The Kellogg collection is organized as biographical material, diaries, correspondence, financial records, and miscellany.
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL consists of clippings about Kellogg, genealogical information about the Kellogg family, and The Narrative of Geo. J. Kellogg from 1849-1915, a printed memoir of his Gold Rush experiences, together with some brief recollections of his early life in Wisconsin.
Among the DIARIES is the volume from which these recollections were extracted. However, the original journal contains only brief entries written in nearly illegible handwriting. Fortunately, entries in the later diaries are both somewhat longer and generally easier to read. The later diaries also reveal Kellogg's scientific interest in recording weather conditions. Forms filed with the miscellaneous papers suggest that Kellogg may have collected weather data in a systematic way for the Smithsonian Institution. A portion of Kellogg's diary entries have been published on microfilm by University Microfilms and are available in the Historical Society Library (P77-592, 593).
The CORRESPONDENCE consists of general files, which contain fragmentary references to his nursery business and letters to Kellogg or Mrs. Kellogg from various members of his family. Of special interest in the family papers is the correspondence from Samuel Lewis to Mrs. Kellogg concerning his financial difficulties both in New York State and after migrating to the West. It seems likely that Lewis attempted to improve his economic condition by enlisting in the military during the late 1850's, but only a few letters deal with this aspect of his life. Also filed here are clippings concerning Lewis' death in 1886 and a notebook for a business, apparently a general mercantile store, operated by Lewis in Oswego, New York, in 1846. Also with the correspondence is a file of letters written to Frances Platt, a teacher and Rock County resident. It is not clear why these letters are included in the Kellogg collection, but it is likely that she was a cousin. Of special note among her letters, the majority of which were written by former school friends, is a 1849 proposal of marriage from Anderson Benson. The letter was written while Benson was en route to the California gold fields and he describes conditions witnessed in Salt Lake City. Also filed with the family papers is a published biography (1869) of Dr. D. B. Kellogg, whose relation to George Kellogg is also unclear.
The MISCELLANY includes eleven address, memoranda, and notebooks dating from 1851 to 1918 which contain notations on weather, mail received, and other information. The notebooks are generally difficult to read. Also included are records for property apparently owned by Kellogg at some time, a few printed advertisements issued by the Kellogg Nursery, and some forms on which Kellogg carefully recorded his weather observations for the Smithsonian Institution.
