Brook family papers

Collection

Identifier: 00195

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Brook family papers consist of photographs, newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and genealogy notes. The bulk of the collection is photographic material. The majority of the photographic images are of family members but there are photographs of events at Haslett High School and buildings where family members resided. There are six family portrait albums, fourteen cased 19th century photographic portrait images (daguerreo-, ambro-, and tintypes), and over 100 loose photographic images (tintype and print). The albums are mostly undated and of unidentified family members. Identified photographs have been arranged into separate folders. Unidentified photographs have been arranged by size and type.

Dates

Creation: 1877 - 1984

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 V. (born 1867) and Grace Booth (born 1874) Brook owned a house and property that Michigan State University was interested in purchasing at one time. In 1911, the Brook family purchased the farm and house (known as the Chatterton-Sturges-Hagadorn house) at 1526 Grand River Avenue in East Lansing. An addition was added to the house in 1912. The family resided there until 1922. The family later moved to 426 Abbot Road. The Brookfield Subdivision and Brookfield Plaza in East Lansing are named after Mr. Brook.

A grandson of John and Grace Brook was Arthur J. Howland (1917-1944). He was a graduate of Michigan State College (class of 1941) and served in the U. S. Army as a captain of artillery during World War II. He was killed on August 17, 1944. MSC honored him by naming the Howland apartment building after him.