Samuel R. Thurston and Elizabeth Thurston papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of the papers of Samuel R. Thurston, the papers of his wife, Elizabeth Thurston (spelled "Elisabeth" in some sources, and later Elizabeth Odell), and a property deed relating to their children. The bulk of the collection relates to Samuel R. Thurston's political career as a delegate for the Oregon Territory in the U.S. Congress, and includes correspondence from constituents and his speeches. Correspondents include John Adair, Jesse Applegate, Wilson Blain, William P. Bryant, Asahel Bush, Anson Dart, William H. Gray, Lafayette Grover, William Harkness, David Hill, Hezekiah Johnson, William King, Hall J. Kelley, Joseph Lane, Asa L. Lovejoy, James W. Nesmith, Samuel Parker, Josiah L. Parrish, William B. Preston, Nicholas Shrum, Henry H. Spalding, J. Q. Thornton, and others. Thurston's papers also include transcribed versions of his diary entries, his personal correspondence to Elizabeth Thurston, and documents relating to his death in 1851.
The bulk of other family papers in this collection relate to Elizabeth Thurston, and include correspondence, her biography of Samuel R. Thurston, an essay, and a speech. The Thurstons' children, George Henry Thurston and Elizabeth Blandina Thurston (later Elizabeth Blandina Stowell), are represented through an 1867 property deed made out to them.
Dates
- 1838-1887
- Majority of material found within 1849-1851
Creator
- Thurston, Samuel Royal, 1816-1851 (Person)
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
Samuel Royal Thurston was born in 1816 in Monmouth, Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1832, and was admitted to the Maine bar in 1844. He came to Oregon City in 1847, and opened a law office there. In 1848, he was elected to the Oregon provisional legislature, and then was appointed as the Oregon Territory's delegate to the U.S. Congress. As a delegate, Thurston helped pass the Oregon Donation Land Law in 1850. The law allowed white U.S. citizens to claim acreage in the Oregon Territory, the amount determined by whether they arrived before or after 1850. This attracted additional Euro-American emigrants to Oregon who displaced the region's Indigenous peoples.
While serving as a delegate, Thurston recruited Asahel Bush (1824-1913) to publish a newspaper, the Oregon Statesman, with the goal that the newspaper help to further Thurston's political career. Thurston also tasked Bush with organizing the Democratic Party in the Oregon Territory.
In 1845, Thurston married Elizabeth McLench (1816-1890, later Elizabeth Odell, and in some sources spelled as "Elisabeth"). The couple had two children: George Henry Thurston (1846-1927), and Elizabeth Blandina Thurston (1849-1904, later Elizabeth Blandina Stowell).
Thurston died on April 9, 1851, off the coast of Acapulco, Mexico, while traveling back to Oregon from Washington, D.C. Initially buried in Mexico, his body was brought to Oregon and reburied there in 1853.
Sources: Corning, Howard McKinley, editor, "Dictionary of Oregon History," 2nd edition, 1989; "Salem Clique," by Barbara Mahoney, Oregon Encyclopedia, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/salem-clique/#.Yp9xbqjMIuU; "Oregon Donation Land Law," by William G. Robbins, Oregon Encyclopedia, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/oregon_donation_land_act/#.Yp9zU6jMIuU.
Biographical Note
Elizabeth Odell (1816-1890) was born as Elizabeth McLench (sometimes written as "McClench"). She married Samuel R. Thurston in 1845. After Thurston's death, she remarried to William H. Odell (1830-1922) in 1855. Although most sources spell her first name as "Elizabeth," her gravestone and obituary in the Salem Capital Journal spell it as "Elisabeth."
Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; obituary in the Salem Capital Journal, April 1, 1890.
Extent
0.5 Cubic Feet (1 legal document case; 2 reels of microfilm)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Papers of Samuel R. Thurston (1816-1851) and his wife, Elizabeth Thurston (1816-1890, later Elizabeth Odell), and a property deed relating to their children, George Henry Thurston (1846-1927) and Elizabeth Blandina Thurston (1849-1904, later Elizabeth Blandina Stowell). Papers include correspondence, Samuel R. Thurston's diary, and speeches by Samuel R. Thurston. Thurston was a delegate from the Oregon Territory to U.S. Congress, and helped pass the Oregon Donation Land Law in 1850; he died en route while returning to Oregon from Washington, D.C., in 1851.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in two series: Series 1. Samuel R. Thurston papers; Series 2. Elizabeth Thurston papers and children's property deed.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
A significant portion of this collection was gift of the Alfred W. Stowell estate between 1906 and 1913 (RL2022-072-RETRO). Some of Thurston's speeches were acquired from 1901 to 1908 (RL2022-073-RETRO, RL2022-078-RETRO, RL2022-079-RETRO).
Existence and Location of Originals
Original of Elizabeth Odell's biography of Samuel R. Thurston is held at the Bancroft Library, Berkeley, California. Originals of August 25, 1850 letter from William H. Gray and October 21, 1850 letter from J. Quinn Thornton are held at the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Seattle, Washington.
Existence and Location of Copies
The Samuel R. Thurston and Elizabeth Thurston papers are also available on Mss 379 Microfilm, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Processing Information
Collection was reprocessed in 2022. Materials were rearranged, the collection and folders were given new titles, and description was updated to conform to current standard. Collection was previously titled "Thurston family papers."
- American newspapers -- Oregon -- 19th century
- Diaries
- Legislators -- Oregon -- 19th century
- McLoughlin, John, 1784-1857
- Odell, Elizabeth, 1816-1890
- Oregon Territory -- Politics and government
- Politics and Politicians
- Thurston family
- Thurston, Samuel Royal, 1816-1851
- United States. Congress (31st, 1st session : 1849-1850)
- correspondence
- diaries
- speeches (documents)
Creator
- Thurston, Samuel Royal, 1816-1851 (Person)
- Odell, Elizabeth, 1816-1890 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Samuel R. Thurston and Elizabeth Thurston papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Todd Welch and Marianna Symeonides; revised by Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2011; revised 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2022: Revised to conform to current standards.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org