Downey Family papers, 1863-1997

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Downey Family
Title
Downey Family papers
Dates
1863-1997 (inclusive)
Quantity
4.89 cubic ft. (11 boxes + oversize)
Collection Number
10555
Summary
Stephen Wheeler Downey and Eva Owen were married in 1872 in Laramie, Wyoming, and had ten children together. Biographical information, writings of family members, photographs, and business records of mining companies and law firms comprise the collection, which covers a century of Laramie history.
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

Stephen Wheeler Downey (1839-1902) was born in Maryland and was admitted to the bar in 1863. He served in the northern army during the Civil War, attaining the rank of colonel. He married during this time and had two daughters. In 1869 S.W. Downey followed a brother, William O. Downey, to Laramie. His wife died shortly after their arrival, and he married Evangeline Victoria Owen in 1872. Downey practiced law in Laramie and served in the state legislature. He drafted the bill creating the University of Wyoming; and he also attempted to develop several mines in the area.

Eva Owen Downey (1853-1937) was born in England and traveled to Salt Lake City as an infant. In 1868 her mother brought Eva, her sister Etta, and her son William east to Laramie, Wyoming, where they settled. Eva and Stephen Downey had ten children together, including Stephen Corlett (1873-1934), who became a lawyer and partner in his father’s practice; June Etta (1875-1932), who was a professor at the University of Wyoming and became nationally prominent in the field of psychology research; Sheridan (1884-1961), who pursued a political career as a liberal in California; and Alice (1892-1969), who acted as the historian of the family.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains biographical information about various family members; writings of family members, including poetry, moral and philosophical treatises, and publications on family history; a diary from 1869-1870; ephemera of Laramie social clubs, Laramie Jubilee celebrations, and the University of Wyoming; business records of the Keystone and other mines in the Albany County area; correspondence of Downey’s law practice; photographs of the family, Laramie, the university, and mining operations; and a scrapbook.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

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, Downey Family Papers, 1866-1997, Collection Number 10555, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Alternative Forms Available

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at https://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~158~158.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

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

Acquisition Information

The papers were received from Alice Downey Nelson in 1948 and 1960; Mrs. John A. Hill in 1962; Diana K. Bowen in 1998; Katherine Teetor from 1999-2010; and Laramie Plains Museum from 2019-2022.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by D.C. Thompson in August 2003 and updated by Matt Francis in September 2010 and Jamie Greene in July 2021 and May 2024.

