Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Cage 94
Bockmier, Paul T., 1891-1977
Paul Thaddeus Bockmier Papers
1850-1977
5 Linear feet of shelf space
8 Boxes + Oversize folders
The Paul Thaddeus Bockmier papers consist of correspondence, reminiscences, family
papers, photographs, essays, maps, and various printed materials on the Bockmier,
Perry, and Ross families and the development of Whitman County, Washington.
Collection materials are in English
Paul Thaddeus Bockmier was born in a log cabin on the banks of the Palouse River on
September 15, 1891, the oldest child of Sarah Farnam Bockmier and Paul Thaddeus
Bockmier, Sr. The Bockmiers were a prosperous pioneer family of Whitman County,
Washington. His surviving brothers and sisters were Ralph, Carl, Waneta, Lettie and
Charles. During his youth he worked with his father on local business interests,
including a mining company. He acquired a basic knowledge of business at the same
time. He was also an inventor and developed a type of drinking fountain. In 1918, he
became an employee of The Washington Water Power Company. Throughout his long life
(he died in Garfield in 1977), he was an avid collector of regional historical
documents and artifacts. Bockmier was an amateur historian, and gained access to
numerous papers, memoirs and photographs relevant to historical development of the
Palouse. Many of these were directly related to his own family history, particularly
his mother's family, the Perry-Ross family.
Bockmier began his association with the Washington Water Power Company (WWP) as an
employee in 1918. During his long career, he rose to District Manager in Garfield
and retired from that position in 1956. His Washington Water Power material provides
insight into the introduction of electricity to the Palouse and the role it played
in the development of the area.
Bockmier and his wife, Lou Ella, were active in a number of social and service
organizations. One of the most important of these was the Whitman County
Tuberculosis Association. In his role as historian, Bockmier compiled histories both
of this organization and the Washington Water Power Company. He employed many of the
materials he had collected to do so.
The Paul Thaddeus Bockmier papers consist of correspondence, reminiscences, family
papers, photographs, essays, maps, and various printed materials on the Bockmier,
Perry, and Ross families and the development of Whitman County, Washington.
Photographs, family documents, family histories, regional historical pamphlets,
business papers and correspondence, financial papers, maps, and brochures make up
the bulk of the papers. In addition, there are records of the Whitman County
Tuberculosis Association and the Washington Water Power Company.
A second accession of Bockmier's papers was added to this collection as a sixth
series. These papers consist of correspondence, business records such as bank
statements, and records of invention. The papers are arranged by type of material.
Series 1: Bockmier Papers, 1880-1965
Series 2: Perry-Ross Family Papers, 1870-1920
Series 3: Whitman County History 1879-1967
Series 4: Whitman County Tuberculosis Association Records 1917-1961
Series 5: Washington Water Power Company Papers 1919-1956
Series 6: Additional Papers
Series 7: Oversize
The papers have been arranged in seven series. The first five series are in a
arbitrary topical arrangement, as the records were in no recognizable order when
received. The sixth series consists of a later accession, arranged by type of
material. The seventh series consists of oversize materials.
Some items from this collection have been digitized and are available online as part of the
Early Washington Maps Digital Collection
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
[Item description]
Paul Thaddeus Bockmier Papers, 1850-1977 (Cage 94)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Paul T. Bockmier Papers donated his papers to the Washington State University
Libraries between 1959 and 1977 (MS 1977-41).
Additional papers of Paul Bockmier were donated to the Washington State University
Libraries in 1992 (accession MS 1992-61) by the Latah County Historical Society. The
papers had been left with the Society by an anonymous donor.
The first accession of this collection (MS 1977-41) was processed and arranged in
February and March, 1978 by Catherine F. Feher. The second accession (MS 1992-61)
was processed and added to this collection in February and March of 1993 by Sarah
Barber-Braun.
One printed map, "Diminished Colville Indian Reservation" (south half) published by Clair
Hunt, circa 1914, was transferred to the Historical Map Collection, 1587-1980s
(SC 001).
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.
Bockmier, Paul T., 1891-1977 -- Archives
Bockmier family -- Archives
Perry family -- Archives
Ross family -- Archives
Bockmier family
Perry family
Ross family
Whitman County Tuberculosis Association
Washington Water Power Company -- History
Whitman County (Wash.) -- History
Garfield (Wash.) -- History
Tuberculosis -- Washington (State) -- Whitman County
Washington (State)
Public Utilities
Medicine and Health
Series 1: Bockmier Papers
1880-1965
1
1.1-1.2
Correspondence: Business and personal
correspondence of P. T. and Lou Ella Bockmier
1923-1949
40 items.
1
2
Financial: Business receipts and
ledgers
1910-1941
20 items.
1
2
Palouse Choral Society Records,
1
3
Investment records: Business papers,
drillhole records, leases, stock certificates, stock holding reports,
stock agreements of the Palouse River Coal and Development Company and
related companies
1913-1929
20 items.
1
4
Investment records: Prospectus reports,
board members, stock reports, plats of Gold Creek Mining district and
other records of investments of P. T. Bockmier, Sr
1910-1933
15 items.
1
5
Membership Cards
1919-1977
15 items.
1
6
Woodmen of the World: Pamphlets, financial
statements, correspondence
1942-1948
5 items.
1
7
Religious Affiliations and Fraternal
Organizations: Church pamphlets, Masonic Information, Scottish Rite
pamphlets
1940-1950
20 items.
1
8
Photographs of P. T. Bockmier and J. D.
Lewis
1938-1965
7 items.
1
9
P. T. Bockmier's Patented Sanitary
Drinking Fountain
1918
2 items.
1
9.1
"South Half or Diminished Colville Indian
Reservation" (pamphlet) by Clair Hunt
circa 1914
2 items.
