Summary Information
Increase A. Lapham Papers
1825-1930
- Lapham, Increase Allen, 1811-1875
Wis Mss DB; SC-O 53; Micro 62; PH 24; PH 2822 (3); PH 6796
12.9 cubic feet (24 archives boxes, 7 card boxes, 5 flat boxes, and 1 oversize folder), 4 reels of microfilm (35 mm), 98 photographs, and 1 broadside
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of Increase A. Lapham, the most prominent figure in early scientific research in Wisconsin. The papers consist of personal and biographical papers, correspondence, and research and writing files. In addition, there are papers of Lapham's daughter Julia A. Lapham, consisting of correspondence, a draft biography, transcribed copies of her father's correspondence, and scrapbooks concerning Milwaukee events that honored him such as the Lapham Centennial and the naming of Lapham Park.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-wis000db ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Scope and Content Note
The Lapham Papers are organized as Personal and Biographical Papers, Correspondence, and Writing and Research Files.
Lapham's correspondence was extensive and in great part relates to his civic and scientific activities and to the interchange of information with other scientists, among them Benjamin Silliman, Asa Gray, James Hall, Charles Whittlesey, Leo Lesquereux, Cleveland Abbe, Samuel Stone, and officials of the Smithsonian Institution. His scientific acquaintances are also documented in a carte-de-visite photograph album. There is correspondence about his leadership in the Milwaukee County Agricultural Society, Milwaukee Public Library Association, Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Wisconsin Natural History Association, and the University of Wisconsin. Lapham also had frequent exchanges with Lyman C. Draper of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
The alphabetically-arranged research and writing subject files include draft and published papers, reports, and books, as well as data about archaeology, botany, cartography, geology, ichthyology, meteorology, paleontology, and the other areas of science in which he was interested. Additionally, there are notes on exploratory trips to various mineral regions, drawings of the Wisconsin effigy mounds, survey records for the proposed Milwaukee and Rock River Canal, and handwritten catalogues of plants and grasses, fish, fossils, minerals, and shells of Wisconsin and elsewhere. Records of Lapham's observations of weather conditions at Milwaukee for the Smithsonian and the U.S. Navy are detailed and extensive. There is also information on his role in the establishment of the U.S. Weather Bureau and on early weather forecasts made at Milwaukee. Related to this interest is data on water levels in Lake Michigan. Files on meteors, tornadoes, the drought and fires of 1871, the Wisconsin Geological Survey, and his concern over the loss of Wisconsin's forest trees further document the broad range of his scientific interests.
The photographs are a carte-de-visite album of 19th century scientists and a few portraits of Lapham and his family. They are part of the Personal and Biographical Papers section. Lapham's maps have been individually catalogued in the Wisconsin Historical Society map collection; his scientific library was donated by the Lapham heirs to the University of Wisconsin.
Related Material
Part of the collection has been digitized and is available online.
Administrative/Restriction Information
The bulk of this collection was presented by the Lapham heirs. The contents of former SC 1455 and SC 1814 were integrated with the Increase A. Lapham papers in 2008. Individual items presented by Mrs. S.C. Fraser, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1972; and by Howard Greene, March 1932.
An 1812 Bible (with no genealogical information included) which was formerly Volume 16 of this collection was separated to Special Collections in the University of Wisconsin Memorial Library, 2008. Several oversize certificates at one time in this collection were missing in 2008.
