The manuscript collection at the Hudson Library & Historical Society consists of more than 100 unique collections documenting the history of Hudson, Ohio, from its founding in 1799 to today. A full list of the collections, which includes links to some of the online inventories, is available below.
Some of the highlights of the manuscript collection include:
- One of the nation’s largest collections of materials about famed abolitionist John Brown and the Brown family.
- Papers of the founding families of Hudson, including David Hudson and the Hudson family.
- Papers of prominent Hudson families and citizens.
- Records of local organizations such as the Hudson Garden Club and the League of Women Voters.
- Records of local churches, including the First Congregational Church of Hudson.
- Businesses and corporation records, including Terex and the Flood company.
- Extensive photograph collection of the Hudson area and surrounding regions.
- Historic house reports – research reports of many historic homes in the area documenting the architectural features and ownership history.
Most of the collections have finding aids (inventories) of collection contents to aid in retrieval. The Hudson Library & Historical Society is in the process of placing our finding aids online, which will be accessible through the OhioLINK Finding Aid Repository or through a link from the collection in the library’s catalog. The full list (see below) of the manuscript collections also provides a link to the collections with an online finding aid.
| American Legion, Lee Bishop Post No. 464 records | Finding aid available online |
| B | |
| Collection on Caroline Baldwin Babcock | Finding aid available online |
| Bandstand papers | |
| Donald Barlow papers | |
| Janet Barlow papers | Finding aid available online |
| William M. Beebe, Jr papers | |
| Bicentennial | |
| United States Bicentennial, Hudson | |
| Bishop Family Papers | |
| Brewster family papers | |
| Brown Family Association reunion records | |
| Charles Brocton Brown collection | |
| Jeremiah Root Brown and Clark family papers | |
| Oliver O. Brown collection | |
| Brown Family Association reunion records | |
| Harrison Bubb collection on the Western Reserve Academy controversy | Finding aid available online |
| Anne Hopkins Burnham collection | Finding aid available online |
| C | |
| James Caccamo (The Story of Hudson, Ohio) | |
| Jerome Taylor collection on canals | |
| Alice Munson Case receipt book | Finding aid available online |
| Lora Case manuscript for Hudson of Long Ago | |
| Case-Barlow Farm bicentennial papers | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson cemeteries papers | |
| Christ Church, Episcopal (Hudson, Ohio) papers | |
| Alonzo Church family papers | |
| Civil Defense Committee papers | |
| Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad Company (Akron Branch) logs | Finding aid available online |
| Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad Company (Akron Branch) logs | Finding aid available online |
| Curtis family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Spencer Dudley Corlett diaries | Finding aid available online |
| D | |
| Harry H. Darrow diaries | Finding aid available online |
| Daughters of the American Revolution, David Hudson Chapter records | |
| Kathleen Cooper Dautel papers | Finding aid available online |
| Henry Noble Day letters and covers | |
| Discussion Club (Hudson, Ohio) papers | Finding aid available online |
| Luella Crawford Dodds papers | Finding aid available online |
| Gertrude W. Donahey papers | Finding aid available online |
| Doncaster Funeral Home papers | Finding aid available online |
| E | |
| The Eight and Forty, Summit County Salon No. 165 (Hudson, Ohio) records | |
| Election campaign collection | |
| C.F. Elliman appointment books and logs | Finding aid available online |
| Virginia Ellis papers | Finding aid available online |
| Ellsworth & Buss daybook | Finding aid available online |
| Ellsworth family papers | |
| Ellsworth, Forbush, and Boyd families papers | Finding aid available online |
| James Ellsworth collection | |
| William A. Ellsworth papers | Finding aid available online |
| The Establishment Club (Hudson, Ohio) records | Finding aid available online |
| The Establishment Club (Hudson, Ohio) records | Finding aid available online |
| Benjamin Excell papers | |
| F | |
| Farrar family papers | |
| First Congregational Church (Hudson, Ohio) records | Finding aid available online |
| Flood Company records | Finding aid available online |
| Friends of YDC records | Finding aid available online |
| G | |
| Guy Garman papers | Finding aid available online |
| George W. Gaylord letters | Finding aid available online |
| Clarence S. Gee collection on John Brown | |
| George H. and Alice A. Gott papers | Finding aid available online |
| Green plan collection | |
| Beriah Green papers | |
| Greeting card collection | Finding aid available online |
| H | |
| Emma Hagenbaugh diaries | |
| Rev. William Hanford papers | |
| Jessie A. Harper papers | Finding aid available online |
| Hastings Society of Hudson records | Finding aid available online |
| Hayes and Hermann families papers | |
| Historic houses and architecture | |
| Hudson, Ohio, Township and Village records | |
| Hudson, Ohio, Village Council minutes | |
| Hudson Bandstand Committee scrapbooks | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Club records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Concert Series Association records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Cornet Band records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Encores records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Explorers Soccer Team records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson family papers | |
| Hudson Farms Homeowners Association | |
| Hudson Fire Department records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Garage Company account book | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Garden Club papers | |
| Hudson Genealogical Study Group papers | |
| Hudson Handicrafters papers | |
| Hudson Home Day Association minutes and register | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Jolly Club minutes | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson League for Service scrapbooks | |
| Hudson Library & Historical Society Records | Finding aid available online |
| Friends of the Hudson Library & Historical Society records | |
| Hudson Parent-Teacher Association records | |
| Hudson Park Board records | |
| Hudson Pioneers collection | |
| Hudson Players records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Preschool parents records | |
| Hudson (Ohio). Police Department photographs | |
| Hudson Schools collection | |
| Hudson Senior Citizens records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Water Department records | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson Yacht Club records | |
| David Hudson papers | |
| Humphrey family papers | |
| I | |
| Grace Goulder Izant papers | |
| J | |
| Jenkins family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Dorothy “Flit” Jones papers | Finding aid available online |
| K | |
| Helen Kitzmiller scrapbook on Wester Souburg | Finding aid available online |
| Kiwanis Club of Hudson papers | |
| L | |
| Ladies Aid Society for Relief of Sick and Wounded Soldiers papers | |
| Ladies Cemetery Association records | Finding Aid Available Online |
| Minnie L. MacDowell collection on Angelo Lavelli | Finding Aid Available Online |
| League of Women Voters records | |
| M | |
| Tom Manthey papers | Finding aid available online |
| Markillie family papers | |
| Mayor’s Court (Hudson, Ohio) dockets | Finding aid available online |
| Newton McCracken letters | Finding aid available online |
| Shelby McMillion letters | Finding aid available online |
| Merger collection | |
| Metcalf family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Ralph Willis Miner papers | Finding aid available online |
| William Moos photographs | Finding aid available online |
| Nellie Morrell papers | Finding aid available online |
| O | |
| Oviatt family papers For the Samuel Oviatt (1741-1818) branch, see the Dorothy Elizabeth Walker and Oviatt family papers For the Heman Oviatt (1821-1895) branch, see the Heman Oviatt, Jr. (1821-1895) family papers | |
| Heman Oviatt, Jr. (1821-1895) family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Q | |
| Questers Club records | |
| R | |
| Read family papers | |
| Mrs. Matthew C. (Orissa) Read herbarium | |
| Richard Realf papers | |
| Joan Drew Richings collection | |
| Rideout family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Roach family papers | |
| Elizabeth Royon collection | |
| S | |
| S. Straight & Co. records | Finding aid available online |
| Sabin family papers | |
| Saywell family and business collection | |
| Robert A. Seeley photograph collection | Finding aid available online |
| Simon family papers | |
| Starr family papers | |
| State Road Farm Women’s Club | |
| T | |
| Tallmadge, Ohio papers | |
| Terex collection | Finding aid available online |
| Thompson family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Trowbridge family papers | |
| V | |
| Veterans History Project collection | Finding aid available online |
| Viers family papers | |
| Oswald Garrison Villard Ohio interviews | |
| W | |
| Dorothy Elizabeth Walker and Oviatt family papers | Finding aid available online |
| Watson-Crisp papers | |
| Western Reserve Christian Church records | Finding aid available online |
| Western Reserve College papers | |
| Western Reserve College catalogues | |
| John B. Whedon account book | Finding aid available online |
| Frank White journal | |
| Wilder family correspondence | Finding aid available online |
| Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of Hudson, Ohio records | Finding aid available online |
| Woman’s Club (Hudson, Ohio) papers | |
| Clayton Eugene Woodworth papers | Finding aid available online |
| Hudson, Ohio, World War II papers | |
| Elizur Wright publications | Finding aid available online |