OU.SC.MACK

Summary Information

Repository
Oakland University Archives and Special Collections
Title
Eugene Mack papers
ID
OU.SC.MACK
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1884-1919
Date [inclusive]
1846-1935
Extent
3.0 Linear feet 1 10x12 box, 1 Hollinger box, 3 flat boxes
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Item, folder title, box no., Eugene Mack Papers, Oakland University Special Collections

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Biographical note

Eugene Mack (1845-1940) was born in Addison Township to Lewis Mack. Lewis’ father, Arnold, was one of the original settlers in the area in 1832. Eugene Mack became a prosperous farmer and businessman as well as a civic leader. He married twice, first to Frances Hosner (1865-1870) and later on to Ella Jones, and had two surviving children. Throughout his life Eugene Mack owned several stores, bought land for lumber, and developed an orchard. He also obtained a patent for a barn door hanger in 1886. From 1906 to 1929 he managed two telephone companies, the Hibbler-Mack line and the Mack Roadway Telephone Company. In addition, he acted as administrator for a large number of estates. Eugene Mack was also active in the local community. Between 1887 and 1892 he was Supervisor of Addison Township. Like his father and grandfather before him, he was committed to the public school of District 11 Fractional (Thus called because part of the district was in Bruce Township and part in Addison Township).

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Scope and contents

The Eugene Mack papers consist of notebooks, diaries and ledgers as well as legal documents, correspondence, receipts and other miscellaneous documents relating to his activities as a farmer, business man, and civic leader. The Eugene Mack papers are divided into three series: Telephone, Estate Management, and Public School. Telephone includes materials related to Mack’s two telephone companies, including founding documents, annual reports (1910, 1912-1914), financial statements, and customer lists. Estate Management contains the records of the numerous estates Mack managed through his life, including the large Rowland Estate (1909-1934). Leonard Rowland left about $30,000 in trust, for the benefit of poor children of Oakland County. His nephews and nieces challenged the will in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Michigan. All Court documents are included. Public School contains materials documenting the history of the Addison/Bruce Township public school from 1846 to 1917, including founding documents by Eugene Mack’s grandfather and various notebooks with the students’ and teachers’ names, attendance records, student performance, curriculum implementation, and expenses. Eugene Mack kept detailed record of his expenses and other activities in notebooks and ledgers of various sizes. Many of those contain mixed material – related to his telephone business, estate management, accounting, farming, and more. Box 3, especially, contains materials related to all of these aspects.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Oakland University Archives and Special Collections

Kresge Library
100 Library Drive
Rochester, MI, 48309

Access and Use note

The Eugene Mack Papers are open for research.

Copyright

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Processing

Processed by Dominique Daniel and Shirley Paquette.

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Collection Inventory

Series I: Telephone Business 1903-1935   1.0 Linear feet

Scope and contents note

This series contains account books, lists of customers and other records from Mack's telephone business. From about 1903 to 1916 Mack and six partners built a line (the Hibbler-Mack line) from the western limits of Romeo across what is now 32 Mile Road, to the county line at Dequindre Road, then north to Leonard. Three years later Mack and other partners formed the Mack Roadway Telephone Company, with a line that ran from Romeo across 32 Mile Road then branched southward to Washington Township. That line was sold to Michigan Bell about 1929. Mack was a meticulous record-keeper, and these records contain a wealth of information on the spread of telephone lines in northern Oakland and Macomb Counties.

Box 1: Telephone business 

 Box
1

Ledger 1919-1935 

Day Book Ledger 1903-1929 

Western Electric Company, bulletin catalog of telephone apparatus and supplies, 1913 

Annual Report of Hibbler and Mack, 1910 

Annual Report of Hibbler and Mack, 1912 

Annual Report of Hibbler and Mack, 1913 

Annual Report of Hibbler and Mack, 1914 

New Map of “Greater” Detroit and Suburbs 1906 

Concrete Construction about the home and on the farm 1905 

Facsimile of document: Avon Township established meeting – original dated April 6, 1835 

Box 2: Telephone business 1904-1922   0.5 Linear feet

 Box
2

Folder 1: Mack Roadway and Telephone Company, Contracts and receipts 1908-1929 

Folder 2: Hibbler, Mack & Company miscellaneous contracts (telephone lines) 1906-1914 

Folder 3: Michigan State Telephone Co., Western Electric Company receipts and contracts 1907-1922 

Folder 4: Michigan Railroad Commission Correspondence, receipts from The Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad Co. 1906-1917 

Folder 5: Misc., 1928 

Folder 6: Misc. receipts 1904-1918 

Bank book: Eugene Mack in acct. with Heenan & Hibbler 

Ledger, 1907-1916 

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Series II: Mixed / Estates Management 1865-1933   1.0 Linear feet

Scope and contents note

This series contains the account books that Mack generated as administrator for a large number of estates. The best known of the estates he managed was that of Leonard Rowland. This wealthy and eccentric bachelor gave Eugene Mack Power of Attorney after he became blind. At his death in 1909 he left about $30,000 in trust, for the benefit of poor children of Oakland County. Nephews and nieces challenged the will in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Michigan. Eugene Mack acted as Executor of the Estate until 1934, when he too became blind. Material on the Rowland estate is found especially in box 3.

Box 3: Mixed / Estates management, 1865-1934 1865-1934 

 Box
3

Ledger, mixed, 1865-1877 

Ledger, mixed, 1868-1884 

Ledger, mixed, 1884-1907 

Ledger, mixed, 1911-1912 

Ledger, orchards,1890-1894 

Ledger, estates management, 1907-1914 

Ledger, estates management, 1909-1926 

Ledger, estates management, Rowland, 1900-1909 

Ledger, estates management, Rowland, 1927-1933 

Folder 1: Rowland estate, 1930-1932 

Folder 2: Rowland estate, 1933-1934 

Folder 3: Rowland estate, State of Michigan Supreme Court Record no.. 6097 

Folder 4: misc. 

Folder 5: James Slocum letter July 20, 1916 

Box 4: Estates management, 1887-1928 1887-1928 

 Box
4

Ledger, estates management, 1887-1889 

Ledger, estates management, 1890-1902 

Ledger, mixed, 1896 

Ledger, mixed, 1900-1028 

Ledger, mixed, 1914-1921 

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Series III: Public School 1846-1917   1.0

Scope and contents note

The Mack family played a key role in the establishment and management of the school in District 11 Fractional (Thus called because part of the district was in Bruce Township and part in Addison Township). Lewis Mack, Eugene's father, served as Supervisor of the Township in 1863-1864 and Eugene in 1887-1892. He was involved with the public school his entire life. This series contains school records from the founding of the school to 1917, including account books, teachers' reports, student attendance and grade reports.

Box 4: Public School records, Bruce and Addison Township school District 11 1846-1917 

 Box
4

Primary school records of Addison & Bruce in the counties of Oakland and Macomb (founding and history from 1846) 1846-1900 

School records of Addison & Bruce, District 11, 1893-1904 

School records of Addison & Bruce, District 11, 1903-1910 

Assessor’s record of expenditures, 1901 

Attendance records, 1901-1909 and 1909-1917 

Box 5: Public School records, Bruce and Addison Township school District 11 1899-1917 

 Box
5

Folder 1: School of Addison and Bruce, 1900-1916 

Folder 2: School Annual Statistical Reports, 1899-1917 

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