Most of this correspondence is from or to Roy G. Fitzgerald.
January 5, 1951
To Mrs. Mary E. Schantz.
Mr. Fitzgerald is telling Mrs. Schantz that she and two other individuals are appointed committee members to prepare a memorial service for Alice Hall.
May 18, 1951
To Richard L. Withrow.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking for a dozen copies of the stationery that contains 64 names of the Log Cabin Committee for the 100th anniversary of Dayton, headed by Judges Charles W. Dustin and Owen B. Brown.
Below there is a note to Mrs. Schantz saying that he is trying to get the copies for her.
May 29, 1951
From Joseph W. Schantz, Dayton, Ohio.
Apparently Mr. Fitzgerald had asked Mr. Schantz to help Miles S. Kuhns write a Resolution for the Society and Mr. Schantz is submitting it to Miles S. Kuhns. The resolution deals with a request for a $10,000 tax appropriation from the County Commissioners.
Note:
Copy of this Resolution not attached.
June 27, 1951
To the Board of County Commissioners, Courthouse, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking for tax appropriation for the Dayton Historical Society. He defines the needs of the Newcom Tavern and the importance of preserving it with its relics.
June 27, 1951
To Mrs. Adam Schantz.
Apparently, Mrs. Schantz had resigned from her responsibilities at the Newcom Tavern and everyone is missing her during meetings.
June 28, 1951
To the Senator (probably Miles S. Kuhns).
Mr. Fitzgerald is thanking him for sending the Resolution for the County Commissioners and is returning it to the secretary for filing.
June 28, 1951
To Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Fitzgerald is appointing Mr. Kuhns as Chair of the County Commissioners Committee for the hearing on the application for funds.
July 25, 1951
From Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Kuhns informs Mr. Fitzgerald of the day that the County Commissioners will meet. Same letter is sent to: William M. Pettit and Joseph W. Schantz.
August 17, 1951
To Mr. Nelson S. Talbott, Jr., Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking Mr. Nelson to write to the County Commissioners expressing the hope that some grant in taxes under the law may be made to the Dayton Historical Society.
Same letter is being sent to Mr. Albert Horstman.
August 17, 1951
To Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Fitzgerald is thanking Mr. Kuhns for sending a receipt showing the balance of the Fred Beaver Trust Fund and thinks that a tax appropriation is a good idea.
August 17, 1951
From J. A. Mendelson, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Mendelson is the Superintendent of the Dayton State Hospital and is offering to Mr. Fitzgerald three items from the hospital for the Montgomery County Historical Society that the State Historical Society considered to be of historical value.
August 21, 1951
To the Honorable James M. Cox.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking Mr. Cox to help the appropriation of a tax fund to carry on historical work such as keeping the Log Cabin open all year instead of a few months in the summer and to have regular exhibits since they have a lot of relics and they are still acquiring them from different donors.
August 22, 1951
Similar letter as the one above was sent to Mr. Louis G. Battelle and the Honorable Jesse Yoder, both in Dayton, Ohio.
August 22, 1951
From J. M. Cox.
Mr. Cox received Mr. Fitzgerald's letter and replies that he'll pass the word to the Commissioners and believes that this will be done.
August 22, 1951
From Albert A. Horstman.
Apparently, Mr. Fitzgerald wrote to Mr. Horstman also for the appropriation of a tax fund for the Dayton Historical Society and he informs him that he'll bring this to the attention of the County Commissioners.
December 6, 1951
To Mrs. Helen Gebhart.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking for genealogical information on the Gebhart family or families for the Public Library.
December 27, 1951
To Members of a Committee.
Alva Fox, Mr. and Mrs. A. Luther Devers, William J. Hamilton, Miles S. Kuhns, Louis G. Batelle, Louis Korber, Charles E. Dowdell, Edwin S. Chamberlin.
All of the above are appointed to a committee to which County Commissioner Harry J. Munger will give a presentation; Mr. Fitzgerald wants to make sure that there will be good attendance.
March 26, 1952
To Dr. Ora B. Kneisly.
Mr. Fitzgerald is returning a book on the Kneisly family to be used as a model for others on family records.
May 31, 1952
From Doris G. White to Miles S. Kuhns.
Mrs. Josephine S. White is inviting Mr. Kuhns to a luncheon given by the "Old Court House Memorial Chapel Committee" at Gibbons Hotel for an important meeting.
June 4, 1952
To Mrs. Doris White.
Mr. Kuhns replies to Mrs. Josephine S. White and tells her he'll be unable to attend the luncheon, but he hopes to work together for the plans for establishing the Old Court House into the Montgomery County Historical Museum.
Note:
This is the first reference in this collection to the conversion of the Old Court House into a museum.
June 7, 1952
From Doris White to Miles S. Kuhns.
