Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
David Thomas Denny II Family Papers, circa 1890-1944
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Denny family
- Title
- David Thomas Denny II Family Papers
- Dates
- circa 1890-1944 (inclusive)18851949
- Quantity
- .64 cubic feet, (2 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 2011.26
- Summary
- Photographs, documents and scrapbook belonging to the David Thomas Denny II family, and relating to Mt. Rainier, early Seattle history, Puget Sound maritime and logging activities
- Repository
-
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
- Languages
- English.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
David Thomas Denny (1832-1903) traveled west by covered wagon and arrived at the future site of Seattle in 1851, shortly before the party led by his brother Arthur landed at Alki Point. On January 23, 1853, David Thomas Denny married his stepsister and childhood friend Louisa Boren in a civil ceremony performed by “Doc” Maynard. It was the city’s first non-Indian wedding. The young couple received a married land claim of 640 acres, situated in what is now central Seattle. David Thomas Denny and Louisa Boren had eight children.
Their son, David Thomas Denny II (1867-1939) married Nellie Elizabeth Graham (1871-1956.) She was the daughter of pioneers Elizabeth Crammond and Walter Graham, who came to Seattle in the late 1850s. Nellie Graham Denny was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Washington State Pioneers Association, and Daughters of Pioneers of Washington. Their daughter, Inez Louisa Denny (1893-1968) attended the University of Washington and married John Charles Whiteaker (1894-1958.) Their son John David Whiteaker was born in 1926. Inez Louisa Whiteaker was a member of the Guild of Children’s Orthopedic Hospital and the Washington State Historical Society.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The series of mounted 8x10 inch photographs is attributed to the pioneer photographer John P. Soule. It includes a numbered series of Mt Rainier glaciers, summit views and other natural scenery, with captions. Other photographic subjects include Native Americans, the historic Seattle waterfront, Pioneer Square, Puget Sound maritime activities, trains, agriculture, logging and lumber mills.
The documents in the collection include a passport, property title, and City of Seattle engineering licenses issued to David Thomas Denny II. A First Presbyterian Church Diamond Jubilee booklet and Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington Convention Program belonged to Nellie Graham Denny. A scrapbook created by Inez Louisa Denny Whiteaker contains clippings, photographs, invitations and certificates.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.
Restrictions on Use
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
David Thomas Denny II Family Papers, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Location of Collection
3a.4.10Custodial History
Donor received these materials when, as part of his business, he was hired to clear the basement of a house being put on sale. The owner of the house was related to the D.T. Denny II family. It is possible that these materials have the same provenance as those in MOHAI accession 2014.81, the John D. Whiteaker Collection on the Denny and Graham Families.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Brad Bolger, received in 2011.
Related Materials
John D. Whiteaker Collection on the Denny and Graham Families, 2014.81.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Photographs, circa 1890-1930Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | 2011.26.1: David Thomas Denny II passport photograph |
circa 1916 |
| 1/2 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/3 | 2011.26.3: Bird's-eye view from Queen Anne Hill looking toward Fremont |
circa 1900 |
| 1/4 | 2011.26.4: View of Mount Rainier |
circa 1900 |
| 1/5 | 2011.26.5: Man in canoe on river
Lindsley, Lawrence Denny, 1878-1975 (photographer)
Lindsley number 2846.
|
circa 1915 |
| 1/6 | 2011.26.6: Portrait of David Thomas Denny II
Croule-U'Renn (photographer)
|
1924 |
2011.26.7: Photograph album 50 photographs
Soule, John P. (photographer)
This set of 50 photographs appears to be from a photograph album that was disassembled prior to being
received at the repository. Each photograph is approximately 9.5 x 7.5 inches, mounted on 13.5 x 10.5 white board, with
one photo on each side of the board. While none of the photos is signed, comparison with other photographs of his
suggests they may be the work of photograph John P. Soule.
John P. Soule was born in Phillips, Maine on October 19, 1828. He maintained photographic studios on
Washington Street in Boston from 1861-1882. In 1888, John Soule moved to Seattle and continued to work as a
photographer. Most notably, he photographed the aftermath of the Seattle Fire of 1889 and the rebuilding of the city.
He lived and worked in Seattle until his death in 1904.
