Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Biographical Sketch | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction

The Mamie and Bessie Nagel Collection (1934-1970) consists of forty one volumes; twenty composition notebooks and twenty one account ledgers. The composition books and ledgers include the personal and farm related financial records of Mamie and Bessie Nagel along with personal notes and journal entries dispersed throughout. The collection also includes legal information on an Easement case pertaining to the family farm.

The collection was donated to Center for Archival Collections at Bowling Green State University in 1998 by Lois Behm, the niece of Mamie and Bessie Nagel, whom they raised.

Compiled by Maryellen Jacks, April 2009.

 Biographical Sketch

Mamie was born on August 13, 1888 to William L. and Mary Nagel. Her sister Bessie was born on October 20, 1890. Mamie and Bessie had six other brothers and sisters. In 1935, the sisters began taking care of the young Lois Puehl, daughter of Florence Nagel and George Puehl. The sisters owned a 120 acre farm two miles east of Defiance, Ohio on Route 281. They remained single their entire lives and ran the farm together. Near the end of their lives, legal battles concerning Right of Way and Easement cases began. These cases led to the loss of the farm, based on Eminent Domain, to Defiance County. Bessie died in September 1970 and Mamie died in June of 1976.

 Scope and Content

The collection consists of composition books and ledgers likely written by Mamie Nagel, Bessie Nagel and perhaps their father William Nagel. Legal documents and maps relating to an easement case concerning the farm in Defiance are also included in the collection.

In terms of financial records, the ledgers and composition books include both personal and farm expenses. Personal entries in the ledgers include information such as dates guests were entertained by the sisters and dates that the sisters were entertained by others. Wedding dates, birthdays, and detailed entries of local deaths including dates, names, ages and in most cases, causes of death are also included in the back of most ledgers. Composition books included similar information as well as stories, poetry, sermon notes and addresses. Farm notes such as names and tasks of employers as well as breeding dates are also included in the composition books and ledgers.

A few family pictures along with a scrapbook of the easement case are also included in the collection.

 Series Description

SUBJECT FILES

FAMILY FILES
n.d.
Family information written by Lois Behm and Jean Zimmerman, Story of William Nagel, biography of Louis and Lois Behm’s marriage, photocopies of family photographs, list of birth and death dates of children of William C. and Mary Nagel

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

DIARIES
1934-1953
Arranged Chronologically
One ledger from 1910s-1930s and one ledger from 1934-1935 likely by William C. Nagel A collection of twenty composition notebooks written by Bessie Nagel arranged chronologically, with dates overlapping and with gaps (1937-1953). Records of personal and farm finances are kept in the notebooks along with personal stories, poems, recipes, home remedies, and information about the farm such as breeding schedules, planting tips and sale and purchase of animals. Also includes entries on church expenses.

DIARIES
1934-1971
Arranged Chronologically
Twenty one ledger books written by Mamie Nagel arranged chronologically, with dates overlapping and with gaps (1934-1971). Records of personal and farm finances are kept in the notebooks along with personal stories, poems, recipes, home remedies, and information about the farm such as breeding schedules, planting tips and sale and purchase of animals. Most volumes also include dates the sisters entertained guests and dates they were entertained by guests or attended local gatherings as well as records of dates of local and family weddings, birthdays and deaths. Entries about deaths include the date of death, name of individual, age when the person died and in many cases the cause of death.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

AGREEMENTS
1967-1969
Arranged chronologically
Appropriation of Easement case files and images Sewer Easement Case
documents and images

CONTRACTS
1952-1965
Arranged Chronologically
Right of Way papers from pipeline Easement papers from Toledo Edison

MAPS
1957-1969
Arranged chronologically
Map and plats of Nagel farm and surrounding land for Annexation and
construction of pipelines

WILLS
Bessie Nagel’s Last Will and Testament

SCRAPBOOKS

SCRAPBOOKS.
1956-1962, 1954-1961, 1959.
Arranged chronologically.
These scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, photographs, pamphlets, correspondence, bookmark, some materials are loose, scrapbooks are bound but the covers are not intact, one being oversized.

PRINTED MATERIALS

NEWSLETTERS—THE WOOD WIND.
1954-1961, 1962-1963, 1963-1964, 1976.
Arranged chronologically.
The newsletters give information on upcoming events, news concerning the organization, and special programs.

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES.
1954-1980.
Arranged chronologically.

PROGRAMS.
1954, 1969-1978.
Arranged chronologically.
These include installation programs regarding the installing of officers, special dinners and banquets.

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

SCRAPBOOK
Oversized scrapbook of news clippings pertaining to annexation information and struggle to keep Nagel farm safe from expansion of GM parkway. Wrapped

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

PHOTOGRAPHS
Scanned and printed images of Mamie, Bessie, Lois and the farm

 Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Family Files
2. Diary (Journal) 1910s-1930s
3. Diary (Journal) 1934-1935
4. Diary (Journal) 1934-1937
5. Diary (Journal) 1937
6. Diary (Journal) 1938
7. Diary (Journal) 1939-1940
8. Diary (Journal) 1940-1941
9. Diary (Journal) 1942

Box 2

Folder

1. Diary (Journal) 1943-1944
2. Diary (Journal) 1944-1945
3. Diary (Journal) 1945
4. Diary (Journal) 1945
5. Diary (Journal) 1946
6. Diary (Journal) 1946-1947
7. Diary (Journal) 1947
8. Diary (Journal) 1948
9. Diary (Journal) 1948-1949
10. Diary (Journal) 1950-1951
11. Diary (Journal) 1950-1952
12. Diary (Journal) 1950-1953

Box 3

Folder

1. Diary (Journal) 1934-1935, 1948-1950
2. Diary (Journal) 1947-1949
3. Diary (Journal) 1940
4. Diary (Journal) 1951-1969
5. Diary (Journal) 1951
6. Diary (Journal) 1952
7. Diary (Journal) 1953
8. Diary (Journal) 1953-1961
9. Diary (Journal) 1954

Box 4

Folders

1. Diary (Journal) 1955
2. Diary (Journal) 1956
3. Diary (Journal) 1957
4. Diary (Journal) 1958-1959
5. Diary (Journal) 1958-1970
6. Diary (Journal) 1959

Box 5

Folder

1. Diary (Journal) 1960
2. Diary (Journal) 1960-1963
3. Diary (Journal) 1963-1965
4. Diary (Journal) 1966-1970
5. Diary (Journal) 1967-1969
6. Diary (Journal) 1969-1970
7. Diary (Journal) 1970-1971

Box 6

Folder

1. Appropriation of Easement Case Folder 1967
2. Sewer Easement Appraisal 1969
3. Right of Way Papers 1952, 1962
4. Easement Papers, Official Letters 1965
5. Plat Survey for Proposed Natural Gas Pipeline 1957
6. Plat of Property to be Appropriated 1967
7. Aerial photo map of Nagel Farm 1969
8. Plat Survey by General Motors Land Lateral 1969
9. Bessie Nagel, Last Will and Testament 1959
10. Photographs of Family and Farm 1945-1994

Wrapped Oversized Materials

1. Scrapbook of newspaper clippings pertaining to Defiance Annexation and Easement of Farm

Manuscripts by Subject | Agriculture Collections | Women's Studies Collections