Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Wheelon-Meacham families papers, approximately 1884-1992
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Wheelon (Family : Wheelon, Charles Homer, 1888-1960)
- Title
- Wheelon-Meacham families papers
- Dates
- approximately
1884-1992 (inclusive)18841992
- Quantity
- 10.47 cubic feet (30 boxes and 2 folders)
- Collection Number
- 3954 (Accession No. 3954-001)
- Summary
- Correspondence and other materials between members of the Wheelon and Meacham families
- 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, but access to portions of the papers restricted. Contact repository for details.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Charles Homer Wheelon, who was known throughout his life as Homer, was a Seattle-based physiologist, general practitioner, and artist. He was born on June 29, 1888, in Santa Clara, California, and spent much of his early childhood moving from town to town with his brothers, John Clark, Burton, Frank, and George William, and his parents, George Washington and Minerva Clark Wheelon, as they sought to establish permanent Free Methodist congregations. The family ultimately settled in Seattle, where Homer attended the Seattle Seminary, a Methodist school that later became Seattle Pacific University.
One year after his high school graduation, Homer proposed to Lula Meacham, who was two years behind him in school. Lula was born in Theodore, South Dakota on April 7, 1890, to parents Edith Martina Ring and Wallace Chollar Meacham. Lula had seven siblings, Burton Meacham, Mary Meacham Seeley, Esther Meacham, Willis Meacham, Edith Meacham Stillwell Bonner, Henry Meacham, and Simon Meacham. The Meacham family had a silica mine in Roza, near Yakima, and eventually moved to the Tacoma area. Lula and Homer married in 1915.
Homer had a long interest in art and photography, but, at his parents’ urging, attended the University of Washington to study the liberal arts and became interested in biology. Following his graduation, he decided to attend medical school, but lacked many of the prerequisites. In order to complete these qualifications, Homer accepted a teaching and research assistantship at the University of Oregon, where he could also take classes. However, before he completed these courses, Homer was accepted to the medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago. Two years later, he transferred to St. Louis University to continue his studies and his research there.
In 1920, Homer and Lula returned to Seattle, where Homer began a group medical practice partnership with H. J. Davidson and founded Seattle’s Polyclinic. He was also a guest lecturer at the University of Washington and published clinical studies and textbook chapters. Homer also returned to his artwork, and exhibited many of his paintings and photographs. He also wrote poetry, and was particularly inspired by the work of his colleague, Dr. John Lingenfelter, who used rabbits to test for pregnancy in humans. Between 1933 and 1940, Homer wrote and illustrated a poem entitled “Rabbit No. 202,” which combined his interests in culture, science, and medicine. Many of the poem’s illustrations also came to be used as tailpieces in the American Journal of Physiology and the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Homer died in March 1960. Lula died in 1988 at the age of 98.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Biographical and genealogical materials; report cards, diplomas, yearbooks, and other school documents; club and organization yearbooks and meeting minutes; travel journals; professional correspondence, writings, and artwork; other writings and artwork, including the epic poem Rabbit No. 202; diaries and notes; and extensive correspondence between members of the Wheelon and Meacham families.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Homer Wheelon & Lula Meacham Wheelon's rights transferred to UW Libraries Special Collections.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged in 10 series.
- Biographical Materials
- Genealogy
- School Materials
- Clubs and Organizations
- Travel
- Professional Records
- Writings and Artwork
- Diaries and Notes
- Miscellaneous
- Correspondence
Acquisition Information
Donated by Lula Meacham Wheelon (10/10/1988) and Lawrence Schramm (8/13/1990, 4/27/1992, and 7/22/2019).
