Robert P. Stephenson Papers
UA.10.3.197

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Creator -
Stephenson, Robert P., 1913-2003
Title
Robert P. Stephenson papers
ID
UA.10.3.197
Date [inclusive]
1890-1994
Extent
5.8 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."

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Biography

Robert Poe Stephenson was born on February 15, 1913 to Louvisa [sic] and Delbert Stephenson. He had five siblings. During his childhood he worked in his father’s dairy, Stephenson’s Dairy, in Constantine, Michigan. From 1932 to 1933, he attended Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) and took liberal arts courses. From 1935 to 1936 he took dairy Short Courses at MSC. His courses included Market Milk with Dr. Malcolm Trout, Butter Making with Dr. Ira Gould, and Ice Cream with Professor Paul Lucas. From 1936 to 1939 he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dairy Manufacturing with a minor in Bacteriology. In 1939, he received his license to test milk for butter fat. From 1939 to 1941 he worked for Producers Cooperative Creamery in Marion, Indiana. He was in charge of quality control and the laboratory. From 1941 to 1942, he worked for SMA Corp./American Home Products Co./Wyeth, Inc(currently known as General Foods of Mason, Michigan) as a dairy chemist. From 1942 to 1944 he worked as a steel chemist for Nash-Kelvinator in Lansing, Michigan, which manufactures airplane propellers. From 1944 to 1946, he served at Amchitka, Aleutian Islands, Alaska as a communications officer. Stephenson worked for Grocers’ Dairy Company (currently called Country Fresh, Inc.) in Grand Rapids, Michigan as production manager from 1946 to 1961. He oversaw both the Garden Street and Buchanan Street plants and kept the company in compliance with federal and state regulations. Additionally, he served as the department head for quality and milk procurement, department head for conversion to bulk handling of milk, and farm bulk tank installer. At the Buchanan Street plant, he was also the general contractor for completing the processing plant, and supervised the move of the ice cream department in 1958, and supervised the trial run for the new plant.

From 1961 to 1963 Stephenson returned to Michigan State University as a special student and took Accounting, Financial Management, Food Engineering, Automation of Food Plant Engineering, Dairy and Processing Machinery, Condensed and Dry Milk Products, and Ice Cream. He spent two years (1963-1964) working as an administrator and bookkeeper for Springbrook Nursing Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. From 1964 to 1978 he was office manager and producer of payroll for Independent Cooperative Milk Producers Association. Stephenson retired in 1978. He passed away on January 12, 2003. Stephenson was married twice, first to Doris Duncan in 1942 and then Hilda Mae MacGregor in 1979. He had four children, Connie Lou, Barbara Jo, Mary Lynn, and David Duncan, and one grandchild. Stephenson was active in the Western Michigan Technology Society and the Masons.

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Scope and Contents note

The papers of Robert P. Stephenson consist of alphabetically arranged subject files about the dairy industry. The company files contain product brochures information from specific vendors. Some company files contain correspondence relating to quotes on equipment costs. The class notes files contain notes Stephenson made and handouts from his time as a student at Michigan State University. Also included are class materials from other universities. Because Stephenson was an alumnus of Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) many of the items in the papers are related to MSU, including reports authored by MSU faculty and Cooperative Extension materials. There is a limited amount of information related to Grocers’ Dairy. Included are articles that feature Grocers’ Dairy or Stephenson. Most of the information is related to the automation of the Grocers’ Dairy plants or bulk milk. Also included is “Robert’s Legacy a Scrapbook of Remembrances Employment with Grocers’ Dairy” giving an autobiographical account of Stephenson’s time at Grocers’ Dairy. Stephenson’s papers contain very little personal information. However, his resume gives information on his education, career, and medical history. Also included in the collection is the video “The Bulk Tank Story in Western Michigan” by Robert P. Stephenson. The video is home movies shot by Stephenson and Bob Jones and put on a video cassette tape. The movies are in color and have no sound. The sections of the movies are roughly identified in “Roberts Legacy: A Scrapbook of Remembrances Employment with Grocers’ Dairy.” The movies show bulk tank systems on farms including barns, tanks, and pipes systems; farmers working; milking; milk trucks; cleaning; and a milk truck picking up milk from a farm. There is also a section of a tank being installed; a MSU display warning against dirty vacuum lines; and exterior shots of commercial dairy plants. In addition, there are non-dairy related parts including a fishing trip to Canada and scenes from unidentified cities. There is also a segment of Atlantic City showing old hotels such as the Breakers and the Traymore, as well as the boardwalk.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections October 2003

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status note

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.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Michigan State College.
  • Michigan State University. Class of 1939.
  • Michigan State University. Department of Dairy Science.

