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Frederick Wallace Wilson family papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss 2167

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of papers by or belonging to Frederick W. Wilson (1872-1955); his father, Joseph Gardner Wilson (1826-1873); his mother, Elizabeth M. Wilson (1830-1913); and an ancestor, Alfred D. Wilson. Frederick W. Wilson's papers make up about half the collection, and include ledgers; property records; business papers and records, particularly relating to the Columbia Packing Company of The Dalles, Oregon, The Dalles, Deschutes & Portage Railroad and Navigation Company, and The Dalles Brick and Tile Company. His papers also include the transcript of proceedings at a tribute dinner in his honor, with an associated scrapbook. Papers of Joseph Gardner Wilson include account books, a ledger, and business records relating to his law practice. Papers of Elizabeth M. Wilson consist of correspondence, with information on the founding of schools in Oregon, and an account book, which also includes transactions by Frederick W. Wilson. Also included are incomplete handwritten memoirs of Alfred D. Wilson, probably written in the early 19th century.

Dates

  • Creation: 1856-1942

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

Joseph Gardner Wilson (1826-1873) came to Oregon in 1852 and later became an Oregon Supreme Court justice. He was elected to Congress in 1872 but died the following year in Ohio. His wife was Elizabeth Millar Wilson (1830-1913) and his son was Circuit Court Judge Frederick Wallace Wilson (1872-1955) of The Dalles, Oregon. Frederick W. Wilson was also the author of many historical works.

Extent

0.9 Cubic Feet (2 document cases)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection consists of papers of several members of the Wilson family, including Frederick Wallace Wilson (1872-1955) of The Dalles, Oregon, a Circuit Court judge and author; his father, Joseph Gardner Wilson (1826-1873), an Oregon Supreme Court justice; and his mother, Elizabeth Millar Wilson (1830-1913). Materials include account books; business papers and records relating to Joseph Gardner Wilson's law practice, the Columbia Packing Company, The Dalles, Deschutes & Portage Railroad and Navigation Company, and The Dalles Brick and Tile Company; property records; correspondence of Elizabeth Millar Wilson; and a transcript of proceedings from a tribute dinner for Frederick W. Wilson, with a related scrapbook. Also included are incomplete reminiscences by an ancestor, Alfred D. Wilson.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series: Series 1, Papers of Joseph G. Wilson and other family members; Series 2, Papers of Frederick Wallace Wilson.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gifts of the Wilson family, 1954-1970, and Elizabeth W. Buehler, March 1989 (Lib. Acc 19251).

Processing Information

Scrapbook and transcript of tribute dinner for Frederick W. Wilson were previously designated Mss 2167-1. Collection description was revised in July 2023 to make corrections and conform to current standard.

Title
Guide to the Frederick Wallace Wilson family papers
Status
Completed
Author
Collection processed by Pat Stiner; finding aid prepared by Geoffrey B. Wexler
Date
2006; revised 2023
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

  • 2023-07: Revised to correct errors and conform to current standard.

Repository Details

Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository

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