The collection consists of fragmentary records of a prominent Wisconsin family that included many doctors and nurses. Although incomplete, they include interesting materials about several members of the family. The papers are arranged by name for the individuals about whom the documentation is most substantial, with the remaining family material grouped chronologically.
The material from Harry Keenan includes two 1898 school papers, one of which is a history of the Town of Dunn, bills for the construction of his Stoughton home, and an obstetrical record, 1905-1928. Although not consistently recorded, this ledger includes information on parentage, the mother's medical history, and circumstances of the delivery and any complications. Also included are copies of photographs documenting his practice that were taken by a Look magazine photographer in 1943 and an unpublished biography by Elizabeth Keenan Coombs.
The Walter E. Keenan files, which are the most substantial portion of the papers, contain letters to his family from Civilian Conservation Corps assignments (1934-1937) at Camp Steuben near Manistique, Michigan; Camp Point Lake near Iron River, Michigan; Camp Blue Lake near Minoqua, Wisconsin; Camp Smokie Valley near Glenview, Illinois; Camp Aledo near Aledo, Illinois; and Camp Galva near Galva, Illinois; and during service in Europe in World War II. Also included here are numerous letters to him while he was a prisoner which were returned to the family unopened, official correspondence concerning his imprisonment, several notes from him while he was a prisoner, and a folder of letters to his family from his tour of duty in post-war occupied Japan.
Materials relating to other family members include copies of notes on the 1862 death of George Colladay taken from the Civil War diaries of William Dawes, an 1864 diary containing only a few entries written by an unidentified resident of the Edgerton area, Pearl Netherwood's nursing certificate, and invitations from Governor and Mrs. La Follette and from President and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt.