Genre(s)

  • Amateur films
  • Brochures
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Publications
  • Reports

Subject(s)

  • Dairy plants
  • Dairy plants -- Design and construction
  • Dairy plants -- Equipment and supplies
  • Dairying
  • Dairying -- Equipment and supplies
  • Dairying -- Michigan
  • Dairying, Cooperative -- Michigan
  • Ice cream, ices, etc.
  • Milk -- Storage
  • Milk -- Transportation
  • Milk yield

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Collection Inventory

Box Folder

Abnormal Milk Production Undated 

1822 1

Agriculture Partnership 1963, 1975, Undated 

1822 2

American Dairy Science Association Reports 1939-1940 

1822 3

Anthony Hall- Michigan State University Undated 

1822 4

Articles 1971, 1977, 1986 

1822 5

Automation in Milk Plants 1957, 1959, 1962, Undated 

1822 6

Bovine Disease Reports 1958 

1822 7

Bulk Milk 1953-1955, Undated 

1822 8
Box Object

Video: Bulk Tank Story in Western Michigan by Robert P. Stephenson 1953 

1822 Videotape
Box Folder

Butter Undated 

1822 9

Butterfat 1955 

1822 10

Canadian Dairy Industry Undated 

1822 11

Cheese 1969, Undated 

1822 12

Chemical Sterilization Undated 

1822 13

Class Notes 

Box Folder

Agriculture Engineering Class A.E. 209 Farm Equipment 1939 

1822 14

AE 430 Principles of Automation for Food Plant Engineering, Michigan State University, Part I 1962 

1822 15

AE 430 Principles of Automation for Food Plant Engineering, Michigan State University, Part II 1962 

1822 16

AE 436 Principles of Food Engineering- Michigan State University, Part I 1961 

1822 17

AE 436 Principles of Food Engineering- Michigan State University, Part II 1961 

1822 18

AE 437 Dairy and Processing Machinery- Michigan State University, Part I 1962 

1822 19

AE 437 Dairy and Processing Machinery- Michigan State University, Part II 1962 

1822 20

AFA 210 Principles of Accounting- Michigan State University, Part I 1962 

1822 21

AFA 210 Principles of Accounting- Michigan State University, Part II 1962 

1822 22

AFA 212 Principles of Accounting- Michigan State University, Part I 1962 

1822 23

AFA 212 Principles of Accounting- Michigan State University, Part II 1962 

1822 24

AFA 318 Financial Management- Michigan State University, Part I 1962 

1822 25

AFA 318 Financial Management- Michigan State University, Part II 1962 

1822 26

AFA 319 Financial Management- Liabilities, Michigan State University 1962 

1822 27

AFA 341 Intermediate Accounting- Michigan State University, Part I 1962 

1823 1

AFA 341 Intermediate Accounting- Michigan State University, Part II 1962 

1823 2

AFA 344 Intermediate Accounting- Liabilities, Michigan State University,Part I 1963 

1823 3

AFA 344 Intermediate Accounting- Liabilities, Michigan State University, Part II 1963 

1823 4

Butter making Notes 1938 

1823 5

Cheese making Notes by Professor Lucas 1949, Undated 

1823 6

Condense Milk Notes by Dr. Trout Undated 

1823 7

DH 308 Dairy Technology Notes by Dr. Gould- Michigan State University Undated 

1823 8

DH 424 Advanced Dairy Technology- Michigan State University Undated 

1823 9

Ice Cream Class Notes Undated 

1823 10

Laboratory Manual for Manufacture of Ice Cream and Related Products, Iowa State University 1960 