1
10.1
Bockmier family History: news clippings,
compiled history
1885-1959
23 items.
1
10.2
Bockmier family photographs
1894-1963
20 items.
Series 2: Perry-Ross Family Papers
1865-1965
1.1
11.1-11.3
Perry-Ross Family pictures and papers,
genealogies, traditions, photographs, compiled histories, newspaper
clippings
1865-1965
50 items.
2
12
Perry-Ross Family Scrapbook, compiled
1926
1 item.
2
13
Poetry and Personal History of Mrs. David
(Fannie) Ross, compiled
1924
1 item.
2
14
Whitman County Pioneer Association Papers:
Newspaper Clippings, compiled histories of association and past
presidents
1901-1965
1 item.
Series 3: Whitman County History
2
15
Miscellaneous History of Garfield and
Environs: History of first public school in Garfield, and other papers
(program, notes) donated by Emmett F. Dix and Mrs. Joy
Matlock
1879-1903
3 items.
2
16
Miscellaneous History of Garfield and
Environs: Descriptions of early buildings, such as Flour Mill (1891),
American Legion and record of its bylaws (1891), information about
Garfield Christian Church (1907), history of Garfield Christian
Church
1890-1962
10 items.
2
17
Miscellaneous history of Garfield and
Environs: Newspaper clippings, community promotional information and
pamphlets, handbills, regional women's club handouts
1920-1967
20 items.
2
18
Early Palouse: Palouse promotional papers,
description of Palouse in 1889
1889-1890
3 items.
2
19
Concerts and Cultural Activities: Concert
programs, sheet music, Chautauqua announcements and information
1910
15 items.
2
20
Handbills and Announcements: Market Day
Dance (Odessa), Garfield Clean-up Week, Political
announcements
1940-1949
4 items.
2
21
Publications: Daughters of the American
Revolution, Whitman County chapter, pamphlets on local industry, Almira
High School Annual
1919-1945
13 items.
2
22
Homestead Certificate
1888
1 item.
2
23
Photographs of Early Whitman County
1888-1920
17 items.
2
24
Photographs of Early Whitman County
1888-1920
30 items.
2
25
Whitman County Agricultural Association:
Miscellaneous papers and publications
1943
2 items.
Series 4: Whitman County Tuberculosis
Association
1917-1961
3
26
History of the Whitman County Tuberculosis
Association, 1917-1961. Compiled by P. T. and Lou Ella Bockmier
1961
20 items.
3
27
Educational pamphlets and T.B.
information
1920-1961
20 items.
3
28.1
Educational pamphlets and T.B.
information, advertisements for chest X-ray
1920-1961
20 items.
3
28.2
Washington Tuberculosis Association
educational pamphlets and annual reports
Series 5: Washington Water Power
1889-1956
4
29
General History of Washington Water Power:
Early history, history of WWP in Spokane and Inland Empire, The
Illuminator (1949)
1889-1956
3 items.
4
30
WWP & Spokane United Railways:
Political information, employee information, handouts and
lessons
1930-1945
14 items.
4
31
History of Electricity in the Palouse
Region
1893-1974
4
32
History of WWP in the Garfield District:
Brief history, substation papers, some business correspondence, plats of
Garfield and Farmington, 1913, District Manager meeting notes, WWP sales
program for 1946
1889-1946
10 items.
4
33
WWP Time Books (Garfield,
Odessa)
1939
2 items.
4.1
34
WWP Publications, Pamphlets and
Information
1925-1945
10 items.
4.1
35
WWP Photographs
1900-1956
15 items.
4.1
36
(missing- 10-01)
5
37
Publications of WWP Whitman County Meter
Books, topographic maps of WWP districts, WWP Service Certificate, WWP
Employee Convention Photographs
1923
20 items.
5
38
Preliminary inventories
1968
2 items.
5
39
[relocated to oversize]
Series 6: Additional Papers
6
40-44
Correspondence: Bockmier, Paul,
Sr
1904-1919
6
40-44
Correspondence: Bockmier, Sarah &
siblings
1917-1919
6
40-44
Correspondence: Bockmier,Ralph
H
1911-1918
6
40-44
Correspondence: Bockmier, Carl W.
USN
1916-1918
6.1
45
Correspondence: Cousins
1906-1917
6.1
46
Book: Wilcox, Cornelius DeWitt, War
French
1918
7
47
Letters from Kildow, Oscar
1908-1919
7
48
Letters from Friends
1908-1915
7
48.1
Letters from Friends
1916-1918
7
49
Letters from Friends
1918-1919
7
50
Greeting Cards
7
51-52
Announcements &
Invitations
7
53-56
National Bank of Palouse checking account:
cancelled checks, duplicate check stubs
1913-1917
8
57
Business Correspondence: Palouse Business
College, Northwest Business College, State College of Washington, State
Normal School, Standard Shorthand School, American School of
Correspondence, Blair Business College, Eugene Business College,
International Correspondence Schools, Spokane Expert School of
Business
1908-1918
8
58
Business Correspondence
1910-1917
8
59
Business Correspondence
1918-1919
8
60
Business Correspondence: "The Sanitary
Drinking Fountain," Paul T. Bockmier's invention
1915-1919
Series 7: Oversize Materials
O.S. 17.1
WWP grid blueprints
1913
O.S. 24.1
Photograph, Palouse City Roller Mills
1960
O.S. 39
Photographs of pioneer life, first
transport for school children in Whitman County (1911), Garfield Choral
Society (1909), Palouse Basketball Team (1910)
20 items.
O.S. 39.1
WWP photographs
1923, 1936,
undated
O.S. 60.1
Newspaper clipping about the Sanitary
Drinking Fountain, Spokane Review
1917 11
March