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James Withycombe papers, 1862-1943

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Withycombe, James, 1854-1929
Title
James Withycombe papers
Dates
1862-1943 (inclusive)
1883-1919 (bulk)
Quantity
4 cubic feet (9 document cases)
Collection Number
Mss 1129
Summary
Papers of an Oregon farmer, agronomist, and governor of the state during World War I. Includes political correspondence, farm and livestock records, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station records and accounts, and news clipping files.
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

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

James Withycombe was born in Tavistock, Devonshire, England in 1854. Educated in England, he came to Oregon in 1871 and eventually became a U.S. citizen in 1900. He settled in Hillsboro, Washington County, studied agriculture, and became a recognized agricultural expert. He served as the director of the Oregon Agricultural College's experiment station (later part of Oregon State University) and was credited for introducing alfalfa to Oregon.

In 1914 Withycombe was elected governor of Oregon on the Republican ticket. Serving throughout World War I, he promoted military service and helped the state reach 92 percent of its manpower quota in enlistment. He also organized the state's first military police force, signed a prohibition bill, and established the State Highway Commission in 1917 in an effort to improve Oregon's roads. He was re-elected in 1918 but died the following year from a heart ailment.

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Content Description

Papers include: Correspondence (1918) with Republican committee members, news editors, and supporters of Withycombe's 1918 re-election campaign; farm, sheep and cattle records, as well as Oregon Agricultural College experiment station records (1876-1909); R. A. Carpenter's estate papers (1862-1898); and Withycombe's citizenship records (1900). Papers also include clipping files, 1915-1918, on a variety of subjects, with the bulk related to the 1918 reelection campaign. Correspondents include Edward E. Brodie, John W. Cochran, J. M. Shelley, Thomas H. Tongue, Jr., and Woodrow Wilson.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

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 before any publication use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

James Withycombe papers, Mss 1129, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series:

Series A: Correspondence

Series B: General Materials

Series C: Bound Volumes

Series D: News Clippings

Acquisition Information

Gift of Thomas Withycombe, 1967 Jan. 4, Library Accession 10294.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agricultural experiment stations--Oregon
  • Agriculture--Oregon--Experimentation
  • British Americans--Oregon
  • Cattle--Oregon
  • Elections--Oregon.
  • Governors--Oregon--Correspondence
  • Governors--Oregon--Election
  • Oregon--Politics and government--1859-1950
  • Sheep--Oregon

Personal Names

  • Brodie, Edward E.--Correspondence
  • Carpenter, R. A.
  • Cochran, John W.--Correspondence
  • Shelley, J. M.--Correspondence
  • Tongue, Thomas H., Jr.--Correspondence
  • Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence
  • Withycombe, James, 1854-1919--Correspondence (creator)

Corporate Names

  • Oregon State University. Agricultural Experiment Station.
  • Republican Party (Or.)

Geographical Names

  • Oregon--Politics and government

Form or Genre Terms

  • Citizenship papers
  • Estate records
  • Letters

Collection processed by Doug Guidi, Feb. 1997
2006

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