Oliver Matthews Collection

Oliver Matthews Collection, 1905-1969

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Matthews, Oliver Vincent, 1892-1979
Title: Oliver Matthews Collection
Dates: 1905-1969
19051969
Quantity: 16 cubic feet
Collection Number: Consult repository.
Summary: The Matthews Collection consists of scrapbooks and trip logs pertaining to Oregon trees, logging methods, and wood products.
Repository: Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Oliver Matthews (1892-1979), dendrologist and self-described "botanical tramp," traveled all parts of Oregon for more than 40 years in pursuit of trees, particularly the biggest of each species. Matthews graduated from Willamette University in 1913 and later received teacher training as a post-graduate at Oregon College of Education, but had no formal training as a botanist.

He served in Europe during World War I and worked as a carpenter and an extra in the silent film industry in Hollywood after the war. He returned to Oregon in 1928 and except for seasonal work as a carpenter and in a Salem cannery, devoted the rest of his life to the study of Oregon's trees. He corresponded extensively with herbariums, state and national forest services, newspapers, and individuals; collected hundreds of wood specimens; discovered a new cypress that bears his name; extended the known geographical range of several trees; contributed extensive botanical specimens to many herbariums; and located, measured, and documented the largest specimens of many trees, including Douglas Fir and Weeping Spruce.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection consists of scrapbooks and logs pertaining to Oregon trees, logging methods, and wood products. The scrapbooks, arranged by species or other subject, include correspondence, clippings, photographs, and postcards. The logs contain day-by-day and mile-by-mile information on trips taken by Matthews in his search for botanical specimens, wood samples, and rare or large trees. The logs include maps, photographs, correspondence, trip narratives, and receipts.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Oliver Matthews Collection, Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized in three series: 1. Scrapbooks; 2. Logs; and 3. Publications.

Related Materials

Other materials relating to this collection can be found in the Oliver Matthews Photographic Collection (P 118) and in the Memorabilia Collection.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: ScrapbooksReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box
1	Scrapbook 1 apx 12x17 in.
Box
1	Narrow Leaf Cottonwood apx 12x17 in.
1	Willows and Birches apx 12x17 in. World's largest Northwest Paper Birch Discovery of extension of Northwest Paper Birch growth to area other than the Minam River
1	Scrapbook 2 apx 12x17 in.
Box
1	Sumac apx 12x17 in. Oregon's largest Scarlet Sumac
1	Driftwood apx 12x17 in. Wood collecting on Oregon's beaches Gifts of wood samples to State Forestry Department and to OSU Forestry School
2	Scrapbook 3 apx 12x17 in.
Box
2	Johnson Fir apx 12x17 in.
2	"Sport" trees apx 12x17 in.
2	Noble Fir apx 12x17 in.
3	Scrapbook 4 apx 12x17 in.
Box
3	Incense Cedar apx 12x17 in. Uses
4	Scrapbook 5 apx 12x17 in.
Box
4	Oregon Ash apx 12x17 in. Salem historical photos, newspaper clippings.
4	Elderberries apx 12x17 in. "Detective Work" (letters, gathering of Herbarium materials, etc.) in trying to establish a new elderberry.
5	Scrapbook 6 apx 12x17 in.
Box
5	Largest tree ever cut in Oregon apx 12x17 in.
5	Early logging methods apx 12x17 in. Ox teams, skid roads, donkey engines, trestles, railroads, yard engines.
6	Scrapbook 7 apx 12x17 in.
Box
6	Mountain Alder apx 12x17 in.
6	Red Alder apx 12x17 in.
6	Cut-leaf Alder apx 12x17 in.
6	Sitka Alder apx 12x17 in. Growth on Saddle Mountain.
6	White Alder apx 12x17 in.
7	Scrapbook 8 apx 12x17 in.
Box
7	Blue Blossom (Blue Myrtle) apx 12x17 in.
7	Buffalo Berry apx 12x17 in. Growth in Harney County Alvord County
7	Dogwood apx 12x17 in.
7	Tasseltree, Silktassel apx 12x17 in.
7	Madrone apx 12x17 in.
7	Kinnikinik, Heather, Manzanita, Huckleberry apx 12x17 in.
7	Rhododendron apx 12x17 in.
7	Azalea apx 12x17 in.
8	Scrapbook 9 apx 12x17 in.
Box
8	Syringa apx 12x17 in.
8	Rose apx 12x17 in.
8	Evergreen Blackberry apx 12x17 in.
8	Birchleaf Mountain Mahogany apx 12x17 in.
8	Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany apx 12x17 in.
8	Oregon Crabapple apx 12x17 in.
8	Western Serviceberry apx 12x17 in.
8	Black Haw (Hawthorn) apx 12x17 in.
8	Columbia Haw apx 12x17 in.
8	Bitter cherry apx 12x17 in.
8	Chokeberry apx 12x17 in.
8	Wild Plum apx 12x17 in.
9	Scrapbook 10 apx 12x17 in.
Box
9	Douglas Maple apx 12x17 in.
9	Bigleaf Maple or Broadleaf Maple apx 12x17 in. Maple burls and veneers PowWow tree
9	Kimball Maple apx 12x17 in.
9	Vine Maple apx 12x17 in. Phantom Bridge Silver Creek Falls
9	Cascara Buckhorn or Chittim apx 12x17 in.
10	Scrapbook 11 apx 12x17 in.
Box
10	Chinquapin apx 12x17 in.
10	Western Hackberry apx 12x17 in.
10	Oregon Grape apx 12x17 in.
10	Oregon Myrtle (California Laurel) apx 12x17 in.
10	Avocado apx 12x17 in.
11	Scrapbook 12 apx 12x17 in.
Box
11	Aspen apx 12x17 in.
11	Black Cottonwood apx 12x17 in.
12	Scrapbook 13 apx 12x17 in.
Box
12	Redwood apx 12x17 in. Fossils Redwood Highway (photos from 1926) Metasequoia
13	Scrapbook 14 apx 12x17 in.
Box
13	Old Forestry Building, Portland apx 12x17 in. Lewis and Clark Exposition, 1905
13	Old logging photos and postcards apx 12x17 in.
13	Cordwood, wood-burning stoves, furnaces apx 12x17 in.
13	Virgin Douglas fir photos, postcards apx 12x17 in.
13	Southeast corner of Oregon apx 12x17 in.
14	Scrapbook 15 apx 12x17 in.
Box
14	Forest Fires apx 12x17 in. Tillamook Burn, 1933, 1945.
14	Photos, wood samples apx 12x17 in.
14	Witchbroom on Douglas fir apx 12x17 in.
14	Mistletoe apx 12x17 in.
15	Scrapbook 16 apx 12x17 in.
Box
15	California Juniper apx 12x17 in.
