Park Weed Willis papers, 1865-1958

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Willis, Park Weed
Title
Park Weed Willis papers
Dates
1865-1958 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.39 cubic feet (10 boxes)
Collection Number
4068 (Accession No. 4068-001)
Summary
Correspondence, medical case files, diaries and miscellaneous papers from Park Weed Willis, an early Seattle physician who established medical practice in Seattle in 1891
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

Open to all users.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Seattle physician and surgeon Park Weed Willis was born in Umatilla County, Oregon, on July 10, 1867. His parents, William McCellan and Mary Arabella Keyes Willis, moved to Oregon after their marriage in Iowa. After attending the University of Washington in the winter of 1883-1884, Willis transferred to Whitman College in the fall of 1884. It was at Whitman that he decided to study medicine and, following his graduation in 1888, pursued his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania. After earning his M.D. in 1891, Willis returned to the west coast, where he began his practice in Seattle in 1892. Among the many places he worked was the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, where he performed the first surgical operation at that hospital when it opened in 1907. He was also on the staff of the Seattle General Hospital and the King County Hospital.

Willis was respected for his work both locally and nationally. He was the first president of the Washington State Medical Association, a secretary and president of the King County Medical Society, and a member of the Seattle Surgical Society, the Pacific Northwest Surgical Society, and the Pacific Coast Surgical Association. He was also one of the founders of the American College of Surgeons in 1913, and a fellow of the American Medical Association.

On June 15, 1892, Willis married Georgeanna Clark in Pennsylvania. The couple then immediately headed west, and remained in Walla Walla, Washington, for a few weeks before arriving in Seattle on August 4, 1892. They had two children, Park Weed Willis, Jr. and Cecil D. Willis, and eight grandchildren. Park Weed Willis died at age 91 on October 26, 1958.

Willis was also active in civic affairs and had a wide range of non-professional interests. He was the co-founder and president of the Seattle Community Chest, and a trustee of Whitman College from 1909 to 1949. He enjoyed duck hunting and belonged to the Swinomish Gun Club. In addition, he was the president of the Pioneer Association of Washington and the Monday Club, and was a member of the Rainier Club and the Washington Athletic Club. Willis was also a livestock breeder and bred the largest herd of pure Guernsey cattle in the northwest at his Orchard Hill Farm in Redmond.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Biographical features, correspondence, medical practice record, speeches and writings, and other materials relating to Willis, both personally and professionally. These papers also include photocopies of outgoing correspondence, medical case files, writings, diaries of trips to Europe and Yellowstone, and other notes and writings. The original documents of these photocopies are held at the University of Oregon.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Willis's rights transferred to the Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Park Weed Willis Photograph Collection (PH Coll 566)

