Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Ethel Dassow papers, 1920s-2000
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Dassow, Ethel
- Title
- Ethel Dassow papers
- Dates
- 1920s-2000 (inclusive)19202000
- Quantity
- 1 cubic foot (1 box)
- Collection Number
- 5574 (Accession No. 5574-001)
- Summary
- Papers of an editor, writer, and collector regarding her several activities
- 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.
- Additional Reference Guides
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Ethel M. Dassow (1915-2005) was an editor, writer, and collector.
Ethel M. Dassow was born in Iowa, the second child of Robert and Abi Dawson. She moved with her family around 1917 to homestead in Horse Heaven Hills on the Columbia River, and then to Iowa Heights near Bellingham. They later moved to the Tiger area in northeastern Washington. Ethel graduated from Colville High School in 1932, attended Whitworth College, then in 1936 eloped with John Dassow to Seattle, where she attended the University of Washington, majoring in English, and graduating in 1950.
In 1941 John Dassow was hired by Maurice Stansy to work at the Ketchikan Fisheries Technology Lab; he arrived there on December 7, 1941. In June 1942, Ethel arrived in Ketchikan with their two sons, Robert and Richard. Shortly thereafter she was hired by Emery Tobin, founding editor of theAlaska Sportsman. She quickly became Assistant Editor, rewriting manuscripts, laying out pages, and authoring the magazine's feature column, "From Ketchikan to Barrow." She continued to work for theSportsmanwhile the family moved back to Seattle in 1955, shortly before the birth of their daughter, Laura. From then until her death she lived on Mercer Island.
Dassow resigned from theSportsmanin March, 1963, and thereafter did freelance editing and journalism, including the production of several books; notablyCrew of Twoby Beth Eberhart (New York: Doubleday, 1961) andHandloggerswith W.H. Jackson (Anchorage: Alaska Northwest Publishing Co., 1974).
In 1970, she won the Sigma Chi Excellence in Journalism first place award for feature writing, for her series following the cross-country bicycle trip--from Mercer Island to New York--of Fran Call's Mercer Island Cyclemates.
In 1982, Bob Henning hired her as Senior Book Editor for Alaska Northwest Publishing, and in 1984 hisAlaska Magazinepublished her history of theAlaska Sportsman, "The Voice of the Last Frontier." Ethel worked at the firm's Edmonds headquarters until April, 1989, shortly before Henning sold the last of his publishing business.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Correspondence, clippings, manuscripts of others, manuscripts of "Stanley Chapple Speaking" by Ethel Dassow, manuscript and audio tapes ofHandloggersby W.H. Jackson with Ethel Dassow, and related materials.
Collection also includes papers tracking the changes in ownership and management of theSportsman
A portion of the collection consists of the manuscripts, drawings, correspondence, and clippings of Jim Pitcher. Jim Pitcher was skipper of the Betty S. and regularly cruised the waters of southeast Alaska as well as the coastline between British Columbia and Cape Superior.
A manuscript is also included ofThe Big Runabout fishing on the Columbia River, by Ray Fadich, 1997.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The creators' literary rights have been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Donor: Laura Dassow Walls, December 14 and 17, 2010.
Processing Note
Processed by Anna Shelton ; processing completed in 2011.
Photographic materials in the collection have been relocated to visual materials and accessioned there as Photograph Collection 1119, the Ethel Dassow photograph collection. These consist primarily of photos taken or collected by Jim Pitcher and some taken in Alaska by Robert Dawson, Ethel's father, 1951-1955.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alaska Geographic SocietyReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | Book Inventory |
1988 |
1/2 | Correspondence, Map |
undated |
Alaska Northwest Publishing CompanyReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/3 | Bibliography: Seattle/Alaska Economic Nexus |
undated |
1/4 | Book Submission Guidelines |
1985 |
1/5 | Correspondence and Clippings Regarding Sale |
1984-1999 |
Alaska Northwest Books / GTE Discovery PublicationsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/6 | Mission |
1989 |
Alaska Sportsman Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/7 | Clippings |
1943-1984 |
1/8 | Correspondence
Photographs accompanying letters were transferred to Visual Materials. Photocopies remain in the file.
|
1943-1991 |
1/9 | Correspondence, Bibliographical Materials: Emery Tobin, Founder ofAlaska Sportsman
|
1956-1977 |
1/10 | Membership List: Alaska Sportsman Association (copies) |
undated |
1/11 | Notes |
undated |
1/12 | Style Guide |
1943 |
1/13 | "Voice of the Last Frontier" Article |
1984 |
Jim PitcherReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/14 | Biographical Materials
Photographs were separated from the collection and transferred to Visual Materials. Some photocopies remain in the file.
|
1874-1961 |
1/15 | Clippings - Authored by Jim Pitcher |
1947-1952 |
1/16 | Clippings - Miscellaneous |
1924-1956 |
1/17 | Contracts, Claims (Mining) |
1951-1969 |
1/18 | Correspondence (miscellaneous) |
1909-1961 |
1/19 | Correspondence (via Milottes) |
1948-1958 |
1/20 | Correspondence (via Ethel Dassow) |
1961 |
1/21 | Documents Related to Vessels, Shipping |
1929-1948 |
1/22 | Ephemera (Pioneers of Alaska) |
undated |
1/23 | Membership List, Ketchikan Yacht Club |
1955 |
1/24-25 | Manuscript,Alaska Memoirs
|
undated |
1/26 | Manuscript Edits,Alaska Memoirs
|
undated |
1/27 | Manuscripts - miscellaneous
A photograph, "Taku II," was removed from the collection and transferred to Visual Materials.
|
undated |
1/28 | Notes |
1898-1907 |
1/29 | Publication:Sourdough Jim Pitcher: the Autobiography of a Pioneer Alaskan
|
1985 |
Jim Pitcher: Manuscripts of Others |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/30 | Manuscript:The Chief
|
undated |
1/31 |
Diary of Hugh Rodman
|
1897 |
Stanley ChappleReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/32 | Clippings |
1978-1987 |
1/33 | Clippings -- Other Conductors |
1982-2001 |
1/34 | Correspondence Regarding 50th Anniversary |
1967 |
1/35 | Ephemera |
1967 |
1/36-37 | Manuscript: "Stanley Chapple Speaking" |
1982 |
1/38 | Notes, Correspondence |
1982 |
1/39 | Speeches, Interviews |
1958-1963 |
1/40 | bound manuscript: "Stanley Chapple Speaking" |
undated |
1/41-42 | Transcript: Interviews |
undated |
Ethel DassowReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/43 | Regarding Jim Pitcher |
2010 |
1/44 | Clippings: Robert Dawson
Robert Dawson photographs (1951) were separated from the collection and transferred to the Visual Materials Collection
|
undated |
Ethel Dassow with W. H. Jackson |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/45-46 | Audiotapes:Handloggers
9 cassette tapes
|
undated |
1/47 | Correspondence, Contracts, Proofs:Handloggers
|
1966-1992 |
1/48-50 | Manuscript:Handloggers
|
undated |
1/51 | Photo: W. H. Jackson, co-author ofHandloggers
|
undated |
Manuscripts by OthersReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/52 |
The Big Runby Ray Fadich |
1993-1997 |
1/53 | "Fisheries Utilization Research" by John Dassow |
1988 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Chapple, Stanley, 1900-
- Dassow, Ethel--Archives
- Pitcher, Jim
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)