Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Benjamin Selling papers, 1869-1933
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Selling, Benjamin, 1852-1931
- Title
- Benjamin Selling papers
- Dates
- 1869-1933 (inclusive)18691933
- Quantity
- 2 cubic feet, (1 document case, 2 flat boxes)
- Collection Number
- Mss 66
- Summary
- Papers of a Jewish American clothier and philanthropist of Portland, Oregon. Includes personal account books, scrapbooks containing correspondence and clippings, and some materials relating to Selling's business activities. Most materials relate to Selling's unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 1912 and to his charitable activities.
- 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
Benjamin Selling, the son of German Jewish parents, was born in San Francisco, California, on April 29, 1852. After migrating with his family to Portland, Oregon, in 1862, Selling attended Portland Academy and worked for a number of years in his father's general merchandise store. He later established several successful businesses of his own, including Akin, Selling & Company (a wholesale boot and shoe business), Moyer Clothing Company, and Ben Selling, Clothier. Selling went on to serve in the state Legislature and was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 1912. He was also known for extensive philanthropic work.
Source: "Ben Selling (1852-1931)," by Elaine S. Friedman, Oregon Encyclopedia, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/selling_ben_1852_1931_/
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Papers of Benjamin Selling include three letterpress copybooks (1883-1887), which contain copies of Selling's business correspondence; two account books (1891-1892, 1900-1910); a scrapbook (1881-1925) containing letters that concern Selling's candidacy for U.S. Senate in 1912, a war relief campaign, and his Jewish Relief Committee work and other philanthropic activities; a scrapbook of newspaper clippings pertaining to Selling's U.S. Senate campaign; personal and political letters, including a pledge of support for Selling from members of the state Legislature for the position of House speaker, and a subscription list for support of the American Committee for Armenian and Syrian relief; and a 1912 certificate of nomination as a candidate for U.S. Senate.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Benjamin Selling papers, Mss 66, 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: General materials, 1869-1933
- Series 2: Letterpress copybooks, 1883-1887
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: General materials, 1869-1933Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence and miscellany |
1869-1933 |
| 1 | 2 | Personal account book |
1891-1892 |
| 1 | 3 | Personal memorandum (accounts) |
1900-1910 |
| 1 | 4 | Scrapbook containing correspondence, clippings, and memorabilia |
1881-1925 |
| 3 | 1 | Scrapbook containing news clippings on senatorial campaign |
1912 |
Series 2: Letterpress copybooks, 1883-1887Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 1 | Letterpress copybook |
1883 January-1884 September 16 |
| 2 | 2 | Letterpress copybook |
1884 September-1886 |
| 2 | 3 | Letterpress copybook |
1886 March-1887 February |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Charities--Oregon
- Clothing trade--Oregon--Portland
- Jewish businesspeople--Oregon--Portland
- Jewish businesspeople--Oregon--Portland--Correspondence
- Jewish philanthropists--Oregon--Portland
- Jews in public life--Oregon
- Jews--Oregon--Charities
- Jews--Oregon--Portland
- Political candidates--Oregon
Personal Names
- Selling, Benjamin, 1852-1931
Corporate Names
- Akin, Selling & Company
- Ben Selling, Clothier (Firm)
- Moyer Clothing Company
- Republican Party (Or.)
Geographical Names
- Oregon--Politics and government--1859-1950
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- letterpress copybooks
- scrapbooks