Separated Materials
Material Described Separately:Film reels were separated as Wheelon-Meacham Family Home Movies (PH0958). Photographs, negatives, and slides were separated and transferred to the Visual Materials Curator.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Biographical MaterialsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | Homer and Lula Wheelon wedding invitation, speeches, and
toasts |
1915 |
1/2 | Homer Wheelon's Selective Service medal |
1940s |
1/3 | Replat of Island Park sale documents and treasurer's
deed |
1941-1942 |
26/1 | Mortgage documents, 2611 Eastlake Avenue |
1937 |
26/2 | Mortgage documents, Lots 1 and 2, Block 4 of the
Palisades |
1928-1929 |
26/3 | Mortgage documents |
1931-1943 |
1/4 | "Homer and Lula" scrapbook |
1958 |
1/5 | Homer Wheelon license and identification and membership
cards |
c. 1960 |
1/6 | Homer Wheelon obituary |
1960 |
1/7 | Homer Wheelon autopsy report |
1960 |
1/8 | Homer Wheelon funeral materials |
1960 |
1/9 | Sympathy cards for Homer Wheelon's death |
1960 |
1/10 | Sympathy cards for Homer Wheelon's death |
1960 |
1/11 | Homer Wheelon Memorial Scholarship Fund |
1960 |
2/1 | Homer Wheelon scrapbook |
undated |
2/2 | List of Homer Wheelon's residences |
undated |
2/3 |
Homer Wheelon: Artist,
physiologist, physician, and poet article by Lawrence
Schramm |
1992 |
2/4 | Susanna Croft Laboratories health and exercise routines
for Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1920-1922 |
2/5 | Lula Meacham Wheelon diet information |
1928-1930 |
2/6 | Lula Meacham Wheelon dental x-rays |
1940, 1974 |
2/7 | Lula Meacham Wheelon hospital stay log |
1967 |
2/8 | Lula Meacham Wheelon 90th Birthday
Celebration |
1980 |
2/9 | The DePaul Retirement Home and Lula Meacham Wheelon's
retirement |
1976-1984 |
26/4 | Meals on Wheels |
1987-1988 |
2/10 | Lula Meacham Wheelon will correspondence |
1984 |
2/11 | Kay Wheelon adoption records and
correspondence |
1924-1927 |
2/12 | Burton and Mildred Meacham biographical
files |
1964-1975 |
2/13 | Edith Ring Meacham portrait unveiling |
1958 |
2/14 | Edith Ring Meacham estate and legal
documents |
1909-1965 |
2/15 | Edith Ring Meacham funeral materials |
1964 |
2/16 | George B. Wheelon military papers and morgue
tag |
1939-1958 |
2/17 | George Washington Wheelon obituary |
1920 |
2/18 | John Clark Wheelon memorial |
1960 |
2/19 | Simon Meacham memorial |
1956 |
2/20 | Deed history for 4327 11th NE |
undated |
2/21 | Lu-Lon pedigree records |
1947 |
26/7 | Architectural drawings |
undated |
GenealogyReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
3/1 | Ring and Standish families |
undated |
3/2 | Wheeler family |
undated |
3/3-3/4 | Wheelon family |
1875-1976 |
3/5-4/2 | Meacham family |
1950s-1980s, undated |
4/3 | Daughters of the American Revolution |
1926 |
School MaterialsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
4/4 | Lula Meacham Wheelon early report cards and
writings |
1900-1905 |
4/5 | Lula Meacham Wheelon Seattle Seminary
records |
1908-1911, 1962, 1982 |
Box | ||
29 | Lula Meacham Wheelon diploma |
|
Box/Folder | ||
4/6 | Esther Meacham Stillwell Bonner graduation
oration |
1910 |
4/7 | Homer Wheelon report cards and certificates |
1897-1912 |
4/8 | Homer Wheelon's University of Washington
Tyee
yearbook |
1910 |
Box | ||
29 | Homer Wheelon diploma |
|
Box/Folder | ||
5/1 | Burton Jones Wheelon commencement programs and
clippings |
1915, 1957 |
5/2 | Kay Wheelon certificates |
1934-1935 |
Clubs and OrganizationsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
5/3 | Aspasia Club yearbooks |
1930-1940 |
5/4 | Pacific Northwest Chow Club meeting minutes |
1950-1955 |
5/5 | Puget Sound Specialty Association minutes and
notes |
1955-1956 |
5/6 | Society of Mayflower Descendants |
1958-1980 |
5/7 | Order of the Eastern Star |
1962-1981 |
5/8 | Correspondence |
