PIO. 19th Century Western Emigration and Settlement

This collection contains the history of Philander Powell's trip across the plains from Arkansas to California during April 19, 1860-October 10, 1860.

John B. Preston was the first surveyor general of the Oregon Territory. The collection consists of a single letter from Preston to Daniel Lownsdale of Portland.

Prichard left Polk County, Iowa in 1852; was in Marysville, Calif., in 1861; Union, Oregon, 1865-1867; and Rye Valley, Oregon, 1868-1869. In 1865, he built a toll road from Union to Express Ranch, Oregon, an investment that failed. His very occasional letters to a brother, Amos, and to other relatives in Iowa give a bare account of his experiences.

Charles Claudius Rarick (1870-1960) was raised in Kansas, learned the blacksmith trade from his father, and became a Methodist preacher, serving congregations in Kansas, Oklahoma Territory, Colorado, and Oregon. The collection contains an autobiography and sermons, including sermon notes, drafts, and journals.

Almira Raymond, wife of mission farmer William W. Raymond, arrived in Oregon in 1849 as part of the mission "reinforcement" aboard the Lausanne. Her letters reflect the hardships of mission life and the ambiguous attitude of the missionaries toward the Indians.

Kate Robbins, nee Pratt, was born in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and moved with her husband Abner to Ochoco, Oregon in 1868. The family was among the first settlers in the Ochoco area. The collection is composed of correspondence that describes living conditions in and near Ochoco and Prineville, with references to Indian uprisings, feuds between cattle and sheep ranchers, politics, and social life.

The James Henry Bascom Royal papers include a journal of an overland trip from Illinois to Oregon, June 5, 1853-October 27, 1853; diaries, June 17, 1849-February 24, 1853 and December 19, 1853-July 4, 1855; and two letters from James H. Wilbur.

Mrs. Lydia A. Rudd traveled overland from Missouri to Oregon in 1852; Notes by the Wayside En Route to Oregon is her journal from May 6, 1852-October 27, 1852.

The Santiam Academy of Lebanon, Oregon, was built and run by the Methodist Church in the 1850s. The collection (1865-1869) contains manuscripts of periodicals created by students of the Academy.

The collection (1869-1878) contains handwritten personal correspondence between members of the Savage family that lived in Maine and Oregon.

Collection comprised of Hamilton Scott's diary of a trip from Fremont, Iowa to Walla Walla, Washington in 1862.

David Shirk (1844-1928)was a pioneer and cattle worker. The collections consists of one bound trail diary and an unbound manuscript of David Shirk's autobiography.

A. C. Smith (1831-1911) was a pioneer resident of the Grande Ronde Valley in Oregon. The collection consists of a photostat copy of a letter from Smith to James Slater, and an advertisement for the Union, Oregon newspaper, Mountain Sentinel.

Fabritus R. Smith (1819-1898) came to Oregon in 1846 with Joseph Waldo, where he lived and worked his land claim near Salem. The collection consists of the diaries of Smith and his son, Hamlin, as well as personal and legal papers.

Samuel A. Snowden came to Forest Grove, Oregon in 1853. Correspondence includes letter to his son Samuel D. Snowden about Oregon politics, government, and social life.

Viola Springer was from Sullivan County, Missouri and was an Oregon pioneer. The Viola Springer journal describes in detail her trip from Princeton, Montana to Harney Valley, Oregon in 1885-1886.

Orson Avery Sterns (1843-1926) was an Oregon Pioneer soldier who later became a successful agriculturist, politician and stockman. Collections contains 114 pages of handwritten reminiscences to Effie Taylor of Medford, Oregon.

Mary Stump was an author and journalist. The collection contains a journal (and transcription) of a steamer and overland trip from Monmouth, Oregon to the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Also included is a scrapbook of essays, clippings, performance reports, and programs largely relating to Monmouth.

John Sutherland (1846-1918) was a pioneer, union army veteran, and preacher. Collection contains two copies of his autobiography.

J.M. Sutton enquired, gathered information, and wrote an account of Rogue River Indian War of 1855; it is only known that he wrote the account, not that he participated in the war. The collection (1863) contains Sutton's account of the war, and a letter from Sutton, addressed to "Sir," explaining that he had "gleaned" his account from "enquires made."

Sarah Sutton traveled to Oregon with her husband, John Sutton, their four children and other family and friends from Cass County, Illinois to Grand Ronde Valley, Oregon. Collection includes one volume of Sarah Sutton's printed diary of crossing the plains pasted into a ledger book.

The collection contains a letter dated April 17, 1889 from "T. J. S.," of Eugene, Oregon to Frank [Hyland?]. In the letter, T. J. S. advises Frank to proceed with county improvements regardless of the supposed will of the voters.

Joseph Nathan Teal (1858-1929) was an Oregon rancher, lawyer, investor, and civic leader who was an advocate of waterways development, and served as U.S. Shipping Commissioner from 1920-1921. The collection contains a manuscript of a series of reminiscences of ranch life during the 1850s through the 1870s, in eastern Oregon, that Teal wrote down for his family in 1921.

Solomon Tetherow was a wagonmaster of an expedition to Oregon. Solomon Tetherow's journal of the Oregon Emigrating Society of 1845 contains copies as well as photo negatives of the journal.

Robert Thompson was an Irish immigrant and pioneer who established a claim in the Oregon Territory. The collection consists of a letter from Robert Thompson to the brothers William and Thomas Stephens at "Caddlepootle R., St. Helens".

Robert Thompson (1812-1860) was a businessman and politician. The collection consists of a single letter from Thompson to his friend and business partner William Stephens.

J. Q. Thornton (1810-1888) was a lawyer, Oregon pioneer, judge and lobbyist. Collection includes one, fifteen paged copy of "Oregon History" written by Thornton; one, eleven paged letter to Thornton concerning the Indian Delegation that went to St. Louis to inquire about the Bible; and one, six paged autobiography of Thornton.

William Tichenor (1813-1887) was an Oregon pioneer whose attempt to settle a town in the area that would become Port Orford was derailed by skirmishes with people of the Tututni tribe. The collection (1849-1886) contains William Tichenor's reminiscences and family histories, other family documents, and newspaper clippings.

Warren N. Vaughn (1823-1907) was a Oregon pioneer who settled in Tillamook, Oregon, and served as county treasurer, county commissioner, sheriff, and assessor. The collection (1851-1858) contains a typed version of his recollections about the early history of Tillamook.

John Joseph Villair (1876- ) was an Oregon pioneer and resident of Josephine County. The collection consists of a typed transcription of Villair's reminiscences as told to John C. Kuhns (1887-1901).