J.J. Donovan Papers, 1872-1941

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Donovan, J. J. -- (John Joseph), -- 1858-1937.; Donovan, Clara, -- 1858-1936 -- Correspondence.; Bennett, Nelson -- Correspondence.; Donovan family -- Archives.; Donovan family -- Correspondence.
Title
J.J. Donovan Papers
Dates
1872-1941 (inclusive)
Quantity
20 linear ft.
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0348
Summary
The collection consists of the personal, family and business papers of early-Bellingham developer and civic leader John Joseph (J.J.) Donovan.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

John Joseph (J.J.) Donovan (1858-1937) was born in Rumney, New Hampshire to Patrick and Julia (O'Sullivan) Donovan on September 8, 1858. J.J. attended Plymouth Normal School where he met his future wife, Clara Nichols (1858-1936). Both J.J. and Clara graduated in 1877 and passed their teaching examinations, although neither would continue teaching for very long. Clara became a piano teacher and J.J. enrolled in Worcester Polytechnic Institute's civil engineering program, where he graduated as Valedictorian in 1882.

Shortly after graduating, J.J. was hired by the Northern Pacific Railway Company to survey, plan and eventually supervise the building of roadbeds and bridges during construction of Northern Pacific's transcontinental system. This appointment brought him west to Montana and eventually Washington State, where he worked on a number of Northern Pacific's Cascade Division projects for the next several years. By the late-1880s, J.J.'s engineering achievements were well known and his services were sought by various commercial interests then being developed on Bellingham Bay in Washington State. These attracted J.J. and Clara to Western Washington, and they arrived in Fairhaven (which later became part of Bellingham) in 1888.

J.J. quickly became involved in real estate and other business ventures, often in partnership with other well-known area businessmen including Nelson Bennett, C.X. Larrabee, Julius H. Bloedel, and Peter Larson. Over the course of his career, J.J. served as Chief Engineer for the Fairhaven Land Company, the Skagit Coal & Transportation Company, the Fairhaven & Southern Railway Company, the Tideland Appraisers, the Blue Canyon Coal Mining Company, the Bellingham Bay & Eastern Railway Company, and the Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railway Company. He later gave his attention to the lumber business, building and managing the Lake Whatcom Logging Company, Larson Lumber Company, and Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills.

J.J. was active in civic life, serving on the Fairhaven City Council, the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom Normal School (now Western Washington University), and sitting as president of several other cultural and professional associations. He helped raise funds for the construction of St. Joseph's Hospital and Assumption Catholic Church, and publicly spoke out against the Ku Klux Klan. J.J. and Clara built a home on McKenzie Avenue in Fairhaven and had three children: Helen Donovan Craven, J.N. "Jack" Donovan, and Philip Donovan.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The J.J. Donovan Papers consist of Correspondence (1874-1942); Journals, Diaries, and Notebooks (1872-1933); School and College Materials (1875-1982); Business and Financial Records (1873-1942); Writings and Speeches (1882-1924); Images and Film (1920s); Ephemera and Artifacts (1882-1923); and Published Materials (1894-1937).

Correspondence (1874-1942) includes letters between J.J. Donovan and family members, including Clara (Nichols) Donovan, children Helen and John Donovan, and J.J.'s siblings. There is also correspondence that was separated and organized topically by local historians Brian Griffin and Gayle Helgoe, prior to the transfer of records to archival custody. In addition to letters, some of these files may also include photographs, newspapers clippings, and manuscript materials.

Journals, Diaries, and Notebooks (1872-1933) include daily private notes written by J.J. as well as accounts from his travel and some of his work. There are also travel diaries by Clara Donovan, and journals and notebooks kept by the Donovan children.

School and College Materials (1875-1982) comprise items created by J.J. during his time as a student, including essays and papers, grade sheets, notebooks, as well as a brief sketch of J.J.'s early life written by former classmate and childhood friend J.Q. Barlow.

Business and Financial Records (1873-1942) include some professional correspondence, banking and cashbooks, bills and receipts, tax and insurance information, stock certificates and reports from J.J.'s commercial interests, as well as materials from trade and industry conferences.

Writings and Speeches (1882-1924) include love poems, children's poetry, J.J.'s public address re: the Ku Klux Klan, and various other speeches.

Images and Film (1920s) are comprised of mostly unidentified negatives and prints of Donovan family members, as well as some images from Whatcom County/Mount Baker wilderness area and various travels. There are also digital copies of three 16mm films documenting family gatherings, and scenes from the Mt. Baker Lodge, Bellingham waterfront, and surrounding area.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

J.J. Donovan Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9123

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The J. J. Donovan Papers are organized according to the following series arrangement:

  • Series I. Correspondence, 1874-1942
  • Series II. Journals, Diaries and Notebooks, 1872-1933
  • Series III. School and College Materials, 1875-1932
  • Series IV. Business and Financial Records, 1873-1929
  • Series V. Writings and Speeches, 1882-1924
  • Series VI. Images and Film, 1920s
  • Series VII. Ephemera and Artifacts, 1882-1928
  • Series VIII. Published Materials, 1894-1930

Acquisition Information

The bulk of the collection was originally transferred by Brian Griffin in 2013 (with subsequent transfers from the Whatcom Museum), with formal donation made by Al and Kathy Riggs. Additional materials were donated by Lucile Palifka.

Separated Materials

Some items have been temporarily separated from the collection and will be re-partriated once additional preservations measures have been taken. Contact repository for details.

Processing Note

About Harmful Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see our Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:   Correspondence1874-1942 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Personal and Family Correspondence
Box Folder
C1 1-6
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan
1876-1885
C2 1-5
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan
1886-1887
C3 1-5
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan
1887-1888
C4 1-6
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan
1888
C5 1-5
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan
1889-1906
C5 6
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan
undated
C5 7
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan to children
1907-1921
C6 1-4
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan to children
1922-1933
C6 5
J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan to children
undated
C6 6-8
J.J. Donovan and siblings
1876-1881
C7 1-6
J.J. Donovan and siblings
1882-1906
C8 1
J.J. Donovan and siblings
1913-1931
C8 2
J.J. Donovan and siblings
undated
C8 3
Clara Nichols/Donovan and children
1901-1913
C8 4
Clara Nichols/Donovan and children
1930-1935
C8 5
John Donovan
1881-1889
C8 6
Helen
1927-1942
General Correspondence
Box Folder
C8 7-9
General
1852;; 1874-1881
C9 1-6
General
1882-1887
C10 1-6
General
1888-1889
C11 1-6
General
1889-1892
C12 1-7
General
1893-1901
C13 1-8
General
1901-1919
C14 1-7
General
1920-1930
C15 1-2
General
1931-1941
C15 3
General
undated
C15 4
Telegraph notebook
circa 1906
Correspondence organized by subject
Box Folder
C15 5
Baby Jack's death
1919
C15 6-7
Barlow, Billy
1883-1924
C15 8
BB BC Railroad
1901-1904
C15 9
Bellingham Bay and Eastern RR
1901-1903
C15 10
Bellingham Bay Improvement Co.
1902-1924
C15 11
Bellingham Publishing/Bellingham Herald
1913
C15 12
Bellingham School District
1914-1931
C15 13
Bennett, Nelson
1888-1890
C15 14-15
Bloedel Donovan Lumber Co.
1914-1931
C15 16
Bloedel Donovan Mill
1931
C15 17
Blue Canyon Mine
1895-1905
C16 1
Catholic Church
1891-1929
C16 2
Chamber of Commerce
1907-1925
C16 3-4
J.J.'s character and generosity
1923-1930
C16 5
City of Bellingham
1910
C16 6
City of Fairhaven
1891-1897
C16 7
City of New Whatcom
1896
C16 8
Clubs and societies
1883-1915
C16 9
Columbia Valley Lumber Co.
1924
C16 10-11
Craven, Helen D.
1923-1930
C16 12
Craven, Leslie
1931
C16 13
Daily Reveille
1903
C16 14
Donovan, Clara Nichols
1906;; 1928
C16 15
Donovan, Dan
1895-1926
C16 16-17
Donovan, Jack J.N.
1902-1910
C17 1
Donovan, Philip
1915-1916
C17 2
Faith/religious matters
1891;; 1916
C17 3
Fairhaven Land Co.
1891-1898
C17 4
Fairhaven Real Estate
1897
C17 5
Fairhaven and Southern Railway
1891-1893
C17 6
Family matters
1930
C17 7
First National Bank of Bellingham
1911
C17 8
Foreign trade
1912-1930
C17 9
Garden St. house
1912
C17 10
Good roads
1921-1926
C17 11
Great Northern Railway
1897
C17 12
Helen
1895-1924
C17 13
Helena, Montana (with accompanying notes from donor)
1888
C17 14
Herbert Hoover
1928
C17 15
House on McKenzie
1893
C17 16
Immigration
1930
C17 17
Irish question
1920
C17 18
Knights of Columbus
1913-1927
C17 19
Ku Klux Klan
1923-1924
C17 20
Lake Whatcom Logging Co.
1911-1913
C17 21
Larson Lumber Co.
1903-1904
C17 22
Larson Mill, Larson Lumber Co.
1901-1907
C17 23
Lumber-Logging Association
1912-1915
C17 24
Marsh, George
1884-1929
C17 25
Medical records (J.J.'s)
1924-1927
C17 26
Mining
1895-1916
C17 27
Miscellaneous professional correspondence
1928
C17 28
Montana investments
1888
C17 29
Montana days
1883
C17 30
Mt. Baker Lodge
1929-1931
C17 31
National Economic League
1907-1927
C17 32
New England Club
1912
C17 33
New Leopold Hotel
1929
C18 1-4
Normal School
1909-1931
C18 5-6
Northern Pacific Railroad
1883-1890
C18 7
Pacific Highway Association
1910-1912
C18 8
Politics
1895-1924
C19 1
Railroad history
1888
C19 2
Railroads, miscellaneous
1887;; 1909-1929
C19 3
Railroad to Spokane
1916-1917
C19 4
Real estate
1910
C19 5
Rotary Club
1933
C19 6
Spruce Matter
1919
C19 7
St. Joseph's Hospital
1890-1933
C19 8
Temperance
1922;; undated
C19 9
Tidelands appraisers
1892
C19 10
Trade associations
1914;; 1921
C19 11
Wahl Department Store (Grand Theater)
1912
C19 12-13
Warren, Uncle Tim
1882-1892
C19 14
Washington State Recognition
1905-1929
C19 15
Worcester Polytechnic
1882-1932
C19 16
Youngman's Institute
1895-1902

Series II:   Journal, Diaries and Notebooks1872-1933 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
D1 1-7
Diaries
1872-1879
D2 1-4
Diaries
1880-1883
D2 5
Diary: "Private Notes"
1883-1884
D2 6-7
Diaries
1885-1886
D2 8
Diary: "Private Notes"
1886
D3 1-4
Diaries
1887;; 1892-1894
D3 5
Diary: "Notes of trip across Washington, Account of State Road Commission, May 1894 and Trip to California, June 1896"
1894;; 1896
D3 6-8
Diaries
1897-1899
D4 1-8
Diaries
1900;; 1903-1907;; 1909-1910
D4 9
European Trip Travel Diary
1911
D5 1
European Trip Expenses Journal
1911
D5 2-3
Diaries
1913;; 1917
D5 4
Diary: Meetings of the Spruce Board and Lumbermen with the Military
1919
D5 5
Diary: "Feb-March Hawaiian Trip"
1923
D5 6
Travel Diaries
1925;; 1929
D5 7-8
Diary
1933
D6 1-10
Monthly diaries
1923-1927
D7 1-13
Monthly diaries
1928-1932
D8 1-11
Notebooks
1881;; 1885-1897
D9 1-10
Notebooks
1899-1909
D10 1-6
Notebooks
1910-1917;; undated
D10 7
Engagements Book
undated
D10 8
Address Book (notes re: Japan trip and blank notebook)
undated
D11 1-4
Clara Donovan Travel Diaries
undated;; 1911;; 1925;; 1929
D11 5
Helen Elizabeth Donovan Diary
1908-1912
D11 6
Helen Elizabeth Donovan Travel Diary
1911
D12 1
Helen Elizabeth Donovan Diary
1913
D12 2
Philip Donovan Notebook
undated
D12 3
Books of quotations (note: "B.G." or "Belonging to Helen Barrett)
circa 1889
D12 4
Quincy railroad notebook (author unknown)
undated

Series III:   School College Materials1875-1982 ,   (bulk 1875-1932 ) Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
S1 1
Various school papers from time as a student
1875-1881
S1 2
Essays and grade sheets from time as a teacher
undated
S1 3
Essays - Dancing, Could the War Have Been Averted, The Influence of Steam
undated
S1 4
Poem: A Summer Sunset
undated
S1 5
Worcester Free Institute Semi-Annual Examination
1882
S1 6
The Second Political Triumvirate
1882
S1 7
Various school notes, exams
1875-1877
S1 8
Chemistry Review
undated
S1 9
Chemistry notebook
1880
S1 10
Physics notebook
undated
S2 1
Math notebook
undated
S2 2
German notebook
undated
S2 3
Notebook - "Notes, 1880"; German lessons
1880
S2 4
Transit book
1878
S2 5
F.T.U.S.A. newspapers/newsletters
1876-1878
S2 6
The F.T.U.S.A. Newspaper
1878
S2 7
High school writing books
undated
S2 8
School receipts and report cards
1875-1882
S2 9
Citation for honorary degree
1932
S2 10
"School Notes"
1878
S2 11
"Sketches of the early life of J.J. Donovan" by his classmate J.Q. Barlow (with accompanying notes from donor)
undated

Series IV:   Business and Financial Records1873-1942 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
F1 1
Professional correspondence
1892-1919
F1 2
Report to Nelson Bennett re: the feasibility of building a railroad line from Coal Mines in Township 35, Range 5 to tidewater
1888
F1 3
Cash accounts and financial notes
1888-1909
F1 4
Banking book
1912
F1 5
J.J. Donovan cash book, inlcudes weekly entries
circa 1884-1887
F1 6
Bellingham Civic League cash book
circa 1921-1929
F1 7
Nelson Bennett/Fairhaven Southern charge and expense account book
undated
F1 8
Tax and insurance information re: Fairhaven land
1912
F1 9
Bloedel-Donovan Logging Mills papers
1913
F1 10
Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills printed photo journal
1922 September 16
F1 11
Bloedel-Donovan stock certificates issued to Helen Donovan Craven
1942
F1 12
The Making of One Hundred and Fifty Million Feet of Fir, Cedar and Spruce lumber yearly, by the Bloedel Donovan Lumber
1913
F1 13
Pacific Logging Congress
1914
F1 14
National Foreign Trade Council Conference
1917
F1 15
Cash book
1876-1880
F1 16
Bills and receipts
1873-1914
F1 17
Business and charitable activities
circa 1910

Series V:   Writings and Speeches1882-1924 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
W1 1
Love poems to Clara
1887-1906
W1 2
Notebook of children's poetry (possibly written by Clara)
undated
W1 3
Poetry
1882-1888
W1 4
Poetry booklet
undated
W1 5
J.J.'s account of a trip to Asia
undated
W1 6
Notes
undated
W1 7
"The Catholic Citizen" - J.J. Donovan address re: the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
1924
W1 8-10
Speeches
1882-1924;; undated

Series VI:   Images and Film1920s Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
P1 1
Photo album: 'The West Indies and Panama" to Julia from John
undated
P1 2
Photo album: 'Snap-Shots of Our Hawaiian Trip' to Sister Margaret from John and Clara
1923
P1 3-4
Family portraits (mostly identified) and scenery shots
undated
P2
Glass plate negatives and steel printing plates - portraits of J.J. Donovan
undated
Folder
P3 1
Photo: "J.J. Donovan 21 years old"
undated
P3 2
Print: "Table Mt. Near Mt. Baker Lodge" by Bert Huntoon
undated
P3 3
7 negatives
undated
P3 4
6 envelopes full of negatives
undated
P3 5
1 envelope of negatives
undated
P3 6
2 envelopes of photos: "Recent Photos of the Children 9/24/24" and "Helen's Children and Mt. Baker 7/21-22"
circa 1924
P3 7
15 family photos
undated
P3 8
47 photos
undated
P3 9
52 photos
undated
P3 10
95 photos
undated
P3 11
12 photos
undated
P3 12-13
15 prints and 285 negatives
circa 1920s
P3 14
3 photographs, papers re: Donovan dinner, railroad ticket, theater, etc.
undated
P3 15
15 prints and 10 negatives - papers re: South Bellingham Industrial Club
undated
P3 16
Folder of papers: railroads, Bellingham Chamber of Commerce, National Foreign Trade Council Conference
undated
P3 17
3 mounted portraits, 40 prints and 8 negatives
undated
P3 18
Photo album
undated
P3 19
45 small prints
undated
P3 20-21
17 mounted portraits, 13 prints
undated
P3 22-23
115 loose and 5 booklets of postcards
undated
P3 24
1 mounted portrait, 1 negative 5 prints
undated
P4 P4
Photographic prints - mostly family, unidentified, a small number of Mt. Baker/industry, postcard of Mt. Baker Lodge, some Roth Easter Egg Hunt
undated
P5 P5
Photographic prints - these prints, accompanied by notes from notes from Brian Griffin
undated
P6 P6
Photographic negatives - include family travel
undated
P7 P7
Photographic prints - portraits of family members, scenery photos, and loose pages once part of a photo album
undated
P8 1
Photo album - Victoria, British Columbia
undated
P8 2
Prints and negatives - banks, Tulip Parade, crows and participants at Battersby Park, California and Arizona, house and garden at St. Jo's (birth, John?)
undated
P8 3
Prints - Roth Easter Egg Hunt
undated
P8 4
Prints - scenic shots around Chuckanut Drive and Mt. Baker, including several B.W. Huntoon, also Clyde Banks images, Jacobsen image of bear in snow
circa 1920s
P8 5
Prints - family images, Nooksack Falls, Mt. Baker area, Clallam County mining and logging operations
circa 1920s
P9
Prints, negatives and tin type - travels (Santa Rosa Elementary), Mt. Baker, Ruby Beach on Olympic Peninsula, Gt. Northern Line (driving Golden Spike?), Japan, China, Mt. Baker Lodge, Mt. Baker, St. Joseph's Hospital, Clallam, Cargo Mill, Tulip Parade
circa 1920s-1930s
item
Film 1
Family gathering
undated
Film 2
Mt. Baker Lodge, Bellingham waterfront, Larrabee Family home
undated
Film 3
Children playing
undated

Series VII:   Ephemera and Artifacts1882-1923 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
E1 1
Autograph book - "J.J. Donovan"
circa 1882-1885
E1 2
Badge - Fourth National Foreign Trade Delegation, Pittsburgh
1917 January 25-27
E1 3
Blank diaries
undated
E1 4
Book plates - Elizabeth Colbourne
1925
E1 5
Business/calling cards
undated
E1 6
Children's Christmas books
1928
E1 7
Children's locks of hair - Helen (3 years old) and Jack
1893
E1 8
Negative album
1916
E1 9
Olive tree leaves
undated
E1 10
Piano key letters
undated
E1 11
Railroad passes
undated
E1 12
Rotary pin
undated
E1 13
Wallets and check holders
undated
E1 14
Wallets and identification cards
undated
E1 15
Assorted ephemera
undated

Series VIII:   Published Materials1894-1937 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
M1 1
American Forestry Association Annual Report
1930
M1 2
Bellingham Herald's Chronological Anecdotal and Biographical History of Northwestern Washington
1910
M1 3
J.J. Donovan's obituary in the Bellingham Herald
1937
M1 4
Bibles
undated
M1 5
"Henck's Field Book for Engineers"
undated
M1 6
Books
circa 1890-1928
M1 7
Catalogs
1901
M1 8
Declaration of Principles and By-Laws of the Manufacturers' and Employers' Association
1911
M1 9
Final Report of the Cascade State Road Commission of the State of Washington
1894
M1 10
Forest Club Quarterly (REMOVED)
1925
M1 11
History of Christ Church, Alexandria, VA
1926
M1 12
Instructions for Operating the Kodascope
undated
M1 13
Journal of Military Service Institution (REMOVED)
undated
M1 14
Map of Bellingham (C.M. Adams)
1904
M2 1
The Gilded Age by Mark Twain
circa 1910
M2 2
McClure's Magazine
1903
M2 3
Miscellaneous articles
undated
M2 4
Montana Society of Engineers directory
1913
M2 5
Newspaper clippings
undated
M2 6
Northern Pacific Railway Company - Engineering Rules and Instructions
1889
M2 7
Pacific Highway by-laws pamphlet
undated
M2 8-10
Assorted pamphlets
1901-1904
M2 11
Political flyers
undated
M2 12
Pocket Dictionary with notation "A Souvenir of the SNS, given by Prof. H.O. Ladd"
1876
M2 13
Statement on prostitution by J.J. Donovan in the Bellingham Herald
1910
M2 14
Religious publications
undated
M2 15
Life's Handicap by Rudyard Kipling
1912
M2 16
Speech of the Hon. William E. Humphrey, House of Representatives
1908 May 18
M2 17
Theater playbills
circa 1930s
M2 18
Travel brochures and maps
1924-1925
M2 19
Whatcom County Auditor's Report
1895
M2 20
Birch Bark Poems by Charles F. Lummis
1882
M3
Newspapers re: J.J. Donovan
undated
oversize-box
M4/1
State of Washington Governor's Proclamation of Thankgiving Day
1906

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Businessmen--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
  • Civic leaders--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
  • Logging--Washington (State)--History--Sources
  • Railroads--Northwest, Pacific--History--Sources.
  • Sawmills--Washington (State)--History--Sources

Personal Names

  • Donovan, J. J.--(John Joseph),--1858-1937--Archives.
  • Donovan, J. J.--(John Joseph),--1858-1937--Correspondence.

Corporate Names

  • Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Larson Lumber Company.
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Geographical Names

  • Pacific Northwest
  • Washington (State)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Personal correspondence.
  • Records (Documents)