George Eben Bent photograph collection

George Eben Bent photograph collection, circa 1890-1930

Overview of the Collection

Title: George Eben Bent photograph collection
Dates: circa 1890-1930 (inclusive)
18851939
Quantity: 75 photographic prints (1 box and 1 folder) ; sizes vary
Collection Number: PH0133
Summary: Photographs of George Bent family and friends, mining and gold rush activity in Alaska and the Yukon, and views of Mexico and England. Many of the photographs have attached tissue-paper tags on the back with descriptive information and page numbers as if being prepared for publication. No related book could be located.
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: Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Additional Reference Guides
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

George Eben Bent (1861-ca. 1926) was born in Bath, Maine. His father was a blacksmith in Nova Scotia for much of Bent's life, but he and his brothers turned to mining. George's elder brother, Gardiner, was a mining engineer in Mexico, and his younger brother, James, joined him in Rodman Bay, Alaska, first with the Baranof Exploration Company, then with the Rodman Bay Company. Throughout his career as a gold miner in the Yukon, Bent made trips to New York and London to raise money and support for his companies.

George E. Bent could not make a profit with his ventures in Rodman Bay. A news article, which ran in the Seattle Daily Times in November 1903, stated that more than $500,000 had been lost to the ventures in Rodman Bay. He was sued, several times, for the repayment of loans. He couldn't satisfy his lenders, both in his enterprises and his repayments. He was fired from the Rodman Bay Company, but he did not give up his hope of running a successful mill. Bent had interests in mines in South America and Australia, but his last years were spent in Arizona as the general manager of the Boston-Arizona Copper Company. He died in October at the age of 65, months before the projected opening of the Duplex gold mine in Searchlight, NV.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Photographs of George Bent family and friends, mining and gold rush activity in the Yukon and Alaska including Rodman Bay, and views of Mexico and other travels in Europe.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View the digital version of the collection

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Probably donated by Sverre Arested. He taught in the University of Washington's Scandinavian Studies Department from 1934 to 1972.

Processing Note

Processed by Cindy Porter, 2009; processed by Erin Mettling, 2011; revised by Stefanie Terasaki, 2012. Originally accessioned as the Sverre Arestand photograph collection. Name changed to the George Bent photograph collection in 2012 to accurately reflect the content of the collection.

Bibliography

Patricia Roppel, "The Gold of Rodman Bay." Alaska History magazine. Vol. 8, No. 2, Fall 1993. Pages 20-35.

Patricia Roppel, biographical notes and timeline on George E. Bent. Sent to Cindy Porter via electronic mail March 11, 2009.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

George E. and Florence BentReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		George Bent
Box/Folder	item
1/1	1	George Eben Bent in Chicago L. Alman, New York City and Newport, R.I. (photographer) Written on verso: Bent - 1890. This photograph appears to be taken on the same date as photograph 2, but typed note has a different date.	1887
1/1	2	George E. Bent L. Alman, New York City and Newport, R.I. (photographer) Written on verso: Bent taken 1900. This photograph appears to be taken on the same date as photograph 1, but typed note has a different date.	1895
1/1	3	George E. Bent in New York L.Alman, New York City and Newport, R.I. (photographer) Written on verso: Bent spring 1889.	1889
1/1	4	George E. Bent in London Lafayette, London (photographer) Written on verso: Bent in london 1900.	1900
1/1	5	George E. Bent in New York Alman & Co, New York City and Newport, R.I. (photographer) Written on verso: Bent in 1909.	1909
1/1	6	George E. Bent Alman & Co, New York City and Newport, R.I. (photographer) Written on verso: Bent in 1909.	1909
		Florence Bent
Box/Folder	item
1/1	7	Florence Bent in New York L. Alman, New York City and Newport, R.I. (photographer) Written on verso: Mrs. Bent Florence in 1890.	1893
1/1	8	Florence Bent in Washington, D.C. Written on verso: Mrs. Bent Florence Washington D.C. in 1901.	1901
1/1	9	Florence Bent Written on verso: Florence Bent taken in February 1933.	February 1933

Edward Harrison Power and Elaine Eilson Power, 1901-1902Return to Top

Edward Power and George Bent were investors in the gold mine. Power later fired Bent as manager.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/2	10	Edward Harrison Power and Elaine Eilson Power Lafayette, London (photographer) Written on front: To Dear Mr. Bent With best wishes of Mr & Mrs Power. May 31st. Written on verso: This picture was given to Mr. and Mrs. Bent in 1902.	1902
1/2	11	Elaine Power in Chicago Numa Blancfils, Cannes, Aix-Les-Bains (photographer) Written on verso: To Mr & Mrs Bent Sincerely, Elaine Power.	1901

