Oregon Historical
Society, Davies Family Research Library
Research Library
Mss
1462
Himes, George H.,
1844-1940
George H. Himes papers
1852-1952
17.65 cubic feet
28 document cases, 1 card file box, 10 flat
boxes, 4 custom boxes
Papers of George H. Himes of Portland,
Oregon, first curator of the Oregon Historical Society and a printer by trade.
The collection consists primarily of detailed diaries kept throughout Himes's
life, plus records of his printing business and a small amount of
correspondence and other documents. Diaries include information on daily
activities, Oregon pioneers, local events, family members, and the development
of the Oregon Historical Society.
Materials in the collection are inEnglish
Biographical Note
Historian, curator, and printer George Henry Himes was born on May 18,
1844 in Troy, Pennsylvania, and he came overland to the Oregon Territory with
his family in 1853. They settled near Olympia, Washington, where Himes's father
Tyrus took up farming. George attended rural schools and learned the printing
trade, eventually working for the
Washington Standard in Olympia. Coming to
Portland in the mid-1860s, he was employed first by the
Oregonian and later by printer William D.
Carter, with whom he formed the company Carter & Himes. In 1870 Himes
bought out Carter and continued in business as "Himes the Printer." Among his
publications were the
Daily Bee and the illustrated
West Shore magazine, as well as H.O.
Lang's
History of the Willamette Valley, which
sent his firm into bankruptcy in 1885. After a subsequent printing business
failed, Himes devoted the rest of his life to documenting the history of
Oregon. Always active in the Oregon Pioneer Association and other
organizations, he helped to found the Oregon Historical Society in 1898. The
following year he began work as the Society's first curator (precursor to the
position of executive director), and he continued to operate the institution
until 1938.
Himes was married in 1866 to Anna F. Riggs, and he eventually fathered
11 children. He began keeping a personal diary in 1858 and continued, with
occasional gaps, until 1939, a year before his death. He was a deeply religious
man and an active temperance advocate. Among his many historical writings was a
history of Oregon written for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition -- an event
he helped to organize. He died in Portland in 1940 at the age of 96.
The papers of George Himes consist primarily of two groups of
materials: Himes's extensive diaries, dating from 1858 to 1939, and records of
Himes's printing businesses from the late 19th century. Also included are
drafts of historical writings, reminiscences of Himes's childhood, reminiscence
of Suzukie Kinzo, first Japanese American in Oregon, scrapbooks, lists of
Oregon pioneers, minutes of the Portland Historical Society, minutes of the
Native Sons of Oregon, and a small amount of general correspondence.
The diaries are most complete from the 1890s to the early 1930s.
Entries often include information on local events, personal activities, notes
on Oregon pioneers, activities involving the Oregon Historical Society, and
accounts of travels. Also included are occasional reflections on history and on
Himes's own life. Business records are largely financial in nature, but
letterpress copybooks provide detailed information on day-to-day activities
from 1870 to 1892. Also included are a small sample of printing examples.
The collection is arranged in the following series:
- Series A: General and biographical papers, 1859-1952
- Series B: Diaries, 1858-1939
- Series C: Business ledgers and other bound volumes,
1852-1944
- Series D: Additional personal papers, 1869-1935
The collection is open to the public.
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
prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold
copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission
for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the
copyright holders.
Any publications based on the diaries in the collection must be
reviewed by the descendants of George Himes prior to publication. Requests for
review of publications can be submitted to the Oregon Historical Society
Research Library.
George H. Himes papers, Mss 1462, Oregon Historical Society Research
Library
The diaries of George Himes were kept by his daughter, Faye Albrecht,
prior to donation.
Includes Library Accessions 25588, 26054, and 29252.
Correspondence and other papers of George H. Himes can be found in the
Institutional Archives of the Oregon Historical Society.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Himes,
George H., 1844-1940--Archives
Himes,
George H., 1844-1940--Correspondence
Kinzo,
Suzukie
Himes
family
Carter
& Himes (Portland, Or.)
Himes the
Printer (Portland, Or.)
Native Sons
of Oregon
Oregon
Historical Society
Oregon
Pioneer Association
Portland
Historical Society (Or.)
