Educator, author, and developer of the Florida Everglades. Born in Illinois on November 11, 1861. Graduated from Harvard in
1890, and earned a M.A. from Harvard in 1891. He worked as a professor of history and political science at Kansas State Agricultural
College from 1894-1897, and served as president at Kansas State from 1897-1899. He worked in various cities as an educator,
lecturer, free-lance writer, and as an employee of the U.S. Census Office from 1900-1905. He took a position with the U.S.
Forest Service in 1906, and served as secretary of the American Forestry Association and editor of its journal, Conservation, for the next three years.
In 1910 Will visited the Everglades for the first time, and he became so excited about the prospects for development there
that he quit his Forestry positions to dedicate himself to the Everglades. Between 1910 and 1914, he spent most of his time
working in Washington, D.C., promoting drainage and development of the Everglades, and primarily working as a real estate
agent associated with the Everglades Land Sales Company and the Florida Everglades Homebuilders Association. He also spent
a great deal of time writing articles and making speeches in order to promote further land purchases. In 1911 he was the principal
compiler of Senate Document 89, which included treaties, acts, legislative reports, drainage reports, and other materials
pertaining to the Everglades.
Between 1912 and 1914, Will purchased several tracts of land near Lake Okeechobee. Between 1913 and 1914, Will began the development
and settlement of the region's first planned townsite, Okeelanta. As one of the pioneers, he spent considerable effort experimenting
with agricultural crops and practices suitable for the land. He sold plots to other settlers, and tried to make a living by
selling farm products. Will's efforts suffered a serious setback between 1920 and 1930 when the drainage program proved to
be insufficient. He was forced to live in Ft. Lauderdale from 1921-1931, focusing his efforts on coastal land sales. Throughout
that decade Okeelanta deteriorated rapidly, but Will continued to promote development of the Everglades through drainage,
flood control, and improved navigation and highway transportation. Throughout the 1930s he refocused his energies on developing
Okeelanta, continuing to write and speak on the merits of the Everglades. He died on March 5, 1937.
Source: Dovell, J.E. "Thomas Elmer Will, Twentieth Century Pioneer," Tequesta (1949), p. 21-55.
The Will Papers are comprised of business and personal correspondence, scrapbooks, articles, speeches, writings, publications,
legal documents, and governmental reports and hearings. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence relating to
Will's land development work in the Everglades, particularly in Okeelanta, as well as his writings about the Everglades. Correspondents
and topics covered in the correspondence include the Everglades Land Sales Company, Laura V. McCullough, Lawrence E. Will,
the town of Fruitcrest, the Everglades Sugar and Land Company, and various local, state, and federal agencies. The articles,
publications, news clippings, writings and notes (many of which are housed in scrapbooks) document Will's efforts to promote
development of the Everglades. In addition, there are several legislative reports, hearings, and other official documents
regarding the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, and flood control and drainage programs. The collection is an excellent resource
for researchers interested in the drainage and land reclamation in the Everglades, early land sales and development, South
Florida agriculture, and in particular, the settlement and early years of Okeelanta. In addition to the letters, writings,
and other papers pertaining to the townsite, there are various small maps of Okeelanta filed throughout the business correspondence.
Collection is open for research.
[Identification of item], Thomas E. Will Papers, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University
of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
An item titled "Upper Everglades of Florida from 1913-1929" featuring photos and documents mounted on board backing, was removed
from the Miscellaneous Pamphlets folder and rehoused in an oversize folder in flat storage map cases.
