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Edward R. Geary papers, 1840-1878

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Geary, Edward R., 1811-1886
Title
Edward R. Geary papers
Dates
1840-1878 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 cubic feet, (1 document case, 4 flat boxes, and 1 oversize folder in shared box)
Collection Number
Mss 68
Summary
Papers of Edward R. Geary, a missionary and Presbyterian minister who served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon and Washington from 1859 to 1861, founded Albany College, and was a regent of the University of Oregon. The collection includes correspondence, writings, and financial records, including copies of letters from Geary's brother, John W. Geary; papers relating to the Oregon Central Railroad; papers relating to the estate of John Webster Perit Huntington; and detailed expenditure reports from the Oregon Office of Indian Affairs.
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

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Edward R. Geary was born in Boonsboro, Maryland on April 30, 1811. He arrived in Oregon in 1851 as a Presbyterian missionary, preaching at Brownsville, Pleasant Grove and Albany, before settling in Eugene in 1875. In 1866, Geary co-founded Albany College, but in 1876 became a regent of the University of Oregon. He served as secretary to the superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon and Washington from 1853-1855, and as superintendent from 1859-1861.

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Content Description

Papers of Edward R. Geary include correspondence and other materials pertaining to his life and activities, as well as financial records and correspondence relating to the Office of Indian Affairs, primarily from the period in which he was the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon and Washington. Personal correspondence includes copies of letters to Geary from his brother, John W. Geary, containing details of John Geary's experiences in Panama, Mexico, Harrisburg, and as the first mayor of San Francisco; and a typescript copy of an 1851 letter from Edward Geary to John McClellan, describing his voyage to the Pacific coast via the Isthmus of Panama. Other materials include speeches and sermons; papers relating to the estate of John Webster Perit Huntington and to the Oregon Central Railroad; and Geary's will.

Materials in the collection that relate to the Office of Indian Affairs include Geary's certificates of nomination and appointment as superintendent; correspondence; and extensive documentation of the Oregon agency's expenditures from 1859 through 1861. Vouchers contain itemizations of purchases, including gifts and provisions given to Native peoples in fulfillment of treaty obligations. Lists include names of individuals and their tribes. A letter dated July 9, 1861, from Indian agent A. J. Cain (filed in "Cattle Contracts of July 2, 1860") describes relations between Native people and emigrants. The records are meticulously written and probably reflect the work of Geary's clerk, Quincy A. Brooks.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Edward R. Geary papers, Mss 68, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Restrictions on Use

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.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series:

  • Series 1: Correspondence, 1847-1878
  • Series 2: General materials, 1840-1876
  • Series 3: Indian Affairs materials, 1853-1876

Location of Originals

Originals of John W. Geary letters are located at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Indian agents--Oregon--Correspondence
  • Indians of North America--Oregon--Government relations
  • Presbyterian Church--Oregon--Clergy
  • Voyages to the Pacific coast

Personal Names

  • Geary, Edward R., 1811-1886--Correspondence
  • Geary, John W.--Correspondence
  • Huntington, John Webster Perit, 1831-1869--Estate

Corporate Names

  • Oregon Central Railroad Co.
  • United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Oregon Superintendency--Records and correspondence

Form or Genre Terms

  • correspondence
  • estate records
  • financial records

Geoffrey B. Wexler
2005; revised 2024

CC0

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