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Brockway Diary Collection

 Collection — Box: 1-7
Identifier: MS-010

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Diaries, 1866-1897, of the Brockway family, including Daniel D. Brockway, his wife Lucena Brockway, J. N. Scott and his wife Mrs. J. N. Scott. It is probable that this last individual is the Brockway’s daughter, Sarah L. Scott, one of the earliest white persons to have been born in the Lake Superior region. The majority of the diaries (twenty-seven of the thirty-two items) are by Lucena (Lucinda) Brockway. The large portion of the collection centers on Lucena’s diaries and, on one level, they provide valuable insights into her husband’s business activities and the people and events of her time. On another level they reflect one woman’s perspective on the many challenges of life in a remote, rural region.

Dates

  • 1866-1897

Language of Material

English

Conditions Governing Access

Available for use in the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

Various copying restrictions apply. Guidelines are available from Michigan Technological University Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections.

Biography

Daniel D. Brockway was born in Morrisville, Vermont on May 2, 1815, and moved with his brother to Washtenaw County in Lower Michigan in 1831. Lucena Brockway was born in May 1816, in Eden, New York, the daughter of Dr. James Harris. The two were married in Kalamazoo County, Michigan on January 21, 1836. In 1843, Daniel and Lucena moved to L'Anse, where he had been appointed government blacksmith and mechanic. It was their hope to assist the Indians in this remote region of Michigan.

In May 1846, the Brockways and their three children relocated to Copper Harbor and built the town’s first house, which was operated as a hotel for many years. For the next two decades, Daniel became involved in many different business ventures in what is now known as Keweenaw County. He became agent of the North West Mine (later named the Delaware), discovered and served as agent for the Cape Mine, operated the Phoenix Hotel in Eagle River, operated a store (Brockway and Perry) in Copper Harbor with his son-in-law G.W. Perry, and also had associations with the Atlas Mining Company and the Michigan Mining Company. Daniel moved the family again to Lower Michigan in 1869, only to return in 1872 to start a store (D.D. Brockway and Son) at the Cliff mine with his son Albert Brockway was appointed agent of the Cliff Mine in 1881, and served in this capacity through 1895 (Brockway's relationship with the Cliff Mine was enhanced through the marriage of his daughter, Charlotte, to Oliver Farwell, an earlier agent of the mine).

In 1895, Daniel and Lucena retired to Lake Linden. Lucena died on March 3, 1899, with Daniel following two months later on May 9, 1899.

The Brockways had six children: Charlotte L. (Farwell), Delia H. (Perry), Sarah L. (Scott), Anna B. (Gray), Albert A., and Daniel Brockway, Jr. All except Daniel survived to adulthood.

Extent

1.19 Cubic Feet (7 manuscript boxes)

Abstract

Diary collection, 1866-1897, of the Brockway family, including Daniel D. Brockway, his wife Lucena Brockway, J. N. Scott and his wife Mrs. J. N. Scott. It is probable that this last individual is the Brockway's daughter, Sarah L. Scott, one of the earliest white persons to have been born in the Lake Superior region. The majority of the diaries (twenty-seven of the thirty-two items) are by Lucena Brockway.

Arrangement

MS-010 is arranged into three series, which have been further arranged chronologically. The three series are:

1. Diaries of Daniel D. Brockway, 1868, 1887 2. Diaries of Lucena Brockway, 1866-1897 3. Diaries of Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Scott, 1896, 1877

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Diaries and photographs belonging to members of the Brockway family were donated to the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections by Jerry Gardner on May 29, 1990.

Related Archival Materials

MS-016: Daniel Brockway Family Collection

MS-019: Brockway Photograph Collection

MS-636: William H. Brockway Research Papers

MS-799: Oliver A. Farwell Papers

Title
Brockway Diary Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Elizabeth Russell, revised by Rachael Bussert.
Date
4/30/2010
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English
Sponsor
Funding provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Repository Details

Part of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections Repository

Contact:
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton 49931 U.S.A. US