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Lewis A. McArthur papers, 1867-1993

Overview of the Collection

Creator
McArthur, Lewis A. (Lewis Ankeny), 1883-1951
Title
Lewis A. McArthur papers
Dates
1867-1993 (inclusive)
1908-1950 (bulk)
Quantity
6.5 cubic feet, (2 legal document cases; 1 slim legal document case; 13 letter document cases; 1 slim letter document case; 2 card file boxes (12x6x4); 1 oversize folder (16x20))
Collection Number
Mss 363
Summary
Papers of Lewis A. McArthur (1883-1951) and his family, particularly papers relating to research on Oregon place names. McArthur was a historian who published Oregon Geographic Names in 1928. He published a second edition of the work in 1944, and had completed most of the work for the third edition before his death.
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

Lewis Ankeny McArthur was born in 1883 in The Dalles, Oregon, the son of Judge Lewis Linn McArthur. He was an executive of Pacific Power and Light. However, he was much better known in his life as an expert in Pacific Northwest history, specializing in the history of place names in Oregon. In 1928, he published Oregon Geographic Names. He published a second edition of the work in 1944.

Among McArthur's many positions was as a member of the Oregon Geographic Names Board beginning in 1914, and as president of the Oregon Historical Society from 1926 to 1944. In 1914, he married Mary Lawrence Hewitt; the couple had four children. Mary Lawrence McArthur died in 1943 and, in 1946, Lewis A. McArthur married Oregon Historical Society librarian Nellie Pipes. Lewis A. McArthur died in November 1951, while still working on a third edition of Oregon Place Names. His widow, Nellie McArthur, completed work on the third edition, which was published the following year.

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Content Description

The collection consists primarily of documents created or compiled by Lewis A. McArthur, particularly papers relating to McArthur's work on Oregon place names. The bulk of materials relating to Oregon place names consists of correspondence, notes, and newspaper clippings, including a few documents added after McArthur's death by Oregon Historical Society staff. Additional materials on Oregon place names include a complete final draft of the first edition of Oregon Geographic Names, a correction copy of the first edition of Oregon Geographic Names, and three bound volumes of correspondence.

Other papers in this collection consist of personal correspondence, articles and reports written by McArthur, and research McArthur conducted about Oregon post offices and postmasters. Family papers include correspondence and land papers of Lewis A. McArthur's father, Lewis Linn McArthur (1843-1897); and the papers of Lewis A. McArthur's brother Clifton Nesmith McArthur (1879-1923), including a letter from Theodore Roosevelt offering condolences for the death of Clifton N. McArthur's son.

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Other Descriptive Information

Includes materials previously designated Mss 363-1 and Mss 363-5.

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Use of the Collection

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.

Preferred Citation

Lewis A. McArthur papers, Mss 363, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in three series: Series 1. Personal and family papers; Series 2. Oregon Geographic Names records; Series 3. Other research and papers.

Acquisition Information

Gifts of Lewis A. McArthur made between 1927 and 1951 (RL2020-027-RETRO; RL2020-028-RETRO; RL2020-029-RETRO; RL2020-030-RETRO; RL2020-036-RETRO; RL2020-037-RETRO; RL2020-038-RETRO), plus additional gifts by Lewis L. McArthur made between 1973 and 1988 (Lib. Acc. 12456; Lib. Acc. 16600; Lib. Acc. 18755).

Related Materials

Biographical notes on Lewis Ankeny McArthur, Coll 130, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Separated Materials

Lewis L. McArthur papers, Coll 854, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Geographers--Oregon
  • Historians--Oregon
  • Names, Geographical--Oregon

Personal Names

  • McArthur, Lewis A. (Lewis Ankeny), 1883-1951

Corporate Names

  • Oregon Geographic Names Board

Geographical Names

  • Oregon--Geography
  • Oregon--History, Local

Form or Genre Terms

  • books
  • correspondence
  • drafts (documents)

Jeffrey A. Hayes
2020

CC0

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