Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Newsom diary and letter, 1861; 1866 March 31
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Newsom, John, 1828-1902
- Title
- John Newsom diary and letter
- Dates
- 1861; 1866 March 31 (inclusive)18611866-03-31
- Quantity
- 0.1 cubic feet, (1 folder in shared box)
- Collection Number
- Mss 763
- Summary
- Pocket diary of John Newsom (1828-1902) from his travels to Idaho for gold mining, and an 1866 letter from Newsom to G. W. Taylor. Newsom came to Oregon in 1852, and did work mining and surveying in the Pacific Northwest and California until moving to Salem, Oregon, in 1864.
- 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
John Newsom was born in 1828 in Monroe County, Virginia, and emigrated to Oregon in 1852. For the next 12 years, he worked as a surveyor and miner, traveling throughout the Pacific Northwest and California. In 1864, he moved to Salem, Oregon, where he spent the rest of his life, and where he worked as the Marion County surveyor for 18 years. He married Olive Greenwood in 1865; the couple had two children. Newsom died in 1902.
Sources: Oregonpioneers.com; obituaries in the Oregonian and the Weekly Oregon Statesman, October 14, 1902.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of a pocket diary of John Newsom and a letter that he wrote. The diary describes Newsom's travel to Idaho in 1861 for the purpose of gold mining. The diary also lists Newsom's expenses. The letter, written March 31, 1866, and addressed to G. W. Taylor, concerns wagon construction and purchasing.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
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.
Preferred Citation
John Newsom diary and letter, Mss 763, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Gold mines and mining--Idaho
Personal Names
- Newsom, John, 1828-1902
- Taylor, G. W.--Correspondence
Geographical Names
- Idaho--Description and travel
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- diaries
