Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1851-1902
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Van Buskirk, Philip C. (Philip Clayton), 1833-1903
- Title
- Philip C. Van Buskirk papers
- Dates
- 1851-1902 (inclusive)18511902
- Quantity
- 2.52 cubic feet plus 18 microfilm reels
- Collection Number
- 3621
- Summary
- Diaries describing experiences of a sailor, soldier and Washington State pioneer
- 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
-
Open to all users.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Philip Clayton Van Buskirk was an American sailor, soldier, and pioneer. Born in 1833 to upper-class parents, one of which was the Maryland Secretary of State, Van Buskirk was well-off and educated but spent much of his life as part of the, mostly illiterate, maritime working-class. In 1846, at the age of 12, Van Buskirk joined the U.S. Marines following his father's suicide. In 1852, he spent time as a drummer on Admiral Matthew C. Perry's expedition to open Japan to foreign trade. In 1853, he sailed to the Bonin Islands to claim them for the U.S. aboard the USS Plymouth. He also served as a Confederate soldier during the Civil War but was captured by Union soldiers and sent to a prison camp in Ohio in 1862. Van Buskirk eventually made the journey to Washington to settle on the Snohomish River. He died in Bremerton, WA in 1903. In 1851, Van Buskirk began an extensive record of his life in journals, which soon grew to many volumes. His incredible writings provide a unique and vivid picture of everyday life among the American working class of the 1800s.
See also Microfilm no. A799 in Newspapers-Microcopy.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Consult the scope and content information for each of the accessions listed below.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Transcriptions of the first five years of Philip C. Van Buskirk's diaries can be accessed through CUNY Academic Commons
Four of the diaries have been digitized and are linked below in the detailed inventory.
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 4 accessions.
- Accession No. 3621-001, Philip C. Van Buskirk diaries, 1851-1902
- Accession No. 3621-002, Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1853
- Accession No. 3621-003, Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1851-1902
- Accession No. 3621-004, Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1851-1901
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 3621-001: Philip C. Van Buskirk diaries, 1851-1902Return to Top
Scope and Content: Diaries describing Van Buskirk's experiences as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, including: those as a member of the Perry expedition which opened Japan to foreign trade, service as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War, and as a settler in Snohomish County, Washington.
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 Nellie Heffner, 10/18/1905.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Bound Volumes
|
|||
| Box | Accession | ||
| 1 | 3621-001 | 1851-1855
Digital Content/Other Formats:
View
the digital version of this diary on the Libraries' Digital Collections
website
|
1851-1855 |
| 1 | 3621-001 | 1853
Digital Content/Other Formats:
View
the digital version of this diary on the Libraries' Digital Collections
website
|
1853 |
| 1 | 3621-001 | 1855-1857 |
1855-1857 |
| 1 | 3621-001 | 1858-1862 |
1858-1862 |
| 1 | 3621-001 | 1863-1866
Digital Content/Other Formats:
View
the digital version of this diary on the Libraries' Digital Collections
website
|
1863-1866 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1867 |
1867 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1868-1869 |
1868-1869 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1870 |
1870 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1871
Scope and Content:
Boston to China.
|
1871 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1872-1874 |
1872-1874 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1875
Scope and Content:
Peru.
|
1875 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1876 |
1876 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1877 |
1877 |
| 2 | 3621-001 | 1878 |
1878 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1879-1880 |
1879-1880 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1881-1882 |
1881-1882 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1881-1882
Scope and Content:
Log "U.S.S. Alert"
|
1881-1882 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1883-1884 |
1883-1884 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1885-1886 |
1885-1886 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1885-1889
Scope and Content:
"U.S.S. Adams" - I. Abstract of Log.
|
1885-1889 |
| 3 | 3621-001 | 1885-1889
Scope and Content:
"U.S.S. Adams" - II. Notes.
|
1885-1889 |
| 4 | 3621-001 | 1887-1889 |
1887-1889 |
| 4 | 3621-001 | 1890-1891
Scope and Content:
Mare Island, CA.
|
1890-1891 |
| 4 | 3621-001 | 1892
Scope and Content:
Mare Island, CA and Seattle, WA
|
1892 |
| 4 | 3621-001 | 1893
Scope and Content:
Mare Island, CA.
|
1893 |
| 4 | 3621-001 | 1894
Scope and Content:
Mare Island, CA.
|
1894 |
| 4 | 3621-001 | 1895
Scope and Content:
Mare Island, CA.
|
1895 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1896
Scope and Content:
Mare Island, CA; Seattle, WA; Snohomish, WA; Bellingham, WA;
and San Francisco, CA.
Digital Content/Other Formats:
View
the digital version of this diary on the Libraries' Digital Collections
website
|
1896 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1897
Scope and Content:
Diary
|
1897 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1897
Scope and Content:
Notes
|
1897 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1898 |
1898 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1899 |
1899 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1899
Scope and Content:
Rough log
|
1899 |
| 5 | 3621-001 | 1900 |
1900 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | 1901 |
1901 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | 1902 |
1902 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Chinese Scrapbook |
circa 1870-1880 |
Unbound Items
|
|||
| Box | Accession | ||
| 6 | 3621-001 | Bonin Island settlers and their descendents - Rev. A.F
King |
1898 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Crew list for the U.S.S. Plymouth |
undated |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Negatives - reproductions from diaries |
undated |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Journal of a cruise "Alert" - ports
visited |
circa 1870-1880 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Alphabetical list of ports visited by the
"Adams" |
1885-1889 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Personal documents |
1859-1892 |
| 6 | 3621-001 | Letter of donation from Mrs. Nellie
Heffner |
1905 |
Accession No. 3621-002: Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1853Return to Top
Scope and Content: Robert D. Monroe's typewritten transcription of the 1853 Van Buskirk personal diary "Journal of the Cruize." It is not a complete transcription, but it is nearly so.
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 D. Monroe, 1/8/1985.
Accession No. 3621-003: Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1851-1902Return to Top
Scope and Content: Microfilm of papers. Accession filmed in its entirety, except for the 1853 diary which was unavailable at the time of filming.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Filmed from originals in UW Library, 5/1/1985.
Accession No. 3621-004: Philip C. Van Buskirk papers, 1851-1901Return to Top
Scope and Content: Accession filmed on positive microfilm in its entirety, except for the 1853 diary, which was unavailable at the time of filming.
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 Friends of the Library grant, 3/24/2003.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State)--Snohomish County
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Soldiers--Confederate States of America--Diaries
Personal Names
- Van Buskirk, Philip C. (Philip Clayton), 1833-1903--Diaries
Corporate Names
- Confederate States of America. Army. Virginia Infantry Regiment, 13th--Biography
- United States Naval Expedition to Japan (1852-1854)
- United States. Navy--Sea life--History--19th century
Geographical Names
- Japan--Description and travel
- Japan--Foreign relations--United States
- United States--Foreign relations--Japan
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives, Confederate
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Social aspects