1917, 1937 |
TravelReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
5/9 | Lula Meacham Wheelon travel journals
("Wheelogue") |
1926-1933 |
5/10 | Lula Meacham Wheelon travel tickets |
1975 |
5/11 | "High County" travel account |
undated |
5/12-5/13 | Mildred Meacham travel journals |
1963-1980 |
Professional RecordsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
6/1 | St. Louis University and Bethesda Hospital |
1918-1921 |
6/2 | Homer Wheelon medical licenses |
1918-1919 |
6/3 | Homer Wheelon professional memberships |
1914-1960 |
6/4 | Homer Wheelon professional correspondence |
1917-1950 |
6/5 | Homer Wheelon published professional
writings |
1914-1941 |
Box | ||
27 | Scientific drawings |
undated |
Box/Folder | ||
6/6 | Homer Wheelon C.V. and list of publications |
undated |
Box | ||
29 | Homer Wheelon professional certificates |
undated |
Box/Folder | ||
6/7 | Lula Meacham Wheelon nursing school
clippings |
1913 |
6/8 | Great Western Silica Company |
1915-1922 |
Writings and ArtworkReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
6/9-7/2 |
Rabbit No. 202
manuscript draft |
undated |
7/3 |
Rabbit No. 202
illustrations |
undated |
Box | ||
28 |
Rabbit No. 202
illustrations Includes illustrations titled
Symbols Given
Meaning,
Man assumed the Burden of
Fire,
Tides of Menses,
Slow Ascent--Man,
Theory,
Great Paschal
Fires,
Mass Adapting Self in
Forms,
Pawns of Destiny,
Symbols,
Streams of
Immortality,
Caves--the Home of
Man,
Epilogue,
Red Poppies and White
Crosses,
Myths,
Released Ovum and
Waters--Ruptured Follicle,
Life Expressed in
Forms,
Rhythmic
Reactions,
The Environments of
Life,
Winter of
Disbelief,
System
|
undated |
Box/Folder | ||
7/4 |
Rabbit No. 202,
Parts 1 and 2 |
1940-1941 |
8/1 |
The Quarterly of the Phi
Beta Pi Medical Fraternity featuring
Rabbit No. 202
|
1940-1941 |
8/2 |
Rabbit No. 202
copyright registration |
1941 |
30/1 | Rabbit No. 202 |
1940 |
8/3 | Correspondence regarding
Rabbit No. 202
|
1939-1967 |
8/4 | Writings by Homer Wheelon |
1934-1942, undated |
8/5 | Minerva Clark Wheelon poetry |
1918-1939 |
30/2 | Minerva Clark Wheelon poetry |
1910-1920 |
8/6 | First drawings by Homer Wheelon |
1895-1911 |
26/5 | Pencil drawings by Homer Wheelon |
1904-1929, undated |
8/7 | Homer Wheelon's Christmas book from Palo Alto,
CA |
1905 |
Box | ||
28 | Artwork by Homer Wheelon |
undated |
folder:oversize | ||
OS folder 1 | One sketch titled "Palo Alto, Calif. '05" and one pencil
and watercolor titled "The Pyramid" - by Homer Wheelon |
1905, 1938 |
Box/Folder | ||
9/1 | Exhibition and clippings scrapbook |
1926-1937 |
9/2 | Avocations |
June 1938 |
26/6 | Parergon |
1937, 1942 |
9/3 | American Physicians' Art Association |
1940 |
9/4 | Other artwork by Homer Wheelon |
undated |
9/5 | Artwork by Lula Meacham Wheelon |
undated |
9/6 | Unidentified artwork |
undated |
9/7 | George Washington Wheelon articles and notes |
1876, 1897 |
9/8 | Writings by others |
1940, 1948 |
Diaries and NotesReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
9/9 | Esther Meacham Stillwell Bonner early
memories |
undated |
9/10 | Minerva Clark Wheelon early memories |
undated |
9/11 | Lula Meacham Wheelon early memories |
undated |
10/1 | Lula Meacham Wheelon diary and letters
(copies) |
1901-1919, 1934 |
10/2 | Lula Meacham Wheelon diaries |
1910-1913, 1960-1982 |
10/3-10/4 | Lula Meacham Wheelon notebooks |
1947-1984 |
10/5-10/6 | Lula Meacham Wheelon calendars |
1962-1983 |
11/1 | Lula Meacham Wheelon miscellaneous notes |
1917-1985 |
11/2 | Edith Ring Meacham miscellaneous notes |
undated |
MiscellaneousReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
11/3 | Homer Wheelon clippings from scrapbook |
1934-1940 |
11/4 | Homer Wheelon's William Blake collection |
1941-1964 |
11/5 | Inventories of books and records for sale |
1960-1961 |
11/6 | Clippings |
1896-1983 |
