View XML QR Code

The Ralston Family Collection, 1850-2000

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Ralston family
Title
The Ralston Family Collection
Dates
1850-2000 (inclusive)
Quantity
30 boxes, (30 linear feet)
Collection Number
OLPb142RAL
Summary
The Ralston family collection contains historical, genealogical, financial, documents, photographs, correspondence, and other ephemera created or collected by the Oregon pioneer families of Ralston, Knight, and Denny between 1850-2000. Additional material from extended family lines including the Langan, Pitt, Powers, Stoddard, and Struble families are also included.
Repository
Lewis & Clark College, Special Collections and Archives

Aubrey R. Watzek Library
615 S. Palatine Hill Rd.
Portland, OR
97219
Telephone: 5037687758
Fax: 5037687282
archives@lclark.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection has no restrictions and is open for research.

Languages
English
Return to Top

Biographical Note

Jeremiah Ralston (1798-1877) founded and named Lebanon, Oregon in 1851 after traveling by ox cart from Iowa to Linn County, Oregon with his wife Jemima and their six children. As a successful land-owners and businessmen the Ralston family flourished in Lebanon, Albany, Portland, and the Dalles, Oregon. The collection contains papers from the Ralston family including: Loner O. Ralston (1859-1943) Albany Volunteer Fire Department (1882), founder of Oregon Savings Bank, and prominent Oregon business and real estate developer. William C. Ralston (1899-1991) Portland attorney, and Multnomah County District Attorney (1931-1934), his first wife and daughter of Will A. Knight, Marcia Knight Ralston (1904-1951), and their son William (Billy) Knight Ralston (1927-2008) a University of Oregon graduate (1950) and Phi Gamma Delta fraternity member, who worked in the lumber industries in Eureka, California, and Portland, Oregon, and wife Nancyclare Ruduner.

Owen Nickerson Denny (1838-1900) of “Mayflower” descent was a prominent lawyer, judge, President elect revenue collector for the States of Oregon and Alaska (1874-1877), and Oregon State Senator (1892-1896). Between 1877-1890 Owen Denny was the U.S. appointed Consul to Tien Tien, China (1877), and Consul-General to Shanghai, China (1880), as well as U.S. Consul and advisor to King Kojong of Korea (1885). In 1981 a rare Korean flag presented to Owen Denny by King Kojong during his U.S. appointment was found in the possession of relative William C. Ralston, (grand nephew) who with the support of the Korean government returned the celebrated flag to its nation of origin. Between 1881-1882 Owen Denny sent four shipments of Ring-Necked Chinese Pheasants from Shanghai, China to Portland, Oregon. Released by brother John Denny in Linn County, Oregon the pheasants thrived and populated much of the United States. Wife of Owen Denny, Gertrude Jane Hall, Daughter of Peter Hall, was present at and released by Indians following the Walla Walla, Washington, Whitman Massacre of 1847.

Will A. Knight (1873-1943) prominent Portland businessmen and owner of the Knight Shoe Company, and his brother Frank L. Knight (1866-1944) owner of Portland Knight Packing Company.

Other persons represented throughout the collection include members of the Denny, Knight, Langan, McKnight, Pitt, Powers, Stoddard, and Struble families.

Return to Top

Content Description

The Ralston family collection contains historical, genealogical, financial, documents, photographs, correspondence, and other ephemera. The correspondence includes over 3,000 documents written between 1861-1999, and are arranged in chronological order. The photograph collections contain approximately 2,500 prints from 1850-2000 and 13 bound photograph albums. Identified unbound photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject’s name. Additional identified photographs include organizations, events, property and other miscellaneous photographs. Unidentified photograph are arranged by approximate chronological date. The collection includes daguerreotype, ambrotype, tintype, carte de visites, cabinet cards, and modern printing formats. The collections also include various journals, calendars, and scrapbooks, created by members of the Ralston, Knight, Denny, and Stoddard families. Additionally many personal, family, and business artifacts or ephemera belonging to or collected by the various families have been collected.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish, exhibit, broadcast, or quote from materials in the Watzek Library Archives & Special Collections requires written permission of the Head of Archives & Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

The Ralston Family Collection (OLPb142RAL), Lewis & Clark College Aubrey Watzek Library Archives & Special Collections, Portland, Oregon.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged in 9 series: 1) Ralston Chronicles and Family Genealogies; 2) Family Papers (1850-2000); 3) Ralston Family Correspondence (1861-1999); 4) Ralston Family Photograph Collection (1850-2000); 5) Ralston Family Bound Photograph Albums (1902-2000); 6) Journals, Calendars and Date Books (1851-1985); 7) Print Materials (1930-1995); 8) Ralston Family Scrapbooks (1875-1985); Ralston Family Artifacts.

Location of Collection

Special Collections

Acquisition Information

Donated to Lewis & Clark College by the Ralston family in 2011.

Processing Note

Processed in 2012-2013.

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Korea -- Foreign relations -- United States
  • Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.)
  • Merchants -- Oregon -- Portland -- History

Personal Names

  • Ralston, Jeremiah, 1798-1877

Family Names

  • Ralston family--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Lebanon (Or.)
  • Portland (Or.)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Denny, O. N. (creator)
    • Knight, Frank L, 1866-1944 (creator)
    • Knight, Will A., 1873-1943 (creator)
    • Ralston, Loner O., 1859-1943 (creator)
    • Ralston, William C., 1891-1991 (creator)

Zachariah Selley
2013

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

Loading...
Loading...