Payson W. Spaulding papers

Payson W. Spaulding papers, 1886-1980

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Spaulding, Payson W.
Title: Payson W. Spaulding papers
Dates: 1886-1980 (inclusive)
Date of CollectionDate of Collection
Quantity: 98.97 cubic ft. (103 boxes)
Collection Number: 01803
Summary: Payson W. Spaulding was an attorney in Evanston, Wyoming from 1901-1971. His collection contains legal case files, correspondence, business records, legal documents, newspaper clippings, publications, maps, and photographs relating to his law practice and personal life.
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: Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Payson W. Spaulding established himself as a notable attorney in Southwest Wyoming, serving the community and state for 70 years. He was counsel for the Lincoln Highway Association, Union Pacific Railroad Company, and John D. Rockefeller’s Snake River Land Company; involving Spaulding in the establishment of the Lincoln Highway and the Jackson Hole National Monument. Payson W. Spaulding was born in Bingham, Maine in 1876; however, he spent most of his youth growing up in the Midwestern states of Minnesota and Illinois. Spaulding attended Kent College and the University of Colorado law school, where he earned his law degree in 1901. Shortly after graduation he moved to Evanston, Wyoming, opened a law office, and married Nelle Johnson Quinn. Spaulding was interested in automobiles and road travel. He was the first person to own an automobile in Evanston and in 1908 he joined J.M. Murdock and his family on a transcontinental automobile tour to New York. He also took a personal interest in oil drilling; investing time and money mining Southwest Wyoming and Nevada. He continued practicing law in Wyoming until 1971 and died in 1972 at the age of 95.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains legal case files regarding civil, divorce, corporate, criminal, land, water, and probate cases from Payson W. Spaulding’s private practice. These files contain correspondence, legal documents, and financial records concerning the case and/or clients; including his work with the Lincoln Highway Association, Union Pacific Railroad, and the Jackson Hole National Monument and involvement of Rockefeller’s Snake River Land Company in acquiring land for the monument. The collection also contains his law firm records of correspondence, research and reference publications, and financial records; documentation about transcontinental automobile tours in the early 20th century; personal correspondence, photographs, news clippings, publications, and maps of Wyoming and Utah; and correspondence and legal documents regarding Spaulding’s personal interests in oil drilling and mining.

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.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Payson W. Spaulding at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Addie B. Taggart in 1975, 1977, and 1981.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Jamie J. Greene in November 2012.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Legal Case files, 1900-1974Return to Top

This series contains legal case files from Spaulding's private law practice regarding civil suits, divorce, corporations, criminal cases, land matters, water rights, roads, and probate and guardianship matters. These files contain correspondence, legal documents, and financial records about the case and/or clients.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Sub-series 1. Client and Topic files This series contains legal case files organized according to the topic/case type or client.	1901-1974
Box
1	Appeals to the Wyoming Supreme Court	1905-1968
2	Bankruptcy	1903-1959
3-4	Collections and sundry suits for collection	1901-1968
2	Department of the Interior	1910-1929
5	Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company (Goldfield Corporation)	1906-1974
6-7	Irrigation and water conservancy districts	1935-1963
	Jackson Hole National Monument	1909-1955:
Box
8-9	Land matters and roads	1912-1955
10-11	JP Ranch Company	1909-1941
12-14	Robert E. and Grace G. Miller Estate	1919-1950
10-11	Snake River Land Company	1927-1954
15	Lincoln Highway	1913-1958
16	Oil and gas mining leases	1930-1965
17-19	Union Pacific Railroad	1904-1970
20-21	Utah Power and Light Corporation	1943-1968
	Sub-series 2. County and State files This series contains legal case files organized according to the County and State the case occurred in and then by case type.	1900-1976
Box
	Lincoln County:
Box
22-23	Civil	1912-1964
23	Civil - divorce and child custody	1914-1963
24	Companies and corporations	1935-1965
23	Criminal	1946
24	Land matters, water rights, roads	1915-1960
25-26	Probate, guardianships, and adoptions	1913-1967
	Sublette County:
Box
27	Civil	1925-1960
27	Civil - divorce	1930-1961
28	Companies and corporations	1926-1960
28-29	Land matters, water rights, roads	1907-1970
29	Miscellaneous litigations	1927-1949
29	Probate, guardianships, and adoptions	1925-1936
	Teton County:
Box
37	Bankruptcy	1942
30-32	Civil	1912-1964
32	Civil - divorce	1928-1963
	Companies and corporations:
Box
33	1925-1961
34	Teton Valley Ranch and Wendell L. Wilson	1955-1964
34-36	Albert E. Schwabacher	1940-1968
37	Criminal	1932-1934
37	Land matters, water rights, roads	1932-1958
37	Miscellaneous litigations	1916-1960
38-40	Probate, guardianships, and adoptions	1908-1969
37	Workman's compensation	1932-1937
	Uinta County:
Box
	Civil:
Box
41	Civil suites for and against Blyth & Fargo Company	1903-1921
41-43	1900-1919
44-46	1920-1929
47-48	1930-1939
49	1940-1949
49-50	1950-1959
50-51	1950-1969
51-52	Civil - divorce	1909-1970
	Companies and corporations:
Box
53	1900-1919
53-54	1920-1929
54-56	1930-1972
57	Towns and School Districts	1910-1965
57	J.R. Broadbent Company	1950-1976
58-59, 97	Stahley Land & Livestock Company	1916-1970
59	Uinta Land & Grazing Company	1908-1960
59-60, 97	Edholm & Akin Company	1907-1915
60	Z-Bar Ranch	1907-1915
61	Criminal	1902-1963
62-64	Land matters, water rights, roads	1900-1970
61, 65-66	Miscellaneous litigations	1900-1965
	Probate, guardianships, and adoptions:
Box
67-68	1900-1919
68-69	1920-1929
70-72	1930-1939
73-75	1940-1949
75-76	1950-1959
76-77	1950-1969
78	Estate of Mary Rennie	1960-1973
61	Workman's compensation	1928
	Other Wyoming Counties:
Box
79	Albany County	1929
79	Carbon County	1944-1953
79	Laramie County	1912-1920
79	Natrona County	1947-1954
79	Park County	1910-1919
79	Sweetwater County	1906-1951
	Out of State Litigations:
Box
79	California	1938-1948
79	Colorado	1966
79	Idaho	1920-1939
	Utah:
Box
80	Civil	1922-1944
80	Civil - divorce and child custody	1919
80	Companies and corporations	1907-1964
80	Criminal	1915-1929
81	Land matters, water rights, roads	1906-1962
81	Miscellaneous litigations	1915-1965
82	Probate, guardianships, and adoptions	1919-1969