Contents List
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Wis Mss DB
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Series: Personal and Biographical Papers
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Calendar cards with brief summaries
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Box
30
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1811-1851
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Box
31
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1852-1860
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Box
32
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1861-1869
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Box
33
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1870-1874
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Box
34
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1875-1930, undated
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Personal Papers
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Autobiographies, 1859, 1875
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Autograph collection
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Collections
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Diaries
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Original paper diaries
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Box
1
Folder
4
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1811-1838
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Box
1
Folder
5-6
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, 1830 and published transcription
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Micro 62
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Microfilmed diaries
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Reel
1
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1827-1828
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Reel
2
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1828-1829 November
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Reel
3
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1829 December-1830 July
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Wis Mss DB
Box
1
Folder
7
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Family miscellany
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PH 2822 (3)
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Family photographs
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Wis Mss DB
Box
1
Folder
8
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Memorabilia and drawings
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Micro 62
Reel
4
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Miscellaneous microfilmed correspondence and drawings, before 1830
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Wis Mss DB
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Notebooks
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Box
1
Folder
9
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1840, used at Milwaukee (Volume 15)
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Box
1
Folder
10
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1846, 1872-1875
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Box
1
Folder
11
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Memoranda from notebooks, 1848-1865
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PH 24
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Wis Mss DB
Box
2
Folder
1
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Real estate and financial miscellany
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Box
2
Folder
2
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Scrapbook on historical societies to which IAL belonged, 1849-1867 (Volume 13)
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Biographical Papers
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Box
2
Folder
3
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“Life of Lapham,” by Draper, 1859, 1875 (Volume 1)
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Box
2
Folder
4
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Miscellaneous biographies
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Julia A. Lapham Papers
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Box
2
Folder
5
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Brief biographical writings about IAL
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Box
2
Folder
6
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Draft biography
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Transcribed correspondence of IAL
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Box
2
Folder
7-8
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1811-1832
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Box
3
Folder
1-7
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1833-1856
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Box
4
Folder
1-5
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1857-1875, undated
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Correspondence of Julia Lapham
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Box
4
Folder
6-8
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1876-1896
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Box
5
Folder
1-6
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1897-1919, 1930, undated
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Biographical scrapbook regarding IAL
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Box
5
Folder
7-9
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Parts I-III
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Box
6
Folder
1-2
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Parts IV-V
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Box
6
Folder
3
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Notes about IAL
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Legacy papers
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Box
6
Folder
4
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Lapham Archaeological Society, undated
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Box
6
Folder
5
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Lapham Park, 1911 (Volume 10)
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Box
6
Folder
6-7
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Lapham centennial, 1911 (Volume 8)
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Box
6
Folder
8
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Delaplaine, George, tribute, 1913
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Genealogy
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Box
6
Folder
9
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Research regarding Allen, Alcott, Simmons, and Lapham families
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SC-O 53
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Family tree
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Wis Mss DB
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Series: Correspondence
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Box
7
Folder
1-10
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1826-1850
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Box
8
Folder
1-7
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1851-1857
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Box
9
Folder
1-7
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1858-1864
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Box
10
Folder
1-8
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1865-1870
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Box
11
Folder
1-9
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1870-1874
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Box
12
Folder
1-2
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1875
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Series: Writing and Research Files
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Box
12
Folder
3
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Algae of Milwaukee, 1872
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Box
12
Folder
4
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American railroad time, 1872
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Box
12
Folder
5
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Wisconsin animals
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Box
12
Folder
6-12
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Archaeology
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SC-O 53
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Miscellaneous oversize drawings
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Wis Mss DB
Box
13
Folder
1
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Artesian wells, draft pages, 1868-1874
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Box
13
Folder
2
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Atmospheric tides, 1866-1869
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Box
13
Folder
3
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Birds, 1850
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Box
25
Folder
1
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Birds and reptiles notes
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Box
13
Folder
4
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Blue drift clay, 1869
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Box
13
Folder
5
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Bois Brule River, 1874
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Box
13
Folder
6
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Botany, 1831-1838
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Box
13
Folder
7
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California notes and reports, 1870
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Box
13
Folder
8
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Canals of Ohio, 1830-1832
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Box
13
Folder
9
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Catalogue of fishes, 1860
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Box
13
Folder
10
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Catalogue of graminae, 1856
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Box
28
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Catalogue of described graminae of the United States, 1856
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Box
13
Folder
11
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Catalogue of minerals, 1872
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Box
13
Folder
12
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Catalogue of the plants of Illinois, 1857
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Box
14
Folder
1
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Catalogue of the plants of Minnesota, 1875
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Box
14
Folder
2
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Chicago fire, 1871
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Box
14
Folder
3
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Coal, 1861
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Box
14
Folder
4
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Climate
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Box
14
Folder
5
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Coleoptera
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Box
14
Folder
6
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Cranberries, 1875
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Box
14
Folder
7
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Crustacea, undated
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PH 6796
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Cultivator broadside, 1854
: Engraving of a cultivator designed by William Lapham of West Liberty, Ohio with names of men testifying to its superior qualities.
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Wis Mss DB
Box
14
Folder
8
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Drought, 1871
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Box
14
Folder
9
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Eclipse, 1862
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Box
14
Folder
10
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Embryonic development, 1974
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Box
14
Folder
11
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Farm drainage
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Box
25
Folder
2-4
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Ferns
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Box
14
Folder
12
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Fishes
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Box
14
Folder
13
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Flora of Wisconsin, 1860
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Box
14
Folder
14
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Forest trees, 1867
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Box
14
Folder
15
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Fossils, 1865-1870
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Box
15
Folder
5
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Geographical notes regarding the Dells
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Box
14
Folder
16
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Geological map
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Box
15
Folder
4
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Geological map (Welling), 1874
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Box
14
Folder
17
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Geological reports, chapter 1, 1859-1860?
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Geological notes
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Box
14
Folder
18
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1844-1849
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Box
15
Folder
1-2
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1868-1873
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Geological survey
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Box
15
Folder
6
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General, 1873
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Box
15
Folder
7-9
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Reports, 1874
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Box
26
Folder
17
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Notes, 1874
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Box
15
Folder
3
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Geology of Wisconsin, 1869
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Box
15
Folder
10
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Grand Rapids, 1868
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Box
15
Folder
11-12
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Grass-like plants of Wisconsin, 1855
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Box
16
Folder
1
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Grasses--clippings
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Box
16
Folder
2
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Grasses and plants of Illinois, 1856
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Box
16
Folder
3
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Grasses of Wisconsin, 1854
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Grasses of the United States
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Box
16
Folder
4-6
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Draft and illustrations, 1856-1857, 1864
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Box
16
Folder
7
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Great Lakes, 1867
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Box
16
Folder
8
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Immigration, 1867
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Box
16
Folder
9
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Indians of Wisconsin, 1870
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Box
17
Folder
1
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Iron, 1866
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Box
17
Folder
2
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Kilbourn City dam, 1866
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Box
17
Folder
4
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Lake Michigan, 1859-1872
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Box
17
Folder
5
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Lake levels, 1865-1871
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Box
17
Folder
6
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Lake Superior trip, 1858
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Box
29
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Lake Superior geology drawing
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Box
17
Folder
7
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Lapham, Charles, Notebook of elevations of Wisconsin cities
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Box
17
Folder
3
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Lead mines, 1865-1874
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Box
35
Folder
2
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Library floor plans (unidentified library)
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Meteorology
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Box
17
Folder
8
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General, 1834-1871
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Box
17
Folder
9
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Milwaukee, 1859-1871
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Box
18
Folder
1
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Clippings, 1848-1901
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Box
18
Folder
2
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Clippings regarding Weather Bureau (JAL), 1886-1916
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Meteorological observations
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Box
18
Folder
3-4
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By Lapham, Marsh, Winkler, 1836-1852
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Box
35
Folder
4
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Navy reports, 1836-1856 (Folio 3)
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Box
35
Folder
5
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Handwritten reports from non-Wisconsin locations (Folio 1)
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Smithsonian reports by IAL (Folio 23)
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Box
36
Folder
1-2
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1854, 1859-1863
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Box
37
Folder
1-3
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1864-1871
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Box
18
Folder
5
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As part of lake survey, 1859-1865
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Box
18
Folder
6
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At Hartford, 1859-1862
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Weather Bureau
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Box
18
Folder
7
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General
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Box
19
Folder
1
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Forecasts and cables, 1870-1871
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Box