Acquisition Information

Donated by Betsy Lawrence, 12/11/1989.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Professional Papers Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/1
American College of Surgeons
1919, 1958, undated
1/1
Beck, Eleanor
1919-1920
1/1
Brown, John Mackenzie
1931
1/1
Blake, L. J.
undated
1/1
Children's Aid Society of Pennsylvania
1892
½
Clark, John G.
1900-1917
1/3
Dillenhunt, Richard B.
1931
1/3
Downing, E. B.
1906
1/3
Eloesser, Leo
1931
1/3
The Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York
1916
1/3
General Insurance Company of America
1937
1/3
Givens, Amos J.
undated
1/3
Goodell
1892
1/3
Gordon, R. N.
1904
1/3
Guileras
undated
1/3
Harper Publishing Company
1912
1/3
Hirst, Barton Cooke
1901, 1912
1/3
Hughes, D. E.
1891
1/3
Knight, P. H.
1904
1/3
Lea Brothers & Co.
1904-1905
1/3
J. Ellwood Lee Co.
1904
1/3
Charles Lentz & Sons
1904, undated
1/3
The Leonhardt
1905
1/3
The Lewis Phonometric Institute and School for Stammerers
1904
1/3
Lowman, J. D.
1904
1/3
Lundberg, J. A.
1904
1/3
Luhn, Henry B.
1904
1/3
Lyons, James H.
undated
1/3
M.
1891, undated
1/4
Mayo Clinic
1916
1/4
Mayo, William J.
1934
1/4
The Medical Sentinel
1900-1918
1/4
Northern Pacific Railway Company
1904
1/4
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
1951
1/4
Pepper
1891
1/4
Plummer, Mayo, Graham, and Judd
1916
1/4
Puget Mill Company
1906
1/4
Ransohoff, Nicholas S.
1921
1/4
Ridlon, John
1905
1/4
W. B. Saunders Company, Publishers
1933
1/4
The Seattle Electric Company
1906-1910
1/4
Seattle Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat Infirmary
1921
1/4
Seattle General Hospital
1906-1958
1/4
Skagit County Medical Society
1906
1/4
Smith
1907
1/5
Smith, circa J.
1903
1/6
Stengel, Alfred
1907-1927, undated
1/7
Thompson, Harold B.
1918-1943
1/8
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
1891
1/8
Washington State Medical Society
1901
1/8
Van Patten
1905
1/8
Western Laboratories
1935
1/8
While, J. William
1892-1894
Outgoing Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/9
Beach, R. H.
1935
1/9
Brodrick, Richard George
1927
1/9
Clise, J. W.
1933
1/9
Davidson, circa F.
1911
1/9
Green, Joshua
1904-1907
1/9
Judd, E. S.
1916
1/9
Swift, George W.
1920
1/9
Unknown
1920
9/1
Miscellaneous outgoing correspondence
Letters copied from papers held at the University of Oregon
1898-1929, undated
Correspondence between Others
Box/Folder
1/10
Letters of recommendation for Walter circa Lippincott
1903-1904
1/10
Coffey, R. circa to Professor Lorenz
1904
Letters regarding Park Weed Willis
Box/Folder
1/11
Letters of recommendation
1891-1907
Box/Folder
1/12
Casebook and Medical Record
1892-1894
1/13
Case Studies
1892-1931, undated
1/14
Financial Records
1896-1945
1/15
Office Manual and Inventory of Supplies
undated
1/16
Insurance Policy
1901
1/17-18
Speeches and Writings by Park Weed Willis
1904-1938, undated
9/2
Writings and Reports by Park Weed Willis
Writings copied from papers held at the University of Oregon
1903-1904, undated
1/19
Writings by Others
1891-1932, undated
½0
Certificates of awards and honors
1918-1955
½1
Address book
undated
2/1
Record of Medical Readings
1892-1894
2/2-3
Conference and Convention programs
1901-1956
2/4
Contracts
1892-1929
2/5
Examination Questions
1891-1892, undated
2/6
Clippings
1907-1957, undated
2/7
Notes
undated

Societies and Organizations Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/8
Membership cards and other ephemera
1902-1958, undated
2/9
Northern Pacific Beneficial Association
Correspondence, agreements, and list of fees
1904-1958, undated
2/10
Children's Orthopedic Hospital
Correspondence, meeting minutes, staff list, and clippings
1917-1936, undated
2/11-12
King County Medical Society
Fee bill list, meeting notices, bulletins, and banquet programs
1895-1958, undated
2/13
Swinomish Gun Club
By-laws, membership materials, meeting announcements and minutes, correspondence, and other documents
1879-1946, undated
7/8
Rainier Club
1906-1938, undated
7/9
Monday Club
Club history and membership rosters
1936-1948
7/10
Seattle Community Fund
Annual reports, clippings, and trustee materials
1921-1953

