John Lawrence Johnson diary and letter
Scope and Contents
John Lawrence Johnson's diary includes an autobiographical sketch of his early days in Illinois, followed by a daily account of his journey from Illinois to Oregon with his parents in 1851. Johnson also used the back of the diary as a ledger. There are typed transcripts of excerpts from Johnson's diary.
The collection also includes a letter from Johnson's uncle, William A. Roelofson of Illinois, to his family in Oregon, written in 1908.
Dates
- 1851-1908
- 1851
Creator
- Johnson, John Lawrence, 1830-1916 (Person)
- Roelofson, William A. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
John Lawrence Johnson (1830-1916) was born to Reverend Neil Johnson and Esther Roelofson of Tazewell, Illinois. He crossed the plains to Oregon with his parents in 1851, keeping a daily diary throughout much of the trip. After his arrival in Oregon, he married Viletta Kenady and they lived variously in Grande Ronde Valley, Marion County, Coos County, and Idaho, before settling in Marion County. Johnson was a member of the Washington Territory Mounted Volunteers during the Yakima War.
Extent
0.1 linear feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
John Lawrence Johnson (1830-1916) was a pioneer who came to Oregon with his parents in 1851. The collection includes Johnson's diary of that journey as well as a letter from Johnson's uncle.
Physical Description
1 folder
Processing Information
Collection processed by staff.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Diaries Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Logs (records) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Overland Journeys to the Northwestern United States Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Overland journals Subject Source: Genre Terms: A Thesaurus for Use in Rare Book and Special Collections Cataloguing
- Overland journeys to the Pacific Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Pioneers Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Pioneers -- Illinois Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Pioneers -- Oregon -- Diaries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Roelofson family
- Roelofson, William A.
- West (U.S.) -- Description and travel Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- West (U.S.) -- History -- 1848-1860 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the John Lawrence Johnson Diary and Letter
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- Archivists' Toolkit Project Team and Austin Munsell
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
