Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Office of the President. Kenyon L. Butterfield Papers
UA.2.1.10
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
- Creator
- Butterfield family, (Kenyon Leech Butterfield, 1868-1936)
- Title
- Kenyon Leech Butterfield papers
- ID
- UA.2.1.10
- Date [bulk]
- Bulk, 1924-1928
- Date [inclusive]
- 1924-1962
- Extent
- 0.33 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
Kenyon Leech Butterfield was born on June 11, 1868 in the small farming community of Lapeer, Michigan. There he became interested in the sociological problems of the farmer and as a result, devoted much of his work to assisting rural residents in adjusting to the social, economic and religious trends of the day.
Dr. Butterfield received his BS degree from the Michigan Agricultural College in 1891. From 1891 to 1900 he served successively as secretary of the college, editor of the grange department of the Michigan Farmer, superintendent of the Michigan Farmer's Institute and field agent for the Michigan Agricultural College.
In 1900 he began advanced degree work at the University of Michigan in economics and rural sociology. He received his M.A. degree in 1902. In 1903 Butterfield was elected president of the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts. He remained there until 1906 when he resigned to become president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, where he received his LL.D. in 1910. He resigned this position in 1924 in order to assume the presidency of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Arts. However, in 1927 he came under fire from the members of the State Board of Agriculture who were disturbed by his appointing two friends from Massachusetts to executive positions at M.S.C. with salaries above those of other college officials. A conflict also developed over the question of who had control of the College, the president or the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. As a result, Butterfield was asked to resign.
In addition to his education career, Dr. Butterfield organized and acted as the president of the American County Life Association for many years. During World War I he was chairman of the Massachusetts Committee on Food Production and Conservation and was also commissioner in charge of Agricultural education in the American Expeditionary Forces. He was a member of the Educational Commission in China in 1921 and was a special delegate to the International Missionary Council in Jerusalem.
On November 25, 1936, Dr. Butterfield died at his home in Amherst, New Jersey. Butterfield was the son of Ira Howard Butterfield (b. December 22, 1849; d. March 24, 1928) and Olive F. Butterfield, nee Davision (b. August 8, 1842; d. January 5, 1928). He married Harriet Millard (b. May 24, 1869; d. 1944) on November 25, 1895. They had two sons; Howard Millard Butterfield, (b. May 24, 1901), and Victor Lloyd Butterfield, (b. February 7, 1904).
Scope and Contents note
This collection consists of President Butterfield's general office files and other items attributed to him. This includes correspondence, statements and speeches, news clippings, genealogical notes and an obituary.
The materials are arranged by accession during the processing. Accession UA 4 is in folders 1-4 and the volume on the shelf; accession UA 972 in folder 5, and Accession UA 345 in folders 6-30.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections November 1978
Conrad Hall888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu
Revision Description
Revised Scope and other notes July 2013
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.
Custodial History
Materials are a gift of Mrs. Clinton Butterfield, Eliza M. D'Amour, Ruth Jameyson and Madison Kuhn.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Massachusetts Agricultural College. -- Chronological subdivision--1906-1924;
- Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. -- Chronological subdivision--1903-1906;
Genre(s)
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
- Invitations
- Letters (correspondence)
- Reports
- Speeches, addresses, etc.
Personal Name(s)
- Butterfield, Ira William, 1915-
- Butterfield, Kenyon L., (Kenyon Leech), 1868-1935
Subject(s)
- College presidents
- Universities and colleges -- Faculty
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Policies and Principles 1924-1928 |
860H | 1 | ||
|
R.O.T.C. 1925-1927 |
860H | 2 | ||
|
Radio 1922-1926 |
860H | 3 | ||
|
Correspondence, Newsclippings 1873-1935 |
860H | 4 | ||
|
"Statement Relative to the Situation at MSC" 1928 |
860H | 5 | ||
|
Correspondence 1891 |
860H | 6 | ||
|
Response to Agricultural College Questionnaire 1894-1895 |
860H | 7 | ||
|
Excursion to M.A.C. and Financial Record Booklet 1897-1898 |
860H | 8 | ||
|
Correspondence 1898-1899 |
860H | 9 | ||
|
Correspondence - Snyder 1902-1903 |
860H | 10 | ||
|
Inaugural address at Massachusetts Agricultural College 1906 |
860H | 11 | ||
|
Dormitory Questions 1909 |
860H | 12 | ||
|
Correspondence - Snyder 1910 |
860H | 13 | ||
|
Invitation 1914 |
860H | 14 | ||
|
Correspondence - Kedzie 1917-1918 |
860H | 15 | ||
|
Correspondence, Report on Menominee School of Agriculture 1924 |
860H | 16 | ||
|
Correspondence, Newspaper articles 1924-1927 |
860H | 17 | ||
|
"Statement of Purposes and Policies of the County Council of Agriculture and Rural Life" 1925 |
860H | 18 | ||
|
Dunbar and Menominee Schools questions 1926-1927 |
860H | 19 | ||
|
Newspaper Clippings - Butterfield Incident & Resignation 1928 |
860H | 20 | ||
|
"Statement Relative to the Situation at MSC" 1928 |
860H | 21 | ||
|
"Report on the Recent Investigation at MSC" 1932 |
860H | 22 | ||
|
Death Notice of Butterfield 1936 |
860H | 23 | ||
|
Mrs. Butterfield correspondence with Miss Yakeley 1940 |
860H | 24 | ||
|
Correspondence between Miss Barnet and Mr. McDonel 1942 |
860H | 25 | ||
|
Clippings on Victor L. Butterfield 1943 |
860H | 26 | ||
|
Newspaper Clipping on the U.S.S. Butterfield 1945 |
860H | 27 | ||
|
"Better Rural Life" 1950 |
860H | 28 | ||
|
Reports and Correspondence while at Massachusetts Agricultural College 1903-1923 |
860H | 29 | ||
|
"The Purpose and Scope of the College"; “Business and Agriculture"; "Page 2 of a letter to Taft” undated |
860H | 30 | ||
| Volume | ||||
|
vol. I: Genealogical Notes 1962 |
1 | |||