Personal Papers Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/14-15
Biographical Features
Autobiographical writings, biographical clippings, obituary, and genealogical notes and reports
1928-1958, undated
Incoming Correspondence
Box/Folder
2/16
Aiken, Elizabeth
1912, undated
3/1
Ashland, John Jr.
1891-1894
3/2
Abbott, A. circa
1906
3/2
Acacia Memorial Park
1935
3/2
Allen, John B. Jr.
1916
3/2
Anderson, L. F.
1904
3/2
A
1906
3/2
Appleby, W.
1906
3/3
Baker, Ethel
1935
3/4
Baker
1904-1918, undated
3/4
Beck, Eleanor
1918-1920
3/4
Boehm-Tettelbach, H. W.
1928
3/4
Bowles, Albert J.
1943
3/4
Boyer, John E.
1904
3/4
Boyer, Henry P.
1946-1947
3/4
Bratton, W. A.
1912-1941
3/4
B
1930
3/4
Brodrick, R. G.
1927
3/4
Brookshire, Alice
1902
3/4
Bruner, William Evans
1900-1951
3/4
Buck, A. W.
1906
3/5
Clark, John G.
1900-1906, undated
3/6
Coe, Frantz L.
1899-1904
3/7
Coe, Harry L.
1911-1912
3/8
Cudhie, Maud R.
1904, undated
3/9
L. circa
1937
3/9
Chardwick, H. A.
1906
3/9
Chance, Burton
1951
3/9
Chilberg, Lulu V.
1906-1920
3/9
Chippincott, W.
1904
3/9
Chrathaur, Selma
undated
3/9
Clise, J. W.
1932-1933
3/9
Coe, Carrie Everett
1904
3/9
Colonial Mortuary
1951
3/9
Coffey, R. circa
1904
3/10
Davenport, Mary A.
1895-1902
3/11
John Davis & Company
1912
3/11
Dayton, Georgian
1916
3/11
de Martel
1933
3/11
The Dexter Horton National Bank
1922
3/11
Doane, R. W.
1904
3/11
Duhring, Louis A.
1892
3/11
Elliott, Thompson Coit
1937
3/11
Etchemendy, Jane
1949-1950
3/12
Fouche, Ginette
1936-1947, undated
3/13
Fetterolf, George
1904
3/13
Fisher, Mary Wagner
1891
3/13
Fox, Helen
undated
3/13
Frazier, Charles H.
1904-1906
3/13
Fullerton, Dora
undated
3/14
Gillette, Edwin J.
1935-1937
3/15
Gilcreest, Edgar L.
1928
3/15
Gillilau, circa L.
1958, undated
3/15
Gowen, H. H.
undated
3/15
Green, Joshua
1904
3/15
Griffith Insurance Agency
1940
3/16
Hendrick, A. W.
1904-1907
3/17
Hall, David circa
1928-1935
3/17
Hand, L. L.
1951
3/17
Heard, James D.
1951
3/17
Heim, R. R.
1928
3/17
Hirst, B. circa
1901, undated
3/17
Hughes, McMicken, Dovell & Ramsey
1905-1910
3/17
James, W. H.
undated
3/17
Kane, Thomas Franklin
1904
3/17
Kapp
1904
3/17
Kauffman
1904
3/17
Kellogg, W. R.
1904, undated
3/18
LaMotte, Henry
1929-1931, undated
3/19
Lowman, J. D.
1904
3/20
Lyman, W. D.
1905-1906
3/21
Lane, J. F.
1904
3/21
Lane County Abstract Company
1934
3/21
Laup
1904
3/21
Lang, Oswald M.
1904
3/21
Leiser, Oliver
1904
3/21
Levey, circa W.
1904
3/21
Lesher, George S.
1904
3/21
Lewis, William H.
1904
3/21
Lewis, Mary A.
1904
3/21
Lippincott, W. circa
1904, undated
3/21
Livingston
1904
3/21
Lowman, Mary R.
undated
3/21
Lundin & Barto
1919
3/22
Moorhouse, Ella
1899-1951, undated
3/23
Moorhouse, Mark
1908-1909
3/24
The A. N. Marquis Company
1931
3/24
McClurg, Ola
1918
3/24
Masland, H. circa
1951
3/24
Mattison, R. H.
1912
3/24
Mayo, W. J.
1926-1929
3/24
Meacham, George F.
1909
3/24
Medea
1934
3/24
Media Research Bureau
undated
3/24
Melissa
1906
3/24
Metcalf, Wilmot V.
3/24
Monro, Alexander S.
1931
3/24
Moorhouse, Lee
1909-1918, undated
3/24
Nisqually Gun Club
1918
3/24
