Complex sentence: For his Ph.d. he studied the collection of William Barnes (1860-1930) in Decatur, Illinois.That began a friendship with James Halliday McDunnough (1877-1962).
Split into simpler sentences: For his Ph.d. he studied the collection of William Barnes (1860-1930) in Decatur Illinois. That brought friendship with James Halliday McDunnough (1877-1962).