Scope and Contents note
The Joseph Gragg Papers consist mainly of family letters and miscellaneous documents. The collection also contains a diary of Joseph Gragg, describing his trip to the Salmon River, Idaho mines in 1863; financial material relating to the Gragg Brothers (farmers); and miscellaneous family matieral.
The letters provide a commentary on family relationships, from life, church affairs, schools and school teaching, and social life in general. There is much information on the history of Philomath College, especially a controversy over control of the college in the 1880s, and the history of the United Brethren Church in Oregon. A manuscript calendar for the letters is available in the Library.
Dates
- Creation: 1859-1939
Creator
- Gragg, Joseph (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
Joseph Gragg came overland to Oregon from Illinois in 1852 when he was 25 years old. He settled on a farm near Monroe and married Levina Buckingham, who came to Oregon with her family in 1846 via the southern route, led by Jesse Applegate. The Gragggs had eight children, three of whom died in childhood; the five surviving children were Thomas Heman, Betsey M., James Phile, David Vernon, and Marcus Edward.
Extent
1.5 linear feet (3 containers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Joseph Gragg came overland to Oregon from Illinois in 1852 when he was 25 years old. He settled on a farm near Monroe and married Levina Buckingham, who came to Oregon with her family in 1846 via the southern route, led by Jesse Applegate. The Gragggs had eight children, three of whom died in childhood; the five surviving children were Thomas Heman, Betsey M.., James Phile, David Vernon, and Marcus Edward. The Joseph Gragg Papers consist mainly of family letters and miscellaneous documents. The collection also contains a diary of Joseph Gragg, describing his trip to the Salmon River, Idaho mines in 1863; finiancial material relating to the Gragg Brothers (farmers); and miscellaneous family material. The collection contains information on the history of Philomath College and on the history of the United Brethren Church in Oregon.
Arrangement note
The letters are arranged chronologically and the main series are:
(1) Huldah Gragg, sister of Joseph Gragg. She lived in Pleasantville, Illinois, 1854-1874. In 1874 she married E.J. Brickett, and lived in Truckee, California, until her death in 1881.
(2) T. Herman Gragg, son of Joseph Gragg. He attended Philomath College, Philomath, Oregon, 1882-1884. He taught at W. Scott Walker's high school in Brownsville, Oregon, 1885-1886, and accompanied Walker to Huntsville, Washington, in 1887. From 1889 to 1896 he was a professional at Philomath College, and from 1900-1912 professor of mathematics and philosophy at Central College, Huntington, Indiana, both schools of the United Brethren Church.
(3) Bettie M. Gragg, daughter of Joseph Gragg. She attended Philomath College, 1883-1884, and taught school in Alpine, Oregon, 1887. She stayed in Philomath with her brother, T. Herman, 1889-1893. She married William H. McLain in 1894, lived in Roseburg, Oregon, 1895-1896, and later in Orchards, Washington, and Scio, Oregon.
Other correspondents include George Buckingham; John Pickinpaugh; Philo Gragg; Vernon Gragg; Charles H. Merryman; William B. Haines; and Herman Gragg, who attended the University of Chicago, 1901-1902.
General Physical Description note
3 containers
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
- Philomath College (Organization)
- Church of the United Brethren in Christ (1800-1889) -- Oregon (Organization)
- Gragg family (Family)
- Title
- Guide to the Joseph Gragg 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