Olympia
(Wash.)--History
Oregon--Description and travel
Portland
(Or.)--History
Washington
(State)--Description and travel
Historians--Oregon
History--Societies,
etc.--Oregon
Pioneers--Oregon
Printers--Oregon--Portland
Printing--Oregon--Portland
Publishers and
publishing--Oregon--Portland
City and Town Life
Home and Family
Oregon
Pioneers
Portland
Publishers and Publishing
Washington (State)
Autobiographies
Diaries
Ledgers
Letterpress
copybooks
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series A
General papers and correspondence
1859-1952
1/1
Biographical information on George Himes and his
daugheter Grace Rice
1952
undated
See also box 26, folder 1, for Himes's autobiography of
childhood years.
1/2
Correspondence
1885-1924
undated
Includes George Himes's reminiscence of Suzukie Kinzo, first
Japanese American in Oregon.
1/3
Patriotic broadside used as printing sample by
Himes
1876
1/4
Printing samples
1863-1901
1/5
Pioneer listings
undated
1/6
General papers
circa 1862-1907
1/7
General papers, mounted on scrapbook pages
1859-1904
Series B
Diaries
1858-1939
Box numbers are not in a straight numeric sequence due to the need
to house volumes in appropriate-sized boxes.
1/8
1858 October 1-1864 March
27/1
1864
Includes cash account
27/2
1865
Includes notice of end of Civil War and assassination of
Lincoln
27/3
1866
2/1
1866 September 6-1867 August 1
1872
1886 December 26
Old volume 77. Includes diary entries, accounts, and notes
27/4
1867 January 1-December 31
2/2
1868 January 1-1871 December
27/5
1869 June 4-19
Diary of a trip to Olympia, Washington
2/3
1872
27/6
1874
Contains few entries and includes accounts
27/7
1877
27/8
1879, January 1-April 27
Includes accounts
27/9
1887
27/10
1888
27/11
1890
27/12
1891
27/13
1892
3/1
1894 January-August 23
3/2
1895 September-1896 July 23
3/3
1896 July 24-1897 June 20
3/4
1897 June-1898 March 12
3/5
1898 March 13-December 31
3/6
1899 January 1-September 26
3/7
1899 September 27-1900 May 20
3/8
1900 May 22-October 6
3/9
1900 October 6-November 16
1900 February 19-1901 May 24
4/1
1900 November 16-1901 February 18
4/2
1901 May 25-August 31
1901 September 18-November 4
27/14
1901
Fragmentary entries and notes. On cover: "Notes in 1901 /
References to trip to Portland, Me., Boston, N.Y., Newark, Phila., etc. that
year -- Oct.-November."
4/3
1901 August 31-September 17
1901 November 5-1902 May 27
4/4
1902 May 28-November 3
4/5
1902 November 4-1903 March 18
27/15
1902
Primarily household accounts and other notes
4/6
1903 March 19-July 8
4/7
1903 July 9-December 13
5/1
1903 December 14-1904 August 31
5/2
1904 September 1-October 12
1905 January 27-March 21
5/3
1904 October 13-1905 January 25
5/4
1905 March 22-July 11
5/5
1905 July 12-1906 January 12
5/6
1906 January 13-June 9
5/7
1906 June 10-November 25
6/1
1906 November 26-1907 April 1
6/2
1907 April 2-October 2
6/3
1907 October 3-1908 March 28
27/16
1907
Includes diary of trip to Coos County, July 1907; transcripts
from documents; and notes.
6/4
1908 March 29-August 7
6/5
1908 August 8-1908 October 25
6/6
1908 October 26-1909 January 31
6/7
1909 April 26-October 29
7/1
1909 October 30-1910 July 12
7/2
1910 July 12-1911 January 23
7/3
1911 January 24-June 20
7/4
1911 June 21-November 18
7/5
1911 November 19-1912 May 20
7/6
1912 May 21-December 5
8/1
1912 December 6-1913 July 20
8/2
1913 July 21-1914 March 1
8/3
1914 March 2-1915 January 29
8/4
1915 January 30-August 16
8/5
1915 August 17-1916 April 14
8/6
1916 April 15-November 25
9/1
1916 November 26-1917 June 25
9/2
1917 June 26-1918 May 13
9/3
1918 May 14-1919 February 26
9/4
1919 February 27-1920 January 11
10/1
1920 January 12-August 28
10/2
1920 August 29-1921 November 15
10/3
1921 November 16-1923 March 15
10/4
1922 March 16-1924 April 17
10/5
1924 April 18-1925 April 29
11/1
1925 April 30-1926 March 17
11/2
1926 March 18-1927 January 19
11/3
1927 January 20-November 28
11/4
1927 November 29-1928 November 19
11/5
1928 November 20-1929 August 21
12/1
1929 August 22-1930 October 15
27/17
1929
Accounts and notes only
12/2
1930 October 16-1931 October 30
12/3
1931 November 1-1932 August 12
12/4
1932 August 13-1933 April 15
12/5
1933 April 16-1933 December 14
13/1
1933 December 15-1935 March 31
13/2
1935 April 1-1936 January 3
13/3
1936 January 2-1937 February 5
13/4
1937 February 6-1938 May 16
14/1
1938 July 29-1939 October 25
Typed transcripts of diaries
1858-1890
40/1
1858
40/2
1860
40/3
1861
40/4
1862
40/5
1863
40/6
1864
40/7
1865
40/8
1866
40/9
1867
40/10
1868
40/11
1869
40/12
1870
40/13
1871
40/14
1872
40/15
1877
40/16
1879
40/17
1887
40/18
1890
Series C
Business ledgers and other bound volumes
1852-1944
Box numbers are not in a straight numeric sequence due to the need
to house volumes in appropriate-sized boxes.
15/1
Day book (with samples) (old volume 1)
1864 December 21-1867 September 27
15/2
Day book (old volume 2)
1867 October 1-1869 April 5
15/3
Day book (old volume 3)
1869 April 5-1869 December 31
15/4
Cash book (old volume 4)
1869 April 30-1870 August 6
15/5
Estimates (old volume 5)
1869 December-1870 December
15/6
Day book (old volume 6)
1870 January 3-1873 February
15/7
Estimates (old volume 7)
1870 January 1-1873 January 13
16/1
Day book (old volume 8)
1870 April 20-1871 January 31
16/2
Estimates (old volume 9)
1871
16/3
Billings (old volume 10)
1871 February 1-December 30
31
Day book (old volume 11)
1871 January 1-1873 September 13
16/4
Cash book (old volume 12)
1872 November 11-1873 December 31
16/5
Cash book (old volume 13)
1873 January 2-1875 March 11
16/6
Billings (old volume 14)
1873 June 4-1874 March 14
17/1
Estimates (old volume 15)
1873
17/2
Estimates (old volume 16)
1873-1874
17/3
Cash book (old volume 17)
1873 September 15-1874 August
17/4
Ledger (old volume 18)
1874 January 1-1877 March 30
18/1
Day book (old volume 19)
1874 March 16-1874 August 31
18/2
Ledger (old volume 20)
1874 August 28-1876 June 30
18/3
Daybook (old volume 21)
1874 September 1-1875 July 26
18/4
Estimates (old volume 22)
1874-1877
18/5
Cash (old volume 23)
1874 December 31-1881 June 7
19/1
Day book (old volume 24)
1875 July 28-1876 September 26
19/2
Day book (old volume 25)
1875 October 15-1876 October 19
19/3
Cash book (old volume 26)
1875 December 15-1878 January 14
19/4
Cash book (old volume 27)
1875 December 15-1876 November 16
19/5
Ledger (old volume 28)
1876 July 1-1878 April 23
20/1
Cash (old volume 29)
1876 August 1-1879 October 31
20/2
Day book (old volume 30)
1876 September 29-1877 August 31
20/3
Day book (old volume 31)
1876 October 23-1878 July 31
20/4
Ledger (old volume 32)
1877 March 31-1879 December 31
21/1
Day book (old volume 33)
1877 September 1-1878 October 10
21/2
Cash book (old volume 34)
1878 August 5-1880 February 28
21/3
Day book (old volume 35)
1878 October 11-1879 December 31
21/4
Cash (old volume 36)
1879 October 31-1883 March 9
22/1
Day book (old volume 37)
1880 January 2-1881 February 16
22/2
Ledger (old volume 38)
1880 January 1-1882 July 1
22/3
Cash (old volume 39)
1880 December 24-1882 May 21
22/4
Day book (old volume 40)
1881 February 17-1882 March 9
22/5
Day book (old volume 41)
1881 April 2-1883 April 21
23/1
Ledger (old volume 42)
1881 Sept. 29-1882 July 1
35
Ledger (old volume 43)
1882 July 1-1886 December
23/2
Billings (old volume 44)
1882 May 3-1883 March 31
28
Cash (old volume 45)
1883 March 8-1887 January
23/3
Day book (incomplete) (old volume 46)
1884 December 20-1894 January 16
36/1
Day book (old volume 47)
1885 February 10-1885 September 23
36/2
Day book (old volume 48)
1885 September 23-1886 May 17
23/4
Merchandise sales (old volume 49)
1886 December 21-1890 July 31
37/1
Day book (old volume 50)
1887 March 2-November 16
37/2
Day book (old volume 51)
1887 November 16-1888 October 16
34
Ledger (old volume 52)
1888 January 2-1890 September 26
29
Invoices (old volume 53)
1888-1896
23/5
Estimates (old volume 54)
1891
30
Ledger (billing) (old volume 55)
1892-1893
24/1
Day book (old volume 56)
1894 January 2-May 31
38
Lewis & Dryden Lithography Co. specimens (old volume
57)
undated
Letterpress copy books (outgoing
correspondence)
24/2
Old volume 58
1870-1881
24/3
Old volume 59
1875-1880
24/4
Old volume 60
1885-1887
25/1
Old volume 61
1888-1889
25/2
Old volume 62
1889-1890
25/3
Old volume 63
1891-1892
42/1
Letterpress copybook
1892 August 5 - 1893 August 23
Presumably "Old volume 64."
