Newly Accessible Collections, April 2023

Below, you’ll find a list of materials in the Church History Catalog that are newly accessible. Consider, for example, the Clawson Film Company motion picture collection, circa 1915–1928 (AV 1063), a collection of brief motion pictures made by brothers Shirley and Chester Clawson, younger half-brothers of Elder Rudger Clawson (an Apostle) and grandsons of Brigham Young. Shirl and Chet, as they were known, made some of the first recorded motion pictures of Church leaders, locations, and events. Their work was dangerous: the nitrate-based film used in the early 20th century was explosively flammable. Tragically, the brothers’ studio was destroyed in a massive 1929 fire that killed Shirl and severely burned Chet, who barely survived the conflagration and never made another film. These are the surviving remnants of their work that the Church History Library has managed to find and salvage.

For some of these collections, login may be required to view them online. For more information on how the Church History Library determines access to materials, please see our access policy.

Newly digitized collections (previously open to research)

Local Record Collections

Buena Vista Ward history, circa 1978 (LR 1184 22)

Ha’akame Ward general minutes, 1913–1935, 1952–1973 (LR 3526 11)

Coyquen Branch annual historical reports, 1984 (LR 283614 3)

Las Camelias Branch annual historical reports, 1984 (LR 288527 3)

Yanai Branch manuscript history and historical reports, 1954, 1960–1983 (LR 10314 2)

Nuku’alofa West Stake Primary Association minutes and records, 1971–1972 (LR 6276 18)

Kumamoto Branch manuscript history and historical reports, 1968–1983 (LR 14932 2)

Samoa Mission publications, 1912, 1954–1968 (LR 7852 20)

Houma Ward manuscript history and historical reports, 1964–1983 (LR 3906 2)

Jordan 2nd Ward annual historical reports, 1983 (LR 167150 3)

Houma Ward Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association minutes and records, 1923–1973 (LR 3906 16)

Oneida Stake general minutes, 1884–1914, 1942, 1950–1976 (LR 6511 11)

Norway Oslo Mission manuscript history and historical reports, 1920–1977 (LR 6242 2)

Manuscript Collections

Raymond L. Goodson missionary papers, 1958–2007, bulk 1958–1963 (MS 23485)

Cleo Hulet mission papers, 1957–1986, bulk 1961–1963 (MS 30659)

Mervyn S. Bennion family papers, 1883–1991 (MS 29755)

Nauvoo Mayor pay order to John D. Lee, 1844 January 14 (MS 34617)

Karl G. Maeser letterpress copy books, 1888–1898 (MS 1259)

Church Record Collections

First Council of the Seventy roll, 1836 December 27 (CR 3 123)

Building Department administration block, circa 1940 (CR 103 366)

Print and Rare Collections

Invitation: all persons are respectfully invited to attend the Latter Day Saints’ meetings, to examine their publications, and to investigate their faith and doctrines (M200 I629 1850)

The Primary song book including marches and voluntaries (M285.25 P952v 1939)

Relief Society songs / compiled by Music Committee, General Board of Relief Society ; ed. By Wade Nesbitt Stevens (M285.22 R383 1940)

Combined statement, Utah State National Bank and Zion’s Savings Bank & Trust company (affiliated) of Salt Lake City, Utah. (332.1 U89c 1920)

A half-century of service: review of the first fifty years of financial activity of a pioneer institution (M252.4 Z798h)

Uniform system for teaching families flipchart (M256.1 C561uf supp. 1977)

Oral History Collections

Robert O. Davis interview: Salt Lake City, Utah, 2012 September 4, November 2, 12 (OH 5649)

Photograph Collections

Faun S. Black family photographs, 1901–1960 (PH 10304)

George Edward Anderson photographs, circa 1900–1927 (PH 12141)

Promontory, Utah stereoview, 1869 (PH 10946)

Missionary Department lantern slides, circa 1860–1927 (PH 2010)

Audiovisual Collections

Christmas on Temple Square, circa 1966 (AV 1324)

Clawson Film Company motion picture collection, circa 1915–1928 (AV 1063)

Newly opened collections (items are accessible in-person at the Church History Library and may be digitally accessible upon request)

Manuscript Collections

Lynn M. Haws collection, circa 1959–1974 (MS 13471)