Mrs. Josephine S. White is sorry that Mr. Kuhns is not able to attend the luncheon and informs him of all the ideas she has. She wants to propose writing and producing a pageant of "One Hundred Years of Courthouse History" and needs the help of many committees to realize this.
June 10, 1952
From S. C. Allyn, National Cash Register Company.
Apparently Mr. Fitzgerald wrote to Mr. Allyn at National Cash Register and asked for support for the appropriation. He is very supportive.
June 13, 1952
To Hon. Chas. J. Brennan.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking Mr. Brennan to help get posts of the American Legion behind the movement organized by Mrs. Doris G. White to help preserve the Old Court House. In 1953 Ohio's Sesquicentennial Celebration will take place and the 50th Anniversary of the Orville Wright's first flight in an airplane. They want to ask about the $6,000,000 bond issue.
June 13, 1952
To Mr. Harry L. Munger.
Mr. Fitzgerald is enclosing the letter from Mr. Allyn of NCR indicating his approval for a $6,000,000 bond issue.to build a new courthouse. Mr. Munger also asks him if he agrees that advantage should be taken of the Sesquicentennial Celebration to make the bond successful.
June 18, 1952
To Doris White.
Mr. Fitzgerald is sending a check for expenses of the Committee.
June 18, 1952
To Mr. Erwin C. Zepp, Columbus, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking Mr. Zepp, Director of the State Museum, if the local plans for a pageant and parade can be coordinated with the state-wide plan. Also he is complaining that the U. S. Post Office Department is refusing to issue a stamp for the 50th anniversary of the Wright Brothers first airplane flight.
June 23, 1952
To the Senator (probably Miles S. Kuhns).
A thank you note from Mr. Fitzgerald for the resolution for the County Commissioners.
June 25, 1952
To Mr. J. Richard Lawill, Columbus, Ohio.
Apparently Mr. Lawill had written a letter to the City Manager for the gift that was given by Jefferson Patterson to the old homestead and wishes that this letter would be sent to the editor of the Dayton Daily News.
June 25, 1952
To Mrs. Doris G. White.
Mr. Fitzgerald notes that Mrs. Josephine S. White has been hurt by Mr. Wilbur Cotton of the National Cash Register Company, who has apparently belittled her efforts; Mr. Fitzgerald tries to encourage her and is telling her that she should march to success for all the Sesquicentennial preparations.
July 3, 1952
To Mrs. J. Burlin Johnson, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking Mrs. Johnson to become a member of the Society and tries to ensure her that whatever Mr. Kuhns said, he didn't intend to offend her.
July 7, 1952
From Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Kuhns assures Mr. Fitzgerald that he thought he had a harmonious conversation with Mrs. Johnson on the phone. He is telling him also that the Junior Chamber of Commerce is interested in participating in the celebration of 1953.
July 7, 1952
To Phillip J. Ebeling, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald informs Mr. Ebeling that he heard that a bond issue vote for a new courthouse may go on the ballot. He insists the Old Court House should be preserved and wants them to defer the bond vote until next year.
Below there is a note from Roy G. Fitzgerald, asking Miles S. Kuhns to attend the County Commissioners Conference.
July 14, 1952
From J. M. Cox.
The Building Commission approved the bond issue imposing the condition that the Old Court House will be kept for cultural purposes. At the bottom a note from Mr. Fitzgerald to Mr. Kuhns, asking if Mr. Kuhns does like Governor Lausche and his State Commission.
July 15, 1952
To Mr. J. Douglas Lorenz, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is asking for information about one of Mr. Lorenz's professors at Cornell (no name mentioned) who had favorable comments about the Old Court House. Mr. Fitzgerald wants to include the professor and his comments in a memorandum.
July 17, 1952
From Douglas Lorenz.
Mr. Lorenz gives the information to Mr. Fitzgerald about the deceased professor from the College of Architecture at Cornell University, Albert Phelps, who was an authority on the subject. He had visited Dayton and described the Old Court House in his lectures as one of the finest examples of classic architecture in America.
July 29, 1952
To Mr. William E. Blommel, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is thanking Mr. Blommel for sending him a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence. He wants to know how the Old Court House would look once it is cleaned and if he knows somebody who can do the work.
August 7, 1952
To Mr. Wilbur C. Cotton.
Apparently, the Old Court House Memorial Chapel Committee is going to have a dinner to promote preservation of the Old Court House, and Mr. Cotton is providing a list of the guests. He also brings to his attention that in the Ohio State University monthly paper, under Ohio architecture, the Old Court House was second as the finest building in America. At the bottom a note from Roy G. Fitzgerald to Miles S. Kuhns says that he's not discouraged that Mr. Kuhns doesn't answer any of his notes.
December 9, 1952
From Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr.Kuhns informs Mr. Fitzgerald that the Junior Chamber of Commerce of the State has sponsored the project of having a Miss Ohio selected for the purpose of the Sesquicentennial Celebration and the Dayton Junior Chamber has been named to select one from Dayton. The Chair of the Dayton Sub-Committee needs the cooperation of the Dayton Historical Society. Miles S. Kuhns remarks that Mr. Fitzgerald has an "undoubted eye for matters of this nature."
December 11, 1952
To Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Fitzgerald is very supportive of all the suggestions that are being made by the Sesquicentennial Committee and modestly admits to being an "outstanding connoisseur of feminine pulchritude."
January 7, 1953
From Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Kuhns informs Mr. Fitzgerald that an appropriation bill has been introduced in the State Legislature for the Celebration of the Sesquicentennial and that fifty million dollars has been allocated to Montgomery County for the International Air Races. He wants members of the Historical Society to write letters to the State Legislators of Ohio supporting the bill.
March 12, 1953
To Robert K. Landis.
Mr. Fitzgerald expresses his intent to fight an inheritance tax of $70 assessed on a gift of $1000 to the Dayton Historical Society from the estate of Mary E. Schantz. In lieu of the fight, he would accept a contribution of $60 from the law firm of Landis et at.
Attached:
Undated
From Landis et al.
This letter is to determine the Ohio Inheritance Tax for the estate of Mary E. Schantz, deceased.
June 23, 1954
From Miles S. Kuhns to Mrs. A. H. Dunham.
The Historical Society is seeking reimbursement from the Fred Beaver Trust Fund for some work done on the Newcom Tavern, and Mr. Kuhns is enclosing a check for her endorsement.
December 27, 1954
To Mr. Walter Pearson, Troy, Ohio.
Mr. Fitzgerald is giving biographical information about Colonel Israel Ludlow.
February 7, 1955
From Miles S. Kuhns to Mrs. D. D. Bickham.
Mr. Kuhns is enclosing a check for J. A. Sibert for work that he did on Newcom Tavern.
June 18, 1956
From Robert J. Kelly to Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Kelly has secured a release of the Fred Beaver Trust Fund from the estate of Constance H. Dunham.
Note:
Mrs. A. H. Dunham, had been a trustee of the fund.
June 22, 1956
From Miles S. Kuhns to Robert J. Kelly.
Mr. Kuhns informs Mr. Kelly that the executor's signature on the debit slip is necessary.
October 17, 1956
From Miles S. Kuhns to Mrs. D. D. Bickham.
He is enclosing an account of the Fred Beaver Trust Fund.
October 17, 1956
From Miles S. Kuhns to Robert J. Kelly.
Mr. Kelly was able to secure a consent of the Tax Commission as to the interest for the Fred Beaver Trust Fund for the Newcom Tavern, but the Gem City Savings Association, where the money is deposited, requires a certified copy of the court order. Mr. Kuhns is willing to prepare an application.
October 18, 1956
From Robert J. Kelly to Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Kelly replies to Mr. Kuhns in reference to the Fred Beaver Trust Fund and also to Dunham Estate and is willing to assist him in clearing matters up.
October 19, 1956
From Miles S. Kuhns to Mr. Robert J. Kelly.
Mr. Kuhns is enclosing an application to Mr. Kelly.
October 22, 1956
From Robert J. Kelly to Miles S. Kuhns.
Mr. Kelly took care of everything pertaining to the estate of Constance H. Dunham with reference to the Fred Beaver Trust Fund and is enclosing a certified copy.
June 10, 1957
From Miles S. Kuhns to Delscamp Point and Glass Company.
Mr. Kuhns sends a check for material furnished for the Newcom Tavern.
June 10, 1957
From Miles S. Kuhns to Joseph Sibert, Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Kuhns sends a check for work done on the Newcom Tavern.
August 27, 1958
From Miles S. Kuhns to Roy G. Fitzgerald.
Mr. Kuhns gives a final report to the Dayton Historical Society of the Fred Beaver Trust Fund. The balance remaining of $352.98 was spent on preservation and restorative work performed by the William E. Reynolds Company, to whom there is a balance due of $247.02. Mr. Kuhns recommends that this be paid by the Society.
August 27, 1958
From Miles S. Kuhns to Wm. E. Reynolds Company.
Mr. Kuhns is sending a check for $352.98 for work done on the Newcom Tavern. A statement of the balance of $247.02 has been sent to the Society.
[1950 or 1953?]
Description of a Centennial Dinner Plate issued by the Dayton and Montgomery County Historical Societies, Wm. M. Pettit, Chair, Plate Committee.
[August 1951]
Author unknown, but probably Miles S. Kuhns.
Note regarding a meeting with the County Commissioners held on August 2, attended by Fitzgerald, Sharts, Pettit, Battelle, Dowdell and the author. There is a question as to whether they will get an appropriation.
September 14, l994
Bambakidis, Elli. "Biographical Information on Mr. Miles Standish Kuhns." Oral History Report. (Tape and transcript are included; also a copy of the tape is catalogued in Dayton Collection Room).