ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202
COLLECTION: OGL #1480
DATES: 1848-2004 [Bulk dates 1848-1913]
SIZE: .25 linear feet
ACQUISITION: The Thomas Kenmir Papers was deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Ron and Karen Wolfson, Nevada City, California, on November 10, 2004 (Acc.#2004-2719).
ACCESS: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.
Thomas Kenmir was born May 14, 1834 in County Durham, England, to William and Isabella (Atkinson) Kenmir. He worked as an iron moulder while in England. He married Isabella Cockburn, and they had seven children: John, Barbara, Isabella, Thomas Hay, Elizabeth "Lily", Nicholas, and one stillborn male. Isabella died in 1870. Thomas then married Mary (Collingwood) Pearson on September 17, 1871. Thomas and Mary had two children, Edith and Edward, before deciding to immigrate to America on August 29, 1878. The Kenmir family settled in Grand Forks Dakota Territory on September 19, 1878 and farmed land near Ojata. Mary Kenmir died February 21, 1908, and Thomas Kenmir remained in Grand Forks until he died on September 3, 1913.
The Thomas Kenmir Papers date from 1848-2004 with the bulk of material dating from 1848- 1913. The majority of this collection contains photocopies of Thomas Kenmir's personal journals. These journals date from 1848-1913, were written in English, and were divided into six volumes by Karen Wolfson. The journal entries usually consist of one to two lines highlighting the day such as the birth of a child or an illness in the family, correspondence he sent and received, visitors and guests that came, and his trip from England to America. He usually wrote a journal entry every two to three days.
Volume I was written during Thomas Kenmir's time in England, Volume II was written during time in the Grand Forks Dakota Territory, and Volume III was written at John Dinnie's farm in Emerado, Grand Forks County. Volumes IV and V were written while he resided at 614 Walnut Street, Grand Forks, and Volume VI was written while he lived at 918 Walnut Street, Grand Forks.
Also included in this collection is a photocopied journal written by Thomas and Mary Kenmir's only son, Edward. His journal was also written in English and consists of one to two lines highlighting events of the day especially the weather. He also writes about gifts and correspondence he received, and when he went to town. Entries in the journal were made every other day.
The collection also consists of Kenmir family history documents including a family tree, copies of Thomas and Mary Kenmir's death certificates, copies of Thomas Kenmir's citizenship papers, and three homestead certificates. There is also an interview by Benjamin Rinde with Thomas and Isabella Kenmir's fourth child, Thomas Hay. The interview was part of the Work Projects Administration's Pioneer Biography Files.
Box 1
Folder
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