1823 11

Manual for Dairy Manufacturing Short Courses- Pennsylvania State University 1962 

1823 12

Market Milk Notes by Dr. Trout, Part I Undated 

1823 13

Market Milk Notes by Dr. Trout, Part II 1938 

1823 14

Market Milk Notes by Dr. Trout, Part III Undated 

1823 15

S21 Dairy Husbandry-Michigan State University 1936 

1823 16

Test booklets 1938, Undated 

1823 17

Companies 

Box Folder

Blumenthal Bros. Chocolate Co. 1960 

1823 18

Bobson Bros. Co. Undated 

1823 19

Burge Ice Machine Co. 1957 

1823 203

Cherry- Burrell 1947-1950, 1954-1957, Undated 

1823 21

Cherry- Burrell 1957-1958, Undated 

1823 22

Cherry-Burrell Corp. Instruction Manuals and Parts Lists 1947-1951 

1823 23

Cherry-Burrell Corp. - Vacreator Vacuum Pasteurizer 1949, 1953-1954, 1956, Undated 

1823 24

Chicago Stainless Equipment Corp. 1958 

1824 1

Chicago Stainless Equipment Corp. 1956-1958, 1960 

1824 2

Chicago Stainless Equipment Corp. 1957-1959, Undated 

1824 3

C.J. Van Houten and Zoon, Inc., Ice Cream Undated 

1824 4

Controcal Frozen Formula Kit 1961, Undated 

1824 5

Creamery Package Manufacturing Company 1946,1948-1949, 1951 

1824 6

Creamery Package Manufacturing Company. 1957, Undated 

1824 7

Creamery Package Manufacturing Company 1957, 1958, 1961, Undated 

1824 8

Damrow Brothers' Co. - Storage Tank Undated 

1824 9

De Laval Separator Company 1950, 1957-1958, Undated 

1824 10

Ex-Cell-o Corporation 1949 

1824 11

Ex-Cell-o Corporation 1951 

1824 12

Ex-Cell-o Corporation 1958 

1824 13

Ex-Cell-o Corporation - Pure-Pak 1951, Undated 

1824 14

Foggs Dairy Sales 1956-1957 

1824 15

Food Equipment and Specialties Company 1958, Undated 

1824 16-17

Frick Company 1951 

1824 18

Girton Manufacturing Company 1960, Undated 

1824 19

Grace Machinery Company 1959, Undated 

1824 20

Hertel, Johnson, Eipper, Stopa 1955 

1824 21

Hertel, Johnson, Eipper, Stopa 1957 

1824 22

Hertel, Johnson, Eipper, Stopa 1958 

1824 23

Illinois Creamery Supply Co. 1957-1958, Undated 

1824 24

Johnston Bros Inc. - Boiler System 1956 

1824 25

Klenzade 1952 

1824 26

Klenzade Products 1957, 1960 

1824 27

Lathrop-Paulson Company-Conveyor belts 1956 

1824 28

Lathrup-Paulson Company- Pallet Equipment, Automatic 1960-1961, Undated 

1824 29

Metals Company, Packaging 1950 

1824 30

Michigan Dairy Equipment and Supply Corp. 1957 

1824 31

Michigan Dairy Equipment and Supply Corp. 1957 

1824 32

Michigan Dairy Equipment and Supply Corp.- Pasteurizers, Tanks and WingCoolers 1956-1957, Undated 

