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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)
1890-1918 (bulk)
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.
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Historical Note

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).

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Content Description

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.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

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.

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Administrative Information

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.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

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.

Processed by D.C. Thompson
2006

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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