Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Weed Family Papers, 1896-1965
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Weed Family
- Title
- Weed Family Papers
- Dates
- 1896-1965 (inclusive)18961965
- Quantity
- 2 boxes plus 1 oversize folder, (.84 cubic feet)
- Collection Number
- 2000.3 (accession)
- Summary
- Photographs, papers and ephemera related to Melvin A. Weed, owner of Weed's Pharmacy in Seattle, and the Weed family
- Repository
-
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
- Languages
- English.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Melvin Albert (Bert) Weed was born on April 3, 1882 in Jackson, Iowa to Charles Albert and Gertrude Tyler Weed. The Weed family relocated to Seattle around 1890. After finishing high school in 1898, Melvin Weed worked as a clerk at the Bartell Drug Company before enrolling in the University of Washington’s School of Pharmacy. Weed completed the two-year program and graduated with a Ph.G. (Graduate in Pharmacy) degree in 1902. Weed first partnered with businessman Albert G. Keene at the Lake Washington Pharmacy, renamed Keene & Weed, and later as the sole proprietor of Weed's Pharmacy, which he ran at 2601 Jackson Street in Seattle until his retirement in 1958.
In 1906, Melvin Weed married Mamie Luella Keene (1881-1970), the daughter of his business partner. A daughter, Luell Weed, was born to the couple in 1911.
The Weed family was well known in the Seattle community thanks to Melvin Weed’s involvement and membership in many community associations, including the Freemasons, the Nile Temple, and the Sons of the American Revolution. He was also a member of the Washington Pharmaceutical Association. As the numerous documents and letters pertaining to these organizations show, Melvin was heavily involved in his local chapters. Besides these national organizations, Weed remained involved with his Seattle High School Cadet association, attending every reunion.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Collection of materials concerning the Weed family, particularly Melvin Weed. Newsletters, programs, and personal letters detail Weed's involvement with the local chapters of organizations including the Freemasons, the Nile Temple, and the Sons of the American Revolution, as well as with the Washington State Pharmaceutical Association. The collection also include clippings, papers and a scrapbook about Seattle High School Cadet reunions. Student notebooks belonging to Melvin Weed contain chemistry and toxicology notes from the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. Photographs depict Melvin, Mamie and Luell Weed, and Mamie Keene Weed's father Albert G. Keene. The collection also includes a typescript account of the Seattle Fire, narrated by Mamie Luella Weed.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.
Restrictions on Use
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Weed Family Papers, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged in seven series:
- Ephemera and correspondence
- Organizations
- Photographs
- Seattle High School
- Scrapbooks
- University of Washington
- Miscellaneous
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Ephemera and correspondenceReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1-2 | .1: Newspaper clippings
Folder 1 includes articles about Edwin Keene, uncle of Luella Keene Weed, and about early Seattle
history
Folder 2 includes articles about the Seattle High School Cadet Company reunion. The Company was
organized in 1891 at old Seattle High School. Bert Weed was a Corporal in the 1898-1899 Cadet Corps. The cadets from
three Seattle high schools held a 50th anniversary reunion in December 1953.
|
1896-1965 |
| 1/3 | .3: Correspondence
Letter to Mr. and Mrs. M.A. Weed from Stanley R. Bray, J. Russell Bates and Albert L. Curtis, stationed
at the Pacific Coast Torpedo Station (P.C.T.S.) in Keyport, Washington. Includes two photographs of the three men.
|
1918 December 9 |
| 1/4 | .4: Invitations
Wedding invitation to marriage of Weed's daughter Luell to Frank Donald Guthrie, 1949; and acceptance
letter from the Daughters of the American Revolution for membership to Mrs. Lura Ella Kelly Keene, Mrs. Weed's mother,
1904.
|
1904; 1949 |
| 1/5 | .5: Beer mats 2
Names of "M.C. Weed" and "Luell" written on back. Also written on one mat: "the Lorelei," and on the
other "Ivan Frank Hofbrau."
|
1934 |
OrganizationsReturn to Top
Materials pertaining to various organizations of which Melvin Weed was a member.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/6 | .6: Miscellaneous
Notices about 2nd Washington - 161st Infantry reunions; letter and blank letterhead from The Washington
Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.
|
1953-1959 |
| 1/7 | .7: Freemasons -- Lafayette Lodge No. 241 of the Scottish Rite
Temple
Correspondence and ephemera. Also includes a death notice for John Henry Cowles of the Inspectors
General Knights Commanders of the House of the Temple of Solomon
|
1937-1959 |
| box:oversize | ||
| 1 | .7b-c: Freemason membership certificates 2 certificates
Certificates for Melvin Weed and Mamie Luell Weed.
|
1918 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/8 | .8: Freemasons - Rainier Lodge No. 189
Correspondence and programs. Also includes 3 photographs: 2 photographs of the Rainier Masonic Temple
and 1 photograph of members wearing lodge aprons.
|
1935-1963 |
| 1/9 | .9: Nile Temple (Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine)
Correspondence and ephemera. Also includes a photograph of members seated at a table.
|
1936-1961 |
| 1/10 | .10: Nile Temple monthly publication "Smile with Nile" 7 issues
|
1935-1936 |
| 1/11 | .11: Sons of the American Revolution
Correspondence and ephemera.
|
1958-1959 |
| 1/12 | .12: Washington State Pharmaceutical Association
Correspondence; 40th Annual Convention program (1929)
|
1929; 1958-1960 |
PhotographsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/13 |
.13: Family members and home 12 photographs
|
circa 1900-1940 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/13 | .13a-b: Interior of residence, presumably the Weed family home |
undated |
| 1/13 | .13c: Boy and man, perhaps Melvin Weed as a boy
C.R. Savage (photographer)
|
undate |
| 1/13 | .13d: Melvin Weed as a young man
Janes Bushnell (photographer)
|
undated |
| 1/13 | .13e: A.G. Keene and Olive Hopwood
A.G. Keene was Mrs. M.A. Weed's father.
|
undated |
| 1/13 | .13f: Mr. and Mrs. M.A. Weed and daughter Luell |
circa 1930 |
| 1/13 | .13g: Luell Weed |
circa 1940 |
| 1/13 | .13h: Mamie Luella Keene Weed (Mrs. M.A. Weed) as a young woman
Merrihew Studio (photographer)
|
circa 1900 |
| 1/13 | .13i: Melvin and Mamie Weed |
circa 1950s |
| 1/13 | .13j: Exterior of L.G. Shroat's residence
Neighbors of the Weed family
|
undated |
| 1/14 | .14: Women in from of Leschi Heights Improvement Club Mounted
|
circa 1900-1910 |
| 1/15 | .15: Miscellaneous 11 photographs
Seattle, family friends, family members. Identified people in individual portraits: Nellie McFarland
(child); Mrs. Stewart Reid; pastor's wife Mrs. Reed; Lu Fuller; Fred Fuller; William Guy Riley (1909); Fred Fisher.
Also includes 2 photographs of people aboard the steamer City of Seattle and 2 postcards
of early Seattle.
|
circa 1900-1930 |
| 1/16 | .16: Seattle High School Class of ‘98
Framed in glass with black and gold ribbon.
Mamie Luella Keene (Mrs. M. A. Weed) in group.
|
1898 |
Seattle High SchoolReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/17 | .17: School bulletins 2 items
"Seattle School Bulletin," June 1919; The Leschi Kolah publication of the Kolah Society of Leschi
School, June 1919.
|
1919 June |
| 1/18 | .18: Seattle High School Cadets Reunions
Correspondence and notices
|
1946-1955 |
| 1/19 | .19: Seattle High School Cadet reunion publication
Book published by the Seattle High School Cadet Association. Includes photographs; historical
information; chapters on organization of the cadet corps, corps officers, uniforms, equipments and manuals and other
topics; and roster of Seattle High School Cadets.
|
1953 |
ScrapbooksReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/20 | .20: Mamie Keene Weed's scrapbook on her Seattle High School class of 1898
reunion |
1948 |
| 1/21 | .21: Scrapbook on Nile Shriners
Scrapbook of clippings and ephemera from Nile Shrine events in 1936, including the 62nd council session
of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, held in Seattle in July 1936.
|
1936 |
| 2/12 | .22: Scrapbook on Seattle High School Cadet reunion |
1955 |
University of WashingtonReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/3 | .24: University of Washington publications
These materials are probably dated from Luell Weed's time at the University of Washington.
One copy of
The Washington Alumnus (November 1927); two copies of the
University of Washington Daily (April 1930), one copy of
University of Washington Columns (November 1930) and one copy of a catalog
of fraternity jewelry "the Book for Modern Greeks" (1931) belonging to Luell Weed.
|
1927-1931 |
| 2/4 | .25: Melvin A. Weed's University of Washington Chemistry exam
booklet |
1902 |
| 2/5 | .26: Melvin A. Weed's University of Washington Chemistry class
notebook |
1902 |
| 2/6 | .27: Melvin A. Weed's University of Washington Toxicology class
notes
Removed from notebook
|
1902 |
| 2/7 | .28: Melvin A. Weed's University of Washington Toxicology class
notebook |
1902 |
MiscellaneousReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/2 | .23: Typescript account of Seattle Fire narrated by Mamie Luella
Weed 2 pages
|
circa 1930-1960 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Fraternal organizations--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Reunions--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
- Weed, M.A. (Melvin Albert), 1882-1964
- Weed, Mamie Luella Keene, 1881-1970
Corporate Names
- Sons of the American Revolution
- Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America
- Freemasons
- Seattle High School (Seattle, Wash.)
- University of Washington. School of Pharmacy
Geographical Names
- United States--Washington (State)--Seattle
Form or Genre Terms
- Ephemera
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
Finding aid prepared by Virginia Butler
2011
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
