The Esther (Schell) Hornbacher Collection consists of books, correspondence, images, a valentine, business card, and other subject materials relating to Esther (Schell) Hornbacher. The collection dates from the early 1900s to the 1980s. The collection has been organized into four series: Book, Correspondence, Image, and Subject.

The Book Series contains four books, dating from 1909 to 1980. Three of the books are in German and one is in English. Inscribed in the first book [2003.10.01] are: “Edna Feil Glass; Mrs. Arthur Gross; Ashley, North Dakota; Esther Schell Hornbacker; and McClusky, North Dakota.”

The Correspondence Series is comprised of letters from the 1940s, 1960s, and the 1970s. All of the correspondence is incoming letters to Esther (Schell) Hornbacher. Most of them are in German. The majority of the letters are from 1942 to 1945 and are to Esther Schell at Jamestown College from Gottlieb Schell and Paul Schell of Picardville, North Dakota. The other letters from the 1960s and 1970s are to Esther (Schell) Hornbacher of Fargo from Mrs. Gottlieb Schell of McClusky, North Dakota.

The Image Series consists of one photographic postcard and two newspaper clippings. The photographic postcard is of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway Depot and Round House at Milbank, South Dakota. Written on the front of the postcard is “C. M. & St. P. Depot and Round House. Milbank, S.D.” German text is handwritten on the back of the postcard. One of the newspaper clipping images is of the old North Dakota Capital building. This image dates to before 1930. The second newspaper clipping image is of winter snow at Niagara Falls, New York.

The Subject Series contains items that relate to Esther (Schell) Hornbacher, the Schell family, or the Hornbacher family. The series includes a business card for a Swiss watch maker, a sheet with the English alphabet handwritten on it, and newspaper clippings about Paul Schell and 4-H Club. Also in the series is a German Valentine with English text that was presented to Emil Schell from Elsie Schell; a Hollerith punch card retained as receipt to donor Bill Hornbacher of McClusky, ND for CARE food package send to Hans Bartels, Hamburg dated 26 January 1954; and a North Dakota High School Completion Certificate for Esther Schell, dated 1940.