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Richard Hopwood Thornton papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss 801

Scope and Contents

The papers in this collection consist primarily of drafts of Richard H. Thornton's writings, along with extensive notes. Included among the writings are his notes for a full-length autobiography and an account by Thornton's father, William L. Thornton, about a visit to America in 1864. Also included in the collection is a small file of correspondence relating to Episcopal Church missions, along with personal documents and obituaries of Richard H. Thornton.

Dates

  • Creation: 1855-1932

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

Richard Hopwood Thornton was born in 1845 in Didebury, Lancashire, England, and was the son of William L. Thornton, a prominent English Wesleyan clergyman and Latin tutor. After attending New Kingswood School near Bath, Richard H. Thornton passed the entrance examination for Oxford University in 1862, but instead entered a London business house. After a visit to Paris in 1870, he went to Canada in 1871; there, he taught school in various places. Receiving a small legacy from his mother in 1874, he traveled throughout North America, attended the Columbia University law school in Washington, and was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia in 1878. The previous year, he had married Martha Sproul, with whom he had one child, who died in infancy.

In 1884, Thornton received an invitation from Judge Matthew P. Deady to come to Oregon and serve as the first dean of the University of Oregon law school. Thornton accepted the position and held the post in Portland for the next 19 years. After his retirement in 1903, he traveled in Europe with his wife, and after her death he moved to London in 1907. There, he compiled the work "An American Glossary," which was published in 1912. He returned to the U.S. in 1916 and eventually took up residence again in Portland, Oregon, where he died in January 1925.

Extent

1 Cubic Feet (2 document cases; 1 oversize folder in shared box)

Language of Materials

English

Latin

Abstract

Papers of the first dean of the University of Oregon School of Law. The collection includes personal documents, biographical and genealogical information, writings, notes, reminiscences, and a small amount of correspondence relating to Episcopal missionary work. It also includes writings of Richard H. Thornton's father, William L. Thornton.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series:

  1. Series 1: Personal documents and obituaries, 1879-1932
  2. Series 2: Writings and notes, circa 1855-1925

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Medford Reed, January 1960 (Lib. Acc. 8460).

Processing Information

Collection was processed by Trudy Williams, and a collection guide prepared by Geoffrey B. Wexler in 2007. Minor revisions were made to the collection guide in July 2024 to conform to current standard.

Title
Guide to the Richard Hopwood Thornton 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 is in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2024-07-19: Minor revisions to 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