Scope and Contents

The papers include biographical information, general correspondence, financial information, information relating to his speaking engagements, and material relating to the Geography Department at Michigan State University.

In addition, the collection contains the following publications: “Railway Digest” (1954-1960), “A Review of Railway Operations” (1930-1952), “A Yearbook of Railroad Information” (1931-1954) and “Ships” (1943-1946).

Scope and Contents The largest part of the collection consists of the pocket diaries Parkhurst kept from 1847 to 1906. The early diaries (1847-1860) relate details of his court cases and only rarely mention his personal life. Records of various financial transactions are incorporated in these early diaries. The diaries of the war years (1861-1865) include battle accounts and descriptions of Parkhurst's experiences as a prisoner-of-war in 1862. In the diaries of the post-war years, Parkhurst discusses primarily...