Northern Life Insurance Co.
1951
3/25
Pearson, E. J.
1906-1925
3/26
Penrose, Stephen B. L.
1906-1936
3/27
Pacific Northwest International Law Research
1944, undated
3/27
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company
1933
3/27
Palmer, E. B.
1910
3/27
Parsons, Maude B.
1933
3/27
Peacock, A. M.
1906
3/27
Pearse, Elizabeth
undated
3/27
University of Pennsylvania
1926
3/27
Pepper, O. H. Perry
1935
3/27
Pepper, William
1892, undated
3/27
Peterson, N. P.
1952
3/27
Peterson, Wilda Lindley
1928
3/27
Potter, Eugene B.
1943
3/27
Reynolds, Allen H.
1907
3/27
Robson, Maggie May
1935, undated
3/27
Rodrigues
1892
3/27
Ross, George S.
1906
3/28
Sulzer, Hans
1919-1926
3/29
Suzzallo, Henry
1917-1929, undated
3/30
Schaefer, Lessie L.
1927
3/30
Seattle Automobile Co.
1907
3/30
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
1941
3/30
Shinn, Will J.
1928-1930
3/30
Skinner, D. E.
1928
3/30
Smith, Andrew circa
1907
3/30
Smith, Edgar F.
1908
3/30
Smith
1933
3/30
Shinning, F. M.
1907
3/30
Steans, Ralph
1926
3/30
Stengel, Alfred
1907
3/30
Stewart & Holmes Drug Co.
undated
3/30
Stone, Mary
undated
3/30
Ted and Suzanne
undated
3/30
Thomson, Curtis H.
1920
3/30
Thompson, H. B.
1907, 1926-1927
3/30
Title and Trust Company
1934
3/30
Vandercook, Pearl
undated
3/30
The Virkus Company
undated
3/31
Weed, Adeline M.
1898-1909, undated
4/1
Weed, Benjamin
1901
4/2
Weed, Gideon Allen
1897-1900
4/3
Weed, Mabel
1953, undated
4/4
Willis, Albert Lincoln
1907-1943, undated
4/5
Willis, Arza M.
1907
4/6
Willis, Cecil Durand
1904-1919, undated
4/7
Willis, Edith
1907
4/8
Willis, Frank S.
1901
4/9
Willis, Harry M.
1897-1901
4/10
Willis, James W.
1899-1906
4/11
Willis, Park Weed III
1930, undated
4/12
Willis, Suzanne
undated
4/13
Wager-Fisher, Mary
1891-1901
4/13
City of Walla Walla
1930
4/13
Webster, Jane
undated
4/13
Willard, De Forest
1904
4/13
Willis, Mrs. Park Weed Jr.
undated
4/13
Willson, Frederick
1951
4/13
Wilson, Worrall
1907
4/13
Woodward, George
1951
4/13
Young, James T.
1907
4/13
Z., James
1907
4/13
unknown
1904
Outgoing Correspondence
Box/Folder
4/14
Letters
1898-1935
4/15
Letters
1936-1954
9/3
Letters
Letters copied from papers held at the University of Oregon
1904-1929, undated
Correspondence between Others
Box/Folder
4/16
Letters and Copies
1865-1946, undated
Box/Folder
4/17
Financial Records
1890-1952, undated
Writings
Box/Folder
4/18
Writings by Park Weed Willis
1926-1928
4/19
Writings by Park Weed Willis
1937-1943
4/20
Writings by Park Weed Willis
undated
9/4
Writings by Park Weed Willis
Writings copied from papers held at the University of Oregon
1923-1926, undated
4/21
Writings by Others
1930-1954
4/22
Writings by Others
undated
4/23
Poems
undated
5/1
Jokes
undated
5/2
Notes
undated
Legal Documents
Box/Folder
5/3
Legal Documents
1892-1908
5/4
Legal Documents
1909-1962, undated
Box/Folder
5/5
Maps
undated
5/6-6/2
Clippings
undated
Ephemera
Box/Folder
6/4
Theatre Programs
undated
6/4
The C 6 Daily newsletter
1928
6/5
Book of Nursery Rhymes
undated
6/6
Notepads and Ribbons
1889-1955, undated
6/7
Autograph Album and Place Cards
