Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
B. F. Dowell papers, 1850-1896
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Dowell, Benjamin Franklin
- Title
- B. F. Dowell papers
- Dates
- 1850-1896 (inclusive)18501896
- Quantity
- .25 cubic feet (1 document case)
- Collection Number
- Mss 209
- Summary
- The collection contains a description of Dowell's trip from the eastern U.S. to Sacramento during the California gold rush, two scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, several pieces of correspondence to and from Dowell, a satiric poem by P.H. Bartlett and a printed flyer concerning an 1873 court case.
- 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
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Benjamin Franklin Dowell was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in 1821. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1847. He practiced law briefly in Tennessee before heading to the California gold fields in 1850. After a few months he moved north to Oregon, becoming a packer and trader in Jacksonville in 1852. In 1857 he returned to the practice of law, opening an office in Jacksonville. He married Anna Campbell in 1861. They had three children: Fannie, Annie, and Benjamin Franklin Jr. In 1885 they moved to Portland, and B.F. began to divide his time between Portland and Washington, D.C., where he prosecuted Indian war claims before Congress. Also in 1885 he purchased the Oregon Sentinel newspaper, which he published until his death in 1897.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains a description of Dowell's trip from the eastern U.S. to Sacramento during the California gold rush, two scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, several pieces of correspondence to and from Dowell, a satiric poem by P.H. Bartlett and a printed flyer concerning an 1873 court case.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any publication use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
B.F. Dowell papers, Mss 209, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Journal (letter), 1850Return to Top
Container(s): Folder 1
Narrative of his trip from St. Louis, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
Album, 1857Return to Top
Container(s): Folder 2
Satiric poem and letter by P.H. Bartlett, transcribed by John A. Miller.
Correspondence, 1862-1896Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Folder | ||
| 4 | B.F. Bonham |
1862 |
| 4 | Jesse Applegate |
1864; 1865 |
| 4 | J.W. Hillman |
1865 |
| 4 | O. Jacobs |
1867 |
| 4 | T. |
1868 |
| 4 | Wm. Neffman (?) |
1868 |
| 4 | John Kelly |
1869 |
| 4 | J.A. Baker |
1879 |
| 4 | B.H. Brewster |
1883 |
| 4 | A. G. T'Vault |
1896 |
Thomas J. O'Neal court case, 1873Return to Top
Container(s): Folder 5
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Lawyers -- Oregon -- Jacksonville.
- Pioneers -- Oregon -- Jackson County.
Personal Names
- Dowell, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Fliers (printed matter)
- Narratives (document genre)
- Poetry
- Scrapbooks
Collection processed by Mikki
Tint, December 2005
2006