42/2
Letterpress copybook
1893 August 23 - 1895 May 23
Presumably "Old volume 64."
43/1
Letterpress copybook
1895 June 14 - 1897 February 19
Presumably "Old volume 65."
43/2
Letterpress copybook
1897 February 25 - 1901 January 10
Includes membership reports of the Oregon Historical Society.
Presumably "Old volume 66."
25/4
"Early history of newspapers" (old volume
64)
1870-1881
See also 41/11 for drafts and notes on history of newspapers and
printing
25/5
"The press and literature of Oregon," given before
Portland Historical Association (old volume 65)
1895 April 22
25/6
"History of early press of Oregon, 1839-1850" (old
volume 66)
undated
26/1
Minutes of the Portland Historical Society, and
transcript of book "The mountains of Oregon, Washington & Idaho" (old
volume 68)
1893-1895
Includes minutes of the Portland Historical Society, 1893 June
26-1895 November 4; with Executive Committee minutes, p. 100 (1895 February
20-1895 September 14).
32
Minutes, Native Sons of Oregon (old volume
69)
1898 August-1902 May
33
Personal collection--news clippings, awards (old volume
70)
circa 1890
39
Personal collection--news clippings, awards (old volume
71)
circa 1932-1944
26/2
Accounts, 1852-1853, and autobiography of George Himes
(old volume 72)
1852-1853
undated
26/3
"A trip through Nachess [sic] Pass" (diary) (old volume
73)
1910
26/4
Record, "Events of 1904" (old volume 74)
1904
List of past historical events that occurred on selected days of
the year.
26/5
Household budget for 1871, and listing of Oregon
counties (old volume 75)
1871
undated
26/6
Oregon churchman subscription list
(old volume 76)
circa 1871-1875
26/7
Carter & Himes cash book (old volume 78)
1868 October-1871 April
27/18
Address book of Edward Albrecht (George Himes's
son-in-law)
circa 1911
Series D
Additional personal papers
1869-1935
The materials were originally filed in the Oregon Historical
Society's institutional archives and were separated in April 2015.
41/1
Biographical and genealogical materials relating to
George Himes and the Himes family
1916-1933
undated
41/2
Business records
1869-1918
Includes donation land claim to George Himes in Thurston County,
Washington, 1869; and contract between Himes and H. O. Lang for publication of
History of the Willamette Valley
41/3
Dedication of George H. Himes Park--Invitation, program,
text of speeches
1935
41/4
Reminiscences of Mrs. Emilene Himes
(1821-1898)
1894
41/5
"When walking was good : how one boy came to Oregon"
(typescript), by "a Miss Wilson?"
1894
Incomplete fictionalized story of the Himes family's overland
journey
Writings and notes of George Himes
41/6
"Beginnings of Christianity in Oregon" (typescript and
page proofs)
undated
41/7
"The bird woman"--biography of Sacajaweah
(typescript)
undated
41/8
Congregational Church materials
1900-1901
undated
41/9
Early weather records in Oregon
undated
41/10
"First company to start for Oregon"
undated
Includes list of members of early wagon trains
41/11
History of printing and newspapers in the Pacific
northwest
undated
41/12
Immigration to the Puget Sound area
undated
41/13
"The Indians' last battles" (typescript)
undated
41/14
History of Oregon City (manuscript)
undated
41/15
Speech honoring John Miller Murphy of the Washington
Standard
undated
41/16
Writings and notes, miscellaneous
undated