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Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers, approximately 1853-1947
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Chambers family
- Title
- Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers
- Dates
- approximately 1853-1947 (inclusive)18531947
- Quantity
- 1.47 cubic feet (4 boxes and 1 oversize folder)
- Collection Number
- 0939
- Summary
- Correspondence and legal and financial documents from members of a pioneer family, Washington Territory
- 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
-
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Andrew Jackson Chambers was born on November 25, 1825 in Indiana to parents Letitia and Thomas McCutcheon Chambers. He was named for President Andrew Jackson, who was said to be Letitia Chambers’ cousin. Chambers and his family moved to the Pacific Coast in 1845, and settled six miles from Oregon City. He was active in the development of the area, and assisted with building roads around Mud Mountain near Chehalis and from the falls of the Deschutes River to Chambers Prairie, a 700-acre area of land near Olympia, Washington. In 1847 the family moved to Chambers Prairie. Chambers lived there for the remainder of his life, with the exception of three years spent in California during the Gold Rush.
Chambers’ first wife, Rebecca V. Buckner Chambers, died in 1853. He remarried to Margaret White Chambers, who died in 1911. He had ten daughters: Viretta Chambers Denny, Elizabeth V. Chambers Hunsaker, Eliza Letitia Chambers Grainger, Addie Jane Chambers Talcott, Selma Chambers, Margaret Chambers Calhoun, Edith M. Chambers, Estella Chambers, Leonora Chambers Hoskins, and Ella Chambers Raymond. Andrew Jackson Chambers died of pneumonia on April 25, 1908, at the age of 82. He is buried at Odd Fellows Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Tumwater, Washington.
Viretta (Retta) Chambers Denny (1862-1951), grew up on Chambers Prairie. She attended the Washington Territorial University during the 1879-1880 school year and took classes in the Commercial Course, but did not complete her degree. Her family was on personal terms with the University President, A. J. Anderson. She married Charles L. Denny on June 15, 1887 in Olympia. She and her husband were founding members of the first Seattle Camera Club, which formed in 1895, as well as the Seattle Amateur Photographic Club in 1901. She was also a painter and a historian for the Seattle Historical Society (now the Museum of History and Industry).
The Denny family figures significantly in Seattle history. With his partner Elbert F. Blaine, C. L. Denny established the Denny-Blaine Land Company in 1899 and bought land to develop several parks in Seattle, forming the Denny-Blaine Lake Park neighborhood in the early 20th century. Viretta Denny and Mr. Blaine's wife, Minerva Stone Blaine, are commemorated in the names of Viretta Park and Minerva Fountain. Viretta and Charles Denny had two children, Andrew Chambers Denny (1893-1973) and Horton Hershel Denny (1888-1925). Andrew was named for Viretta's father, while Horton was named for Dexter Horton, who partnered with Charles' father, Arthur Denny (1822-1899), in 1854.
Elizabeth V. Chambers Hunsaker (1854-1938) was married to Jacob Hunsaker and had three children, Lloyd, Harlowe, and Hallie.
Eliza Letitia Chambers Grainger (1857-1921) was married to Robert Grainger.
Addie Jane Chambers Talcott (1858-1938) was married to George Noyes Talcott and had two children, Everett and George Noyes. The Talcott family were early settlers in Olympia, Washington and established Talcott Jewelers. Addie and George lived on Eastside Street in Olympia before moving to a Craftsman home at 2003 Capitol Way S in 1923.
Ella Chambers Raymond (1860-1884) was married to Herbert R. Raymond.
Selma Chambers was born in 1865, and died in 1903.
Margaret Chambers Calhoun (1868-1953) was married to William M. Calhoun.
Edith M. Chambers was born in October 1874 and died on November 23, 1884.
Estella Chambers died in infancy.
Leonora (Nora) Chambers Hoskins (1876-1951) was married to William T. Hoskins and had two children, William T. and James Marquis. The Hoskins family lived in Sacramento, California for some time.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Correspondence between members of Andrew Jackson Chambers' extended family, including Margaret Chambers Calhoun, Nora V. Chambers, Viretta White, Selma Chambers, Lydia Grainger, Elizabeth Chambers Hunsaker, Addie Chambers Talcott, and Viretta Chambers Denny and Charles Denny. Also included are reminiscences, articles of agreement and land claims, receipts and other financial documents, and some miscellaneous materials.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from this collection
Restrictions on Use
Open to all users.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 2 accessions.
- Accession No. 0939-001, Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers, 1853-1947
- Accession No. 0939-002, Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers, approximately 1900-1911
Acquisition Information
Laurence Tyler (5/1/1967); Ann Denny (6/19/1968); Viretta Chambers Denny (1930).
Processing Note
Processing completed by J. MacDowell in 2015. Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers (0939-002) and Viretta Chambers Denny papers (4643-001) were merged with this accession in 2015.
Separated Materials
Material Described Separately:Photographs, negatives, and postcards were relocated to Visual Materials to form the Chambers Family Photograph Collection (PH2004-097) .
Related Materials
Andrew Jackson Chambers Photograph Album (PH0012) and Viretta Chambers (Mrs. C. L.) Denny Photographs and Albums (PH0805)
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 0939-001: Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers, 1853-1947Return to Top
Scope and Content: Correspondence (primarily to Retta Chambers and Charles Denny from her sisters, aunt, mother, and friends), reminiscences, articles of agreement and land claims, receipts and other financial documents, and some miscellaneous materials.
