Blossom family papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of four sets of records: account books of James Monroe Blossom's store in Boise, Idaho, 1864-1866; account books of James Monroe Blossom, Jr., detailing grocery and clothing sales in Douglas County, Oregon, 1871-1873; a ledger of mining claims in Jackson County, Oregon, 1853-1856; and docket books from an unidentified Oregon circuit court, probably that of Jackson County, dating from 1861-1881. The connection between the court records and the Blossom family is unclear, but they may have been kept by James Monroe Blossom, Jr. when he served as a law clerk. Also included is an account book of 1855-1857 that includes details on the sale of apples; letters of recommendation for Robert Blossom, 1896-1897; and various membership certificates.
Dates
- Creation: 1853-1929
Creator
- Blossom family (Family)
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
James Monroe Blossom (1817-1891) was a native of Monmouth, Maine, and a descendant of passengers on the Mayflower. After living in Ohio, he came overland to Oregon with his wife and children in 1852 or 1853, settling in Portland and eventually entering the hardware business with E. J. Northrup. He served on the City Council in 1857. In 1864, he moved to Boise, Idaho, where he ran a general mercantile store. He died in Portland in 1891.
Blossom's son, James Monroe Blossom, Jr., was born in 1853 and came overland to Oregon from Indiana with his parents. Growing up in Portland, he attended law school and worked as a law clerk. Due to a lung condition, he moved to Hood River, Oregon, in 1891, then farmed a 40-acre tract nearby until 1910. He accumulated a substantial book collection, which he left to Hood River County library, the state library, and the Oregon State Penitentiary after his death in 1918.
Sources: "Portland, Oregon: its history and builders," by Joseph Gaston (Chicago and Portland: S. J. Clarke, 1911), vol. II, p. 723-725; "J. M. Blossom was unique character," Hood River Glacier, August 1, 1918; "Blossom Estate Closed," Oregonian, July 24, 1919.
Extent
1.2 Cubic Feet (3 document cases, 1 oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Collection includes account books of James Monroe Blossom (1817-1891) from a general mercantile store at Boise, Idaho, 1864-1866; account books of James Monroe Blossom, Jr. (1853-1918), relating to grocery and clothing sales in Douglas County, Oregon, 1871-1873; docket books from an unidentified Oregon circuit court, probably that of Jackson County, 1861-1881; and a ledger of mining claims in Jackson County, Oregon, 1853-1856.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series:
- Series 1: Circuit Court records, 1861-1881
- Series 2: Financial records, 1855-1873
- Series 3: General materials, 1853-1929
Subject
- Blossom family (Family)
- Blossom, James Monroe, 1817-1891 (Person)
- Blossom, James Monroe, Jr., 1853-1918 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Blossom family papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Geoffrey B. Wexler
- Date
- 2007; revised 2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2018-05: Revised to correct the origin of the docket books as being Jackson County rather than Douglas County.
- 2024-04-12: Minor revisions to conform to current standard, and to provide additional sources and detail for biographical note.
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