Glenn Thompson Papers (MS-4)

The collection is arranged into two series. Series I, the largest of the two series spanning 11 Hollinger boxes, is arranged in alphabetical order. The series contains correspondence, speeches and speaking engagements, and news clippings, with the bulk of the series consisting of correspondence with news clippings and other documents interfiled. The correspondence files cover a wide spectrum of issues such as Montgomery County Historical Society events, activities of the Miami Conservancy District, lobbying activities, environmental issues, prevention of strip mining, the Burns-Jackson District, and others. The collection also contains personal correspondence between Glenn Thompson and former presidents Richard M. Nixon and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Materials in Series I date from 1948 to 1979.

Series II, the Zehrung Oral History, primarily consists of reel-to-reel tapes and copies in the form of audiocassette tapes. These, documenting the life story of Sam Zehrung and great gardens of Dayton, Ohio. The oral history was digitized and is available for listening (mp3 format) by requesting the E-Archives files in ms4_e0001. Mr. Thompson began interviewing Mr. Zehrung in 1979 and completed the project in 1982. While there are a number of cassette tape copies of the reel-to-reel tapes, there is no transcript of the oral history tapes. Along with the tapes, Mr. Zehrung provided Mr. Thompson a copy of a booklet he wrote for his descendants, “The Way I Remember, 1892 – On,” which recounts his life. The booklet, along with Mr. Thompson’s notes about the interviews, is included in the series. In addition, Glenn Thompson recorded his own memoir of his 9 ½ years working for the Journal Herald in Dayton, Ohio. The content from the two tape cassettes of the memoir dated Jan. 9, 1981, is available in mp3 format in the E-Archives (ms4_e0002). Materials in Series II date from 1978 to 1982.