Scope and Contents note
The Lindsay Applegate papers are housed in two groups across six boxes. The first group is Letters and News Clippings, and the second is Oregon Superintendency, Klamath Agency. The first group includes news clippings related to the Applegate family, and letters dated from 1863 through 1891. The second group relates to Applegate's work as Subagent at Ft. Klamath (1866-1872), and includes reports, vouchers and other administrative documents.
Letters and Newsclippings (1863-1891) are housed in Boxes 1 and 2. The letters are dated 1863 through 1891. Major correspondents are Amos E. Rogers, John W.P. Huntington, William V. Rinehart, Cyrus W. Woodworth, Alfred B. Meacham, and Ivan D. Applegate. This series includes newsclippings relating to the Applegate family, which are housed in Box 2.
Oregon Superintendency, Klamath Agency, is housed in Boxes 2 through 6 and comprises official reports and financial documents pertaining to the Applegate's post as Subagent at Ft. Klamath (1866-1872).
Dates
- Creation: 1863-1891
Creator
- Applegate, Lindsay, 1808-1892 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access note
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 note
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 note
Lindsay Applegate was born in 1808. He married Elizabeth Miller, whose sister Melinda was married to Lindsay's older brother Charles. In 1843 Lindsay came to Oregon with Charles and their younger brother Jesse. While journeying on the Columbia River through Washington, Lindsay's young son Warren drowned after his driftwood boat capsized. The loss led the Applegates to establish the Applegate Trail, a safer, more southerly route to Oregon. In the summer of 1846, Lindsay and Jesse led the first parties of pioneers from Idaho over the trail, which crossed northern Nevada and ran up through present-day Ashland and Roseburg.
Applegate was appointed special agent for the Lakes Indians (Modoc) in 1861. In 1865, Applegate was appointed Indian subagent, responsible for treaty negotiations and other U.S. government dealings with the Klamath Indians. A war between the Modocs and the U.S. Army broke out in November 1872, just after Applegate retired from his subagent post. In January 1873, Applegate, along with several other prominent Oregon settlers, including S.A. Clark and R.H Kincaid, proposed a peace commission to stop the war's spread.
Lindsay Applegate died in 1892. He was survived by his sons Elisha, Jesse A., Oliver, Ivan, and Lucien, and his daughters Alice and Rachel. Applegate's other children Warren (who drowned in the Columbia), Theresa, Annie, Frank and Jerome died before he passed away, as did his wife Elizabeth (1816-1882).
Extent
1.5 linear feet (3 containers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Lindsay Applegate (1808-1892) pioneered Oregon's Applegate Trail with his brothers Charles and Jesse in 1843. Subsequently Applegate became a U.S. government agent for the Modoc and Klamath Indians. The Lindsay Applegate papers contain newspaper clippings related to the Applegate family; letters (1863-1891); and reports, vouchers and other administrative documents relating to Applegate's work as Subagent at Ft. Klamath (1866-1872).
Arrangement note
Collection is organized into the following series: Letters and News Clippings; and Oregon Superintendency, Klamath Agency.
Other Finding Aids note
A manuscript calendar for the letters is available in Special Collections & University Archives.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Gift of Oliver Cromwell Applegate, Jr. in 1961.
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.
Subject
- Applegate family (Family)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Lindsay Applegate papers
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Rose M. Smith
- Date
- 2004
- 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 encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