1824 33

Michigan Dairy Equipment and Supply Corp Pumps 1957 

1824 34

Michigan Dairy Equipment and Supply Corp. Sanitary Pipe and Fittings 1957 

1824 35

Mineralized Products Company, SEA-LAC 1948, Undated 

1824 36

Mojonnier Bros. Co. 1949, 1952-1953, 1968, Undated 

1824 37

Mojonnier Bros. Co. 1954-1956 

1824 38

Mojonnier Bros. Co. 1954 

1824 39

Mojonnier Bros. Co. 1957, Undated 

1824 40

Mojonnier Bros. Co. 1957 

1824 41

Mojonnier Bros. Co. 1958, Undated 

1824 42

Mojonnier Bros Co. Bulk Coders instruction manual 1954, Undated 

1824 43

Mojonnier Bros. Co. Catalog 1957 

1824 44

Mojonnier Bros. Co. Low Temp and Spray Dryers, 1954-1955, Undated 

1824 45

Pfaudler Co. 1956, 1958, Undated 

1824 46

Progress Manufacturing Company, Inc. Undated 

1824 47

Riley Dairy Supply 1958 

1824 48

The Schluter Co., Sanitmatic Undated 

1824 49

Sealright Co., SealKing Cartons Undated 

1824 50

Sharples Corporation 1950, Undated 

1824 51

Socony Mobil Oil Company, Inc.-Cartons 1957 

1824 52

Steel and Tube Products Co.- Steriline Storage Tanks Undated 

1824 53

W.M. Sprinkman Corporation 1956, Undated 

1824 54

Weidenfeller Engineering Co. 1958 

1824 55

Zero Sales Corporation Undated 

1824 56
Box Folder

Concentrated Milk 1936, 1958, Undated 

1825 1

Conference of Operation, Incorporated Reports 1959 

1825 2

Cooperatives 1969-1970, Undated 

1825 3

Correspondence 1940, 1950-1951, 1953, 1955-1956, 1958, 1961, 1967 

1825 4

Cottage Cheese 1950-1954, 1959, Undated 

1825 5

Cultures 1959-1960, Undated 

1825 6

Dairies 1935, 1954-1955, 1960, 1975, Undated 

1825 7

Dairy Bacteriology Handbook for Veterinarians by C.S. Bryan Undated 

1825 8

Dairy Brochures 1951, 1957, 1964, 1968, 1974, 1994, Undated 

1825 9

Dairy Bulletins 1890, 1927-1929, 1931-1932, 1941, 1960 

1825 10

Dairy Bulletins and brochures – Michigan State University 1930, 1966-1967, Undated 

1825 11

Dairy Expo Materials 1950 

1825 12

Dairy Handouts – Michigan State University 1958, Undated 

1825 13

Dairy Manufacturers Conference 1955-1956 

1825 14

Dairy Processors Workshops 1974, 1977 

1825 15

Dairy Products Data Sheets 1954, 1961 

1825 16

"Dairy Record" Articles 1965-1967 

1825 17

Federal and State Standards 1956, 1959-1960 

1825 18

Federal Order #30 Reporter Chicago Regional Marketing Area 1978 

1825 19

Forms 1941, Undated 

1825 20

Great Lakes Southern Milk, Inc. Annual Report 1973, 1977-1978 

1825 21

Grocers' Dairy 

Box Folder

Articles featuring Robert Stephenson or Grocer's Dairy 1955, 1959 

1825 22

 1949, 1957-1959, 1961, 1978, Undated 

1825 23

Buying Plans 1949-1954, Undated 

1825 24

McClain Quarterly Reports 1960-1961 

1825 25

Refrigeration System Contract Undated 

1825 26

Robert's Legacy: Employment with Grocers' Dairy 

1825 27

Ice Cream 

Box Folder

E.F. Drew and Co., Directory of Stabilization and Emulsification of Ice Cream Undated 

1825 28

Flavors 1931-1932, Undated 

1825 29

 1947,1955, 1957-1962 

1825 30

Ice Cream Field Magazine November 1948 

1825 31

P.S. Lewis Articles 1930, 1941, 1959, Undated 

1825 32

Sherbets 1952, Undated 

1825 33

Stabilizers 1952, 1955, Undated 

1825 34

Standards, Laws, Acts 1960-1961 

1825 35

Vanilla 1959-1960, Undated 

1825 36

Independent Cooperative Milk Producers Association 

Box Folder

 1964-1965, 1969-1970, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1982-1983, 1985-1990, 1992-1994, Undated 

1825 37

Newsletter “The Independent” 

Box Folder

 September - October 1984, 1985-1987, June 1988 

1826 1

 October - December 1988, April 1989-1991 

1826 2

 1992-1994, April, July 1995 

1826 3

 1996-1998, Undated 

1826 4
Box Folder

Kalamazoo Creamery Co. 1969, 1972, Undated 

1826 5

Lists 1969, 1993, Undated 

1826 6

Low Temperature Evaporation 1951, Undated 

1826 7

Mayonnaise Undated 

1826 8

Michigan Agricultural Conference 1978 

1826 9

Michigan State University Cooperative Extension – Engineering Tips for Food Processors/Operating Tips for Food Processors 1958-1961 

1826 10

Michigan State University Dairy Alumni list Undated 

1826 11

Michigan State University Agriculture Experiment Station Bulletin "Seasonal Price Incentives of the Base and Excess Plan in the Detroit Market" 1950 