|
circa 1890 | |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/7 | 2011.26.7.1: Crater Peak, Gibraltar and Cathedral
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 47
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/7 | 2011.26.7.2: Cliffs of Cowlitz Glacier Canyon
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 44
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/8 | 2011.26.7.3: Upper main Cowlitz Glacier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 32
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/8 | 2011.26.7.4: Upper Cowlitz Glacier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 35
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/9 | 2011.26.7.5: Lower main Cowlitz Glacier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 3
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/9 | 2011.26.7.6: Mt. Adams from 10,000 foot on Mt. Rainier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 15
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/10 | 2011.26.7.7: Paradise River and valley
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 54
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/10 | 2011.26.7.8: White River Glacier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 42
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/11 | 2011.26.7.9: Snoqualmie Falls |
circa 1890 |
| 1/11 | 2011.26.7.10: View from summit of Mt. Rainier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 36
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/12 | 2011.26.7.11: Mt. Rainier from Nisqually Glacier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 37
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/12 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/13 | 2011.26.7.13: Upper main Cowlitz Glacier
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 32
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/13 | 2011.26.7.14: Pioneer Square street view and building construction
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/14 | 2011.26.7.15: Lumber mill and trains |
circa 1890 |
| 1/14 | 2011.26.7.16: Canyon of the main Cowlitz
Caption on photo: Mt. Rainier series no. 53
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/15 | 2011.26.7.17: Lumber mill with floating logs and docked ships, possibly Port Blakely
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/15 | 2011.26.7.18: Unpaved Seattle street with wood sidewalk, houses and trees
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/16 | 2011.26.7.19: Seattle waterfront with steam ship approaching dock |
circa 1890 |
| 1/16 | 2011.26.7.20: Seattle waterfront and steam ships docked at Oregon Improvement
Company |
circa 1890 |
| 1/17 | 2011.26.7.21: Seattle waterfront with ships, trestle train dock and floating logs
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/17 | 2011.26.7.22: Seattle city view and waterfront from Denny Hill |
circa 1890 |
| 1/18 | 2011.26.7.23: Sailing ships at dock |
circa 1890 |
| 1/18 | 2011.26.7.24: View of Seattle from Denny Hill |
circa 1890 |
| 1/19 | 2011.26.7.25: Lumber mill with docked ships and floating logs, possibly Port Blakely
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/19 | 2011.26.7.26: Hay field harvest with loaded wagons, workers, horses and oxen
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/20 | 2011.26.7.27: Train cars loaded with large logs and man sitting on top |
circa 1890 |
| 1/20 | 2011.26.7.28: Floating logs at Seattle waterfront |
circa 1890 |
| 1/21 | 2011.26.7.29: Men posing on logs with a team of oxen |
circa 1890 |
| 1/21 | 2011.26.7.30: Men posing on logs hitched to a team of six horses |
circa 1890 |
| 1/22 | 2011.26.7.31: Men posing at the base and climbing a large tree |
circa 1890 |
| 1/22 | 2011.26.7.32: Large team of hitched oxen at work |
circa 1890 |
| 1/23 | 2011.26.7.33: Waterfront view of lumber mill, ships and piers |
circa 1890 |
| 1/23 | 2011.26.7.34: Waterfront view of docked ships and floating logs |
circa 1890 |
| 1/24 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/24 | 2011.26.7.36: Snoqualmie Mill Company train engine
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/25 | 2011.26.7.37: Lumber mill with chute and floating logs |
circa 1890 |
| 1/25 | 2011.26.7.38: Two men and a boy posing with large fallen tree labeled Huron Lumber
Company |
circa 1890 |
| 1/26 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/26 | 2011.26.7.40: View of Puget Sound coastline |
circa 1890 |
| 1/27 | 2011.26.7.41: View of Puget Sound coastline |
circa 1890 |
| 1/27 | 2011.26.7.42: Large waterfront lumber mill with docked ships and floating logs
|
circa 1890 |
| 1/28 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/28 | 2011.26.7.44: Stone gateway fenced entrance to Woodland Park |
circa 1890 |
| 1/29 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/29 | circa 1890 | |
| 1/30 | 2011.26.7.47: Seattle waterfront viewed from Elliott Bay |
circa 1890 |
| 1/30 | 2011.26.7.48: Steamship moored at Oregon Improvement Company Dock A, Seattle
waterfront |
circa 1890 |
| 1/31 | 2011.26.7.49: Railroad trestle bridge over river |
circa 1890 |
| 1/31 | 2011.26.7.50: Men posing with axes and large saws while cutting a large tree
|
circa 1890 |
ScrapbookReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/1 | 2011.26.8: Inez Louisa Denny Whiteaker "Memory Book"
Scrapbook containing photographs, invitations, newspaper clippings, certificates, and other
ephemera.
|
circa 1920 |
| 2/2 | 2011.26.8: Loose photographs removed from scrapbook |
circa 1920 |
DocumentsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/3 | 2011.26.9: City of Seattle Engineer's Licenses, issued to David T. Denny
II 5 certificates
|
1905-1909 |
| 2/4 | 2011.26.10: David Thomas Denny II temporary passport certificate, Chinese
series |
1916 |
| 2/5 | 2011.26.11: Abstract of property title held by David Thomas Denny for the
Denny-Fuhrman Addition, Seattle |
1892 |
| 2/6 | 2011.26.12: Letter of condolence and resolution from the Daughters of the Pioneers of
Washington, addressed to Mrs. David T. Denny on her husband's death |
1939 |
| 2/7 | 2011.26.13: Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington, Fourth Annual Convention
program |
1940 May |
| 2/8 | 2011.26.14: First Presbyterian Church Diamond Jubilee booklet
First Presbyterian Church, Seventh and Spring Streets, Seattle
|
1944 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Lumber industry--Washington (State)
- Pioneers--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Waterfronts--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
- Denny, David Thomas, II, 1867-1939
- Denny, Nellie Graham, 1871-1956
- Whiteaker, Inez Denny, 1893-1968
Geographical Names
- Rainier, Mount (Wash.)
- United States--Washington (State)--Seattle
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Soule, John P., 1828-1904 (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Sue Terrible
2016
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
