Personal and business letters and notes, dating 1893-1910, written by George L. Phelps primarily while traveling in South America and Europe as an employee of Plano Manufacturing Company, an Illinois agricultural equipment company that was consolidated into International Harvester Company in 1902. Documented are Phelps' views on living conditions in rural and urban areas in Argentina, Chile, Italy, Romania, Holland, and other countries he visited; life aboard the ship on which he sailed from South America to Europe; his views on politics, religion, and religious movements in Europe; some limited business matters such as contract negotiations, selling patents, expense accounts, and commercial calls, as well as some descriptions of demonstrations of agricultural machines for the Plano Manufacturing Company. Included are a letter press book (1894-1897), a diary (1894-1895), and loose papers (1893-1910 and undated) consisting of poems, notes on religious themes, and letters to various family members including his son, daughters, and mother. Some letters appear to be duplicated in the letter press book and loose papers. Some of the letter press book pages are illegible.