1826 12

Milk 1947, 1952-1954, Undated 

1826 13

Milk Hauling 1960 

1826 14

Milk Industry Foundation Study 1954 

1826 15

Milk Market Bulletin 1960-1961, 1964-1965, 1969, 1972-1973, 1975, 1978 

1826 16

Milk Prices 1955, 1966-1967, 1970, 1977, 1986, Undated 

1826 17

National Dairy Engineering Conference 1966, 1968, 1970 

1826 18

Notes 1955, Undated 

1826 19

Oleomargarine 1936 

1826 20

Ordinances and Acts 1929, 1931, 1951-1956, 1976, Undated 

1826 21

Penicillin in Milk 1960 

1826 22

Plans 1946, Undated 

1826 23

Plans- Michigan State College, Cooperative Extension Service-Loose Housing Barn 1952-1953 

1826 24

Plant Design Undated 

1826 25

Plant Sanitation 1959 

1826 26

Pool Concept for Reporting Milk and Butterfat Pounds Undated 

1826 27

Proceedings of National Food Engineering Conference at MSU 1961 

1826 28

Production and Efficiency 1947, 1951-1952, 1954, 1959, Undated 

1826 29

Products 1958, 1960-1961, Undated 

1826 30

Publications 

Box Folder

Dairy Councilor Spring 1972, Fall 1974, Summer 1978 

1826 31

Dairy Promotion Quarterly Summer, Fall 1974, Spring 1975, Summer - Winter 1976, 1977, Spring 1978 

1826 32

Dairy Promotion Quarterly Summer 1978, Winter 1978/1979, Fall 1980,Winter 1980/1981, Summer – Fall 1981, 1982, Spring, 1983 

1826 33

Dairy Record Magazine June 1977 

1826 34

"The McDonald Cooperator" newsletter 1960-1961, 1978 

1826 35

Milk Hauler and Food Transporter Magazine 

1826 36

"Milk Marketer" July/August, 1978 

1826 37

"Milk Reporter" June 1972, June 1977 

1826 38

"Michigan Dairy Line," newsletter 1980, 1986-1992 

1826 39

Michigan Milk Messenger Magazine 

Box Folder

 1960 

1827 1

 1961, April 1972, February 1974, June 1977 

1827 2

 March, July, August, 1978 

1827 3
Box Folder

Newsletters 1956, 1960, 1972, 1977, Undated 

1827 4

Ohio Cooperative Extension Newsletters- "Efficiency Tips, "Scoops" and "Research Digest" 1959-1961, Undated 

1827 5

Rancidity 1959, Undated 

1827 6

Reports 

Box Folder

Engineering Problems in Using Wax in Packaging Operations 1958 

1827 7

High Temperature Short Time Pasteurization of Ice Cream Mixes by O.W. Kaufman 1955 

1827 8

"History of Deliveries and Sales, Grand Rapids Milk Marketing Area" 1950 

1827 9

"History of Deliveries and Sales, Muskegon Milk Marketing Area" 1950 

1827 10

Reports, O.W. Kaufman 1960-1961 

1827 11

Klenzade Products Inc., Reports 1955 

1827 12

Klenzade Products Inc., Reports 1957 

1827 13

"The Pottermeter: Key to Dairy Automation" 1958 

1827 14

"Proposed Marketing Order Regulating the Handling of Milk in the Western Michigan Marketing Area" Undated 

1827 15

Pyrex Brand Piping for Fluid Milk 1949 

1827 16
Box Folder

Standardizing Ice Cream Mixes for Fat, Milk Solids, Non Fat, and Total Solids by P.S. Lewis Undated 

1827 17

Resume. Robert P. Stephenson Undated 

1828 1

Selling Dairy Equipment 1954 

1828 2

Shorttime Processing System 1951 

1828 3

Sterile Concentrated Milk Meeting 1958 

1828 4

"A Syllabus for Freshman Composition" Michigan State University 1929 

1828 5

G. Malcolm Trout 1982-1984, 1986, Undated 

1828 6

Ultra High Temperature Pasteurization 1954, Undated 

1828 7

United Dairy Industry of Michigan Annual Reports 

Box Folder

 1976-1978 

1828 8

 1980-1982 

1828 9

 1988-1990 

1828 10
Box Folder

United States Department of Agriculture Milk Marketing 1971, 1974, 1978, Undated 

1828 11

Vertical Price Concept 1966-1967 

1828 12

Vitamins 1940-1941, 1960, Undated 

1828 13

Vogt Freezer Clinic 1951 

1828 14

Western Michigan Food Technology Society 1970-1978, Undated 

1828 15

Whey 1958, Undated 

1828 16