undated
6/8
Travel materials, passport, and business cards
circa 1920s-1960s
6/9
Greeting cards, invitations, and programs
circa 1900-1030
Education
Whitman College
Box/Folder
6/10
Undergraduate Years
Tuition payment receipts, commencement program, and diploma
1884-1888
6/11
Board of Trustees
Trustee materials, alumni directory, and song book
1907-1918
7/1
Board of Trustees
Alumni directory, college catalogue, clippings, Board of Trustees meeting minutes, and celebration programs
1933-1949
7/2
Alumni Materials
Centennial celebration ephemera
1959, undated
University of Pennsylvania
Box/Folder
7/3
Cash books
1888-1890
7/4
Class and Lecture Materials
1888-1891, undated
7/5
Alumni Materials
Class reunion programs and correspondence
1891-1926
7/6
Alumni Materials
Magazines, class reunion programs, alumni directory, and correspondence
1926-1951, undated
Box/Folder
7/11
Orchard Hill Farms
1920-1922, undated
Family
Gideon Allen Weed
Box/Folder
7/7
Clippings and Obituary
1879-1988, undated
Elizabeth Willis Lawrence
Box/Folder
7/12
Incoming Correspondence from Park Weed Willis
1952-1961, undated
7/13
Incoming Correspondence
Letters primarily concern the will of Park Weed Willis
1959-1984
7/14
Receipt from Park Weed Willis's will
1962
Cecil Durand Willis
Box/Folder
7/15
Incoming Correspondence
1935-1954
7/16
Miscellaneous Incoming Correspondence to Cecil Durand Willis
1958, undated
7/17
Outgoing Correspondence
undated
7/18
Medical Chart
undated
8/1
Tape-recorded Reminiscences
1977-1978
8/2
Broadway High School yearbook
1916
8/3
Report card, class assignment, and commencement program
1906-1916, undated
8/4
Ephemera and Sons of the Revolution application materials
1921-1922, undated
8/5
Miscellaneous notes and copies
1919, undated
Georgia Clark Willis
Box/Folder
8/6
Incoming correspondence
undated
8/7
Incoming Correspondence
undated
8/8
Scrapbook
1904-1934, undated
8/9-8/10
Clippings
undated
8/11
Membership cards, calling cards, and greeting cards
1927-1946, undated
Park Weed Willis, Jr.
Box/Folder
8/12
Incoming correspondence
undated
8/13
Clippings
1952-1956
8/14
Certificates and Announcements
1937, undated
Park Weed Willis, III
Box/Folder
8/15
Incoming correspondence
undated
8/16
Clippings
1952, undated
8/17
Commencement Invitation
1948
Cecil Durand Willis
Box/Folder
10
Scrapbook
circa 1915-1920
Box/Folder
9/5
Miscellaneous
1926, undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Personal Names

  • Willis, Park Weed--Archives

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Lawrence, Elizabeth Willis (creator)
    • Willis, Cecil Durand (creator)
    • Willis, Georgia Clark (creator)
    • Willis, Park Weed, III (creator)
    • Willis, Park Weed, Jr (creator)
    Corporate Names
    • Children's Orthopedic Hospital (Seattle, Wash.) (creator)
    • King County Medical Society (Seattle, Wash.) (creator)
    • Northern Pacific Beneficial Association (creator)
    • Orchard Hill Farms (Redmond, Wash.) (creator)
    • Swinomish Gun Club (creator)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)