Isaac I. Stevens Papers, 1835-1908
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Stevens, Isaac Ingalls, 1818-1862
- Title
- Isaac I. Stevens Papers
- Dates
- 1835-1908 (inclusive)18351908
- Quantity
- 5 in.
- Collection Number
- MsSC 150
- Summary
- Soldier, Indian agent, and governor of Washington Territory. Letters (1835-1861) to Stevens's family; letters (1858-1861) to James G. Swan (1818-1900); miscellaneous Stevens family correspondence (1822-1939); and correspondence and documents (1858-1908), of Stevens's son, Hazard Stevens, lawyer, of Seattle, Wash. Subjects include Isaac Stevens's activities as a cadet at United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and subsequent service with the U.S. Army during the Mexican War (1846-1847) and later the Civil War; Indian affairs and treaties negotiated by Stevens; duties as territorial governor; and the Northen Pacific Railroad.
- Repository
-
Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture)
2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
archives@northwestmuseum.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is not restricted.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
Nolan, Edward W. A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington State Historical Society, 1987).
- Languages
- English
Biographical Note
Isaac Stevens was born in Andover, MA. He graduated form West Point and received a commission in the army engineers in 1839. Stevens served in the Mexican War, 1846-1847. He was appointed Indian agent for Washington Territory, chief of the Northern Pacific Railroad survey, and governor of Washington Territory, 1853. As governor, Stevens negotiated a series of seven treaties with the Indians of eastern and western Washington. In 1857 he was elected territorial delegate to Congress. During the Civil War he became a major general in the Union army and was killed at the battle of Chantilly, VA in 1862.
Content Description
The collection is fragmentary, containing bits and pieces of Stevens’ personal and family letters. The collection falls into four major areas: Isaac Stevens’ letters to his family, 1835-1861; Stevens’ letters to James G. Swan, 1858-1861; miscellaneous Stevens family correspondence, 1822-1862; and fragmentary letters and documents relating to Stevens’ son, Hazard, 1864-1908.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Publication RightsCopyright 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
Preferred Citation
Isaac I. Stevens Papers (MsSC 150), Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA.
Administrative Information
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Indians of North America--Government relations
- Indians of North America--Treaties
- Indians of North America--Washington (State)
- Mexican War, 1846-1848--United States
- Military education--United States
- Railroads--Washington (State)
Personal Names
Corporate Names
- Northern Pacific Railroad Company
- United States Military Academy
- Washington (State). Governor (1853-1857 : Stevens)
Geographical Names
- New York (State)--Education--Service academies
- Seattle (Wash.)--Legal affairs
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
- Washington (State)--Indians
- Washington (State)--Transportation--Railroads
- Washington (State)--Family and personal papers--19th-20th centuries
- Washington (State)--Legal affairs
- Washington Territory--Politics and government
- West Point (N.Y.)--Education--Service academies
Occupations
- Governors--Washington (State)
- Indian agents--Washington (State)
- Lawyers--Washington (State)
- Soldiers--United States
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
Family Names
