Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Richard Leigh papers, 1875-1937 (bulk 1875-1899)
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Leigh, Richard, d. 1899
- Title
- Richard Leigh papers
- Dates
- 1875-1937 (bulk 1875-1899) (inclusive)Date of CollectionDate of Collection
- Quantity
- .10 cubic ft. (1 folder)
- Collection Number
- 10512
- Summary
- Diaries and correspondence of a fur trapper in Wyoming's Jackson Hole in the last quarter of the 19th century.
- 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
Originals may be accessed with permission of the archivist.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Richard ("Beaver Dick") Leigh was a trapper and scout in the Jackson Hole area of Wyoming from the 1850s to the 1890s. Born in Manchester, England, in 1831, Leigh was the son of a British Navy officer. Leigh came to the United States while he was in his teens. He participated briefly in the Mexican war of 1848 and then went to the Teton Basin where he stayed for the rest of his life. Richard Leigh guided several expeditions of territorial survey parties in the 1870s. He was twice married to Indian women: his first wife, Jenny, was Eastern Shoshone, his second wife, Susan Tadpole, was Bannock. In 1876 Leigh survived the loss of his entire first family due to smallpox. Richard Leigh died in 1899 in Wilford, Idaho.
Jenny and Leigh Lakes in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, were named after Richard Leigh and his first wife. In addition, Beaver Dick State Park near Rexburg, Idaho, was dedicated in 1963.
The story of Richard Leigh's life was described in a book by his granddaughter-in-law, Edith M. Schultz Thompson, written in collaboration with his great-grandson, William Leigh Thompson. The book was published as Beaver Dick: The Honor and the Heartbreak (1981).
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Collection contains diaries for 1875, 1876 and 1878 noting everyday life, seasonal and family activities, the settling of the Jackson Hole, Wyoming area, mining, and Indian activities in the area. The collection also contains Leigh’s correspondence, especially with his friend Charles B. Penrose on hunting in the Jackson Hole area and surveys of Yellowstone National Park; and correspondence between Penrose’s son Boies and Leigh’s granddaughter-in-law Edith M. Schultz Thompson, regarding Boies’ possession of Leigh’s diaries.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright InformationThe researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Preferred Citation
Preferred CitationItem Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Alternative Forms Available
Existence and Location of CopiesDigital reproductions of Leigh's diaries are available online at: https://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~166~166.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series.
Related Materials
Related MaterialsThere are no known other archival collections created by Richard Leigh at the date of processing.
Acquisition Information
Acquisition InformationAfter his death in 1899, Richard Leigh's papers came into the possession of his good friend, Charles Penrose. In the early 1950s the papers were donated to the Library of the University of Wyoming by his son, Boies Penrose.
Processing Note
Processing InformationThe collection was processed by D. Claudia Thompson in December 2009.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I. Diaries, 1875-1878Return to Top
Contains accounts of day-to-day life and activities.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Safe | 1875 | |
| Folder | ||
| 1 | Diary (photocopy) |
1875 |
| 2 | 1875 | |
| Safe | 1876 | |
| Folder | ||
| 3 | Diary (photocopy) |
1876 |
| 4 | 1876 | |
| Safe | 1878 | |
| Folder | ||
| 5 | Diary (photocopy) |
1878 |
| 6 | 1878 |
Series II. Correspondence Files, 1891-1937Return to Top
Contains letters to and from Richard Leigh, Charles B. Penrose, Boies Penrose, and Edith M. Thompson concerning hunting options in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the Richard Leigh papers.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Safe | Richard Leigh |
1891-1899 |
| Folder | ||
| 7 | Richard Leigh (photocopies) |
1891-1899 |
| Safe | Richard Leigh |
1899, undated |
| Folder | ||
| 8 | Richard Leigh (photocopies) |
1899, undated |
| Safe | Charles B. Penrose |
1899-1912 |
| Folder | ||
| 9 | Charles B. Penrose (photocopies) |
1899-1912 |
| 10 | Boies Penrose and Edith M. Thompson |
1936-1937 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Bannock Indians
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Idaho -- Teton River Valley
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Wyoming -- Teton County
- Indians of North America -- Idaho
- Indians of North America -- Wyoming
- Trappers -- Wyoming
Geographical Names
- Jackson Hole (Wyo.)
- Teton County (Wyo.)
- Teton River Valley (Idaho)
- Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918
- Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945
- Wyoming -- History -- To 1889
- Yellowstone National Park
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Penrose, Boies, 1902-1976
- Penrose, Charles B. (Charles Bingham), 1862-1925
- Thompson, Edith M. Schultz, 1907-
Processed by Irina A. Peris
2009
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
