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John Baptiste Soucie papers

 Collection
Identifier: c-00581

Scope and Contents

The John Baptiste Soucie papers contain three versions of Soucie's autobiographical manuscript, Forty Years a Cookin'. There is an original, unfinished handwritten copy as was told to Soucie’s friend, Guy Lavigne, a typed version of the handwritten version, and a printed bound version that was completed by Soucie's daughter, Vera Oliver. There is also a copy of a news article originally printed in 1897 and reprinted in 1991. The article announces the closing of the Pack, Woods, & Company's lumber mill. Also included in the collection are photographs of the Alcona Dam Big Wheel preparation, chore boys in the camp kitchen, Coline Dam Mess Hall and staff, Cooke Dam, Five Channels Dam, Greenbush Inn, a horse drawn cart carrying lumber, Lost Lake building, lumberjacks walking into the cook shack, a mess hall at Coline Dam, Oscoda Fire, Soucie blowing the mess horn, a street scene, and a winter road scene.

Dates

  • Creation: 1884 - 1996

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Biographical Note

John Baptiste Soucie was a professional cook from Oscoda, Michigan. His mother emigrated from Ireland, and his father emigrated from Quebec. Soucie's early jobs included head cook at various lumber mill camps in the Au Sable-Oscoda, Michigan area. He later owned a variety of eating establishments, including the Tivoli Restaurant, the Rendezvous Restaurant, and the Tourist Café. Soucie married Ada M. Alton in 1918. Upon retirement, they worked as cooks at YMCA Camp Nissokone.

Extent

0.25 Cubic Feet (, 4 folders, 17 photographs)

Language of Materials

English

Legal Status

Copyright: Donor(s) have transferred any applicable copyright to Michigan State University but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Title
John Baptiste Soucie Papers
Status
4 Published And Cataloged
Author
M. Evans
Date
November 2005
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the University Archives and Historical Collections Repository

Contact:
Conrad Hall
943 Conrad Road, Room 101
East Lansing MI 48824 US
517-355-2330