Scope and Contents
The collection consists of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, diaries, scrapbook pages, steamboat plans and inventions, and photographs. The correspondence includes professional correspondence relating to the Gates' inventions for steamboat improvements. Legal documents cover the years 1850-1905. There are also diaries by John Gates Jr. which cover the years 1902-1905. Plans and specifications by Gates for steamboats and specific inventions are included in the collection. Photographs include vintage prints, primarily boudoirs, by Southern California photographers E.A. Bonine, F.H. Rogers, and Ellis & Son. One image is by Heath & Smith of Portland, Maine; one by R.G. Morrision of Seattle, one by S.B. Graham of Portland, OR and four by Partridge of Portland, OR.
Dates
- 1853-1909
Creator
- Gates, John, 1827-1888 (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 Gates (1827-1888) was a native of Mercer, Maine who came to Portland, Oregon in 1860. He became a construction engineer for the Oregon Steam Navigation Co. and the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. From 1885 to 1888, he served as mayor of Portland.
Extent
2.5 linear feet (6 containers) : 5 clamshell boxes, 1 photo box
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
John Gates (1827-1888) was a construction engineer for the Oregon Steam Navigation Co. and the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. From 1885 to 1888, he served as mayor of Portland, Oregon. The collection consists of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, diaries, scrapbook pages, steamboat plans and inventions, and photographs.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged topically in series, beginning with letters in chronological order by date, bills and receipts in chronological order by date, legal documents in chronological order by date, and miscellany composed of diaries, scrapbook pages, and plans and specifications. Photographs are included in collection PH 186.
Other Finding Aids
Paper finding aid with additional information is available in Special Collections & University Archives.
Processing Information
Collection processed by staff, 1992.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Bedrooms -- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Civil engineers -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Diaries Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Gates, John, 1827-1888
- Legal documents Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Mayors -- Oregon -- Portland Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
- Oregon Steam Navigation Company
- Photographic prints Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Politicians -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Politics and Politicians Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Portland (Or.) -- Politics and government -- 19th century Subject Source: Lcnaf
- Railroad engineering -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Railroads -- Oregon -- Design and construction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Steamboats -- Design and construction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the John Gates papers
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- University of Oregon Libraries, Archivists' Toolkit Project Team and Tanya Parlet. Revisions by Alexandra Mueller.
- Date
- 2011
- 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
