Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Eleanor Donaldson papers, 1909-1954
Overview of the Collection
- Cre
- Donaldson, Eleanor
- Title
- Eleanor Donaldson papers
- Dates
- 1909-1954 (inclusive)19091954
- Quantity
- 4.65 linear feet, (1 half-sized document box, 2 oversized flat folders, 3 rolled up posters, and 1 oversized artifact)
- Collection Number
- 2008-020
- Summary
- The Eleanor Donaldson papers span the years 1909 to 1954 and contain an assortment of materials kept by or about Eleanor, primarily during her time serving in the Nurse Corps of Base Hospital 46 in Bazoilles-sur-Meuse, France during World War I. Materials include photographs, posters, correspondence, publications, obituaries, artifacts, and other documents.
- Repository
-
Oregon Health & Science University, Historical Collections & Archives
OHSU Historical Collections & Archives
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. MC:LIB
Portland, OR
97239
Telephone: 5034945587
hcaref@ohsu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
There are no restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Eleanor Donaldson papers span the years 1909 to 1954 and contain an assortment of materials kept by Eleanor, primarily during her time serving in the Nurse Corps of Base Hospital 46 in Bazoilles-sur-Meuse, France during World War I. The papers include black and white 5x7 and oversized photographic prints, including Donaldson's graduation portrait from the St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing and scenes from Base Hospital 46 and Bazoilles-sur-Meuse; posters of French art; a copy of the "Oregon Nurse" featuring an article by Nurse Grace Phelps with a note from Donaldson; assorted correspondence addressed to Donaldson related to her service at Base Hospital 46; correspondence from former nurses of Base 46 regarding Christmas parties and charitable donations; invitations to Christmas reunion dinners from Phelps; fragments from a stained glass window of the Reims Cathedral; obituaries for Eleanor and Grace Phelps; and a footlocker previously owned by Eleanor.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Eleanor Donaldson was born in 1874 and came to Oregon in 1900 from the County Down in Ulster, Ireland with her father James and her sister Annie and three brothers, Dave, Bill, and John (known as Jack and grandfather of donor Greg Donaldson). Annie was purportedly killed by a wagon. Dave and Bill settled in the Maupin, Oregon area on the Deschutes River. Jack was a ranch worker, shearing sheep and providing labor. He homesteaded in Bakeoven Canyon, just outside of Maupin. Jack married Lottie Crabtree.
Eleanor graduated from the St. Vincent School for Nurses in 1902. She enlisted in August 1917 with the Nurse Corps during WWI, and alongside Nurse Grace Phelps, served in the all-volunteer unit Base Hospital 46 as Acting Chief Nurse. She also later served as President of the Oregon State Nurses Association.
According to donor and great nephew Greg Donaldson, Eleanor remained single throughout her life. She may have spent some time with the Whitten family in the now extinct community of Kingsley. She passed away in October of 1954 at the age of 84. Her funeral was held on October 27 at J. P. Finley and Son's Rose Chapel, and she was buried at Kingsley Cemetery in Dufur, OR.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
OHSU Historical Collections & Archives (HC&A) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections, however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with HC&A to determine if we can provide permission for use.
Preferred Citation
Eleanor Donaldson papers, Collection Number 2008-020, Oregon Health & Science University, Historical Collections & Archives
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
The collection was donated to the archives by Eleanor Donaldson's great nephew, Greg Donaldson. The original donation was received by the archives in 2008/07 and accessioned by Archivist Karen Peterson on 2008/08/22. An accrual was donated by Greg and recieved and accessioned by Archivist Karen Peterson on 2013/05/01 and another by Archivist Max Johnson in 2015.
