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F. X. Matthieu papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss1091

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the collection consists of ledgers from a goods store managed by F. X. Matthieu in Butteville, Oregon. The ledgers list customers' names, items sold, and prices. Other items of note in the collection include correspondence; a list, compiled by Matthieu, of settlers who voted against the formation of a provisional government at the 1843 Champoeg Meetings; and the text of a memorial address for Matthieu delivered by Charles B. Moores.

Dates

  • Creation: 1850-1914

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Biographical Note

Francois Xavier Matthieu was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1818. Following his participation in a French-Canadian rebellion against British rule in 1837, he fled to the United States, eventually making his way to the Oregon Territory in 1842. In May 1843, he participated in meetings that were held at Champoeg, Oregon, to determine whether or not to form a provisional government. Decades later, Matthieu's recollections were used to determine the site of a memorial dedicated to the meetings.

Matthieu attempted to make money in the California Gold Rush in 1849, but these efforts proved unsuccessful. He filed a Donation Land Claim in Marion County, Oregon, and founded the town of Butteville in 1851. He operated a general goods store in Butteville during the 1850s and 1860s. Matthieu was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives as a Democratic representative of Marion County in 1874 and 1878. He was also the first president of the Oregon Pioneer Association.

Matthieu married Rosalie Aussaunt in 1844, and the couple had 15 children. He lived in Portland, Oregon, in his later years. Matthieu died in February 1914 at the home of one of his daughters in Butteville. At the time of his death, he was the longest-surviving participant of the Champoeg Meetings.

Extent

0.9 Cubic Feet (2 legal document cases)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Ledgers from a store that F. X. Matthieu (1818-1914) ran in Butteville, Oregon. The collection also includes other papers of and relating to Matthieu, who was a French-Canadian migrant to Oregon and the longest-surviving participant of the 1843 Champoeg Meetings.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acquired before 1971 (RL2019-107-RETRO).

General

Collection was titled "Francis Xavier Matthieu papers" prior to August 2019.

Title
Guide to the F. X. Matthieu papers
Status
Completed
Date
2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository

Contact:
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240