11/7-11/8 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
CorrespondenceReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
12/1-13/7 | Homer Wheelon to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1907-1959, undated |
13/8-14/8 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Homer Wheelon |
1907-1959, undated |
14/9 | Ann and Wayne Hayward to Homer and Lula
Wheelon |
1935-1984, undated |
14/10 | Benjamin and Marge Wheelon to Homer and Lula
Wheelon |
1938-1988 |
14/11-15/1 | Bertha Sable to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1941-1951 |
15/2 | Incoming correspondence to Burton and Mildred
Meacham |
1962-1971 |
15/3 | Burton and Mildred Meacham to Edith Ring
Meacham |
1940-1964 |
15/4-15/6 | Burton and Mildred Meacham to Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1910-1984 |
15/7 | Incoming to Burton Wheelon |
1914, 1919 |
15/8 | Burton Wheelon to George Washington Wheelon |
1909 |
15/9 | Burton Jones Wheelon to Homer Wheelon |
1914-1939 |
15/10 | Burton Jones Wheelon to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1914-1940 |
15/11 | Catherine Wharton to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1978-1983 |
15/12 | David and Marion Dalgouette to Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1970-1978 |
16/1 | Dora to Edith Ring Meacham |
1917-1918 |
16/2 | Edith Meacham Downs to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1932-1933 |
16/3 | Incoming to Edith Ring Meacham |
1886-1963 |
16/4 | Edith Ring Meacham to Esther Meacham Stillwell
Bonner |
1920-1962 |
16/5-18/3 | Edith Ring Meacham to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1903-1963, undated |
18/4 | Edith Ring Meacham to Simon Meacham |
1932, 1939, undated |
18/5 | Edith Ring Meacham and Willis Meacham |
1933, undated |
18/6 | Esther Meacham Stillwell Bonner to Edith Ring
Meacham |
1916-1963 |
18/7-19/5 | Esther Meacham Stillwell Bonner to Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1907-1983, undated |
19/6 | Ethel Titherington to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1940-1944 |
19/7 | Frank Wheelon to George Washington Wheelon |
1906-1909 |
19/8 | Frank Wheelon to Homer Wheelon |
undated |
19/9 | Frank Wheelon to Minerva Clark Wheelon |
1913, 1940 |
19/10 | Incoming to George Washington Wheelon |
1893-1917 |
20/1-20/2 | George Washington Wheelon to Homer Wheelon |
1908-1920 |
20/3 | George Washington Wheelon to Minerva Clark
Wheelon |
1884-1906 |
20/4 | George William Wheelon to George Washington
Wheelon |
1906-1919 |
20/5 | George William Wheelon to Homer Wheelon |
1916-1921 |
20/6 | George William Wheelon to Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1916-1921 |
20/7 | H.C. Meacham to Wallace and Edith Meacham |
1891-1921 |
20/8 | Hazel to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1920-1934, undated |
20/9 | Henry Meacham to Edith Ring Meacham |
1930 |
20/10 | Henry Meacham to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1918-1937 |
20/11 | Incoming correspondence to Homer Wheelon |
undated |
20/12 | Homer Wheelon to Burton Jones Wheelon |
1915-1919 |
20/13 | Homer Wheelon to Edith and Wallace Meacham |
1908-1948 |
20/14 | Homer Wheelon and Esther Meacham Stillwell
Bonner |
1919, 1958 |
20/15 | Homer Wheelon to Frank Wheelon |
1919 |
20/16 | Homer Wheelon and the parents of Fred Ward |
1918-1919 |
20/17 | Homer Wheelon to George Washington Wheelon |
1898-1920 |
20/18 | Homer Wheelon to George William Wheelon |
1917-1919 |
20/19 | Homer and Lula Wheelon to John Clark Wheelon |
1920-1921 |
20/20 | Homer Wheelon to Minerva Clark Wheelon |
1913-1939 |
20/21 | Homer Wheelon to "Uncle Dan" |
1921-1923 |
20/22 | Homer Wheelon to Willis Meacham |
1920 |
20/23 | Irene Luna to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1962-1964 |
20/24 | J. Earl Thomas to Homer Wheelon |
1923 |
