Archives West Finding Aid
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Charles H. Martin and Ellis G. Hughes papers, 1881-1946
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Martin, Charles H. (Charles Henry), 1863-1946
- Title
- Charles H. Martin and Ellis G. Hughes papers
- Dates
- 1881-1946 (inclusive)18811946
- Quantity
- 0.23 cubic feet, (1 slim legal document case)
- Collection Number
- Coll 825
- Summary
- Correspondence, property records, reports, and ephemera relating to Ellis G. Hughes and Charles H. Martin of Portland, Oregon. Hughes was a real estate lawyer. His son-in-law Martin was an officer in the U.S. Army, a U.S. congressman, and governor of Oregon from 1935-1939.
- 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
Charles Henry Martin was born in October 1863 near Albion, Illinois. He attended West Point and subsequently served as a U.S. Army officer, serving in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, and World War I. Martin retired from the Army in 1927 with the rank of major general after serving as commander of the Panama Canal Zone, and he moved to Portland, Oregon.
In 1930, Martin successfully ran as a Democrat for U.S. representative of Oregon's Third District, an office to which he was reelected in 1932. As a congressman, he persuaded the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to fund construction of the Bonneville Dam. Martin was elected governor of Oregon in 1934. As governor, he was known for his criticism of New Deal programs and his antipathy toward labor unions. Martin lost the primary for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1938, and retired from politics following the end of his term.
Martin married Louise Hughes, the daughter of Portland attorney Ellis G. Hughes, in 1897. The couple had three children: Samuel, Ellis, and Jane Louise. Martin died in Portland in September 1946.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Ellis Gideon Hughes was born on December 29, 1845, in Iowa City, Iowa. He came to Portland, Oregon, in 1873. Over the next three decades, he became a prominent real estate lawyer. He was one of the charter members of the Arlington Club. He married Maria Louisa Smith Bodenhamer in 1877. The couple had one daughter, Louise. Hughes died of heart failure in August 1909 in Portland.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of correspondence, property records, reports, and ephemera relating to Ellis G. Hughes, an attorney in Portland, Oregon, and his son-in-law, Oregon Governor Charles H. Martin. Hughes' papers include correspondence, warranty deeds, and indenture agreements relating to the transfer of land to the Port of Portland; and a letter from a representative of Union Pacific Railway. Also included are a letter and an indenture agreement from the Oregonian Railway Company, though the relationship between these documents and Hughes is not clear. Martin's papers include newspaper clippings; political ephemera; an honorary diploma from Oregon State Agricultural College (later Oregon State University); reports concerning efforts Martin's administration undertook in response to labor unrest; issues of the newsletter "The Portland Realtor"; a letter from an Army Corps of Engineers officer; and a eulogy prepared by the staff of West Point Academy.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Charles H. Martin and Ellis G. Hughes papers, Coll 825, 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 two series: Series 1. Ellis G. Hughes papers; Series 2. Charles H. Martin papers.
Materials within each series are arranged in chronological order.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Oregon State Archives, October 1992 (Lib. Acc. 21451).
Related Materials
The bulk of Charles H. Martin's papers, including additional papers of Ellis G. Hughes, is designated Mss 1153, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Separated Materials
June 1942 issue of "The Oregon Motorist" was separated to Serials Collections, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Ellis G. Hughes papers, 1881-1903Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Oregonian Railway Company: Letter; indenture agreement |
1881 May 16; 1881 August 1 |
| 1 | 2 | Letter to Hughes from A. L. Williams of Union Pacific Railway |
1882 March 30 |
| 1 | 3 | Warranty deeds and indenture agreement, R. Weeks trustee to Port of Portland |
1892-1903 |
| 1 | 4 | Correspondence and records concerning Port of Portland and Brazee Tract |
1903 July-October |
Series 2: Charles H. Martin papers, 1930-1946Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 5 | Political ephemera |
1930-1938 |
| 1 | 6 | Newspaper clippings |
circa 1933-1946 |
| 1 | 7 | Transcript of hearing held by commission appointed by Martin concerning controversy in Seaside, Oregon, between Sawmill and Timber Workers Union and International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite, and Paper Mill Workers |
1936 March |
| 1 | 8 | Honorary diploma awarded by Oregon State Agricultural College |
1937 June 1 |
| 1 | 9 | Report to Martin by Ralph E. Moody on arrests of and prosecutions against labor agitators |
1938 October 12 |
| 1 | 10 | Issues of "The Portland Realtor" |
1942 January |
| 1 | 11 | Letter to Martin from Lieutenant Colonel E. M. Des Islets |
1942 December 15 |
| 1 | 12 | Eulogy of Martin prepared by staff of West Point Academy |
1946 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Governors--Oregon
- Labor unions--Oregon
- Lawyers--Oregon--Portland
- Real property--Oregon--Portland
Personal Names
- Hughes, Ellis G. (Ellis Gideon), 1845-1909
- Martin, Charles H. (Charles Henry), 1863-1946
Corporate Names
- Port of Portland (Or.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Hughes, Ellis G. (Ellis Gideon), 1845-1909 (creator)
