Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Records, 1883-1974
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast
- Title
- Records
- Dates
- 1883-1974 (inclusive)18831974
- Quantity
- 1.2 cubic feet, (3 document cases, 1 oversize folder)
- Collection Number
- Mss 364
- Summary
- Records of an organization that worked to secure pensions for veterans of Indian wars in the Pacific Northwest. Includes organizational records, minutes of meetings, membership rosters, and correspondence of Henry H. Woodward, head of the Umpqua Camp. Also includes records and correspondence of the Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast.
- 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
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Founded in 1885, the Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast stated its objective as follows: "To keep alive the memories of trials of pioneer life, to encourage friendship and benevolence among those who have acted as the vanguard of civilization, to transmit a true history of the Indian wars of the North Pacific Coast, and to impress ourselves and our posterity with that true patriotism which protects our homes free from all evils both by war and peace." Individual camps were organized around Oregon and Washington, including the Umpqua Camp at Roseburg and the Multnomah Camp at Portland. The group's "Grand Encampment" was held once a year, often in Portland. In 1887 M. R. Hathaway became the Grand Adjutant. Later T. A. Wood became the Grand Commander.
One of the main goals of the organization was to secure government pensions for men who had fought in the Indian wars. The culmination of this effort came in February of 1913 when President Taft signed a bill giving the veterans a pension of $20 per month. The organization continued until circa 1941, by which time most of the original Indian war veterans had died. An associated organization, the Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast (known as the McMillan Camp after 1941), continued in existence until 1972.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains fragmentary records of the main organization of the Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast, plus records of two subsidiary groups, the Umpqua Camp No. 6 and the Multnomah Camp No. 2. Also included are records of the Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast, primarily the McMillan Camp. Included are minutes of meetings, financial records, correspondence, membership rosters, membership applications, printed materials and ephemera. Of particular interest is the extensive correspondence, circa 1885-1910, of the Umpqua Camp Commander Henry H. Woodward, headquartered at Roseburg, Oregon, which includes many letters from Grand Adjutant, M. R. Hathaway, and Grand Commander Thomas Alexander Wood. Subjects include organizing meetings, raising funds, and lobbying the U.S. Congress for pension benefits.
Records of the Sons and Daughters group includes membership applications providing biographical and genealogical information on members. Also included is a humorous essay by Oregon Historical Society Director Thomas Vaughan concerning the final meeting of the organization in 1974.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collection. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast Records, Mss 364, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series:
- Series A: Records of the Main Organization
- Series B: Records of Subsidiary Groups
- Series C: Records of the Sons and Daughters Group
Acquisition Information
Gifts of: The Estate of Georgia Smith Ringland, May 1972, Library Accession 12261; and Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast, c/o Susan M. Hill, January 27, 1959 and Nov. 1972, Library Accessions 7840 and 12394.
Related Materials
Pension files compiled by the Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast are designated Mss 364-1, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A: Records of the Main Organization, 1883-ca. 1942Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | History of the organization by Otto Kleeman |
circa 1942 |
| 1/2 | Constitution and by-laws |
1890; 1898 |
| 1/3 | Records of Annual Encampments (ledger book, formerly
vol. 3) |
1885-1933 |
| 1/4 | Records of Annual Encampments (ledger book, formerly
vol. 4)
Includes joint meetings with the Sons and Daughters group.
|
19237-1941 |
| 1/5 | Forms, legal papers, and ephemera
Includes roster of Multnomah Camp No. 2, 1890.
|
1887-1924 |
| 1/6 | Lists of claimants for pensions |
1896-1909; undated |
| 1/7 | List of membership |
1941, Jan. 1 |
| 1/8 | Memorials to the U.S. Congress (printed) |
1886; 1895 |
| 1/9 | Subscription book |
1910-1932 |
| Oversize Folder | Posters for annual business meetings |
1906; 1909 |
Series B: Records of Subsidiary Groups, 1883-1974Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/10 | Multnomah Camp No. 2--Constitution and by-laws (formerly
vol. 1)
Includes biographies of some members.
|
1888 |
| 2/1 | Multnomah Camp No. 2--Accounts (formerly vol.
5) |
1886-1894 |
| 2/2 | Dues receipts |
1885-1895 |
| 2/3 | Umpqua Camp No. 6-- Minutes (formerly vol.
2) |
1885-1896 |
| 2/4 | Umpqua Camp No. 6--Minutes and roster (formerly vol.
6) |
1885-1887 |
| 2/5-6 | Umpqua Camp No. 6--Correspondence of H. H.
Woodward
Includes correspondence with Thomas A. Wood and M. R.
Hathaway.
|
1883-1910 |
| 2/7 | Newspaper clippings |
1927-1934; undated |
Series C: Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast, 1883-1974Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/8 | By-laws |
undated |
| 2/9 | Minutes of meetings (formerly vol. 7) |
1908-1936 |
| 3/1 | Minutes of meetings, McMillan Camp |
1944-1959 |
| 3/2 | Minutes of meetings, McMillan Camp |
1959-1972 |
| 3/3 | Correspondence and miscellany
Includes humorous essay by Thomas Vaughan concerning the final
meeting of the organization, 1974.
|
1911-1973; undated |
| 3/4 | Accounts |
1949-1962 |
| 3/5 | Membership ledger |
1909-1938 |
| 3/6 | Membership log (formerly vol. 11) |
1930-1937 |
| 3/7 | Membership dues book (formerly vol. 9) |
1940-1941 |
| 3/8-9 | Membership applications--Yearly dues |
1938-1960 |
| 3/10 | Membership applications |
1938-1967 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Pacific Coast Indians, Wars with, 1847-1865
- Veterans--Oregon--Associations, institutions, etc.
Personal Names
- Kleeman, Otto
- Wood, Thomas Alexander--Correspondence
- Woodward, Henry H., fl. 1886-1910
Corporate Names
- Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast (creator)
Form or Genre Terms
- Minutes
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast
