Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Collection
-
Biographical Note
- Content Description
- Use of the Collection
-
Detailed Description of the Collection
- Accession No. 0126-001: Walter B. Beals papers, 1946-1950
- Accession No. 0126-002: Walter B. Beals papers, 1916-1951
- Accession No. 0126-008: Walter B. Beals papers, circa 1400-1940
- Accession No. 0126-009: Walter B. Beals correspondence, 1929-1936
- Accession No. 0126-010: Walter B. Beals manuscripts, circa 1550-1928
- Accession No. 0126-011: Walter B. Beals papers, circa 1800-1950
- Accession No. 0126-012: Walter B. Beals correspondence,
- Names and Subjects
Walter B. Beals papers, circa 1400-1951
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Beals, Walter B
- Title
- Walter B. Beals papers
- Dates
- circa 1400-1951 (inclusive)14001951
- Quantity
- 66.00 cubic feet
- Collection Number
- 0126
- Summary
- Papers of a lawyer, judge, army officer, and collector concerning his career and his signature collections
- 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
-
Consult the access restrictions information for each of the accessions listed below.
Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Walter Burges Beals was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1876. Beals's family traveled west in 1897, and Beals enrolled in the newly founded University of Washington Law School; he and his future wife Othilia Carroll were members of the first graduating class of the school in 1901.
Beals served as a military officer in France during World War I and afterwards helped organize and found the American Legion. His legal career flourished in the 1920s, and in 1926, he accepted a position as judge of the Superior Court of King County. Beals became a member of the Washington State Supreme Court in 1928, a position he held until his retirement in 1950, twice holding the position of Chief Justice. Beals is perhaps best known for his work, in 1946-1947, as Presiding Judge at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremburg, the Nazi war trial known as the "Doctors' Trial."
Walter Beals was an avid collector of books, manuscripts, such as liturgical and religious manuscripts, and signatures, particularly those of European royalty. Beals also began creating albums as a young man, a hobby he continued throughout his life, collecting and soliciting signatures, manuscripts and other materials which he would mount on paper or vellum and bind into albums, often with leather covers. In his time, Beals was considered the greatest private collector of manuscripts and books in the Pacific Northwest.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Consult the scope and content information for each of the accessions listed below.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Consult the restrictions governing reproduction and use for each of the accessions listed below.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 0126-001: Walter B. Beals papers, 1946-1950Return to Top
Scope and Content: Correspondence, reports, writings, notes, trial transcripts, etc.
This material documents Judge Beal's work as a judge at the International Military Tribunal war crime trials at Nuremburg.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Mrs. W. B. Beals, 1/1/1960.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals papers |
Accession No. 0126-002: Walter B. Beals papers, 1916-1951Return to Top
Scope and Content: Correspondence, legal documents, writings, photographs, ephemera, abstract opinions.
This part of the collection documents Judge Beal's life and practice in Washington State as well as his hobby as a bibliophile and book and signature collector.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Mrs. Beals, 6/7/1946.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals papers |
Accession No. 0126-008: Walter B. Beals papers, circa 1400-1940Return to Top
Scope and Content: Signature collection: includes biographical notes and pictures with many of the signatures.
Ten bound volumes: vol. 1 - U.S. presidents, vice presidents and cabinet members, ca. 1800-1920; vol. 2-10 - Union and Confederate Army officers.
Boxes 1-17 represent Judge Beals' signature collection of 19th century American, French and English names. Also many French Revolution figures and some 15th and 16th century British royalty and nobility.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Retained by individual writers where copyright still applies.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Mrs. W. B. Beals, 9/1/1978.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals papers |
Accession No. 0126-009: Walter B. Beals correspondence, 1929-1936Return to Top
Scope and Content: Includes letters from Beals to Hitchman regarding collecting and general correspondence of Beal's half brother Edward Shell regarding popularizing reindeer meat.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Robert Hitchman, 1/29/1979.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals correspondence |
Accession No. 0126-010: Walter B. Beals manuscripts, circa 1550-1928Return to Top
Scope and Content: Most of the manuscripts are French from the 16th century. There is one folder of court papers, ca. 1860, from various county courts in Oregon.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Beals, 7/15/1980.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals manuscripts |
Accession No. 0126-011: Walter B. Beals papers, circa 1800-1950Return to Top
Scope and Content: Genealogy, writing, correspondence, clippings, ephemera.
Genealogy of McMillan/MacMillan family ca. 1800-1945; typed transcript of 1850 writing; family correspondence concerning genealogical information 1947-1950; clippings, ephemera 1945.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Received 6/19/1985.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals papers |
Accession No. 0126-012: Walter B. Beals correspondence, Return to Top
Scope and Content: Incoming letters, mainly from authors of books about Roger Williams.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Acquisition Info: Received 10/1/1996.
| Description |
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Walter B. Beals correspondence |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Armies--Officers
- Judges--Washington (State)
- Judges--Washington (State)--King County
- Lawyers--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
- Beals, Walter B.--Archives
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Hitchman, Robert (creator)
- Shell, Edward (creator)
Corporate Names
- International Military Tribunal (creator)
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
