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William Barnhart papers, 1850-1878

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Barnhart, William, approximately 1827-1909
Title
William Barnhart papers
Dates
1850-1878 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 cubic feet, (3 document cases, 1 oversize folder in shared box)
Collection Number
Mss 918
Summary
Papers of a pioneer merchant of Portland, Oregon, dating largely from the early to mid-1850s. The materials consist primarily of ledgers and incoming business correspondence of W. H. Barnhart & Co. Most of the correspondence is from San Francisco merchants, including Wells, Fargo, & Company.
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
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Biographical Note

William Barnhart, a pioneer merchant of Portland, Oregon, was the first Portland agent of Wells, Fargo and Company in the early 1850s. He later served as the state land agent in Salem and as an Indian agent in Umatilla. In 1854, he married Mary Campbell of Corvallis, a daughter of pioneer missionaries. The Barnharts returned to Portland in the 1880s, where they lived until their respective deaths in 1909 and 1910.

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Content Description

This collection of William Barnhart's papers contains business correspondence sent to W. H. Barnhart & Company in the early 1850s, mostly from San Francisco merchants, including Wells, Fargo, & Company, and Neal & Smiley. The collection also includes business ledgers of Barnhart & Company, 1851-1854. Also among the papers is a report on a speech given by Bob McLaren in Portland, regarding conflict with Native people, March 29, 1856.

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Use of the Collection

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.

Preferred Citation

William Barnhart papers, Mss 918, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series:

  • Series 1, Business papers, 1850-1878
  • Series 2, Financial ledgers of W. H. Barnhart & Company, 1851-1854

Acquisition Information

Acquired around 1911 from an unknown source.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Merchants--Oregon--Portland

Corporate Names

  • Neal & Smiley (San Francisco, Calif.)--Records and correspondence
  • W. H. Barnhart & Co. (Portland, Or.)--Records and correspondence
  • Wells, Fargo & Company--Records and correspondence

Form or Genre Terms

  • correspondence
  • ledgers (account books)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names

    • W. H. Barnhart & Co. (Portland, Or.) (creator)

Geoffrey B. Wexler
2007; revised 2025

CC0

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

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