The Eleazer Williams Papers consist of three formerly separate collections previously located at the State Historical Society in Madison, at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay (indicated in the container list by a single asterisk - *), and at the De Pere Historical Society in De Pere (indicated in the container list by a double asterisk - **). The papers from the De Pere Historical Society were microfilmed in February 1979 and the originals were returned to the De Pere Historical Society. The papers from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and the Neville Public Museum, and a microfilm of the materials from the De Pere Historical Society are now located at the Society's Area Research Center at Green Bay.
The State Historical Society of Wisconsin received the first installment of Eleazer Williams Papers in 1879 when Albert G. Ellis donated the manuscript copy of his “Recollections of Many Years of Acquaintance with Reverend Eleazer Williams,” to which Lyman C. Draper added some notes on Williams' background. In 1882 Bishop C.F. Robertson donated two journal fragments and a sermon. In his correspondence with Draper, Robertson stated that he had received a large number of boxes of Williams' papers after his death. The disposition of the remainder of these materials is unknown. Morgan L. Martin collected the bulk of this collection of papers during a field trip to the Green Bay and the Fox River Valley area in May and June 1887. These papers were donated by Mrs. Martin following her husband's death in December 1887. Other donors to the Society's collection include Mrs. Frank B. Phelps, 1898; Howard Greene, 1939; and Mrs. Harrison Button, 1957. In 1947, the Society also added photocopies of twenty-eight letters whose originals are in the Burton Historical Collection of the Detroit Public Library.
In December 1978, the State Historical Society of Wisconsin received additional Eleazer Williams papers in the form of a permanent deposit from the Neville Public Museum. Although these papers were interfiled with the Society's original collection, they have been kept in separate folders, which are stamped “Property of Neville Public Museum--On Deposit.” The principal donor to the Neville Public Museum was B.L. Parker, who donated many of the pamphlets and sermons as well as some correspondence and Indian language documents in 1928. These materials came into the possession of Parker's father, an attorney and executor of the Williams' estate, following Mrs. Williams' death. Other donors to the Neville Public Museum include Mr. and Mrs. John Bender, Claude F. Gallagher, W.G. Grohndorff, Margaret Parent Lefebvre, Morgan L. Martin, Margaret Peak Mason (bequest), Elizabeth Norris Seward, and Anna L. Tenney.
In January 1979, the De Pere Historical Society loaned a small number of additional materials to the State Historical Society to be microfilmed. These papers were donated to the De Pere Historical Society in 1978 by Travis Goodell. The De Pere additions filled some gaps and generally complemented the papers already in possession of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Consequently, these materials are listed in the container list according to the order in which they would fall if they were interfiled. A separate reel list accompanies the microfilm. The microfilm reel also contains copies of clippings from the Neville Public Museum segment, which were filmed for preservation; the originals are located with the manuscript collection.
Researchers are advised to note carefully the portion of the collection from which any citations are to be made. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin owns only a part of the original papers, but is the custodian of the Neville Public Museum materials and the microfilm edition of the De Pere Historical Society papers. Some papers within the collection may be under copyright. The researcher is advised that it is the responsibility of the author or his publisher to secure from the copyright owners permission to publish any such material.
Presented by Albert G. Ellis, 1879; C.F. Robertson, 1882; Elizabeth (Mrs. Morgan L.) Martin, 1887; Mrs. Frank B. Phelps, 1898; Howard Greene, 1939; and Mrs. Harrison Button, 1957. Portions were placed on permanent deposit by the Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Other portions were loaned for microfilming by the De Pere Historical Society, De Pere, Wisconsin. Accession Number: M78-610; M79-25
