Clise family papers, 1908-1980

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Clise family
Title
Clise family papers
Dates
1908-1980 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.36 cubic feet (1 box plus 1 vertical file)
Collection Number
3964
Summary
Geneaological and personal library materials related to the Clise family of Seattle, Washington
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

The Clise family's influence on the Seattle commercial real estate market began on June 7, 1889, when James W. (JW) Clise arrived in Seattle with his wife, Anna Herr Clise, and their daughter, Ruth, the day after the Great Seattle Fire destroyed much of the city's downtown. He soon began to acquire and manage properties in the city and started the Clise Investment Company, which developed rapidly. Clise's largest early sale came when JW sold land in Pioneer Square to Lyman C. Smith, who built the Smith Tower on that land.

JW's son Charlie ran the business with his father after he returned from serving as an engineering officer during World War I. During the Great Depression, Charlie Clise purchased a large tract of developable downtown land in Seattle's Denny Regrade area. Charlie's son Alfred joined the company in 1950 and assumed leadership of the company after Charlie's death in 1961. Alfred's son Al first worked for Clise while he was in high school before officially joining the business in 1980. He became responsible for the company's day-to-day operations in 1985 and formally assumed leadership after Alfred's death in 1993. During Al's tenure, Clise Properties, Inc. redeveloped the Westin Building into a telecommunications carrier hotel and, in 2012, sold much of the land that Charlie Clise had acquired in the Denny Regrade area to Amazon.

Rosalind Cornelia (Hammer) Clise was born on February 4, 1891 in New Haven, Connecticut. She married Charles Francis Clise in 1913. The couple had four children: Jocelyn, Sylvia, Alfred, and Charles. Rosalind Clise was involved with the Seattle Girl Scouts and donated funds and helped to acquire property for the Scout Camp Robinswood on the Hood Canal. She also donated money to purchase land for Camp Terrywood on Mercer Island and another camp near Carnation, Washington. Rosalind Clise died in December 1979.

Sylvia Clise Duryee was born on August 4, 1925 to Charles Francis and Rosalind Hammer Clise. She graduated from The Bush School in 1943 and then attended the University of Washington, where she studied art and received her Master of Arts in Ceramics. She was later the president of the Seattle Clay Club and sold her pottery through the Henry Art Gallery and Seattle Art Museum. Duryee met her husband, Philip Albert Duryee, while racing International 14 sailboats on Lake Washington. The couple married in 1955 and had two children, Cornelia and Schuyler. In addition to sailing and boat racing, Duryee's interests in the outdoors included her membership and support of the Girl Scouts and her membership in the Mountaineers. Like her mother Rosalind, she helped to found a Girl Scout camp, Camp Towhee in Sumas, Washington. She was also an avid gardener, and helped to found and administer the Hardy Fern Foundation and ran a Seed Exchange with her sister Jocelyn and friends from around the world. Sylvia also served on committees and boards of the Totem Girl Scout Council, the Northwest Horticultural Society, the Lake Washington Garden Club, the Seattle Garden Club, the Washington Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and the Arboretum Foundation. Sylvia Duryee died on December 20, 2014.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Genealogical materials related to the Clise family, appraisals and correspondence regarding books from the library of Mrs. Charles F. (Rosalind) Clise, and publications by and correspondence from George T. Emmons related to Tlingit baskets that had been purchased by the Clise family.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 3964-001, Clise family papers, 1908-1976
  • Accession No. 3964-002, Clise family papers, 1944-1980

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Books from the library of Mrs. Charles F. (Rosalind) Clise have been cataloged separately.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 3964-001: Clise family papers, 1908-1976Return to Top

1 vertical file

Scope and Content: Genealogical materials related to the Clise, Cowell, and Herr families. Includes The Cowell-Clise-Herr Genealogy, Genealogical Record of Reverend Hans Herr, and Willowmoor, the Story of Marymoor Park.

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 Jean Goodfellow, 3/1/1988.

Accession No. 3964-002: Clise family papers, 1944-1980Return to Top

0.36 cubic feet (1 box)

Scope and Content: Materials related to books from the library of Mrs. Charles F. (Rosalind) Clise and Mrs. Phil (Sylvia) Duryee. Includes a 1961 "Rare Americana" catalog from the Scribner Bookstore annotated by Rosalind Clise, the Rosalind H. Clise Northwest Collection library appraisal catalog produced by J. W. Todd, Jr. of Shorey Bookstore in 1980, and correspondence with and publications by George T. Emmons related to Tlingit baskets that had been purchased by the Clise family. Some of the books listed in the Shorey Bookstore appraisal catalog were donated to the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections and have been cataloged separately.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Gift of Mrs. Phil Duryee, 2009-08-24. From the library of Mrs. Charles F. Clise.

Container(s) Description Dates
Series 1: Rosalind H. Clise Northwest Collection
Box Accession
1 3964-002
Scribner Bookstore Rare Americana Catalogue 148
1961
1 3964-002
Library appraisal by Shorey Bookstore
1980
1 3964-002
Rosalind H. Clise Northwest Collection appraisal
1980
Series 2: George T. Emmons
Box Accession
1 3964-002
George T. Emmons correspondence
1944
1 3964-002
The Museum Journal
September 1921
1 3964-002
Jade in British Columbia and Alaska, and Its Use by the Natives by George T. Emmons
1923
1 3964-002
The Cradle of the Northwest by Stephen B. L. Penrose
May 1933
1 3964-002
List of Publications of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation
January 1946
1 3964-002
Slate Mirrors of the Tsimshian by George T. Emmons
1921

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Families--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Real estate developers--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Tlingit baskets

Personal Names

  • Emmons, George Thornton--Correspondence

Family Names

  • Clise family--Archives