15	Dwarf Juniper apx 12x17 in.
15	Rocky Mountain Juniper apx 12x17 in.
15	Western Juniper apx 12x17 in.
15	Robinson Juniper apx 12x17 in. Matthew's part in naming new specimen.
16	Scrapbook 17 apx 12x17 in.
Box
16	Early Roads in Oregon apx 12x17 in.
16	"Life Zones" in Oregon apx 12x17 in.
17	Scrapbook 18 apx 12x17 in.
Box
17	Determinants of Vegetation apx 12x17 in. Rainfall Soil Latitude
17	Fire apx 12x17 in.
17	Logging apx 12x17 in.
18	Scrapbook 19 apx 12x17 in.
Box
18	Alpine Larch apx 12x17 in.
18	Western Larch apx 12x17 in.
18	Tamaracks apx 12x17 in.
18	Mountain Hemlock apx 12x17 in. Crater Lake Buried forests
19	Scrapbook 20 apx 12x17 in.
Box
19	Western Hemlock apx 12x17 in.
19	Paper Industry apx 12x17 in.
20	Scrapbook 21
Box
20	Tanoak
20	Oregon White Oak Pioneer cemeteries Various large or historic oaks in Oregon
20	Scrapbook 22
Box
20	California Black Oak
20	Canyon Live Oak
20	Dwarf Oak
20	Oracle Oak
20	Scrapbook 23
Box
20	Western Red Cedar Shingle cutting
20	Hogan Cedar
21	Scrapbook 24
Box
21	Alaska Cedar (Alaska Yellow Cedar)
21	Port Orford Cedar
21	Scrapbook 25
Box
21	Sitka Spruce "Wart" trees Weeping form Oregon Coast - photographs
21	Scrapbook 26
Box
21	Weeping Spruce Siskiyou National Forest - Miller Lake area "Great trees"
21	Scrapbook 27
Box
21	Engelmann Spruce
21	Steamboats, beach scenes
22	Scrapbook 28
Box
22	Ponderosa Pine Early logging photos
22	Scrapbook 29
Box
22	Sugar Pine
22	Western White Pine
22	Whitebark Pine Bonsai trees
22	Scrapbook 30
Box
22	Pacific Yew Bows and arrows
22	Florida Yew
22	Coast (or Beach) Pine
22	Digger Pine
22	Jeffrey Pine
22	Knobcone Pine
22	Scrapbook 31
Box
22	Limber Pine
22	Spiral grain in trees
22	Bristlecone Pine
22	Lodgepole Pine
23	Scrapbook 32
Box
23	Douglas fir -- big trees
23	Early surveying in Oregon
23	Coos Bay, lumber port
23	Scrapbook 33
Box
23	Uses of Douglas fir Chips, Christmas trees, cooperage, ship's decking, doors, drugs, javelins, piling, sawdust, plywood, tanning, veneer, etc.
23	Enemies of Douglas fir
23	Scrapbook 34
Box
23	Origin of Christmas Tree
23	Alpine Fir
23	Silver Fir
23	Lowland White Fir
23	Scrapbook 35
Box
23	Red Fir
23	Shasta Fir
23	White Fir
24	Scrapbook 36
Box
24	Douglas fir Shipping Big trees Log rafts Pole business
24	Scrapbook 37
Box
24	Discovery of Matthew's Cypress, Cupressis Bakeri subsp. Matthewsii
24	Monterey Cypress
24	Miller Lake area, Southwest Oregon
24	Scrapbook 38
Box
24	Matthews Cypress
24	McNab Cypress
24	Baker Cypress
24	(Botanical Notes, many from specimens gathered by Matthews)
24	Scrapbook 39
Box
24	Matthews Cypress
25	Scrapbook 40
Box
25	Matthews Cypress apx 12x17 in.
25	Scrapbook 41
Box
25	Matthews Cypress, arranged by area of growth apx 12x17 in.
	Unnumbered Scrapbooks
Box
24	National Forest Maps
25	Big trees, vol. I and II apx 12x17 in.

Series II: Logs, 1928-1967Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
26		1932-1939
27		1940-1946, 1928, 1931
28		1947-1955
29		1956-1967

Series III: Publications, 1948Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
25	"The New World Cypresses" by Carl B. Wolf and Willis E. Wagener	1948

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Christmas tree growing.
Cypress.
Douglas fir--Oregon.
Forest products--Oregon.
Forest fires--Oregon.
Forests and forestry--Oregon.
Logging railroads.
Logging--Machinery.
Logging--Oregon.
Tillamook Burn, Or., 1933.
Trees--Oregon--Identification.
Wood--Identification.

Corporate Names

Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (1905: Portland, Or.)

Geographical Names

Coos Bay (Or.)
Salem (Or.)

Form or Genre Terms

Scrapbooks.

Archives West Finding Aid

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