Acquaintances of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Bent, circa 1900Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/3	12	Captain James Carroll Taber Photographic Co, San Francisco (photographer)	1895
1/3	13	D.D. Conover, president of the Florencia Co., and Mrs. Conover W. Kurtz, New York (photographer) Inscribed on verso: Compliments of Mr & Mrs D.D. Conover Augt 11th 1890 (Pres. Florencia Co.).	1890
1/3	14	Pat Curran Elliott, Butte City, Montana (photographer)	circa 1900
1/3	15	Lionel Dashwood Written on front: London. Written on verso: Lionel Dashwood manager of Childs Bank.	circa 1900
1/3	16	Montague Dashwood Elliott Fry, London (photographer)	circa 1900
1/3	17	Judge Murat Masterson Bingham & Wood, Colorado Springs (photographer)	1889
1/3	18	Young boy and dog, possibly Joe Medell E.C. Berryman, Midland, Michigan (photographer) Written on front: James Gillespie Blaine. Written on verso: Joe Medell and Blaine 1900	1900
box-folder:oversize
OS1	19	William A. Phillpotts LaRoche, Seattle, WA (photographer)	circa 1900
Box/Folder
1/4	20	William A. Pinkerton Morrison, Chicago (photographer) Inscribed on verso: To Geo. E. Bent With best wishes of Wm. A. Pinkerton. Chicago Oct 5th 1895.	1895
1/4	21	Henry G. Slade Brown, Barnes & Bell, Photographers to the Queen, London (photographer) Written on verso: In pleasant memory of Camp Sewey. Nov 1899 H.G.S.	1899
1/4	22	Margaret Stewart Loryea, Spokane, Washington (photographer) Written on verso: Margaret Stewart -In a private theatrical costume.	circa 1900
1/4	23	Margaret or Martha Stewart Loryea, Spokane, Washington (photographer)	circa 1900
1/4	24	Constantine Webb in Alaska Boyd, Seattle, Washington (photographer)	circa 1900

Landmarks on Bent's travels to Gold Rush Alaska, circa 1900Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/5	25	Alert Bay, British Columbia Written on verso: Alert Bay in B.C., Stopped her on way to Alaska in 1898.	1898
1/5	26	Coastline of Alaska	circa 1898
1/5	27	Belle Belle, British Columbia	circa 1898
1/5	28	Revenue cutter in waters off Alexander Archipelago, near Sitka, Alaska Written on verso: Wheeling, Revenue Cutter in foreground.	circa 1898
1/5	29	Scow in Whitehorse Rapids	1899
1/5	30	Juneau, Alsaka from the head of Seward St.	circa 1900
1/5	31	Lake Lindeman Tent City Written on verso: Lake Lindeman Inferior-on White pass road in Canada during gold rush. Attached to photo: Gold rush city of tents, Lake Lindeman, within Arctic Circle in 1898.	1898
1/5	32	Goldrush over Chilkoot Pass Written on verso: The Yukon Rush over Chilkoot Pass.	1898
1/5	33	Le Roi Mine, Rossland, British Columbia Written on verso: Rossland B.C. The Le Roi No. 1 mine in foreground, managed by Bent.	circa 1900
1/5	34a-b	War Eagle Mine, Rossland, British Columbia Both photos captioned: War Eagle Mine- Rossland, Trail Creek, B.C.	circa 1900

