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Clark L. Brody papers

 Collection
Identifier: UA-1.1.4

Scope and Content

Copies of the first and second drafts of Brody's history of the Michigan Farm Bureau comprise the major part of the papers. Much of the information contained in these manuscripts did not appear in his book In the Service of the Farmer: My life in the Michigan Farm Bureau (Michigan State University Press, 1959), which is a much shorter history than he had originally intended. The book is autobiographical and describes the changes in farming and in the life of the farmer that were witnessed by Brody. The typescript of the final version of this book is also contained in the papers. (The second draft appears to be incomplete since there are no chapters beyond 1947.)

Also included in the papers are Farm Bureau annual reports (1921-1922, 1931-1940, 1942-1958); papers and correspondence of the Michigan Crime and Delinquency Council of the National Probation and Parole Association (1957-1959) of which Brody was a member; copies of his speeches and editorials; personal correspondence; his farm accounts; and newspapers clippings about Brody.

Subsequent processing added volumes including lab books used by Margaret York and Clark L. Brody, and ledgers used by Lewis K. Brody and James S. Brody. A leather-bound commencement announcement from 1929, which lists Marjorie and Viola Brody, is also included, as well as a newspaper clipping of Clark L. Brody's 1961 obituary.

Family papers include Emma Louisa Seeley's copy book containing recipes, death and marriage information transcribed from newspapers. Emma Seeley was Clark L. Brody's mother. There are also two diaries kept by James Polk Brody, who was Clark L. Brody's father.

Dates

  • Creation: 1847 - 2007

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

Clark Louis Brody was born February 1, 1879 in Three Rivers, Michigan to Emma Seeley Brody and James Polk Brody. James P. Brody's father, Lewis Kinney Brody moved the family from eastern Ohio to St. Joseph County, Michigan in the early 1830s.

Clark Brody graduated from Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) in 1904. He married fellow M.A.C. student Margaret E. York on November 14, 1906. His brother James S. also attended M.A.C. studying engineering. James died in 1910 at the age of 22 of diabetes mellitus while at M.A.C.

Clark Brody was a prominent Republican and resident of Lansing, Michigan. From 1921 to 1952, he served as executive secretary of the Michigan Farm Bureau, and he remained affiliated with the Bureau until his retirement on February 1, 1959.

In 1921 he became a member of the State Board of Agriculture (later the Board of Trustees), the governing body of M.A.C. and he held office until December 31, 1959. He was Chairman of the Board from 1932 to 1938 and from 1948 to 1957.

Brody Hall and the surrounding group of residence halls known as the Brody Neighborhood on the west end of the MSU campus are named after him. Brody died on October 20, 1961.

Extent

4.5 Cubic Feet (, 1 volume on shelf)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

Gift of Mrs. W. Victor Bielinski (nee Carol M. Brody), 1977-11-22.

Legal Status

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.

Processing Information

Changed record group from 00054 to UA 1.1.4 to reflect Brody's connection to Michigan State University. M. Badgley Malone, November 2019.

Title
Clark L. Brody Papers
Status
3 Ready For Cataloging
Author
P. Georghegan
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