Reuben F. Maury was born in 1821 in Kentucky. During the Mexican-American war, he served in the 1st Kentucky Infantry. He emigrated to California in 1849, and to Oregon in 1852. In the 1850s he was business partners with Benjamin T. Davis (1820-1899) in Jacksonville, Oregon. During the Civil War, Maury was an officer of the 1st Oregon Cavalry regiment, eventually becoming its commander. After his service with the 1st Oregon Cavalry, he returned to Jacksonville.
Maury married Elizabeth Chambers (1837-1878) in 1856; the couple had six children. Maury died in 1906.
The collection consists of Reuben F. Maury's correspondence and records relating to the 1st Oregon Cavalry regiment, which he commanded. Correspondence includes: an 1856 letter from Maury to his business partner Benjamin T. Davis concerning business matters; an 1863 letter to Maury from Henry W. Corbett about the possibility of Maury being promoted to colonel of the 1st Oregon Cavalry, and about politics; and an 1864 letter from General Benjamin Alvord about military and political matters, including the Lincoln administration's policies and the Civil War's effect on the slavery debate. Other documents consist of a roster of officers of the 1st Oregon Cavalry as of January 1, 1862; and muster rolls for four companies of the 1st Oregon Cavalry in late 1864.
Collection is open for research.
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.
Reuben F. Maury papers, Mss 2288, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Letters from Benjamin Alvord and Henry W. Corbett gift of Reuben F. Maury in 1905 (RL2022-003-RETRO); other materials most likely acquired in the late 19th or early 20th century (RL2022-004-RETRO).
Additional correspondence addressed to Maury can be found at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library in Mss 182, James Andrew Waymire papers; and in Mss 1519, Administration of justice collection.