THE WILLIAM McCORMICK PAPERS * GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The William McCormick Papers are a collection of papers that began during the latter part of the 18th century and reach down nearly
to the 20th century. They are named for William McCormick because most of them are centered around him and his family. Born in 1784, in the Maumee Valley, he was the oldest of eight children of Alexander McCormick and Elizabeth Turner McCormick. He took an active part in the affairs of Essex County. He settled with his parents in Colchester about 1795, was married in 1809, and had a family of twelve boys and girls. In 1834 he moved to Pelee Island, where he died in 1840.
His Wife, Mary Cornwall McCormick, survived him until 1891. All her life on the Island was spent at the "Old Point House". Here were accumulated the papers and letters relating to the family. On her death, her daughter, Sarah Ann McCormick, kept them, until her death in 1897. She left them to her niece, Charlotte Louise McCormick.
Some time between about 1912 and 1918, Charlotte went to live with her cousin, Mary Augusta McCormick Dixon (Mrs. George H.), and when she died in 1921, Mrs. Dixon became possessed of most of the papers.
Some of them, marked "For Maude", were taken by Maude McCormick Piritte (Mrs. Frederick W.), of Amherstburg, a sister of Mrs. Dixon, who now returns them. Others were contributed by Minnie McCormick Brown (Mrs. William), of Gleichen, Alberta, who died in 1939; who--had received them from Mrs. Dixon. The. four above named, Miss Charlotte-McCormick, Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Piritte, and Mrs. Brown are granddaughters of William McCormick. Still other papers came from two great grandson; Major Nelson Whitaker McCormick, of Grosse Pointe Village, and William Samuel McCormick, of Detroit.
These papers, together with some found-in historical libraries, will be
Presented with adequate explanation in "Parts". They will not be in chronological order, but each will--be complete in itself as far as possible. As this is to be primarily a "documentary -history", they will thus serve a double-purpose,-provide immediate information
in a readable form for the family and friends,"and present accurate--copies for the general historian.
The papers are mainly letters, but include Wills, Accounts, Commissions, Newspaper Articles, Diaries and similar matters. As the "Parts" appear, the original papers on which they are based, when owned, are deposited forever with the George F. Macdonald Historical-Collection, of the Windsor Public Library.- The Depositary Libraries for "Parts" are as follows.
Windsor The Macdonald Historical Collection, Windsor Public Library
Detroit The Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library
Amherstburg The Fort Malden Historical Museum
London The Lawson Memorial Library, University of Western Ontario
Ottawa Department of Public Records and Archives
Toronto The Toronto Reference Library
Pelee Island The Township Clerk