24
Folder
1
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Canadian weather reports, Published, 1870-1871
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Box
19
Folder
2
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Meteors, 1854-1904
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Box
19
Folder
3
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Milwaukee Agricultural Society, 1837
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Box
19
Folder
4-6
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Milwaukee and Rock River Canal, 1838-1849
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Box
19
Folder
7
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Milwaukee Courthouse stone, 1869
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Box
20
Folder
1
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Milwaukee Library Association, 1846-1851
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Box
20
Folder
2
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Milwaukee Lyceum, 1840
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Box
20
Folder
3
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Milwaukee River, 1859-1874
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Box
20
Folder
4
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Milwaukee street lights, 1870
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Box
35
Folder
3
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Milwaukee, Lapham's proposed resurvey, 1867
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Box
20
Folder
5
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Minerals at Centennial Exposition from Lapham's collection, 1876
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Box
20
Folder
6
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Miscellany
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Box
20
Folder
7
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Mosses, 1858-1861
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Box
20
Folder
8
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Natural History of Wisconsin, 1845
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Box
20
Folder
9
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Oconomowoc Lake, 1875-1876
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Box
20
Folder
10
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Ohio, 1832
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Box
20
Folder
11
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Old Settlers Club, 1875
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Paleontology, 1853, 1865
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Box
20
Folder
12
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General
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Box
25
Folder
5-8
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Draft manuscript
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Notes
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Box
25
Folder
9-15
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Sections 3-6
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Box
26
Folder
1-14
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Sections 7-12
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Box
20
Folder
13
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Peat, 1869
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Box
20
Folder
14
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Penokee iron range of Lake Superior, 1860
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Box
20
Folder
15
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Plants of Milwaukee, 1838
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Box
20
Folder
16
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Plants of Minnesota, 1859
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Box
20
Folder
17
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Plants, 1845-1872
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Box
21
Folder
1
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Railroads
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Box
21
Folder
2-3
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Railroad elevations, 1873-1874
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Box
21
Folder
4
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Rain, 1836-1868
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Box
21
Folder
5-6
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Red River of the North manuscript, 1858
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Box
21
Folder
7
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Rivers and lakes
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Box
21
Folder
8
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Shells, 1875
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Box
26
Folder
15-16
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Shells of Wisconsin manuscript draft, 1875
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Box
22
Folder
1
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Slate, 1875
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Box
22
Folder
2
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Springs, 1873
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Box
22
Folder
3
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Stone Mountain, 1874
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Box
22
Folder
4
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Systematic catalogue of flora and fauna, 1852
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Box
22
Folder
6
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Tornados, 1872
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Box
22
Folder
7
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Trees and shrubs, 1871-1873
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Box
22
Folder
8
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Trees of Wisconsin, 1859, 1867
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Box
22
Folder
9
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Vegetables, 1870?
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Box
22
Folder
10
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Water, 1871
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Box
22
Folder
11
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Water level data, 1865-1873
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Box
22
Folder
12
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Water power, 1867-1875
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Box
22
Folder
13
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Waukesha Springs, 1869-1872
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Box
23
Folder
1
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Wind, 1860-1871
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Box
23
Folder
2
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Wisconsin, 1848-1862
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Box
23
Folder
3
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Wisconsin Fair
: Oversize certificates missing, 2008.
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Wisconsin Geographical and Topographical
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Box
27
Folder
1
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, 1844 manuscript draft
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Box
22
Folder
5
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, 1844 brochure
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Box
23
Folder
4-6
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Revisions, 1846, 1855
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Box
23
Folder
7
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Wisconsin Historical Society, 1849-1866
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