Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
James F. Failing family papers, 1850-2009
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Failing, James F. (James Frederick), 1842-1920
- Title
- James F. Failing family papers
- Dates
- 1850-2009 (inclusive)18502009
1870-1986 (bulk)18701986 - Quantity
- 3.52 cubic feet, (3 legal cases, 3 oversize boxes)
- Collection Number
- Coll 799
- Summary
- James Frederick Failing (1842-1920) was a prominent Portland businessman, civic leader, and member of the early Failing family. After arriving in Portland from New York in 1853, James participated in the wholesale hardware business of J. Failing and Co. with his father, Josiah, and his brother Henry. He would later go on to become the director or Portland's First National Bank, and serve as a trustee for numerous local organizations. His children also became notable Portland figures through business and philanthropy.
- 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
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
James Frederick Failing was born in New York on March 24, 1842 to Josiah Failing and Henrietta Legge Ellison. His father and older brothers, Henry and John William, arrived in Portland in 1851, followed two years later in 1853 by James, their mother, and sister, Elizabeth. James completed his education at Portland Academy, then joined J. Failing and Co. as a clerk. The company was a wholesale hardware business started by Josiah and Henry Failing at the corner of first and Oak Streets. James later became a partner at Corbett, Failing and Company. The company operated under this name for 22 years, before later becoming Failing-McCalman Company, operated in part by James's three sons.
In 1877, James Failing became a director of the First National Bank in Portland, remaining a senior director until his death in 1920. He married Jane Johnson Conner in 1880. She was born in Albany, Oregon on February 14, 1855 to merchant John Conner (1820-1902) and his first wife, Martha Mariea Bancroft Whittlesey (1827-1861). Later, John Conner married James's sister, Elizabeth Ann Failing in 1863. Jane Conner and James F. Failing had five children: Edward Josiah (1881-1936), Kate Whittlesey (1883-1971), John Conner (1886-1951), Frederick Ellison (1892-1929), and Henrietta Chase, 1895-1989). Kate and Henrietta participated regularly in Portland civic life, volunteering with numerous organizations.
James Failing and his family were members of the First Baptist Church of Portland. He was involved in the development and construction of the church's Taylor Street building between 1892 and 1893, and was both a trustee and a deacon. His daughter Kate created scrapbooks documenting the history of the church. He was also a director of the Young Men's Christian Association and a trustee for McMinnville College (later known as Linfield College), and an active member of the Oregon Pioneer Society and the Auld Lang Syne Society. Both his father, Josiah, and brother Henry served as mayors of Portland. While James never held public office, he was regarded as a prominent individual in the Portland business and civic communities.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Series 1, People, includes materials related to specific individuals from within the family of James F. Failing. This series makes up a majority of the papers, and includes photographs, correspondence, scrapbooks, bills, certificates and other personal memorabilia. Also included are documents from the Failing Family Trust of Josiah and Henrietta Failing, as well as materials illustrating James's arrival in Portland in 1853. The focus is largely on the personal and family life of James F. Failing, rather than his business ventures.
Series 2, Topics, contains materials not specifically linked to an individual, but rather a topic. These include general family trees and history, Portland Academy, and the First Baptist Church in Portland.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
James F. Failing family papers, Coll 799, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Alternative Forms Available
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The papers are arranged in two series: Series 1. People and Series 2. Topics. Both are in alphabetical order. Within Series 1, individuals with more materials have been arranged into alphabetical sub-series.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Bill Failing Jr, January 2019.
Related Materials
Additional materials related to the Failing family can be found in the Henry Failing Papers (Mss 650) and the John C. Failing certificates (Coll 601). Photographs related to the brother of James F. Failing, Henry Failing (1834-1898), can be found in Org. Lot 785 and 1336.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Individuals, 1850-2009Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1.1: Failing, Henrietta Chase materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 12 | Birth certificate |
1895 |
1 | 13 | Correspondence |
1960, 1973-1983 |
1 | 14 | Europe notes |
circa 1979 |
