Archives West Finding Aid

The Ernest H. Qualye diaries (1920-1953) consists of five jounals kept by Ernest H. Quayle. A reference in Volume 5 indicates the existence of two other volumes not included. These likely cover the years 1923-1928.

Throughout the journals, Quayle comments on events of the day: the Lindbergh kidnapping, presidential elections, explorations of oil companies in California, etc. There are also references to the Mormon Church such as an explanation of the church pension plan (volume 5, p. 980).

Book 1, the "South Sea Journal," covers his experiences as assistant to Rollo H. Beck on the Whitney Museum of Natural History of New York, 12 September 1920 to 31 January 1922. Included are descriptions and sketches of bird and plant life as well as discussions of the geology of the area and of the native peoples. The volume is a re-write done in 1936, from his original notes and sketches. Pages 815-819 are maps of the islands and schooner routes.

Book 2, "The Voyage of the France in the South Seas" covers his experiences from 1 February 1922 to 7 September 1922. Rollo H. Beck is leader of the expedition for the American Museum of Natural History of New York and the purpose is bird collecting. Sketches and descriptions of land and wildlife are included. The entires stop abruptly because Quayle jumps ship on the second voyage. Reference is made in volumes one and two to his fiance, Alice, who come to Papeete where they are married in August 1922; the marriage does not last.

Book 3, covering "California and Other Places," begins 22 September 1929 and continues through 19 August 1933. As the journal begins, Quayle is herding sheep for his father in Pine Canyon, Fremont County, Idaho. He and his second wife, Mary Emma, are about to move to California. He is "returning to science and education" at Stanford University. In Book 3 we learn of the birth of his daughter, Colleen on 15 June 1931 (p. 17), that he had jumped ship on the 2nd voyage of the France (p. 66), he had a paper printed (p. 119), two species of plants named for him (p. 206); and his second divorce became final (p. 126). He made field trips and expresses his intrest in outdoor work as opposed to laboratory research. He moves to the Los Angeles area doing work with UCLA and Scripps at San Diego. Some of his poetry is included in this volume.

Book 4 is filled with daily thoughts, mainly on love and women, but also includes family references and a description of his life as a sheepherder (p. 300-304). There is some family information of interest (p. 307-315 and 414-421). The beginning of Quayle's involvement with the oyster business and the Drake's Bay Oyster Company in Marin County, California, starts on page 680.

Book 5 includes entries written 28 March 1935 through 11 September 1939, with brief entries on 1-4 January 1941, 19 September 1942, and 27 January 1944. The bulk of this volume deals with the oyster business in Marin County. Also included are some wood cut re-prints; and a reference to other journals he kept which are not in this collection (p. 754). His third marriage to Frances lasted only a shrot time, 23 October 1937 to 14 January 1938. Volume 5 concludes with short notations in January 1941 and January 1944.