Scope and Contents
The collection consists mainly of diaries: 1847, 1860, and 1863–1877 (16 volumes). The 1847 diary is an account of his overland journey and the others are a record of daily activities in Oregon. In 1870, Cranfill was charged with doctrinal and polity irregularities by the Mount Zion Church in Roseburg. A copy of the charge, and Cranfill’s reply, are included in the collection. In connection with this incident, Cranfill edited and published three numbers (volume 1, number 1, February 1870; volume 1, number 2, July 1870; volume 1, number 3, May 1872) of Zion’s Messenger (Portland and Roseburg, 1870-1872). These have been removed to the Oregon Collection (286.405 Z67). The collection also includes financial materials; 9 issues of Signs of the Times, 1897–1903; and two account books.
Several works are based on the Isom Cranfill papers, including: Miller, Clifford R. Baptist Beginnings in Oregon (Ph. D., History, University of Oregon, 1955) and Warden, Albert T. Baptists in Oregon (Portland, 1969).
Dates
- 1847–1903
Creator
- Cranfill, Isom (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
Isom Cranfill was a minister in the Regular Predestinarian Baptist Church. He was born in North Carolina and moved to Tennessee and Illinois before coming overland to Oregon in 1847. He was justice of the peace in Clackamas County in 1848 and ran a general store in Oregon City, from 1849-1850. Cranfill later moved to Peoria, Albany, Roseburg, Lookingglass, and Eugene, working as a cabinetmaker, farmer, and itinerant preacher.
Extent
0.75 linear feet (1 container, 2 volumes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Isom Cranfill lived in various areas of Oregon, working as a cabinetmaker, farmer, and itinerant preacher. He was justice of the peace in Clackamas County in 1848 and ran a general store in Oregon City from 1849-1850. The collection consists mainly of diaries: 1847, 1860, and 1863–1877 (16 volumes). The 1847 diary is an account of his overland journey and the others are a record of daily activities in Oregon.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into the following six series: Diaries; Charge and Defense; Financial Materials; Volumes; Miscellaneous; Account Books.
Separated Materials
Cranfill edited and published three numbers (volume 1, number 1, February 1870; volume 1, number 2, July 1870; volume 1, number 3, May 1872) of Zion’s Messenger (Portland and Roseburg, 1870-1872). These have been removed to the Oregon Collection (286.405 Z67).
General Physical Description note
1 manuscript box, 2 volumes
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.
- Cranfill, Isom
- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon -- History -- 1859- Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon National Historic Trail Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon Territory -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Overland Journeys to the Northwestern United States Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Overland journeys to the Pacific Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Pioneers Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Pioneers -- West (U.S.) -- Diaries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Primitive Baptists Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Primitive Baptists -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Isom Cranfill papers
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Vida Germano
- 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