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Business Correspondence
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Box 1 |
Business Correspondence. Feb. 13, 1908- Nov. 25, 1910
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 5, 1911- June 27, 1911 |
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Business Correspondence. July 5, 1911- Sept. 30, 1911 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 4, 1911- Dec. 28, 1911 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Jan. 3, 1912- Mar. 30, 1912 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Jan. 3, 1912- Mar. 30, 1912 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1912- June 30, 1912 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). July 1, 1912- Dec. 30, 1912 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). July 1, 1912- Dec. 30, 1912 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1913- Feb. 28, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 3, 1913- Apr. 30, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). May 2, 1913- June 30, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). May 2, 1913- June 30, 1913 |
Box 2 |
Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). July 1, 1913- Aug. 30, 1913
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). July 1, 1913- Aug. 30, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Sept. 1, 1913- Oct. 30, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Sept. 1, 1913- Oct. 30, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Nov. 3, 1913- Dec. 29, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Nov. 3, 1913- Dec. 29, 1913 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Jan. 1, 1914- Feb. 26, 1914 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Jan. 1, 1914- Feb. 26, 1914 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 2, 1914- Apr. 30, 1914 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1914- July 29, 1914 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 5, 1914- Oct. 30, 1914 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 3, 1914- Dec. 31, 1914 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1915- Feb. 28, 1915 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1915- Apr. 27, 1915 |
Box 3 |
Business Correspondence. May 1, 1915- Aug. 31, 1915
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Sept. 1, 1915- Oct. 31, 1915 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Sept. 1, 1915- Oct. 31, 1915 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1915- Nov. 30, 1915 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Dec. 1, 1915- Dec. 31, 1915 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Dec. 1, 1915- Dec. 31, 1915 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1916- Jan. 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Feb. 1, 1916- Feb. 29, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Feb. 1, 1916- Feb. 29, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Mar. 1, 1916- Mar. 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Mar. 1, 1916- Mar. 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1916- Apr. 30, 1916 |
Box 4 |
Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). May 1, 1916- May 31, 1916
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). May 1, 1916- May 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence . June 1, 1916- June 30, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). July 1, 1916- July 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). July 1, 1916- July 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence . Aug. 1, 1916- Aug. 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence . Sept. 1, 1916- Sept. 30, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence . Oct. 1, 1916- Oct. 30, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence . Nov. 1, 1916- Nov. 29, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence . Dec. 1, 1916- Dec. 31, 1916 |
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Business Correspondence (Folder 1 of 2). Jan. 1, 1917- Jan. 31, 1917 |
Box 5 |
Business Correspondence (Folder 2 of 2). Jan. 1, 1917- Jan. 31, 1917
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1917- Feb. 28, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1917- Mar. 31, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 2, 1917- Apr. 30, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1917- May 30, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1917- June 30, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1917- July 31, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug, 1, 1917- Aug. 31, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1917- Sept. 30, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1917- Oct. 31, 1917 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1917- Nov. 31, 1917 |
Box 6 |
Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1917- Dec. 31, 1917
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1918- Jan. 31, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1918- Feb. 27, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1918- Mar. 29, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1918- Apr. 30, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. May 2, 1918- May 30, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1918- June 30, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1918- July 31, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug, 1, 1918- Aug. 31, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 2, 1918- Sept. 30, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1918- Oct. 29, 1918 |
Box 7 |
Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1918- Nov. 31, 1918
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 2, 1918- Dec. 31, 1918 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 4, 1919- Jan. 31, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1919- Feb. 28, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1919- Mar. 31, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 2, 1919- Apr. 30, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1919- May 30, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1919- June 30, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1919- July 31, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug, 1, 1919- Aug. 30, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 2, 1919- Sept. 30, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 2, 1919- Oct. 31, 1919 |
Box 8 |
Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1919- Nov. 30, 1919
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1919- Dec. 31, 1919 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1920- Jan. 29, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1920- Feb. 29, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1920- Mar. 31, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1920- Apr. 30, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1920- May 31, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1920- June 30, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1920- July 31, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 1, 1920- Aug. 31, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1920- Sept. 30, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1920- Oct. 31, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1920- Nov. 30, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1920- Dec. 31, 1920 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 3, 1921- Jan. 31, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1921- Feb. 28, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1921- Mar. 31, 1921 |
Box 9 |
Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1921- Apr. 30, 1921