Select materials from this collection were digitized by Kathy Gerlach in 2016.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Personal PapersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
8
Book: “Sicilian Expedition” by the Rev. Percival Frost, autographed by June E. Downey in 1893
1888
Folder
1 1
Bowen, Diana K. Writings
"A Pebble in the Pond: Woman Suffrage in Wyoming"
1997
1 2
Downey Family - Autograph Book
with notes on first woman jury in Laramie, Wyoming
1866-1879
1 3
Downey Family – Autograph Books
with genealogical information and poetry
1873-1886
1 4
Downey Family – Correspondence and Biographical Notes
1962, undated
7 1
Downey Family – Correspondence - Letter from Grace Raymond Hebard
1931
1 5
Downey Family – Miscellaneous
1872-1920s
1 6
Downey [Nelson], Alice – Biographical
1914, undated
1 7
Downey [Nelson], Alice – Writings
"Biographical Sketches of Stephen Wheeler Downey and Eva V. Downey"
1938
1 8
Downey [Nelson], Alice – Writings
"Downeys From Ireland"
1956
1 9
Downey [Nelson], Alice – Writings
”Mother Is a Grand Old Name”
1950
7 2
Downey, Evangeline Victoria - Correspondence to Paul Raymond Teetor
1941
1 10
Downey, June Etta – Biographical
1907-1934
9
Downey, June Etta - Correspondence, Newspapers, and Psychology Experiment Reports
1905-1931
Folder
7 3
Downey, June Etta - Cards and Writings from Ted Olson
1923, 1928, undated
1 11
Downey, June Etta – Writings
Essays on introvert vs. extrovert personality types
1925, no date
1 12
Downey, June Etta – Writings
Plays: “The Arrow”, “A Study in Nude”
1920, no date
1 13
Downey, June Etta – Writings
Poems, etc.
1896-1898
2 1
Downey, June Etta – Writings
Short stories, essays, etc.
1891-ca. 1895
2 2
Downey, June Etta – Writings
”Three Generations of Color Blindness” (Owen Family)
1931
2 3
Downey, Sheridan – Biographical
1938-1961
2 4
Downey, Stephen Corlett – Biographical
1897-1930
2 5
Downey, Stephen Wheeler – Biographical
1877-1962
11
Downey, Stephen Wheeler – Biographical - Law certificates:
Box Folder
11
Common Wealth of Virginia
January 9, 1863
11
Territory of Wyoming
December 8, 1869
Folder
2 6
Downey, Stephen Wheeler – Writings
Speeches, articles, etc.
1888-1892
2 7
Downey, Stephen Wheeler – Writings
”The Temple of Truth”
no date
2 8
Downey, Stephen Wheeler – Writings
”Theatre of the Universe”
1876
2 9
Downey, Stephen Wheeler – Writings
Untitled advice to his children; poetry (of June Downey?)
1887-1898
2 10
Downey, Wendy – Writings
Poems: “From Six to Eight”
1929
2 11
Downey, William O. and Stephen Wheeler – Diary
1869-1870
2 12
Flick, Jacob – Military discharge (Fort Laramie)
1872
7 4
Hanks, Beulah Downey - Writings
"For Honor of a Child" (Photocopied and Incomplete)
1898
3 1
Laramie Clubs and Social Life
Alpha Circle, Clio Club, etc.; programs, clippings, etc.
1882-1901
3 2
Laramie Jubilee
Clippings
July 10-13, 1940
3 3
Laramie Pioneer Jubilee
Clippings, programs, photograph
1928
10
Letter written by S.W. Downey's sister to her mother
1858
Folder
3 4
Owen Family – Biographical
1933
3 5
Owen, William O. – Writings
”Jo Rankin’s Great Ride”
ca. 1930
8
Printed Material: Reprints of writings by Downey
1915-1931
Research notes for Barbara Rockwell's book, "Sarah's Gold":
Box
10
Teton Ascent
1830-1860
10
William Owen Sr.
1868-1900
10
Willie Owen
1854-1893
10
Letter from Uncle Will
1938
10
From Paul Teetor
1986-1987
10
Family Photos
1886-1900
10
June Downey
1968-1984
10
Stephen Downey
1868-1900 and undated
10
Alice Downey Nelson
1890-1969
10
Cullimores WM Lettuce
1876-1900
10
Balls and Cullimores
1876-1900
10
Obituaries
1860-1960
Box Folder
7 5
Teetor, Paul Raymond - Correspondence
1940-1941
3 6
University of Wyoming – Miscellaneous
1898-1940
3 7
University of Wyoming – Souvenir Class of ’91
Honoring Stephen W. Downey
1891
3 8
Unknown Author – Writings
Essay (incomplete) on western character
no date
3 9
Unknown Author – Writings
Notes on women’s suffrage
no date
3 10
Wilson, Thomas P. – Writings
Untitled western anecdotes
1938

Series II. Business RecordsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 11 1877
Folders
3 12-13 1901
Folder
3 14 1892-1902
3 15 1878-1880
3 16 1881
Folders
4 1-4
Unidentified Letterpress Book – Downey Law Practice?
Correspondence from various businesses
1904-1914

Series III. PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
4 5 ca. 1890
9
Downey, June Etta
undated
Folder
5 1
Laramie, Wyoming, 1901
Downey Law Office, Laramie buildings
undated
5 2 undated
5 3 undated
8
Miscellaneous unidentified
undated
Folder
5 4 ca. 1880s-ca. 1930s
7 6 undated
5 7
Roosevelt, Theodore and party riding from Cheyenne to Laramie
1903
5 5 1898, undated
5 6
Wyoming Places
Ames Monument (Reed Rock), Battle Lake, Dixon’s Ranch
undated
6 no date

Series IV. ScrapbookReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
6
Downey Family
Clippings, correspondence, memorabilia, photographs
1870s-1940
10
Downey Memory Book
1853-1918
10
Pages from Eva Downey Teetor's scrapbook about her wedding
1916

Series V. Oversize MapReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Framed
Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming
Based on original plat from 1867
1875

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Gold mines and mining--Wyoming.
  • Mines and mineral resources--Wyoming.
  • Wyoming--History--1890-1918.
  • Wyoming--History--1919-1945.
  • Wyoming--History--1946-1999.
  • Wyoming--History--To 1889.

Personal Names

  • Downey, Eva Owen (Evangeline Victoria).
  • Downey, Sheridan, 1884-1961.
  • Downey, Stephen Corlett.
  • Owen, W. O. (William Octavius), 1859-1947.

Corporate Names

  • Laramie Jubilee Days.
  • University of Wyoming.

Geographical Names

  • Douglas Creek Mining District (Wyo.)
  • Keystone Mine (Albany County, Wyo.)
  • Laramie (Wyo.)

Occupations

  • Lawyers--Wyoming--Laramie.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Downey, June E. (June Etta), 1875-1932.
    • Downey, Stephen W. (Stephen Wheeler), 1839-1902.
    • Nelson, Alice Downey.