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14 |
Alexander J., Exivia, and David Navarre, 1856-1916 |
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15 |
Miscellaneous, 1851-1857 |
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Civil War/Grand Army of the Republic |
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16 |
Certificate of Muster (1981) and GAR memorabilia |
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OVERSIZE #1 |
Discharge, Cawallader (sic) M. Williams, 21 Jul 1865 |
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17 |
Letters, 1856-1898 |
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18 |
School related items |
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19 |
Biographies |
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“Autobiography (sic) Cadwell A. Williams” |
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Drafts of autobiography, Helen W. Lang |
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20 |
Research and Speech Notes |
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21 |
Newspaper clippings |
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22 |
Miscellaneous |
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Inventory of “Relics” |
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Postcards |
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Peter Navarre’s portrait |
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Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876 |
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Boody house menu, Washington’s Birthday, 1912 |
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Calling cards |
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Robert C. Navarre, U.S. Lighthouse Keeper |
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Mrs. C. M. Houk |
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Programs (2) for dedication of the Navarre Monument, 4 July 1914 |
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Essay: “A Body That Cannot Contain Itself” |
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Obituary (handwritten speech) for Mrs. Elizabeth Kenan Houk, 1903 |
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Photographs |
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23 |
C. Archie Williams and Helen Williams Lang |
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24 |
Elmer Lang |
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25 |
Individuals and Small Groups |
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26 |
(1 of 2) |
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27 |
(2 of 2) |
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28 |
Groups |
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29 |
Places |
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30 |
Tintypes |
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35mm Slides (copies of Cleo Keller photographs) |
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see Oversize listing in Appendix |
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Photograph Albums and Scrapbooks |
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31 |
Photograph Album/Music Box, ca. 1860s/70s |
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32 |
Scrapbook: “The Girl Graduate,” Helen Williams, 1920-23 |
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33 |
Scrapbook: Greeting Cards and Postcards, ca.1910s/20s |
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34 |
Scrapbook: Picture Cards, 1884-early 1900s |
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see Oversize listing in Appendix |
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APPENDIX: OVERSIZE ITEMS |
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OVERSIZE#1 |
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Marriage and Religious Records |
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Marriage License: Exivia Navarre-Anna McCarty, 22 Jan. 1871 |
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Baptismal Certificate: Elmer Lang, 30 Mar. 1902 |
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Civil War |
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Discharge, Cawallader (sic) M. Williams, 21 Jul 1865 |
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Photographs |
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Boody House Barber Shop, ca. 1910s |
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Boody House Office, ca. 1910s |
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Dinner Party [ca. 1920s?] |
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Military group |
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Homer Ramey |
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woman, 1934 |
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house |
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Cased ambrotypes and tintypes, 1850s-70s |
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OVERSIZE#2 |
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Photographs |
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taken by Cleo Keller |
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Individuals (one section) |
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Groups (three sections) |
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Buildings |
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Places |
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Events |
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Military |
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numbered (see 35mm slides; folder 29) |
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Tintypes |
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Miscellaneous |
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Photograph Album, 1860s/70s |
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OVERSIZE#3 |
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Photographs: Individuals (4 ea) |
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OVERSIZE #4 |
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Photograph Album, 1860s/70s |
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