N. E. Corthell family papers

N. E. Corthell family papers, 1868-1973

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Corthell, N. E. (Nellis E.)
Title: N. E. Corthell family papers
Dates: 1868-1973 (inclusive)
18601960

1890-1918 (bulk)
18901918
Quantity: 6.95 cubic ft. (14 boxes) + 648 MB
Collection Number: 00075
Summary: The collection contains records of the businesses that Nellis E. Corthell held interest in including: the Laramie "Boomerang," Buffalo Basin Land Company, Laramie Board and Trade, Laramie Ice and Coal Company, Laramie Water Company, Meyer & Raife (a hardware store), Southern Wyoming Telephone Company, Van Dyke Coal and Milling Company, and the Wyoming Central Land and Improvement Company. Family and personal items include photographs, correspondence, and pamphlets and manuscripts written by Eleanor Corthell.
Repository: American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions: There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
Languages: English
Sponsor: The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Nellis E. Corthell (1861-1938) was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, and came to Wyoming circa 1880. After working briefly on a ranch, he began studying law in the office of Laramie, Wyoming, attorney Stephen W. Downey and was admitted to the bar in 1883. Corthell first joined Downey’s law firm, establishing his own practice in 1887. In 1914 the firm of Corthell, McCollough, and Corthell was formed, with the other partners being his son Morris E. Corthell and A.W. McCollough. N.E. Corthell was an authority on water rights and held business interests in several Laramie companies, including the Laramie Boomerang, a newspaper which he owned from 1890 to 1911. He married Eleanor (Nellie) Quackenbush in 1885. She died in 1922. The couple’s children were: Evelyn (b. 1886, m. John A. Hill), Morris Eliot (b. 1887), Miriam (Mim, b. 1889, m. Thayer Burgess and Hugh Moreland), Gladys (1890-1925, m. Wilbur Hitchcock), Robert Clinton (Robin, b. 1891), Huron DeWitt (b. 1893), and Irving Eugene (1894-1957).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection mainly contains records of the businesses that Corthell held interest in along with some family and personal items. The collection includes account books and miscellaneous correspondence for the following businesses: the Laramie Boomerang (1881-1909); the Buffalo Basin Land Company (1881-1901); the Laramie Ice and Coal Company (1885-1893); the Laramie Water Company (1911-1914); Meyer & Raife (a Laramie dry goods store); the Southern Wyoming Telephone Company (1910-1914); the Van Dyke Coal and Milling Company (1890-1894); and the Wyoming Central Land and Improvement Company (1884). The collection also includes minutes and correspondence for the Laramie Board of Trade (1889-1905); a court transcript regarding the Wyoming Development Company and water rights in the Big Laramie valley; and photographs, correspondence, and miscellaneous documents pertaining to the Corthell family. There are also some pamphlets and manuscripts, most of which were written by Eleanor Corthell.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, N. E. Corthell family papers, 1868-1973, Collection Number 00075, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by the N. E. Corthell family at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

The N.E. Corthell family papers, 1868-1973, were received in numerous increments between 1947 and 2021. The donors were: Morris E. Corthell, Irwin E. Corthell, Mrs. John A. Hill, Lydia Corthell, Mrs. Hugh Moreland, Elinor Mullens, and Ann Boelter. The donations were sometimes received mixed with materials from other early Laramie families.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by D.C. Thompson in October 2001 and updated by Jamie Greene in May 2020 and October 2023. The donations were sometimes received mixed with materials from other early Laramie families. The processors have used their judgment in dividing these materials. These separated materials may be found in the Robert H. Homer papers, the John A. Hill papers, the Robert H. Burns papers, and the Downey family papers.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Business Records, 1881-1926Return to Top

2 cubic ft. (4 document boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Arranged alphabetically by business name. Includes account books, stock certificates, contracts, and correspondence of businesses with which N.E. Corthell was associated. Also includes minutes of the Laramie Board of Trade.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1	Albany Motor Company – Stock certificates	circa 1910
1	2	Boomerang – Account book	1881-1909
	Folders
1	3-4	Buffalo Basin Land Company – Account books	1882-1885, 1884-1888
	Folder
1	5	Citizens Coal Company – Stock certificates	1907
1	6	Del Norte (Colorado) Vegetable Growers Cooperative Association – Agreement	1926
2	1	Laramie Board of Trade – Correspondence	1901-1904
	Folders
2	2-3	Laramie Board of Trade – Minute books	1889-1908
	Folder
2	4	Laramie Coal and Ice Company – Daybook	1885-1888
7	1	Laramie Coal and Ice Company – Daybook	1892-1893
2	5	Laramie Cooperative Marketing Association – Stock certificate and contract	1924
2	6	Laramie Water Company – Agreements and contracts	1911-1914
2	7	Laramie Water Company – Correspondence	1912-1913
2	8	Meyer & Raife – Account book	1911-1913
3	1	Meyer & Raife – Account book	1911-1913
3	2	R.L.S. Company – Account book	1906-1908
3	3	Sarver, D.E.(?) – Account book	1893
3	4	Southern Wyoming Telephone Company – Account book	1910
3	5	Southern Wyoming Telephone Company – Correspondence	1910-1914
3	6	Southern Wyoming Telephone Company – Miscellaneous	1910-1914
	Folders
4	1-2	Southern Wyoming Telephone Company – Stock certificates	1910-1913
	Folder
4	3	Strong Copper Mining Company – Stock certificates	1906
4	4	Van Dyke Coal and Milling Company – Account book	1890-1895
4	5	Wyoming Central Land & Improvement Company – Prospectus	1884

Series II. Legal Documents, 1896, 1936-1937Return to Top

(4 folders)

Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Contains documents reflecting Nellis Corthell’s work as an attorney, including court transcripts regarding water rights in the Big Laramie valley.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
5	1	Court Calendars; Second Judicial District, Albany County, Wyoming	September 1936, March 1937
5	2	Powell, Mary Nora – Will	1896
	Folders
5	3-4	Wyoming Development Company	1936

Series III. Family and Personal Papers, 1879-1973Return to Top

Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Contains mainly correspondence, manuscripts, and pamphlets. Includes two drafts of a Utopian novel, In Quest of the Superman. Most manuscripts are probably by Eleanor Corthell.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
14		Air Force Association (AFA) records, John M. Hill (JMH)	1946-1948
14		Artifacts: Jacket Patches - John Hill	undated
5	5	Bryan, William Jennings: songbook; photograph of dinner at Holliday home (Laramie)	1896, undated
10		Christmas Cards	1925-1937
	Folder
5	6	Christmas Token: pamphlet from C.P. Arnold of poetry and photographs	1934
5	7	Correspondence and Miscellaneous	1884-1960
14		Correspondence	1900-1964
11-12 and Digital		Correspondence, family - with typed transcripts and digital copies	1882-1961
12		Correspondence catalog	undated
	Folder
7	2	Corthell Farm: plan to remodel West Laramie residence	1958
7	3	Corthell, Nellis E. – Diploma	1879
12		Eugenics Committee of the United States	1925
	Folder
5	8	Family Trek to the Yellowstone: pamphlet by Eleanor Corthell and Evelyn Hill	1928
10		Graduation announcement	1910
	Folder
5	9	Hat Making: manuscript by Eleanor Corthell	circa 1920
12		Hugh Moreland: Soldier's Individual Pay Record book and Ration book	1918
	Folders
5	10-11	In Quest of the Superman: manuscript of Utopian novel, probably by Eleanor Corthell	circa 1914
10		Instructions for making military uniforms	undated
	Folder
5	12	Laramie Womans Club: manuscript probably by Eleanor Corthell	undated
14		Law School publications	1914-1998
14		Newspaper clippings	1925-1937
10		Pamphlets - miscellaneous	1910-1940
	Folder
14		Printed material: pamphlets and magazines	1943-1971
14		School binder - John Hill	1922-1923
14		School binder - Ross Hill	1922-1923
14		University of Wyoming, Family and Consumer Science	1942-1958
10		Wedding invitations	1910-1940
	Folder
5	13	Wickersham Commission: manuscript regarding prohibition	undated
5	14	Winter Picnic: poem, invitations, photographs regarding birthday parties of C.P. Arnold	1923-1925
		Women's Suffrage materials:
Box
12		S.J. Res. 15 letters to Wyoming Representatives	1950-1955
12		Wyoming Federation of Women's Clubs - correspondence	1928-1932
12		Women's Rights - correspondence, newsletters, leaflets, and legislation	1920-1958
12		National Women's Party	1945-1958
13		Newspapers:
Box
13		Laramie Daily Boomerang	1912-1973
13		Laramie Boomerang, Women's Edition	1900
13		The Denver Post	1933
		Nellis E. Corthell (NEC):	1890-1899
Box	Folder
14		Financial records - Ledgers and check stubs	1890-1899
14		Insurance claims - Death of Nellis E. Corthell	1938-1940
14		Notes - address, sermon "The Inner Life", reflective, devotional, professional	1900-1938

Series IV. Photographs, circa 1868-circa 1930Return to Top

0.25 cubic ft. (1 slim document box, 4 folders, 1 oversize folder)

Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Photographs of Corthell family and friends and Corthell residences. Also includes printing block for A Family Trek to the Yellowstone.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
7	4	Albany County Bar Association	circa 1900
5	15	Burgess, Thayer and Miriam	circa 1920s, undated
5	16	Corthell Family - Lathrop, Phoebe, & Children	circa 1868
	Folders
5	17-18	Corthell Family - Nellis, Eleanor & Children	1885-circa 1930, undated
	Folder
7	4	Corthell Family – Nellis, Eleanor, and Children	circa 1910
14		Corthell family portraits	1870-1940
6	1	Corthell Farm - West Laramie	1918-circa 1930
6	2	Corthell Residence - 815 Grand, Laramie	undated
6	3	Courtroom Scene – Judge Blair	undated
6	4	Friends and Miscellaneous	undated
13		Panorama of Santa Cruz, Mexico, Fort Brown U.S.A., and U.S. troops	1916
	Folder
6	5	Quackenbush Family	undated
6	6	Unidentified tintypes	circa 1870s
6	7	University of Wyoming – Fraternities and Groups	circa 1907-circa 1912
7	4	Wyoming Press Association	circa 1900

Series V. Artifacts, circa 1895-circa 1910Return to Top

(2 items)

No arrangement. Business seal of Southern Wyoming Telephone Company and woven bag from Ft. Washakie.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box
9	Artifact Storage	Business Seal of Southern Wyoming Telephone Company	circa 1910
8	Artifact Storage	Shoshone Indian bag from Ft. Washakie (woven)	circa 1895

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Family Names

Corthell family.

Geographical Names

Laramie (Wyo.)--History.
Wyoming--History--1890-1918.
Wyoming--History--1919-1945.
Wyoming--History--1946-
Wyoming--History--To 1889.

Form or Genre Terms

Artifacts.
Business records.
Photographs.

Occupations

Lawyers.

Other Creators

Corporate Names
- Buffalo Basin Land Company.
- Laramie Board of Trade.
- Laramie Coal and Ice Company.
- Laramie Water Company.
- Laramie boomerang (Laramie, Wyo.)
- Meyer & Raife (firm).
- Southern Wyoming Telephone Company.
- Van Dyke Coal and Milling Company.
- Wyoming Central Land and Improvement Co.
- Wyoming Development Company.

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