Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
George K. Dike Papers
00159
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
- Creator - Donor
- Dike, George K., (George Kimball), 1918-
- Title
- George K. Dike papers
- ID
- 00159
- Date [inclusive]
- 1865-1907
- Extent
- 1.0 Cubic feet
- Language
- English
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan".
Biographical Note
Born in Sebago, Maine, George K. Dike (1848-1938) taught school, served in Company I, 30th Regiment of the Maine Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, and worked as a surveyor before establishing himself as a farmer in North Dakota during the late 1880s. Married twice, Dike had two children by his first wife, Harriet Sheldon, who died in 1881 while the family was living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After his wife's death, Dike sent the children to live with his sister on the family farm in Sebago while he worked as a surveyor for the Surveyor General's Office, North Dakota Territory.
Scope and Content
The collection contains few professional letters or other records of his work as a surveyor. During this same time period, however, Dike was courting his future second wife, Nancy P. Douglas. Writing to her almost weekly between the years 1885 and 1886, he described life in the surveyor's camp. The letters are also filled with Dike's views on love, marriage, and family relationships. They present an excellent description of late nineteenth century middle class values.
This collection is also important for its documentation of land transactions on the Dakota frontier, c. 1873-1907. The land records are complex and include farm contracts, chattel mortgages, warranty deeds, foreclosure notices, and property tax receipts. These records show that Dike owned two lots in Minneapolis and seemed to have engaged in land speculation.
While land records form the bulk of the collection, household accounts are also included. Miscellaneous bank accounts record Dike's personal and business expenses from 1872-1888. Household accounts and receipts document purchases from 1873 to 1899. Other documents include a rental agreement dated 1881 and crop and house insurance policies, 1885-1891. In addition the collection contains such miscellaneous items as a scrapbook of marine botanical samples and some manuscript survey maps.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections April 1986
Revision Description
February 2012
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Legal Status
Copyright: Michigan State University Property Rights: Michigan State University
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.
Related Materials
Records Transferred to Other Collections
The following items were removed from Dike, George K. Papers, accession no. HC 00574, and were transferred to other collections, either to be retained or disposed. Any items that should receive special disposition are clearly marked.
PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION: 9 postcards 23 photographs
STAMP COLLECTION: 6 envelopes with stamps
Processor's Name: M. Bevins, E. Pasek Date April 1986
Controlled Access Headings
Geographic Name(s)
- Minneapolis (Minn.)
- North Dakota
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Personal Name(s)
- Douglas, Nancy
Subject(s)
- Bank accounts
- Insurance policies
- Legal instruments
- Real property -- United States
- Surveying -- Public lands
- Taxation -- Michigan
Collection Inventory
PapersScope and Contents note |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Bank Accounts |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Account Books 1876, 1883, 1888 |
1 | 1 | ||
|
Check stubs, Deposit slips 1878 - 1879, 1884 - 1888, 1895 - 1896 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Business account ledgers 1882 |
1 | 3 | ||
|
Correspondence |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
from family members 1883 - 1884, Undated |
1 | 4 | ||
|
from survey team March 1882 - June 1882, 1885, Undated |
1 | 5 | ||
|
to Nancy P. Douglas |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
June 2, 1885 - December 18, 1885 |
1 | 6 | ||
|
December 27, 1885 - February 24, 1886 |
1 | 7 | ||
|
March 7, 1886 - June 11, 1886 |
1 | 8 | ||
|
June 22, 1886 - July 26, 1886 |
1 | 9 | ||
|
July 27, 1886 - September 20, 1886 |
1 | 10 | ||
|
October 4, 1886 - April 25, 1887 |
1 | 11 | ||
|
Undated |
1 | 12 | ||
|
Envelopes - Nancy P. Douglas |
1 | 53 | ||
|
Envelopes - George Dike |
1 | 52 | ||
|
Miscellaneous |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
1875, 1882 |
1 | 12a | ||
|
1886 |
1 | 12b | ||
|
1886 |
1 | 12c | ||
|
Dyke Mountain Farm Resort Undated |
1 | 13 | ||
|
Household Accounts |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Home and crop insurance policies 1885-1889 |
1 | 14 | ||
|
Journals |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
1867, 1872 - 1874, 1874 - 1876 |
1 | 15 | ||
|
1875 - 1878, 1878 - 1883 |
1 | 16 | ||
|
1879 - 1881, 1881 - 1883, 1885 - 1887, 1886 - 1887 |
1 | 17 | ||
|
Receipts |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
1873-1879 |
1 | 18 | ||
|
1880-1886 |
1 | 19 | ||
|
1887 |
1 | 20 | ||
|
1888 |
1 | 21 | ||
|
1889 |
1 | 22 | ||
|
1890-1899 |
1 | 23 | ||
|
Rental Agreement 1887 |
1 | 24 | ||
|
Land Records |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Correspondence 1875-1886 |
1 | 25 | ||
|
Creek Property 1890-1904 |
1 | 26 | ||
|
Farm Contracts and Mortgage 1884-1904 |
1 | 27 | ||
|
Grimstead Property -- 1883 - 1891 |
1 | 28 | ||
|
Grimstead Foreclosure 1883-1888 |
1 | 29a | ||
|
Harvey Property 1884, 1887, Undated |
1 | 29 | ||
|
Irish Property 1884-1892 |
1 | 30 | ||
|
Minneapolis Property (Highland Park) 1873, 1876 |
1 | 31 | ||
|
Minneapolis Property (Sherborne and Beebe Extension) 1883-1907 |
1 | 32 | ||
|
Miscellaneous 1873-1906 |
1 | 33 | ||
|
Sheldon Property 1887-1893 |
1 | 34 | ||
|
Staples Property 1887-1893 |
1 | 35 | ||
|
Tax Receipts |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Benson County 1889-1897 |
1 | 36 | ||
|
Grand Forks County 1888-1892 |
1 | 37 | ||
|
Hennepin County 1887-1906 |
1 | 38 | ||
|
Minneapolis 1874 - 1884, 1900 - 1907 |
1 | 39 | ||
|
Pierce County 1892, 1894 |
1 | 40 | ||
|
Walsh County 1883-1899 |
1 | 41 | ||
|
Weagent Property and machine purchase 1885-1905 |
1 | 42 | ||
|
Survey Map Undated |
1 | 43 | ||
|
Newspaper clipping Undated |
1 | 44 | ||
|
Oath of Identity, Civil War Service 1865, Undated |
1 | 45 | ||
|
Teaching Certificate and Contracts 1866-1875 |
1 | 46 | ||
|
Album of pressed marine plants Undated |
1 | 47 | ||
Photographs |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Survey team, Fargo, North Dakota Circa 1885-1887 |
1 | 48 | ||
|
Survey team (unidentified) Undated |
1 | 49 | ||
|
Dike farm, Sebago, Maine Circa 1880, Undated |
1 | 50 | ||
|
Dike family members Circa 1850s-Circa 1906, Undated |
1 | 51 | ||
|
|
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Oversize Materials |
Drawer OS 3 |
|||
|
Four survey maps Undated |
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|
Lansing Sentinel September 12, 1883 |
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|
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