Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Work papers, 1823-1945
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Work, John, 1792-1861
- Title
- John Work papers
- Dates
- 1823-1945 (inclusive)18231945
1823-1835 (bulk)18231835 - Quantity
- 0.5 cubic feet, (1 document case, 1 reel microfilm)
- Collection Number
- Mss 319
- Summary
- Typescript copies of journals and correspondence of John Work, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company who explored the Pacific Northwest in the 1820s and 1830s. The materials were collected by Isaac Burpee in the 1940s for use in a publication. Also included are Burpee's research notes and microfilm containing copies of John Work's original journals of 1823-1835 and a transcription made in 1945.
- 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
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
John Work (originally spelled "Wark") was born around 1792 in Donegal County, Ireland. In 1814, he ran away from home and came to Canada as an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company at York Factory. He rose from steward to clerk and was sent from Hudson's Bay to Fort George (near present-day Astoria, Oregon) in July 1823, along with Peter Skene Ogden. In 1824, he served with an expedition, headed by James McMillan, to find the entrance to the Fraser River. Along the way, he kept a detailed journal, as he would on future ventures. He worked throughout the upper Columbia River area and supervised the building of Fort Colvile in 1825-1826. He was promoted to chief trader in 1830 and succeeded Ogden as head of the Snake River Brigade. In 1831 and 1832, he headed an expedition from Fort Nez Perce to the headwaters of the Missouri River, and back. He then led a hunting expedition in 1832 and 1833 to the Bonaventure Valley by way of Ogden's River, and in 1834 traveled southward from Fort Vancouver to the area that is now Oregon. In late 1834, he left Fort Vancouver by steamer for an exploring mission to the northwest coast of Canada, participated in the building of Fort Simpson, and returned in October of the following year.
Work headed the Hudson's Bay Company operations at Fort Simpson from 1835 to 1849, being promoted to chief factor in 1846. He eventually settled on Vancouver Island and served in the island's first government and legislative council. He died in Victoria, B.C., in 1861 at age 70.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists primarily of typescript copies of John Work's journals and letters, most of which were collected by the scholar Isaac Burpee in preparation for a publication in the early 1940s, and by the scholar T. C. Elliott. A typescript of Burpee's book "The story of John Work" (1943) and Burpee's handwritten notes are included in the collection. The Work journals provide details on all aspects of the various expeditions in which he participated. They include observations on flora, fauna, Native peoples, and the logistics of travel and encampment. The collection also includes copies of Work's letters to Edward Ermatinger of the Hudson's Bay Company, and a copy of Work's will.
Microfilm in the collection contains copies of the original manuscript journals of John Work, 1823-1835, along with typescript copies of 1945, both of which are held at the Royal BC Musuem and Archives.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Preferred Citation
John Work papers, Mss 319, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series 1: Isaac Burpee writings and research notes
- Series 2: Journals and other writings of John Work
Acquisition Information
The collection was probably a gift from Isaac Burpee in the mid-1940s.
Location of Originals
Original journals of John Work are held at the Royal BC Museum and Archives, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Bibliography
Lewis, William S., and Paul C. Phillips, "The journal of John Work" (Cleveland: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1923).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Isaac Burpee writings and research notes, circa 1943-1944, undatedReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | "The story of John Work," by Isaac Burpee (typescript) |
circa 1943 |
| 1 | 2 | Isaac Burpee notes on John Work |
circa 1943-1944 |
Series 2: Journals and other writings of John Work, 1823-1945, (bulk 1823-1861) Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 3 | John Work letters to Edward Ermatinger (typescript copies) |
1830-1856 |
| 1 | 4 | Last will and testament of John Work (typescript copies) |
1861 |
| 1 | 5 | Journal (photostatic copies from T. C. Elliott) |
1823 July 18-October 28 |
| 1 | 6 | Journal (typescript copy) |
1823 July 18-October 28 |
| 1 | 7 | Journal (typescript copy) |
1824 April 15-November 17 |
| 1 | 8 | Journal (typescript copy) |
1824 November 18-25; 1825 March 21-May 14 |
| 1 | 9 | Journal (typescript copy from T. C. Elliott) |
1830 April 30-May 31; 1830 August 22-1831 March 18 |
| 1 | 10 | Journal (typescript copy from T. C. Elliott)
Includes roster of expedition, 1831-1832.
|
1831 April 21-July 20 |
| 1 | 11 | Journal (typescript copy) |
1832 August 17-1833 August 31 |
| 1 | 12 | "Journal of a trip to the southward" (typescript copy) |
1834 May 22-July 10 |
| 1 | 13 | Journal (typescript copy) |
1834 December 11-1835 June 30 |
| 1 | 14 | Journal (typescript copy) |
1835 July 1-October 27 |
| Reel | |||
| 1 | Microfilm copies of original John Work journals and typed transcript |
1823-1835; 1945 | |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Fur trade--Northwest Coast of North America
- Indians of North America--Northwest Coast of North America
- Trapping--Northwest Coast of North America
Personal Names
- Ermatinger, Edward, 1797-1876--Correspondence
- Work, John, 1792-1861--Correspondence
- Work, John, 1792-1861--Diaries
Corporate Names
- Hudson's Bay Company
Geographical Names
- Northwest Coast of North America--Description and travel
- Vancouver Barracks (Wash.)
Form or Genre Terms
- diaries
Titles within the Collection
- The story of John Work
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Burpee, Isaac (1875-1951) (compiler)
