W. W. Raymond papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of the papers of W. W. Raymond of Clatsop County, Oregon, primarily relating to his work as an Indian agent. These papers include correspondence to and from Raymond, two memorandum books, and financial papers. Most of the correspondence in the collection concerns the treatment of Native peoples in Oregon and the possibility for Native people to legally claim land. Several letters specifically relate to whether or not Native people could claim land under the Homestead Act. At least some of the letters from Raymond are either draft versions or handwritten copies. The memorandum books, one of which was explicitly maintained for Raymond's work at the Grand Ronde Reservation, contain notes relating to supplies and finances, as well as censuses of Native peoples. The collection also contains three copies of claims, written by Raymond, that Clatsop Chief Tostou lodged against the United States in 1868 for compensation for property that was either destroyed or confiscated by the commander of Fort Stevens; and handwritten copies of three unratified treaties made with the Tillamook people, the Naalem band of the Tillamook, and the Clatsop people in August 1851.
Dates
- Creation: 1847-1888
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
William Wakeman Raymond was born in 1815 in Lenox, New York. As a young man, he aspired to become a missionary. In August 1839, he married fellow aspiring missionary Almira David (1814-1880), and both sailed to Oregon on the ship Lausanne as part of the "Great Reinforcement" to Jason Lee's mission in the Willamette Valley. The couple had eleven children, six of whom survived to adulthood.
After doing missionary work in The Dalles and Salem, the Raymonds moved to Clatsop County, where W. W. Raymond farmed. He was appointed as a sub-Indian agent in the 1850s, and often acted as an interpreter in treaty negotiations.
Almira Raymond divorced W. W. Raymond in 1864, citing repeated adultery by W. W. Raymond with Elmira Phillips (1809-1900) and physical abuse by him. W. W. Raymond married Phillips soon after the divorce. He died in 1894 in Warrenton, Oregon.
Sources: "Almira Raymond Letters, 1840-1880," by Olga Freeman, Oregon Historical Quarterly, Vol. 85, No. 3 (Fall 1984), pages 290-303; "Violence against Wives by Prominent Men in Early Clatsop County," by David Peterson del Mar, Oregon Historical Quarterly, Vol. 100, No. 4 (Winter 1999), pages 434-450; vital records via Ancestry.com.
Extent
0.15 Cubic Feet (6 folders in shared box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Papers of William Wakeman Raymond (1815-1894) of Oregon, primarily relating to his role as an Indian agent. The papers include correspondence about the treatment of Native peoples and the possibility of Native people claiming land; claims that Clatsop Chief Tostou made against the United States for destroyed or confiscated property; and handwritten copies of three unratified 1851 treaties with Natives peoples. Raymond came to Oregon in 1840, and worked as a missionary, farmer, and Indian agent. He lived most of his life in Oregon in Clatsop County.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials were acquired prior to 1964, most likely in the late 19th century or early 20th century.
- Title
- Guide to the W. W. Raymond papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2024
- 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.
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