City of Astoria and Clatsop County business records, 1866-1928

Overview of the Collection

Title
City of Astoria and Clatsop County business records
Dates
1866-1928 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.72 cubic feet (2 boxes)
Collection Number
6255 (Accession No. 6255-001)
Summary
Records related to businesses in early Astoria and Clatsop Counties, Oregon
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Languages
English

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

The Clatsop Indians originally inhabited the area of what is now Clatsop County on the northwestern coast of present-day Oregon. Astoria was the first permanent United States settlement west of the Rockies dating from 1811. As the Oregon Territory grew, Astoria also grew as a port city, providing easy access to the interior of the Territory.

Sources: City of Astoria website, The Daily Astorian newspaper, The Oregonian newspaper

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, invoices, notices, requisitions, bonds, receipts, articles, ballot, and report card related to business in early Astoria and Clatsop County, Oregon. Included are the 1866 election results when about 500 Americans and former British colonists lived in Clatsop County, the organization and funding of schools, installing jail cells into the court house, building bridges, paying for the County Poorhouse, burying the dead from shipwrecks, permits from liquor stores, steamship travel, saloons, and dances for Astoria, Seaside, Westport, and other area towns.

Invoices in this collection demonstrate the growth of bridges, roads, and the steamship industry during the late 19th century. These invoices include bridge materials such as drift bolts, timber, and cast iron. One specific project documented in the collection is the Big Creek Bridge. There are invoices for various steamships including the Steamship John L. Stephens which was one of the largest steamers on the Columbia River.

There are also invoices detailing contract work with various haulers to dump sawdust as fill dirt. Astoria was raised off the marshy ground by these pilings. This, along with the fact that most of the town was made of wood, contributed to frequent fires. Two major fires in 1883 and 1922 gutted the downtown area and destroyed hundreds of structures.

Certain documents in this collection mention the Astoria Poorhouse and its inhabitants including Scandinavian, Italian, and Irish immigrants. These documents reflect the growth of immigrants in the late 19th century in Astoria as people moved for fishing jobs. Chinese immigrants soon made up 22% of Astoria's population by the late 19th century and mainly worked in canneries.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Purchased from Zephyr Used & Rare Books on October 13, 2018.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1 Election of A. Montgomery as Sheriff of Clatsop County 1866
1/2 Election of David West as Justice of the Peace for Westport Precinct 1866
1/3 Election of Robert Rush Spedden as Superintendent of Common Schools 1866
1/4 Invoice to Clatsop County for Assessment work by Charles S. Wright 1870
1/5 Provisions invoice to Dr. Kinsey 1881
1/6 Invoices for estate of Jacob G. Coe, his saloon, and his widow 1876
1/7 Invoices for Coe estate and his widow 1877
1/8 Scholfield & Hawke invoice to Robinson 1877
1/9 B. B. Franklin invoice 1880
1/10 E. A. Quinn invoice 1882
1/11 Page & Allen invoices to Clatsop County 1880
1/12 Miller & Carothers payment receipt 1880
1/13 H. B. Parker invoices 1881
1/14 Warren & Eaton invoice 1880
1/15 Astoria Truck & Dray Co. invoice to Clatsop County 1880
1/16 Geo W. Hume invoice to Clatsop County 1880
1/17 Merill & McGregor invoice 1880
1/18 Sea Side invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/19 Steamer Sam freight charges 1881-1882
1/20 I. W. Case invoice to Clatsop County 1880
1/21 J. H. D. Gray invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/22 Joseph Buchtel, Sheriff invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/23 Calvin Nutting & Son letter 1881
1/24 Carl Adler invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/25 J. H. D. Gray invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/26 E. R. Hawes invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/27 Warren & Eaton invoice to Clatsop County for Dr. Kinsey 1881
1/28 Carl Adler invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/29 E. A. Quinn invoice correction 1881
1/30 N. Loeb invoices to Clatsop County 1881
1/31 I. W. Case invoice to Clatsop County 1881
1/32 Jay Tuttle, M. D., invoices to Clatsop County 1881
1/33 Robert Carruthers & Co. invoice to Clatsop County 1882
1/34 William Tarrant, Dr., contracting brick work and plastering invoice to Clatsop County Courthouse 1882
1/35 West Shore Saw Mill invoice 1882
1/36 A. V. Allen invoice to Sheriff Twombly 1882
1/37 Arntd & Ferchen invoice for bridge construction to Clatsop County 1882
1/38 J. C. Trullinger invoice 1882
1/39 Warren & Thompson, butchers invoice to Mrs. Browning for Clatsop County 1883
1/40 H. B. Parker invoice to Clatsop County 1883
1/41 Steamer Daisy, Dr., J. H. D. Gray Agent invoice for river travel 1883
1/42 Letter from John Ticknor Storrs, Sheriff, by Henry Hodges, Deputy, to Sheriff of Clatsop County 1883
1/43 Clatstop Mill Company invoice to J. G. Nuremberg 1883
1/44 Letters from the Loryea Brothers on pipe and gas fittings 1883
1/45 W. D. Baker, M. D., invoice to Clatsop County for medical examination 1883
1/46 Financial report from C.H. Sloop, Superintendent of Schools, Astoria 1883
1/47 The Astorian, Dr. invoice to Clatsop County 1883
1/48 Arndt & Ferchen invoice for work on County jail 1883
1/49 Invoice from A. M. Twombly for providing jurors room and board 1883
1/50 Astoria Gas Light Company invoice 1883
1/51 I. W. Case invoice for Poor House 1883
1/52 C. H. Bain & Co. invoice 1883
1/53 Frank L. Parker invoice for Clatsop County 1885
1/54 N. Johansen invoice for Clatsop County 1885
1/55 Clatsop Mill Company invoice for bridge work 1885
1/56 Charles Heilborn invoice for comforters to Clatsop County 1885
1/57 Invoice and letter from C. J. Trenchard detailing residents of the Poor House 1885
1/58 S. Schlussel invoice for blankets and comforters to Clatsop County 1885
1/59 Bozorth & Johns, Dr., invoice for map to Clatsop County 1885
1/60 Independent Publishing Co. invoice for case briefs 1885
1/61 Steamer Gen. Custer invoice to Clatsop County for trip to island for corpse 1885
1/62 Miscellaneous invoices and correspondence 1884-1885
1/63 Miscellaneous invoices 1886
2/1 Miscellaneous invoices and correspondence 1887-1893
2/2 Miscellaneous invoices, correspondence, articles, requisition 1894-1897
2/3 Miscellaneous invoices, correspondence, and articles 1898
2/4 Miscellaneous invoices, correspondence, bonds, receipts 1899-1907
2/5 Miscellaneous invoices, correspondence, ballot, report card 1913-1928

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Geographical Names

  • Astoria (Or.)--Administration
  • Astoria (Or.)--Archives
  • Astoria (Or.)--History
  • Clatsop County (Or.)--Administration
  • Clatsop County (Or.)--Archives
  • Clatsop County (Or.)--History