The Purpose and History of The BenHaven Archives

the benhaven archives

purpose
The BenHaven Archives is a multi-generational family repository of documents, images, audio-visual materials, and artifacts bearing primarily upon the history of the family and its members.

Digital materials published in the online holdings of the Archives serve the needs of family members, historians, genealogical researchers, as well as special interest communities for which collections in the Archives may be suited.

history
S. P. Young (1894-1972) assiduously kept letters, newspaper clippings, documents, photographs, and memorabilia throughout his life, and entrusted much of his collection to his son, Alfred R. Young (1919-2012), to granddaughter Sue Ann Strotman (1942-2005), and to Al R. Young, a grandson of S. P. Young and son of Alfred R. Young. Alfred also collected materials pertaining to his career and to the genealogical research in which he and his wife engaged. These sources, along with materials entrusted to Sue Ann, were eventually added to the Archives' core collections.

John L. Maas (1924-2001), an avid diarist and collector of original sources, was also a prolific landscape architect, researcher, teacher, and entrepreneur devoted to collecting primary materials bearing upon his career and genealogical endeavors.

Many other individuals and families have generously enhanced the Archives' holdings. For example, the family of Warren R. Stewart, Jr., contributed the extensive writings of their father and grandfather. Others include the family of James Mark Nelson and Frank Carney. Significant individual bequests include John W. Britton, Charles M. Montgomery, Walter Regehr, Miriam Pachacki, Raymond A. Patenaude, Jack W. Schwartz, Robert W. Phillips, Sandra van de Mortel, and others associated with Alfred Young&sapos;s war-time experiences.

In the early 1970s, Al began working on the infrastructure for a formal archive of original and secondary sources. Then, as part of his freelance career and the founding of Al Young Studios, the Archives has grown into the sister organization to the Studios.

Given this strong emphasis upon history and documentation, The BenHaven Archives is home to the growing collections of research and source materials pertaining to the ovuere of the Artists of Al Young Studios.

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