Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Blossom family papers, 1853-1929
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Blossom family
- Title
- Blossom family papers
- Dates
- 1853-1929 (inclusive)18531929
- Quantity
- 1.2 cubic feet, (3 document cases, 1 oversize folder)
- Collection Number
- Mss 746
- Summary
- Collection includes account books of James Monroe Blossom (1817-1891) from a general mercantile store at Boise, Idaho, 1864-1866; account books of James Monroe Blossom, Jr. (1853-1918), relating to grocery and clothing sales in Douglas County, Oregon, 1871-1873; docket books from an unidentified Oregon circuit court, probably that of Jackson County, 1861-1881; and a ledger of mining claims in Jackson County, Oregon, 1853-1856.
- 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
James Monroe Blossom (1817-1891) was a native of Monmouth, Maine, and a descendant of passengers on the Mayflower. After living in Ohio, he came overland to Oregon with his wife and children in 1852 or 1853, settling in Portland and eventually entering the hardware business with E. J. Northrup. He served on the City Council in 1857. In 1864, he moved to Boise, Idaho, where he ran a general mercantile store. He died in Portland in 1891.
Blossom's son, James Monroe Blossom, Jr., was born in 1853 and came overland to Oregon from Indiana with his parents. Growing up in Portland, he attended law school and worked as a law clerk. Due to a lung condition, he moved to Hood River, Oregon, in 1891, then farmed a 40-acre tract nearby until 1910. He accumulated a substantial book collection, which he left to Hood River County library, the state library, and the Oregon State Penitentiary after his death in 1918.
Sources: "Portland, Oregon: its history and builders," by Joseph Gaston (Chicago and Portland: S. J. Clarke, 1911), vol. II, p. 723-725; "J. M. Blossom was unique character," Hood River Glacier, August 1, 1918; "Blossom Estate Closed," Oregonian, July 24, 1919.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of four sets of records: account books of James Monroe Blossom's store in Boise, Idaho, 1864-1866; account books of James Monroe Blossom, Jr., detailing grocery and clothing sales in Douglas County, Oregon, 1871-1873; a ledger of mining claims in Jackson County, Oregon, 1853-1856; and docket books from an unidentified Oregon circuit court, probably that of Jackson County, dating from 1861-1881. The connection between the court records and the Blossom family is unclear, but they may have been kept by James Monroe Blossom, Jr. when he served as a law clerk. Also included is an account book of 1855-1857 that includes details on the sale of apples; letters of recommendation for Robert Blossom, 1896-1897; and various membership certificates.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Blossom family papers, Mss 746, 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
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series:
- Series 1: Circuit Court records, 1861-1881
- Series 2: Financial records, 1855-1873
- Series 3: General materials, 1853-1929
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Circuit Court records, 1861-1881Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Judge's docket |
1861-1862 |
| 1 | 2 | Clerk's docket |
1864 February-1869 June |
| 1 | 3 | Judge's docket |
1868-1881 |
| 1 | 4 | Bar docket |
1871 November-1881 February |
Series 2: Financial records, 1855-1873Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 1 | Account book |
circa 1855-1857 |
| 2 | 2-3 | Account ledger and loose papers found in ledger |
1861-1872 |
| 2 | 4 | Cash book |
1861; 1871-1872 |
| 2 | 5 | Financial journal |
1861; 1871-1873 |
| 2 | 6 | Day book |
1866 |
| 2 | 7 | Cash book |
1864-1866 |
| 2 | 8 | Financial journal |
1864-1866 |
| 3 | 1 | Ledger |
1864-1866 |
| 3 | 2 | Day book |
1865-1866 |
| 3 | 3 | Day book |
1866 |
| 3 | 4 | Day book |
1871-1873 |
Series 3: General materials, 1853-1929Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folder | |||
| Oversize 1 | Certificates
Includes certificates for: membership in the Pilgrim Society; Ancient Order of United Workmen Memoriam; Oregon Charter of the Grand Army of the Republic; charter of the Native Daughters of Oregon; charter, Oregon United Spanish War Veterans.
|
1883-1929 | |
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 5 | Letters of recommendation for Robert Blossom |
1896-1897 |
| 3 | 6 | Jackson County--record of mining claims |
1853 July-1856 September |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Court calendars--Oregon--19th century
- Merchants--Idaho--Boise
- Merchants--Oregon--Douglas County
- Mines and mineral resources--Oregon--Jackson County
Personal Names
- Blossom, James Monroe, 1817-1891
- Blossom, James Monroe, Jr., 1853-1918
Family Names
- Blossom family
Form or Genre Terms
- account books
- certificates
- dockets