20/25-20/26 | Incoming correspondence to Jim and Esther Meacham
Stillwell Bonner |
1956-19780, undated |
20/27 | John Clark Wheelon to George Washington
Wheelon |
1906-1909 |
20/28 | John Clark and Mertie Wheelon to Homer and Lula
Wheelon |
1916-1945 |
20/29-21/3 | Incoming correspondence to Homer and Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1908-1959 |
21/4-22/3 | Incoming correspondence to Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1960-1988 |
22/4-22/5 | Incoming correspondence to Homer and Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
undated |
22/6 | Outgoing correspondence from Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1920-1983 |
22/7 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Bertha Sable |
1942-1950 |
22/8 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Bill and Mary Meacham
Seeley |
1915-1985 |
22/9 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Burton and Mildred
Meacham |
1914-1980 |
22/10 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Burton Jones Wheelon |
1920-1961 |
23/1 | Lula Meacham Wheelon chow correspondence |
1940-1988 |
23/2 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to David Dalgouette |
1975-1980 |
23/3-23/6 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Edith Ring Meacham |
1908-1963, undated |
23/7-24/1 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Esther Meacham Stillwell
Bonner |
1917-1984, undated |
24/2 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Hazel |
1920-1921 |
24/3 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Helen Meacham |
undated |
24/4 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Kay Wheelon |
1925, undated |
24/5 | Lula Meacham Wheelon and Kevin Manson |
1974 |
24/6 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Minerva Clark
Wheelon |
1920 |
24/7 | Lula Meacham Wheelon to Wallace C. Meacham |
1908-1923 |
24/8 | Lula and Homer Wheelon to the Wayne Miller
family |
1963-1976 |
24/9 | Marte Johnson to "Grandma Peach" |
1948-1952 |
24/10 | Mary Meacham Seeley to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1911-1983 |
24/11 | Mary Lou Jensen and Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1964-1968, undated |
24/12 | Merike Nichols to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1974-1983 |
24/13 | Incoming correspondence to Minerva Clark
Wheelon |
1884-1892 |
24/14 | Minerva Clark Wheelon to George Washington
Wheelon |
1888-1911 |
24/15 | Minerva Clark Wheelon to Homer Wheelon |
1912-1921 |
24/16 | Minerva Clark Wheelon to Lula Meacham
Wheelon |
1911-1938 |
24/17 | Morgan and Jesse Padelford to Homer and Lula
Wheelon |
1929-1961 |
24/18 | Simon Meacham to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1929-1949 |
24/19 | Viola Nelson to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1913-1914 |
24/20 | Wallace C. Meacham to Edith Ring Meacham |
1888-1906 |
24/21 | Wallace C. and Edith Ring Meacham to Homer
Wheelon |
1908-1958 |
25/1 | Wallace C. Meacham to Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1901-1929 |
25/2 | Wayne Miller family to Lula and Homer
Wheelon |
1964-1983 |
25/3-25/4 | Wes Frankhauser and Lula Meacham Wheelon |
1970-1984, undated |
25/5 | Incoming correspondence to Willis Meacham |
1932-1941 |
25/6 | Willis Meacham to Homer and Lula Wheelon |
1918-1939 |
25/7 | Correspondence about Rowji in India |
1904-1916 |
25/8 | Miscellaneous correspondence and letter
fragments |
1892-1963, undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Meacham, Mildred Moseley, 1894-1983--Travel
- Wheelon, Charles Homer, 1888-1960--Archives
- Wheelon, Lula Meacham, 1890-1988--Archives
Family Names
- Meacham (Family : Wheelon, Lula Meacham, 1890-1988)--Archives
- Wheelon (Family : Wheelon, Charles Homer, 1888-1960)--Archives
Other Creators
-
Family Names
- Meacham (Family : Wheelon, Lula Meacham, 1890-1988) (creator)