1 | 15 | Family research |
1974 |
1 | 16 | Financial notes |
undated |
1 | 17 | Funeral service |
1989, April 1 |
4 | 1 | Honorary cable car gripman certificate |
1981 |
1 | 18 | Multiple Sclerosis Society of Portland certificate |
1988 February 20 |
1 | 19 | Obituary |
1989 March 27 |
1 | 20 | Photographs |
1895-1903, 1916-1919, 1976-1985, undated |
6 | Portland Academy scrapbook |
1910 | |
Folder | |||
1 | 21 | Recipes |
undated |
1 | 22 | Silhouette |
undated |
1 | 23 | Trust |
1984, 2009 |
1 | 24 | Trust correspondence |
2008 |
Subseries 1.2: Failing, James Frederick materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 27 | Biography |
undated |
1 | 28 | Clipper ship "Hurricane" passenger list and painting copy |
1853, undated |
1 | 29 | Correspondence |
undated |
1 | 30 | Diary page reproduction, aboard clipper ship "Hurricane" |
1853 |
2 | 1 | House |
undated |
Marriage to Jane Conner |
1880 | ||
2 | 3 | Memorials |
circa 1920 |
Box | |||
Newspaper scrapbooks |
circa 1860-1880 | ||
Folder | |||
2 | 5 | New York Public School certificate |
1853 |
Photographs |
1866-1872, 1898, undated | ||
4 | 3 | Photographs, portraits with wife and children |
undated |
2 | 7 | Pioneer Courthouse Square brick |
1986 |
2 | 8 | Poem written by Mary Forbush Failing for uncle |
undated |
2 | 9 | Scrapbook |
circa 1870 |
Subseries 1.3: Failing, Jane Johnson (Conner) materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 2 | Albany Collegiate Institute diploma |
1874 June 18 |
5 | 3 | Daughters of the American Revolution certificate |
1912 May 9 |
Photographs |
1900, 1917-1920, undated | ||
2 | 11 | Portland Art Association life member certificate |
1918 December 5 |
2 | 12 | Recipes notebook |
undated |
2 | 13 | United Kingdom alien registration |
1923 |
2 | 14 | Visitor sign book |
1912-1948 |
Subseries 1.4: Failing, Jean materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 1 | Cornell University Dean article |
undated |
3 | 2 | Correspondence |
2003-2004 |
3 | 3 | Death |
2008 |
3 | 4 | Estate |
2008 |
3 | 5 | Holiday notes |
2000-2008 |
3 | 6 | Memorial |
2008 |
3 | 7 | Photographs |
1913, 1996-2003, undated |
Subseries 1.5: Failing, John Conner materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 8 | Correspondence |
1930-1952 |
3 | 9 | Memorial |
circa 1951 |
3 | 10 | Photographs |
1895, undated |
5 | 4 | Portland Academy certificate |
1904 June 17 |
3 | 11 | Silhouette |
undated |
6 | Yale scrapbook |
1905-1909 | |
Subseries 1.6: Failing, Kate Whittlesey materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 12 | Bills |
1906 |
3 | 13 | Correspondence |
1952-1954 |
3 | 14 | Photographs |
1889-1923, 1965, undated |
3 | 15 | Recipe book |
undated |
3 | 16 | Silhouette |
undated |
5 | 5 | St. Margaret's Diocesan School for Girls certificate |
1903 June 1 |
Subseries 1.7: Other individuals materials |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Brewster, William, Sr., photographs |
undated |
1 | 2 | Conner, Elizabeth (Failing), photographs |
1882, undated |
1 | 3 | Conner, Henry, photographs |
undated |
1 | 4 | Conner, John, photographs |
undated |
1 | 5 | Conner, John, diary copy |
1850 |
1 | 6 | Failing, Edward, correspondence |
1981 |
1 | 7 | Failing, Edward Josiah, photographs |
1882-1883, 1899, undated |
1 | 8 | Failing, Edward Josiah, silhouette |
undated |
1 | 9 | Failing, Ellen (Johnson), correspondence |
1985 |
1 | 10 | Failing, Frederick Ellison |
1892, undated |
1 | 11 | Failing, Frederick Ellison, silhouette |
undated |
1 | 25 | Failing, Henrietta Legge (Ellison), oil painting copy |
undated |
1 | 26 | Failing, James, photographs |
circa 1940 |
3 | 17 | Failing, William, correspondence |
1975 |
3 | 18 | Failing, William Latimer (1911-1989), correspondence |
1986 |
3 | 19 | Failing, William Latimer, Jr., correspondence |
1973-2008 |
3 | 20 | Wakefield, Henrietta Newton (Whittlesey), photographs |
undated |
3 | 21 | Whittlesey, Arphaxad Newton, memorial cross stitch by Kate Failing |
undated |
Series 2: Topics, 1892-1993Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 22 | Failing, family group photographs |
1898, undated |
3 | 23 | Family holiday party |
1993 |
3 | 24 | Family reunion |
1983 |
3 | 25 | Family tree |
undated |
3 | 26 | First Baptist Church, Taylor Street building |
1892-1893 |
3 | 27 | Genealogy |
1900, 1939-1954, undated |
3 | 28 | Portland Academy, photographs |
1897, undated |
3 | 29 | Portland Rose Festival photograph |
1913 |
3 | 30 | Whittlesey family tree |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Families--Oregon--Portland
- Hardware stores--Oregon--Portland
- Merchants--Oregon--Portland
Personal Names
- Failing, Edward Josiah, 1881-1936
- Failing, Frederick Ellison, 1892-1929
- Failing, James F. (James Frederick), 1842-1920
Geographical Names
- Oregon Territory--History
- Portland (Or.)--History
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Failing, Henrietta Chase, 1895-1989 (creator)
- Failing, Jane Johnson, 1855-1932 (creator)
- Failing, Jean, 1913-2008 (creator)
- Failing, John Conner, 1886-1951 (creator)
- Failing, Kate Whittlesey, 1883-1971 (creator)