Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Miller Drake Papers, 1841-1935
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Drake, John Miller, 1830-1913
- Title
- John Miller Drake Papers
- Dates
- 1841-1935 (inclusive)18411912
1862-1895 (bulk)18411912 - Quantity
- 2 cubic feet, (2 document cases, 2 oversize folders)
- Collection Number
- Mss 80
- Summary
- Papers of an officer in the 1st Oregon Cavalry and 1st Oregon Infantry during the Civil War, and later purchasing agent for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. Materials include records of the 1st Oregon Cavalry, correspondence, copy of Drake's journal describing a campaign against the Snake Indians in 1864, articles, legal papers, business correspondence for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, private account books, and receipts for the Portland Board of Trade. Also includes genealogical materials for the Parrish family.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- 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
John Miller Drake was born December 31, 1830 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He emigrated to California during the Gold Rush of 1849, relocating in Oregon nine years later, in 1858. He served as an officer in both the 1st Oregon Cavalry and 1st Oregon Infantry volunteer regiments during the Civil War. Following the war, he became the purchasing agent for the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, a post he filled for 17 years. He died in Portland on December 11, 1913.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Papers include: Supply records, orders, and letters (1862-1865) of the 1st Oregon Cavalry; typescript copies of letters (February 23, 1864-March 24, 1865) received by Captain John M. Drake at Fort Dalles; photocopy and typescript copy of Drake's journal (1864) describing a campaign against the Snake Indians in Eastern Oregon; "The Oregon Cavalry" (1906), article written by John M. Drake; building agreements and accounts (1888) for three Portland houses; legal documents (1865-1909); business correspondence (1876-1895) for the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company; private account books (1871-1912); and Portland Board of Trade receipts (1870-1871). Also includes genealogical materials for the Parrish family, compiled in 1935.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collection. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
John Miller Drake Papers, Mss 80, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series
- Series A: First Oregon Cavalry Materials, 1862-1865; 1906
- Series B: General Materials, 1841-1935
- Series C: Financial Records, 1867-1912
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A: First Oregon Cavalry Materials, 1862-1865, 1906Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Correspondence and miscellany |
1862-1865 |
| 1/2 | Requisition records |
1864 Dec. |
| Oversize Folder 2 | Provision records for 1st Oregon Cavalry
Records formerly folded into packets. Includes names and
signatures of members of the unit. Contains the following:
|
1865 |
| 1/3 | John Drake personal military papers |
1862-1865; 1903 |
| Overize Folder 1 | Certificates of appointment
Three certificates of appointment of John Drake as Captain,
Major, and Lieutenant Colonel.
|
1862-1865 |
| 1/4 | John M. Drake journal of campaign against Indians of
Eastern Oregon--Typescript copies and notes
Two typescript transcriptions of Drake's journal, including an
introduction by Drake written in 1905. One may have been annotated by Priscilla
Knuth of the Oregon Historical Society for use in a publication.
|
1864; 1905 |
| 1/5 | John M. Drake journal of campaign against Indians of
Eastern Oregon--Photocopy of original journal
Photocopy from original in Yale University Library. The journal
was written in 1864 in a diary book for 1863 titled "Daily pocket remembrancer
for 1863."
|
1864 |
| 1/6-7 | Letters received by John M. Drake at Fort Dalles
(typescript transcriptions) |
1864-1865 |
| 1/8 | "The Oregon Cavalry" by John M. Drake (typescript
transcription of article) |
1906 |
Series B: General Materials, 1841-1935Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/9 | Building accounts for houses in Portland |
1888 |
| 1/10 | Compositions written by John M. Drake at Stroudsburg
(Pa.) Academy |
circa 1841 |
| 1/11 | Genealogical materials for the Parrish
family |
1935 |
| 1/12 | Legal documents |
1865-1909 |
| 1/13 | Oregon Central Military Road Co. materials
Includes list of stockholders and papers regarding a law suit in
1899.
|
1888-1899 |
| 1/14 | Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
materials |
1876-1895 |
| 1/15 | Portland Board of Trade invoices |
1870-1871 |
Series C: Financial Records, 1867-1912Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/1 | Account book |
1867-1907 |
| 2/2 | Account book |
1871-1877 |
| 2/3 | Cash account book |
1886-1890 |
| 2/4 | Day books (2 vols) |
1890-1894; 1894-1898 |
| 2/5 | Day book |
1903-1912 |
| 2/6 | Private cash account books (2 vols) |
1877-1882; 1882-1886 |
| 2/7 | Private account book |
1874-1878 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Pacific Coast Indians, Wars with, 1847-1865
- Shoshoni Indians--Wars, 1863-1865
Personal Names
- Drake, John Miller, 1830-1913--Correspondence (creator)
- Drake, John Miller, 1830-1913--Diaries
Corporate Names
- Oregon. Volunteer Cavalry, 1st.
- Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
- Portland Board of Trade (Or.)
- United States. Army--Officers--Correspondence
- United States. Army--Officers--Diaries
Geographical Names
- Fort Dalles (Or.)
- Oregon--Description and travel
- Oregon--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Form or Genre Terms
- Receipts
- Reminiscences