Related Materials
John Guy Strohm Scrapbook: Base Hospital 46, 2004-026 Otis B. Wight- Base Hospital 46: Glass Plate Negative Collection, 2006-012 Grace Phelps Papers, 2010-005
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Documents, Coorespondence, and PhotographsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, Postcard announcing Donaldson's safe arrival overseas in France |
1918 July 5 |
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, letter from Robert C Yenney of Base Hospital 46 to Provost Marshall introducing Donaldson |
1919 January 1 |
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, letter from the Veteran's Administration to Donaldson regarding disability compensation for WWI service |
1933 February 28 |
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, empty envelope addressed to Donaldson from Harold Sexton, Wasco County Sheriff and Tax Collector |
1934 June 19 |
| 1 | 2 | Invitations from Grace Phelps to Base Hospital 46 Nurses to Christmas reunion dinners |
1939-1951 |
| 1 | 3 | "Oregon Nurse" Volume I, Number 10, article "Approach of Armistice Day Calls Memories of 1918" by Grace Phelps, R.N. (page 4) |
1931 October |
| 1 | 4 | Poem, "In Flanders Field" by John McCrae and "America's Answer" by R. W. Lillard, |
circa 1915-1918 |
| 1 | 5 | Reims Cathedral stained glass window fragments |
1918 |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Our barracks base 46 1918 Bazoilles, France" |
1918 |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Some club house don't you think. (B.H. 46.), Opie" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Base hospital 46 on the right 1918" |
1918 |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Our hospital across the river" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Johns Hopkins Hospital next to our Base" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "A ward in our hospital" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Church near our hospital in France" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "French laundry 1918" |
1918 |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "A street in Bazoilles France 1918" |
1918 |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Street in Bazoilles near Base 46" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Meuse River near base 46 France" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "AEF graveyard at our base in France" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "In the village near us in France" |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Johns Hopkins Hospital 1918 near Base 46" |
1918 |
| 1 | 6 | Photographic prints - Base Hospital 46, "Seven hospitals in Wm [?] Valley 1918" |
1918 |
| 1 | 7 | Roster of Base Hospital 46 Nurses |
circa 1940s |
| 1 | 8 | Bulletin to Base 46 nurses |
circa 1946 |
| 1 | 9 | Base Hospital No. 46 Relief Committee - correspondence regarding donations to families in Bazoilles-sur-Meuse |
1947 |
| 1 | 10 | Eleanor Donaldson's funeral - obituaries and card from Base 46 nurses |
1954 |
| 1 | 11 | Grace Phelps - obituaries |
1952 |
| 1 | 12 | Note regarding entrance and discharge of Base 46 physicians |
circa 1943 |
Oversized PhotographsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| flat-file | Folder | ||
| 13 | 1 | St. Vincent School of Nursing [?] graduating class composite portraits |
1909 |
| 13 | 1 | "NOAWWN Convention, Portland, Oregon. OSGNA Tea, University of Oregon Medical School Campus" group photograph |
1932 September 14 |
| 13 | 1 | "Oregon Unit – World War Nurses" group photograph |
1918 |
| 13 | 1 | Nurses on a ship |
1918 |
| 13 | 1 | Dr. Kenneth A. J. Mackenzie, physicians, and nurses with surgical patient |
circa 1910 |
Oversized PostersReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| flat-file | Folder | ||
| 13 | 2 | "Le Medaille Militaire" by Georges Scott (facsimile of oil painting of veteran with medal) |
1915 |
| 13 | 2 | "Les Halles d'Ypres" by C. Duvent (poster of destroyed town) |
1915 |
| 13 | 3 | "Chemin de Fer Paris a Orleans" (3 rolled posters) |
circa 1917 |
ArtifactsReturn to Top
| Description | Dates |
|---|---|
Footlocker |
1917 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Hospitals
- Medicine, Military
- World War (1914-1918)
Personal Names
- Mackenzie, Kenneth A. J.
- Phelps, Grace, 1871-1952
Corporate Names
- St. Vincent's Hospital (Portland, Or.)
- United States. Army. Base Hospital No. 46
- University of Oregon. Medical School
Geographical Names
- France, Eastern
Occupations
- Nursing
