Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Benjamin Selling papers, 1869-1933
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Selling, Benjamin, 1852-1931
- Title
- Benjamin Selling papers
- Dates
- 1869-1933 (inclusive)18691933
- Quantity
- 2 cubic feet, (1 document case, 2 flat boxes)
- Collection Number
- Mss 66
- Summary
- Papers of a Jewish-American clothier and philanthropist of Portland, Oregon. Includes personal account books, scrapbook containing correspondence and clippings, and some materials relating to Selling's business activities. Most materials relate to Selling's unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 1912 and to his charitable activities.
- 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
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Benjamin Selling, the son of German Jewish parents, was born in San Francisco, California on April 29, 1852. Migrating with his family to Portland, Oregon in 1862, Selling attended the Portland Academy and worked for a number of years in his father's general merchandise store. He later established several successful businesses of his own, including Akin, Selling & Company (a wholesale boot and shoe business), Moyer Clothing Company, and Ben Selling, Clothier. Selling went on to serve in the Oregon state legislature and was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 1912. He was also well known for his extensive philanthropic work, especially for Jewish organizations and relief for Eastern European Jews.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Papers include: Three letterpress books (1883-1887) containing copies of Selling's business correspondence; two account books (1891-1892, 1900-1909); scrapbook (1881-1925) containing letters concerning Selling's U.S. Senate candidacy (1912), war relief campaign, Jewish Relief Committee work, and other philanthropic activities; scrapbook of newspaper clippings pertaining to 1912 U.S. Senate campaign; personal and political letters, including pledge of support for Selling from members of the state legislature for the position of house speaker, and subscription list for support of American Committee for Armenian and Syrian relief; and certificate of nomination (1912) as candidate for U.S. Senate.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collection. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Benjamin Selling Papers, Mss 66, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series A: General Materials, 1869-1933
- Series B: Letterpress Copybooks, 1883-1887
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series A: General Materials, 1869-1933Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Correspondence and miscellany |
1869-1933 |
| 1/2 | Personal account book |
1891-1892 |
| 1/3 | Personal memorandum (accounts) |
1900-1910 |
| 1/4 | Scrapbook containing correspondence, clippings, and
memorabilia |
1881-1925 |
| 3/1 | Scrapbook containing news clippings on Senatorial
campaign |
1912 |
Series B: Letterpress copybooks, 1883-1887Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/1 | Letterpress copybook |
1883 Jan.-1884 Sept. 16 |
| 2/2 | Letterpress copybook |
1884 Sept.-1886 |
| 2/3 | Letterpress copybook |
1886 Mar.-1887 Feb. |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Charities--Oregon
- Clothing trade--Oregon--Portland
- Jewish businesspeople--Oregon--Correspondence
- Jewish statesmen--Oregon--Correspondence
- Jews in public life--Oregon
- Jews--Oregon--Charities
Personal Names
- Selling, Benjamin, 1852-1931--Correspondence (creator)
Corporate Names
- Akin, Selling & Company
- Ben Selling, Clothier (Firm)
- Moyer Clothing Company
- Republican Party (Or.)
Geographical Names
- Oregon--Poliltics and government--1859-1950
Form or Genre Terms
- Letters
- Scrapbooks
