McKarns family papers

The McKarns family papers consists of research material compiled by Florence Bernice Werder McKarns relationed to her and her spouse's family history. The collection comprises three linear feet of materials. Families represented include: Baldwin, Brannan, Copeland, Drum, Dustin, Fankhouser, Fife, Finch, Gaskill, Habeggar, Hamet, Hutchinson, Laughlin, Lindesmith, Lohrey, Luthy, Mattoon, McCarron, McGuire, McKarns, McQuilken, Miller, Owen, Richard, Smith, Steinman, Warren, Weithrich and Werder families. Included in the collection are correspondence, family subject files, general subject files, legal documents, family histories, research notes, newsclippings, maps, pedigree charts, printed materials and photographs.

The collection contains a nice series of research related correspondence between Florence and other researchers and family members conducting genealogical research. Also, included in the correspondence are a couple interesting letters to Florence from her grandfather John F. Hamet discussing his early childhood memories of the Civil War. Another interesting letter is a copy of a letter from a soldier, while serving in the Mexican War. Finally another useful series of correspondence is letters between the Johann Ulrich Steinman in Germany and his daughter Christina Steinman Werder living in America relating news and observations.

The family subject files, general subject files, copies of related legal documents, family histories, research notes, newsclippings, pedigree charts and photographs make up a majority of the collection. These various items contain detailed information about the families stated above. Specifically interesting is the McKarns Family and Werder Family History publications written by James S. and Florence Bernice McKarns respectively. Also of interest is the large assortment of obituaries and photographs of various family members from the mid 1800s to the late 1990s.