Series II. Law Firm records, 1900-1972Return to Top

This series contains correspondence, legal documents, financial records, certificates and awards, newspaper clippings, law books, and publications regarding the operations and activities of Spaulding's law practice.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
85	Accounting ledger books	1901-1915
83-84 and 92	Bank Statements, cancelled checks, and check stubs	1902-1968
85	Bills receivable	1902
85	Business cards	undated
85, 98	Certificates and awards	1902-1972
	Correspondence:
Box
85-86	1900-1909
85-87	1910-1919
85, 88-89	1920-1929
85, 89	1930-1972
89	Political correspondence	1902-1962
90-91	Directories	1900-1972
85	Dockets of the Third Judicial District Court	1912-1971
85	Index of cases, names, and numbers
85	Law firm legal matters	1900-1970
85	Letterheads	undated
90	Maps - state road maps	1935-1965
90, 99-103	Maps and blueprints - U.P.R.R., topographical maps, townships and sections	1900-1971
90	Newspaper clippings	1900-1972
90-91, 98	Publications on law, U.S. laws, and hearings	1900-1972
90	Reference law books for the firm	1900-1972
92	Seals/emblem matrices or dies	1900-1970
98	Signs - Wyoming County Officers	1927-1950
85	Uinta County and state business licenses and taxes	1915-1966
85	Union Pacific Railroad Company passes for Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding	1905-1969
85	Wyoming State Bar Association	1930-1959
85	Wyoming State Bar Association - correspondence and photographs	1937-1939
85	Wyoming State Bar membership and license fees	1902-1972
85	Wyoming State Board of Law Examiners	1955-1968

Series III. Personal papers, 1886-1972Return to Top

This series contains correspondence, photographs, legal documents, speeches, publications, newspaper clippings, and a scrapbook regarding Spaulding's personal life and interests; including documentation about automobile travel and oil drilling and mining investments.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Sub-series 1. Personal files	1886-1972
Box
98	Book - "Collier's Photographic History of the European War,"	1915
	Correspondence:
Box
93	1904-1971
93	Mrs. Nelle Spaulding	1886-1980
93	P.W. Spaulding and Fred Varny (Spaulding's half-brother)	1927-1968
93	P.W. Spaulding and J.M. Murdock	1908-1934
93	Day planner and receipts	1914
93	Invitations	1955-1971
93	Legal matters	1911-1964
93	Marriage certificate	1904
93	Newspaper clippings	1920-1972
93	Obituaries and notices for Fredrick Warren Varny (Spaulding's half brother)	1968
93	Obituaries and notices for Payson W. Spaulding	1972
93	Pamphlets	1869-1925
93	Payson W. Spaulding's campaign for Third Judicial District Court Judge	1934
93	Speeches	undated
93, 98	Transcontinental automobile tours - books, pamphlets, clippings, and scrapbook	1908-1949
93	Union Pacific Railroad retirement	1971
93	University Club membership	1953-1954
93	University of Colorado -1901 Alumni and yearbook	1901-1951
	Sub-series 2. Oil drilling and mining activities	1900-1944
Box
94	Correspondence	1927-1944
94	Correspondence between P.W. Spaulding and J. M. Murdock	1911-1921
94	Charles Spaulding (P.W. Spaulding's brother) and Spaulding Engineering Company	1900-1915
94	Charles Lilley	1918
94-95	J. M. Murdock and the Murdock-Spaulding Trusteeship	1911-1921
95	Nevada Star Mining Company - Cherry Creek, Nevada property	1917-1926
95	Penn Star Mining Company	1917-1927
95	T-C Oil Company	1920
	Sub-series 3. Photographs	1900-1967
Box
96	Evanston, Wyoming	1903-1936
96	Memorial dedications	1930-1939
96	Oil drilling and mining	1920-1939
96	Payson W. Spaulding	1903-1967
96	Salt Lake City, Utah	1900-1919
96, 98	Scenic views and landscapes (mostly of Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park)	undated
96	Stereocards - Union Pacific Railroad views and Yellowstone National Park	undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Automobile travel--United States
Law firms--Wyoming
Practice of law--Wyoming
Roads--West (U.S.)
Transportation--West (U.S.)--History--20th century

Personal Names

Rockefeller, John D.(John Davison), 1874-1960

Corporate Names

Lincoln Highway Association
Snake River Land Company
Union Pacific Railroad Company

Geographical Names

Evanston (Wyo.)
Jackson Hole (Wyo.)
Jackson Hole National Monument (Wyo.)
Lincoln Highway
Uinta County (Wyo.)
Wyoming--History, 1890-1918
Wyoming--History, 1919-1945
Wyoming--History, 1946-
Wyoming--History--20th century

Form or Genre Terms

Legal files
Maps

Occupations

Lawyers

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents