The Edmon D. Upson Papers, 1890-1949, include diaries, church record books, a journal, and scrapbooks. In his diaries Upson chronicled the routine occurrences of his life such as preaching, reading, and travelling and occasionally mentioned events of historic importance such as the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In church record books, 1897-1898, from Waupun, and 1915-1916, from Whitehall, are lists of parishoners, summaries of his sermons, statistics maintained for quarterly reports on parish activities, and his salary schedule. The journal, 1894-1897, contains the record of his daily expenditures and receipts. The scrapbooks contain clippings mainly relating to his early career in the ministry, but include a few on his later career and on the wartime activities of his son Richard, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Air Corps.
Also included are sets of lantern slides used by Upson for religious lectures:
PH 2386: Incomplete sets of transparencies copied from drawings illustrating the evils of drink, used for temperance lectures by Upson, Methodist pastor in Wisconsin, circa 1900. Drawings include illustrations of “Father, Dear Father, Come Home,” “The Drunkard's Reform,” “Where Is My Wandering Boy”; family life before and after the husband takes to drink, delirium tremens, murders and other crimes caused by drink.
PH 2387: Incomplete set of transparencies illustrating John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, an allegory of Christian life, used for religious lectures by Upson, circa 1900. The illustrations include scenes acted by models in costume against studio props and painted backgrounds; copies from published illustrations and pen drawings.
PH 2388: Transparencies copied from photographs of the funeral of President William McKinley and execution of his assassin, 1901. The transparencies, including portraits of McKinley, the assassin Leon Czolgosz, Auburn Prison, New York, death cell, electric chair, home and tomb of McKinley, were used for lectures by Upson.
PH 2389: Projection transparencies, circa 1900, hand-colored, illustrating the Holy City, with drawings of a dream of the New Jerusalem, choirs of angels, and a crowd putting palm leaves before Christ entering the city. The predominant color is gold, with blues and pinks.
PH 2390: Projection transparencies, circa 1900, illustrating the hymn “Throw Out the Life-Line,” with copies of drawings of men aboard a sinking schooner, using a lifeline shot to ship from shore.
PH 2392: Projection transparencies, 1905, copies of drawings illustrating the story of “Paddy and His Pig,” produced by C.W. Briggs Company, depicting a man who buys a pig at market. While Paddy stops to have a drop at the tavern the pig escapes to break into a house. The transparencies were used by Upson.
PH 2425: Incomplete sets of projection transparencies, circa 1900, some hand-colored, illustrating hymns and bible stories with drawings of choirs of angels, dying peasants, Christ rescuing the drowning, healing the sick, and raising the dead. Many of the drawings are literal interpretations of hymns.
