John F. Noble papers
Scope and Contents
Papers of John F. Noble include diaries and other materials related to journeys, his life in Oregon and Washington, and his business interests. The diaries consist of an incomplete overland diary, with a typescript transcription, documenting Noble's trip from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (April 9, 1849) to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (May 6, 1849) as a civilian traveling with the U.S. Mounted Rifle Regiment; an 1860 diary of a hunting trip from The Dalles, Oregon, along the Deschutes River; an 1864-1865 diary of a trip through Indian country, describing John M. Drake's expedition; and an 1865 diary that Noble kept at Camp Watson. Other papers in the collection include 1852 survey notes by George C. Bomford concerning The Dalles; quartermaster accounts, Fort Vancouver, Washington, 1853; election returns and other documents, 1855, of Walla Walla County, Washington Territory; Chinook vocabularies; papers, 1858-1861, of Noble & Scholl relating to stock raising near The Dalles; military papers, 1863-1866, of the 1st Oregon Cavalry Volunteers; and a summary of evidence and correspondence, 1898-1950, concerning the Indian depredation claim case of Brooke, Bomford & Company, a stock-raising firm near Walla Walla in which John F. Noble was a partner.
Dates
- 1849-1950
- Majority of material found within 1849-1900
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
John F. Noble was an Indian agent, stock rancher, and U.S. Army officer who lived in Oregon and Washington State. He came overland in 1849 from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as a civilian traveling with the U.S. Mounted Rifle Regiment. He was married to Catherine McIntosh at Fort Vancouver in 1851, and engaged in a stock raising enterprise near The Dalles, Oregon, with Louis Scholl.
Extent
0.45 Cubic Feet (1 document case)
Language of Materials
English
Chinook jargon
French
Abstract
Papers of an Indian agent, stock rancher, and Army officer of Oregon and Washington State. Includes an incomplete overland diary of 1849; an 1860 diary of a hunting trip on the Deschutes River; a diary of a trip of 1864-1865 through Indian country; survey notes; Chinook vocabulary; papers of Noble & Scholl relating to stock raising near The Dalles, Oregon; military papers; and papers regarding an Indian depredation claim by Brooke, Bomford and Company.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series 1: Diaries and notebooks, 1849-1865
- Series 2: General papers, 1855-1950
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of George T. Ritter, December 1962 (Lib. Acc. 9926).
Processing Information
Minor revisions to collection guide were made in October 2023 to conform to current standard.
- Brooke, Bomford & Company
- Chinook Wawa language -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.
- Deschutes River (Or.) -- Description and travel -- 19th century
- Diaries
- Drake, John M (John Miller), 1830-1913
- Indians of North America -- Languages -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.
- Livestock -- Oregon
- Livestock -- Washington (State)
- Military
- Noble, John F., 1828-approximately 1899 -- Diaries
- Oregon
- Pioneers
- Pioneers -- West (U.S.) -- Diaries
- Scholl, Louis, 1829-1911
- United States. Army. Oregon Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1866)
- Vancouver Barracks (Wash.) -- 19th century
- Walla Walla County (Wash.) -- 19th century
- Washington (State)
- West (U.S.) -- Description and travel -- 19th century
- correspondence
- diaries
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the John F. Noble papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Erica Goodwin and Geoff 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
- 2023-10-27: Revised to conform to current standard.
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