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1921- May 31, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1921- June 30, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1921- July 31, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 1, 1921- Aug. 31, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1921- Sept. 30, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1921- Oct. 31, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1921- Nov. 30, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1921- Dec. 31, 1921 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1922- Jan. 31, 1922 |
Box 10 |
Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1922- Feb. 28, 1922
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1922- Mar. 31, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1922- Apr. 30, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. June 4, 1922- June 27, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1922- July 31, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 2, 1922- Aug. 31, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1922- Sept. 30, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1922- Oct. 31, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1922- Nov. 30, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1922- Dec. 31, 1922 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1923- Jan. 31, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1923- Feb. 28, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1923- Mar. 31, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1923- Apr. 29, 1923 |
Box 11 |
Business Correspondence. May 1, 1923- May 31, 1923
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1923- June 30, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. July 3, 1923- July 31, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 1, 1923- Aug. 31, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1923- Sept. 29, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1923- Oct. 31, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 5, 1923- Nov. 30, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1923- Dec. 31, 1923 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 4, 1924- Jan. 31, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 4, 1924- Feb. 29, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 2, 1924- Mar. 31, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 2, 1924- Apr. 31, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1924- May 30, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1924- June 30, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1924- July 31, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 1, 1924- Aug. 31, 1924 |
Box 12 |
Business Correspondence. Sept. 4, 1924- Oct. 30, 1924
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1924- Dec. 31, 1924 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1925- Feb. 28, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1925- Apr. 30, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1925- June 30, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1925- July 31, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 1, 1925- Aug. 31, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1925- Sept. 30, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1925- Oct. 31, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1925- Nov. 30, 1925 |
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Business Correspondence. Dec. 1, 1925- Dec. 31, 1925 |
Box 13 |
Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1926 - Jan. 31, 1926
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Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1926 - Feb. 27, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1926 - Mar. 31, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1926 - Apr. 30, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1926 - May 31, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1926 - June 30, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1926 - Aug. 31, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1926 - Dec. 31, 1926 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1927 - Jan. 31, 1927 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1926 - Oct. 30, 1926 |
Box 14 |
Business Correspondence. Feb. 1, 1927 - Mar. 31, 1927
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 3, 1927 - May 31, 1927 |
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Business Correspondence. June 1, 1927 - July 31, 1927 |
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Business Correspondence. Aug. 1, 1927 - Sept. 30, 1927 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1927 - Dec. 31, 1927 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1928 - Feb. 29, 1928 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1928 - Apr. 30, 1928 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1928 - June 30, 1928 |
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Business Correspondence. July 2, 1928 - Aug. 30, 1928 |
Box 15 |
Business Correspondence. Sept. 1, 1928 - Oct. 31, 1928
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Business Correspondence. Nov. 1, 1928 - Dec. 24, 1928 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 4, 1929 - Feb. 28, 1929 |
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Business Correspondence. Mar. 1, 1929 - Apr. 29, 1929 |
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Business Correspondence. May 1, 1929 - June 30, 1929 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1929 - Aug. 31, 1929 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 4, 1929 - Dec. 31, 1929 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 2, 1930 - Mar. 31, 1930 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 1, 1930 - June 30, 1930 |
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Business Correspondence. July 3, 1930 - Sept. 27, 1930 |
Box 16 |
Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1930 - Dec. 27, 1930
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 1, 1931 - Mar. 30, 1931 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 8, 1931 - June 30, 1931 |
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Business Correspondence. July 4, 1931 - Sept. 21, 1931 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 5, 1931 - Dec. 29, 1931 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 5, 1932 - Mar. 18, 1932 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 4, 1932 - June 30, 1932 |
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Business Correspondence. July 1, 1932 - Aug. 30, 1932 |
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Business Correspondence. Sept. 2, 1932 - Dec. 19, 1932 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 2, 1933 - Mar. 31, 1933 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 5, 1933 - June 26, 1933 |
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Business Correspondence. July 12, 1933 - Sept 30, 1933 |
Box 17 |
Business Correspondence. Oct. 2, 1933 - Dec. 31, 1933
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 3, 1934 - Mar. 29, 1934 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 4, 1934 - June 30, 1934 |
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Business Correspondence. July 3, 1934 - Sept. 30, 1934 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 1, 1934 - Dec. 26, 1934 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 2, 1935 - Mar. 23, 1935 |
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Business Correspondence. Apr. 2, 1935 - June 29, 1935 |
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Business Correspondence. July 2, 1935 - Sept. 27, 1935 |
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Business Correspondence. Oct. 3, 1935 - Dec. 29, 1935 |
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Business Correspondence. Jan. 3, 1936 - June 25, 1936 |
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Business Correspondence. July 13, 1936 - Jan. 28, 1937 |
