John E.T. Milsaps Collection:

An Inventory of his Records at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library (part 1 of 7)

Biographical Note

John Ephraim Thomas Milsaps - bibliophile, salvationist, traveler and diarist - was born in Houston, Texas on January 3, 1852. After leaving his home as a young man to seek his fortune in western mining, Milsaps joined the Salvation Army in 1883 and remained in its service until his retirement. Milsaps died in Houston on November 29, 1932. As a professional salvationist, Major Milsaps travelled widely in this country and abroad as a Salvation Army organizer and (San Francisco) WAR CRY editor. He was among the first representatives of the Army in Hawaii in the 1890's and was the army's spokesman in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War and the subsequent Filipino insurrection.

Scope and Contents

Along the way Major Milsaps kept a meticulous seventy-three volume diary which chronicles not only his army activities, but also a host of general observations useful to researchers. In addition, the Milsaps Papers contain extensive scrapbooks of personal and salvationist material, personal correspondence and an extensive photographic collections. Similarly, the papers contain a significant body of Salvation Army literature and ephemera unique in this country. When the only complete "run" of the WAR CRY in existence and Milsaps' personal library in Special Collections were added to the Milsaps collection holdings, it became one of the most significant bodies of Salvation Army materials in the United States.

Finally, the collection includes certain materials that may prove useful to researchers concerned neither with Milsaps personally or the Salvation Army in general. The Milsaps Papers contain, for example, the Major's collection of autographs, many of which bear on nineteenth century American politics, especially in the state of Ohio. Also in the collection is a group of scrapbooks dealing with such diverse topics as the Galveston Storm of 1900 and the San Francisco Earthquake. Of unusual interest too is the body of materials Major Milsaps collected in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War which may aid some scholars interested in that conflict or the subsequent insurrection. There is also an extensive collection of materials relating to the history of Slavery.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Access to vault materials is by appointment with Archives department.

Use Restrictions

None.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

John E. T. Milsaps Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Processing Information

The Japanese color prints were formerly shelved with the Milsaps books in the stacks. They were unfolded, repaired by Charles Arbore, and encapsulated.

The religious papers and journals were formerly listed under Series F (Miscellaneous), Box 2, "Evangelical Newspapers, ca. 1900." The Philippine newspapers were in the same box, but do not appear to be religious papers. The other items were formerly listed under Series F (Miscellaneous), Box 1, folders 8 ("Civil War Commission") and 9 (Miscellaneous Documents"). They have been taken out of folders, encapsulated and placed in the Map Case, along with the religious papers, the newspapers, the Japanese prints, the map of Milsap's travels, and the 1897 drawing of Milsaps made by Leon Boiller, and the photo of Milsaps in old age.

 John Milsaps Diaries, 1852-1930 

The Milsaps diaries were microfilmed as part of a cooperative effort between the Houston Metropolitan Research Center and the Salvation Army Archives in New York. As part of the project, the Salvation Army produced these microfilm copies for use by HMRC patrons.

Roll 1 -- Vols. 1-7, 1852-1899

Roll 2 -- Vols. 8-17, 1899-1902

Roll 3 -- Vols. 18-25, 1903-1905

Roll 4 -- Vols. 26-33, 1905-1909

Roll 5 -- Vols. 34-41, 1909-1912

Roll 6 -- Vols. 42-48, 1912-1915

Roll 7 -- Vols. 49-57, 1915-1921

Roll 8 -- Vols. 58-65, 1921-1927

Roll 9 -- Vols. 66-69, 1927-1930

Detailed Description