Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
William P. Abrams collection, 1893-1950
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Abrams, William Penn, 1820-1873
- Title
- William P. Abrams collection
- Dates
- 1893-1950 (inclusive)18931950
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (1 folder in shared box)
- Collection Number
- Mss 6006
- Summary
- Collection includes photocopied genealogical information, letters, and diary extracts regarding the discovery of Yosemite in 1849. William Penn Abrams (1820-1873) came to Portland, Oregon, in 1851 on a ship with his family. He started a sawmill and was Oregon's first highway contractor; he also traveled extensively.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
William Penn Abrams was born in 1820 in Sanbornton, N.H., and died in 1873 in Portland, Oregon. He came to Portland in 1851 on a ship with his family and settled in a log cabin at First and Jefferson streets. He started a sawmill and was Oregon's first highway contractor, cutting planks for the Valley Plank Road between Portland and the Tualatin Valley in 1851. He brought a collection of 1,200 books to Portland to start Portland's first library, and his family was active in civic and cultural affairs. He traveled and sailed extensively and kept a diary of his travels.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Collection consists of photocopied genealogical information, letters, diary extracts regarding the discovery of Yosemite in 1849, and miscellaneous papers, 1893-1950.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
William P. Abrams collection, Mss 6006, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Abrams, William Penn, 1820-1873
Family Names
- Abrams family--Genealogy
Geographical Names
- Yosemite Valley (Calif.)--Discovery and exploration
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- diaries
- genealogies (histories)