- Series 1, Writings and Correspondence
- Series 2, Legal Documents
- Series 3, Financial Documents
- Series 4, Miscellaneous
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Bibliographic Source: Purchased from Ann Denny
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Series 1: Writings and
Correspondence |
|||
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/1A | 0939-001 | Reminiscences written by Andrew Jackson Chambers,
Elizabeth Harrison Chambers, Margaret White Chambers, and Elizabeth Chambers
Hunsaker |
1911-1947 |
1/1B | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Andrew Jackson
Chambers |
1853, 1854, 1871 |
1/2 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta and Addie
Chambers |
1878 |
1/3 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers |
1879 |
1/4 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta, Nora, and Addie
Chambers |
1879 |
1/5-8 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers |
1880 |
1/9 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers and other
members of the Chambers family |
1881 |
1/10-11 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers |
1881-1882 |
1/12 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers and Retta
White |
1883 |
1/13 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers and the
Chambers family |
1884 |
1/14 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers and her
sisters |
1885 |
1/15 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers |
1886 |
1/16-17 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers
Denny |
1886, undated |
1/18 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Margaret Chambers Calhoun |
1886, undated |
1/19 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny, and the Dennys' marriage announcement |
1887 |
1/20 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers
Denny |
1887 |
1/21-2/2 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Margaret Chambers Calhoun |
1887, undated |
2/3-5 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Margaret Chambers
Calhoun |
1887 |
2/6-7 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny |
1888-1889 |
2/8 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers
Denny |
1890-1891 |
2/9-13 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny |
1892-1894 |
2/14 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers
Denny |
1894 |
2/15-16 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny,
Charlie Denny, and Horton Denny |
1894-1897 |
2/17 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny,
Charlie Denny, and Andrew and Horton Denny |
1898-1899 |
3/1 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny, and report cards for Andrew and Horton Denny |
1900-1901 |
3/2 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny |
1902 |
3/3 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Nora Chambers Hoskins |
1903 |
3/4 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers
Denny |
1903 |
3/5-7 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny |
1903-1905 |
3/8 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Mossalien Chambers |
1906-1907 |
3/9 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta White, Nora Chambers
Hoskins, and Retta Chambers Denny |
1908-1909 |
3/10 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny and
Charlie Denny |
1910-1913 |
3/11 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers
Denny |
1919-1922, 1946 |
3/12 | 0939-001 | Incoming correspondence to Retta Chambers Denny,
Charlie Denny, and Margaret |
undated |
3/13 | 0939-001 | Invitations and incoming correspondence to Andrew and
Horton Denny |
undated |
3/14 | 0939-001 | Loose pages of correspondence |
undated |
3/15 | 0939-001 | Louise Corbin Denny's autograph book |
1879-1883 |
3/16 | 0939-001 | The Chambers' Journal |
1900 |
Series 2: Legal Documents |
|||
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
3/17 | 0939-001 | Estate of John Chambers, Order of Sale |
1878 |
3/18 | 0939-001 | Articles of Agreement |
1868, 1892, 1897, 1903, 1910 |
3/19 | 0939-001 | Land claims |
undated, 1853 |
3/20 | 0939-001 | Joel Risdon Power of Attorney to Andrew Jackson
Chambers, Viretta Chambers' Teacher's Permit, and Warranty Deed from Andrew
Jackson Chambers to Margaret Chambers |
1862, 1883, 1885 |
3/21 | 0939-001 | Court papers for
L.S. Barker vs. Oliver G. McGilvery and
Charles L. Denny
|
1919 |
Series 3: Financial
Documents |
|||
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
3/22 | 0939-001 | Tax receipts |
1920 |
3/23 | 0939-001 | Receipts |
1896-1909 |
3/24 | 0939-001 | Receipts and financial correspondence |
1894, 1899, 1921 |
3/25 | 0939-001 | Report of Supervisor/Payroll |
undated |
3/26-27 | 0939-001 | Tax receipts |
1858-1905 |
3/28-4/6 | 0939-001 | Receipts |
1853-1909 |
4/7 | 0939-001 | Financial inquiries and correspondence,
receipts |
1859-1873 |
Series 4: Miscellaneous |
|||
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
4/8 | 0939-001 | School and church programs |
1871-1905 |
4/9 | 0939-001 | Washing recipe |
undated |
4/10 | 0939-001 | Andrew Jackson Chambers pocket diary |
1865 |
Accession No. 0939-002: Andrew Jackson Chambers family papers, approximately 1900-1911Return to Top
Scope and Content: A family history chart with hand coloring and drawings. Lists births, deaths, and marriages from 1825-1911.
Physical/Technical Access: Removed from wood frame.
Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.
Removed from wood frame.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State)
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Family Names
- Chambers family--Archives
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Calhoun, Margaret Chambers, 1867- (creator)
- Chambers, Andrew Jackson, 1825-1908 (creator)
- Chambers, Dora (creator)
- Chambers, Nora V (creator)
- Chambers, Selma, 1865- (creator)
- Denny, Andrew Chambers, 1893-1926 (creator)
- Denny, Charles L., 1861-1919 (creator)
- Denny, Horton Hershel, 1888-1925 (creator)
- Denny, Viretta Chambers, 1862- (creator)
- Grainger, Eliza Chambers, 1856- (creator)
- Grainger, Lydia (creator)
- Hoskins, Nora Chambers, 1876- (creator)
- Hunsaker, Elizabeth Chambers (creator)
- Raymond, Ella Chambers, 1860-1885 (creator)
- Talcott, Addie Chambers, 1858 (creator)
- White, Viretta (creator)