UAKMsSC145 Guide to the Oppenheimer Family Papers 1862-1903 Oppenheimer Family Papers Finding aid prepared by Edward W. Nolan Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture © 1987
2316 W. First Avenue Spokane, WA 99201
Finding aid encoded by Rose Krause 2012 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). September 2023 Finding aid edited and updated by Jack Gassen Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture), Joel E. Ferris Research Library and Archives
2316 W. First Avenue Spokane, WA 99201 Phone: (509) 363-5342 Email: archives@northwestmuseum.org
MsSC 145 Oppenheimer family Oppenheimer Family Papers 1862-1903 8 in. Merchants, of Marcus, Wash. Collection includes items related to the Oppenheimer brothers' mercantile activities, contracts for shipping during the Indian Wars (1877-1879), real estate and mining enterprises, reminiscence of Ben Burgunder (1845-1925), and family correspondence. English Biographical Note

The Oppenheimer brothers (Joseph, 1832-1885; Marcus, 1833-1901; Samuel, 1829-1882), were pioneer merchants in Stevens County, W.T. during the 1860s and 1870s. All three were born in the state of Baden, Germany. Joseph and Marcus crossed the Plains together with Ben Burgunder in 1862. Later that year, the three brothers were in partnership in a mercantile business at what is now Marcus, WA. From this business they freighted military supplies from Walla Walla for the U.S. Army during the Indian campaigns, 1877-1879, furnished supplies for the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and were an important supply depot for miners and farmers in the Marcus and Colville areas.

The collection consists of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, notebooks, and ephemeral items relating to the Oppenheimer brothers and their mercantile activities in the 1870s. Much of the material details the government contracts for shipping during the Indian Wars, 1877-1879; claims for payment, explanation for delays in shipping, and descriptions of travel conditions. Other materials relate to their real estate and mining enterprises in a very fragmentary way. Included also is a typed autobiographical reminiscence by Ben Burgunder (1845-1925), who carried supplies to the Canadian gold fields on French Creek on the Steamer “49”, the first steamer to navigate the upper Columbia. Some correspondence from Joseph Oppenheimer’s family is also included.

Collection is not restricted.

 Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Eastern Washington State Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Museum Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher

Oppenheimer Family Papers (MsSC 145), Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA.

Donated by Wray D. Farmin.

Nolan, Edward W. A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington State Historical Society, 1987).

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) WorldCat database. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search WorldCat using these headings.

Oppenheimer family--Archives Steamboats--Columbia River General stores--Washington (State) Real property--Washington (State) River steamers--Columbia River Inland water transportation--Freight Military supplies Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State) Freight and freightage--Washington (State) Freight and freightage--Columbia River Gold mines and mining--Canada Gold mines and mining--British Columbia Mines and mineral resources--Washington (State) Railroads--Washington (State) Railroads--Canada Indians of North America--Wars--1866-1895 Voyages and travels Railroads--Equipment and supplies Washington (State)--Business, industries, and trades--General stores Washington (State)--Business, industries, and trades--Freight and freightage Stevens County (Wash.)--Business, industries, and trades--General stores Marcus (Wash.) Colville (Wash.) Walla Walla (Wash.)--Business, industries, and trades--Freight and freightage Washington (State)--Transportation--Steamboats Washington (State)--Transportation--Railroads Canada--Transportation--Railroads Columbia River--Steamboats Washington (State)--Land Washington (State)--Description and travel Washington (State)--Mines, mining, and mineral resources British Columbia--Mines, mining, and mineral resources Canada--Mines, mining, and mineral resources Revelstoke (B.C.) Washington (State)--Indians Washington (State)--Frontier and pioneer life Stevens County (Wash.)--Frontier and pioneer life Reminiscences Merchants--Washington (State) Washington (State) British Columbia Native Americans Military Pioneers Mines and Mineral Resources Ships and Shipping Transportation Retail Trade Railroads