Rodman Bay, circa 1900Return to Top

Rodman Bay was an area of interest for British gold-seekers. After the onset of the Yukon Gold Rush, many wanted to try their luck in Alaska. Rodman Bay is an outcropping on a narrow arm of the sea, 30 miles north of Sitka. The winters were long and harsh, and the claims staked on the Bay never came to much fruition. The original members of the Seattle-based Alaska Baranof Exploration Company were: James R. Bent, George Eben Bent, Constantine Lomak Webb (all of Seattle), Will Nichols (Idaho), Charles K. Poteet and Andrew William Anderson (Juneau). They left Seattle for Alaska in 1898. Over the next decade, the exploration company changed hands several times and was part of several lawsuits over ownership, the repayment of loans and stocks.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		People at Rodman Bay
Box/Folder	item
1/6	35	George Bent, Charlie Poteet, Philpotts at shore house Written on verso: Geo. Bent Charlie Poteet, Philpotts- At shore house and shore- Rodman Bay.	circa 1900
1/6	36	Mrs. Davidson and Georgina Bent on porch of a tent Written on verso: Charles Davidson's tent, wife and baby, Georgina Bent - Bent's sister.	circa 1900
		Matthew Fox Fox and his wife, Mary, ran out of supplies in early January 1901. On the way to gather more food, Fox broke through the ice, and "froze his feet." He did not survive the hike back to the couple's homestead nad was thought to have been murdered.
Box/Folder	item
1/6	37	Matthew Fox Written on verso: Matthew Fox, who was murdered at Rodman Bay.	circa 1900
1/6	38	Four men in the snow Written on verso: Where Fox's body was found.	circa 1900
Box/Folder	item
1/6	39	Chinese man named Haw at Rodman	circa 1900
1/6	40	Charles Meiner, Bookkeeper for Rodman Co. Written on verso: Charles Milner bookkeeper of the Rodman Co. at Rodman. This is an enlargement of a snap-shot taken by Florence Bent. She had asked him to look pleasant, hence this response.	circa 1900
1/6	41	Blacksmith Written on verso: Blacksmith at Rodman.	circa 1900
1/6	42	Two men clearing trees Written on verso: Clearing off mill site at Rodman Bay.	circa 1900
		Nature and Landscape of Rodman Bay
Box/Folder	item
1/7	43	Back of Mine	circa 1900
1/7	44	Baranoff Island, Rodman Bay LaRoche, Seattle (photographer)	circa 1900
1/7	45	Buildings at Rodman Bay Written on verso: Boarding House and other buildings at Rodman Bay.	circa 1900
1/7	46	Dog in snow by the water Written on verso: Dog-field spaniel. Bent dog in Alaska "Cook."	circa 1900
1/7	47	Erecting a building Written on verso: building a 120 Stamp Mill at Rodman. Typed note pasted to the back of the photograph has been changed by hand to read: Building a 60 stamp mill at Rodman Bay.	circa 1900
1/7	48	Falls in Rodman Bay	circa 1900
1/7	49	Houses on the beach at Rodman Bay	circa 1900
1/7	50	King salmon Written on verso: 33 lb King [salmon] caught by Mrs. Bent at Alaska.	circa 1900
1/7	51	Man on railway tracks in the snow Written on verso: Boarding house and Bunkhouse Engine house on Beach Rodman.	circa 1900
1/7	52	Railroad at Rodman Bay with workers	circa 1900
1/8	53	Railroad along beach at Rodman Written on verso: Railroad along the Beach Rodman this road is about 10 1/2 miles long from wharf to mine.	circa 1900
1/8	54	Railroad Bridge	circa 1900
1/8	55	Rapids through the woods Written on verso: Up Pike Gulah from Rodman Bay--Falls emptys into Rodman Creek.	circa 1900
1/8	56	Rodman Bay at Sunset Written on verso: Tyee Bay after Storm Rodman Bay Alaska at Sunset.	circa 1900
1/8	57	Snow at Rodman Bay	circa 1900
1/8	58	Store and Boarding house	circa 1900
1/8	59	Timber on flatcars Written on verso: Timber for Mill at mine Rodman Bay on flat cars.	circa 1900
1/8	60	TheTonquin Ship	circa 1900
1/8	61	Wharf and Building with man standing in snow Written on verso: Wharf at Rodman Bay.	circa 1900
1/8	62	Worn cart road near creek Written on verso: Road up to the dam Rodman Creek.	circa 1900

Mr. and Mrs. George B. Hudson, circa 1900Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/9	63	George B. Hudson Dickinson, London (photographer) Hudson was a memeber of the House of Commons in London, and one of the original shareholders on the Rodman Bay claims.	circa 1900
1/9	64	Mrs. George B. Hudson Elliott & Fry, London (photographer)	circa 1900
		George B. Hudson's Home and Estate, Frogmore Hall
box-folder:oversize	item
OS1	65	Front of the Hudsons' home, Frogmore Hall Albert G. Bishop (photographer) Written on verso: Front view of Hudson house Frogmore Hall.	circa 1900
OS1	66	Rear view of Hudson house, Frogmore Hall Albert G. Bishop (photographer) Written on verso: Honoravle George B. Hudson House near London Rear View Frogmore Hall.	circa 1900
OS1	67	Hudson house and estate, Frogmore Hall Albert G. Bishop (photographer) Written on verso: Honoravle George B. Hudson House near London Rear View Frogmore Hall.	circa 1900

Mexico, circa 1890Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/9	68	President Diaz Valleto y Cia, Mexico (photographer) Written on verso: This picture given personally by Diaz to Mrs. Bent in 1895.	1895
1/9	69	Dona Carmeila Rubio de Diaz Valleto y Cia, Mexico (photographer) Written on verso: Also given to Mrs. Bent by Diaz--Diaz's wife.	1895
1/9	70	Dona Eulalia	circa 1890
1/9	71	Don Estevan and famliy Written on verso: -Don Estevan -Son Mariano -Daughter Marie -Wife Dona Eulalia	circa 1890
1/9	72	Manager of Cuautla plantation and family V. Wolfenstein Sucrea, Mexico (photographer) Written on verso: Manager of plantation and wife and son. Taken on the veranda of the hacienda (The names of this family Mrs. Bent has forgotten.)	1890
1/9	73	George Bent and his brothers in Cuautla V. Wolfenstein Sucrea, Mexico (photographer) Written on verso: 1890 Top Row-Uncle George, McManus- Bottom Row: Mr. Whitmore, Guy Bent (in sombrero), George Bent, Jim Bent. They were here at plantation.	1890

European Travels, circa 1900Return to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/10	74	Regina Hotel, Paris, France Written on verso: Regina Hotel where Bents staid in Paris. Joan of Arc monument in foreground.	circa 1900
1/10	75	Windsor Castle, London, England Written on verso: Dolly McMicken Mrs. E.E. Kane. Two friends of Mrs. Bent. This is an enlargement of a snap shot taken by her.	circa 1900

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents