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Goltz-Murray Building 808 25th St Bellingham 98225-9123 cpnws@wwu.edu https://library.wwu.edu/center-pacific-northwest-studies

This finding aid was written by Clay Skaggs. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Center for Pacific Northwest Studies J.J. Donovan Papers Donovan, J. J. -- (John Joseph), -- 1858-1937. Donovan, Clara, -- 1858-1936 -- Correspondence. Bennett, Nelson -- Correspondence. Donovan family -- Archives. Donovan family -- Correspondence. XOE_CPNWS0348 20 linear ft. 1872-1941 The collection consists of the personal, family and business papers of early-Bellingham developer and civic leader John Joseph (J.J.) Donovan. Collection materials are in English.

John Joseph (J.J.) Donovan (1858-1937) was born in Rumney, New Hampshire to Patrick and Julia (O'Sullivan) Donovan on September 8, 1858. J.J. attended Plymouth Normal School where he met his future wife, Clara Nichols (1858-1936). Both J.J. and Clara graduated in 1877 and passed their teaching examinations, although neither would continue teaching for very long. Clara became a piano teacher and J.J. enrolled in Worcester Polytechnic Institute's civil engineering program, where he graduated as Valedictorian in 1882.

Shortly after graduating, J.J. was hired by the Northern Pacific Railway Company to survey, plan and eventually supervise the building of roadbeds and bridges during construction of Northern Pacific's transcontinental system. This appointment brought him west to Montana and eventually Washington State, where he worked on a number of Northern Pacific's Cascade Division projects for the next several years. By the late-1880s, J.J.'s engineering achievements were well known and his services were sought by various commercial interests then being developed on Bellingham Bay in Washington State. These attracted J.J. and Clara to Western Washington, and they arrived in Fairhaven (which later became part of Bellingham) in 1888.

J.J. quickly became involved in real estate and other business ventures, often in partnership with other well-known area businessmen including Nelson Bennett, C.X. Larrabee, Julius H. Bloedel, and Peter Larson. Over the course of his career, J.J. served as Chief Engineer for the Fairhaven Land Company, the Skagit Coal & Transportation Company, the Fairhaven & Southern Railway Company, the Tideland Appraisers, the Blue Canyon Coal Mining Company, the Bellingham Bay & Eastern Railway Company, and the Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railway Company. He later gave his attention to the lumber business, building and managing the Lake Whatcom Logging Company, Larson Lumber Company, and Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills.

J.J. was active in civic life, serving on the Fairhaven City Council, the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom Normal School (now Western Washington University), and sitting as president of several other cultural and professional associations. He helped raise funds for the construction of St. Joseph's Hospital and Assumption Catholic Church, and publicly spoke out against the Ku Klux Klan. J.J. and Clara built a home on McKenzie Avenue in Fairhaven and had three children: Helen Donovan Craven, J.N. "Jack" Donovan, and Philip Donovan.

The J.J. Donovan Papers consist of Correspondence (1874-1942); Journals, Diaries, and Notebooks (1872-1933); School and College Materials (1875-1982); Business and Financial Records (1873-1942); Writings and Speeches (1882-1924); Images and Film (1920s); Ephemera and Artifacts (1882-1923); and Published Materials (1894-1937).

Correspondence (1874-1942) includes letters between J.J. Donovan and family members, including Clara (Nichols) Donovan, children Helen and John Donovan, and J.J.'s siblings. There is also correspondence that was separated and organized topically by local historians Brian Griffin and Gayle Helgoe, prior to the transfer of records to archival custody. In addition to letters, some of these files may also include photographs, newspapers clippings, and manuscript materials.

Journals, Diaries, and Notebooks (1872-1933) include daily private notes written by J.J. as well as accounts from his travel and some of his work. There are also travel diaries by Clara Donovan, and journals and notebooks kept by the Donovan children.

School and College Materials (1875-1982) comprise items created by J.J. during his time as a student, including essays and papers, grade sheets, notebooks, as well as a brief sketch of J.J.'s early life written by former classmate and childhood friend J.Q. Barlow.

Business and Financial Records (1873-1942) include some professional correspondence, banking and cashbooks, bills and receipts, tax and insurance information, stock certificates and reports from J.J.'s commercial interests, as well as materials from trade and industry conferences.

Writings and Speeches (1882-1924) include love poems, children's poetry, J.J.'s public address re: the Ku Klux Klan, and various other speeches.

Images and Film (1920s) are comprised of mostly unidentified negatives and prints of Donovan family members, as well as some images from Whatcom County/Mount Baker wilderness area and various travels. There are also digital copies of three 16mm films documenting family gatherings, and scenes from the Mt. Baker Lodge, Bellingham waterfront, and surrounding area.

The J. J. Donovan Papers are organized according to the following series arrangement:

Series I. Correspondence, 1874-1942 Series II. Journals, Diaries and Notebooks, 1872-1933 Series III. School and College Materials, 1875-1932 Series IV. Business and Financial Records, 1873-1929 Series V. Writings and Speeches, 1882-1924 Series VI. Images and Film, 1920s Series VII. Ephemera and Artifacts, 1882-1928 Series VIII. Published Materials, 1894-1930

The collection is open to the public.

J.J. Donovan Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9123

The bulk of the collection was originally transferred by Brian Griffin in 2013 (with subsequent transfers from the Whatcom Museum), with formal donation made by Al and Kathy Riggs. Additional materials were donated by Lucile Palifka.

Some items have been temporarily separated from the collection and will be re-partriated once additional preservations measures have been taken. Contact repository for details.

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Donovan, J. J.--(John Joseph),--1858-1937--Archives. Donovan, J. J.--(John Joseph),--1858-1937--Correspondence. Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills (Seattle, Wash.) Larson Lumber Company. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Pacific Northwest Washington (State) Railroads--Northwest, Pacific--History--Sources. Businessmen--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources. Civic leaders--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources. Logging--Washington (State)--History--Sources Sawmills--Washington (State)--History--Sources Expeditions and Adventure Washington (State) Personal correspondence. Records (Documents) Correspondence Series I 1874-1942 Personal and Family Correspondence J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan 1876-1885 C1 1-6 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan 1886-1887 C2 1-5 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan 1887-1888 C3 1-5 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan 1888 C4 1-6 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan 1889-1906 C5 1-5 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan undated C5 6 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan to children 1907-1921 C5 7 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan to children 1922-1933 C6 1-4 J.J. Donovan and Clara Nichols/Donovan to children undated C6 5 J.J. Donovan and siblings 1876-1881 C6 6-8 J.J. Donovan and siblings 1882-1906 C7 1-6 J.J. Donovan and siblings 1913-1931 C8 1 J.J. Donovan and siblings undated C8 2 Clara Nichols/Donovan and children 1901-1913 C8 3 Clara Nichols/Donovan and children 1930-1935 C8 4 John Donovan 1881-1889 C8 5 Helen 1927-1942 C8 6 General Correspondence General 1852; 1874-1881 C8 7-9 General 1882-1887 C9 1-6 General 1888-1889 C10 1-6 General 1889-1892 C11 1-6 General 1893-1901 C12 1-7 General 1901-1919 C13 1-8 General 1920-1930 C14 1-7 General 1931-1941 C15 1-2 General undated C15 3 Telegraph notebook circa 1906 C15 4 Correspondence organized by subject Baby Jack's death 1919 C15 5 Barlow, Billy 1883-1924 C15 6-7 BB BC Railroad 1901-1904 C15 8 Bellingham Bay and Eastern RR 1901-1903 C15 9 Bellingham Bay Improvement Co. 1902-1924 C15 10 Bellingham Publishing/Bellingham Herald 1913 C15 11 Bellingham School District 1914-1931 C15 12 Bennett, Nelson 1888-1890 C15 13 Bloedel Donovan Lumber Co. 1914-1931 C15 14-15 Bloedel Donovan Mill 1931 C15 16 Blue Canyon Mine 1895-1905 C15 17 Catholic Church 1891-1929 C16 1 Chamber of Commerce 1907-1925 C16 2 J.J.'s character and generosity 1923-1930 C16 3-4 City of Bellingham 1910 C16 5 City of Fairhaven 1891-1897 C16 6 City of New Whatcom 1896 C16 7 Clubs and societies 1883-1915 C16 8 Columbia Valley Lumber Co. 1924 C16 9 Craven, Helen D. 1923-1930 C16 10-11 Craven, Leslie 1931 C16 12 Daily Reveille 1903 C16 13 Donovan, Clara Nichols 1906; 1928 C16 14 Donovan, Dan 1895-1926 C16 15 Donovan, Jack J.N. 1902-1910 C16 16-17 Donovan, Philip 1915-1916 C17 1 Faith/religious matters 1891; 1916 C17 2 Fairhaven Land Co. 1891-1898 C17 3 Fairhaven Real Estate 1897 C17 4 Fairhaven and Southern Railway 1891-1893 C17 5 Family matters 1930 C17 6 First National Bank of Bellingham 1911 C17 7 Foreign trade 1912-1930 C17 8 Garden St. house 1912 C17 9 Good roads 1921-1926 C17 10 Great Northern Railway 1897 C17 11 Helen 1895-1924 C17 12 Helena, Montana (with accompanying notes from donor) 1888 C17 13 Herbert Hoover 1928 C17 14 House on McKenzie 1893 C17 15 Immigration 1930 C17 16 Irish question 1920 C17 17 Knights of Columbus 1913-1927 C17 18 Ku Klux Klan 1923-1924 C17 19 Lake Whatcom Logging Co. 1911-1913 C17 20 Larson Lumber Co. 1903-1904 C17 21 Larson Mill, Larson Lumber Co. 1901-1907 C17 22 Lumber-Logging Association 1912-1915 C17 23 Marsh, George 1884-1929 C17 24 Medical records (J.J.'s) 1924-1927 C17 25 Mining 1895-1916 C17 26 Miscellaneous professional correspondence 1928 C17 27 Montana investments 1888 C17 28 Montana days 1883 C17 29 Mt. Baker Lodge 1929-1931 C17 30 National Economic League 1907-1927 C17 31 New England Club 1912 C17 32 New Leopold Hotel 1929 C17 33 Normal School 1909-1931 C18 1-4 Northern Pacific Railroad 1883-1890 C18 5-6 Pacific Highway Association 1910-1912 C18 7 Politics 1895-1924 C18 8 Railroad history 1888 C19 1 Railroads, miscellaneous 1887; 1909-1929 C19 2 Railroad to Spokane 1916-1917 C19 3 Real estate 1910 C19 4 Rotary Club 1933 C19 5 Spruce Matter 1919 C19 6 St. Joseph's Hospital 1890-1933 C19 7 Temperance 1922; undated C19 8 Tidelands appraisers 1892 C19 9 Trade associations 1914; 1921 C19 10 Wahl Department Store (Grand Theater) 1912 C19 11 Warren, Uncle Tim 1882-1892 C19 12-13 Washington State Recognition 1905-1929 C19 14 Worcester Polytechnic 1882-1932 English. C19 15 Youngman's Institute 1895-1902 C19 16 Journal, Diaries and Notebooks Series II 1872-1933 Diaries 1872-1879 D1 1-7 Diaries 1880-1883 D2 1-4 Diary: "Private Notes" 1883-1884 D2 5 Diaries 1885-1886 D2 6-7 Diary: "Private Notes" 1886 D2 8 Diaries 1887; 1892-1894 English. D3 1-4 Diary: "Notes of trip across Washington, Account of State Road Commission, May 1894 and Trip to California, June 1896" 1894; 1896 D3 5 Diaries 1897-1899 D3 6-8 Diaries 1900; 1903-1907; 1909-1910 D4 1-8 European Trip Travel Diary 1911 D4 9 European Trip Expenses Journal 1911 D5 1 Diaries 1913; 1917 D5 2-3 Diary: Meetings of the Spruce Board and Lumbermen with the Military 1919 D5 4 Diary: "Feb-March Hawaiian Trip" 1923 D5 5 Travel Diaries 1925; 1929 D5 6 Diary 1933 D5 7-8 Monthly diaries 1923-1927 D6 1-10 Monthly diaries 1928-1932 D7 1-13 Notebooks 1881; 1885-1897 D8 1-11 Notebooks 1899-1909 D9 1-10 Notebooks 1910-1917; undated D10 1-6 Engagements Book undated D10 7 Address Book (notes re: Japan trip and blank notebook) undated D10 8 Clara Donovan Travel Diaries undated; 1911; 1925; 1929 D11 1-4 Helen Elizabeth Donovan Diary 1908-1912 D11 5 Helen Elizabeth Donovan Travel Diary 1911 D11 6 Helen Elizabeth Donovan Diary 1913 D12 1 Philip Donovan Notebook undated D12 2 Books of quotations (note: "B.G." or "Belonging to Helen Barrett) circa 1889 D12 3 Quincy railroad notebook (author unknown) undated D12 4 School College Materials Series III 1875-1982 1875-1932 Various school papers from time as a student 1875-1881 S1 1 Essays and grade sheets from time as a teacher undated S1 2 Essays - Dancing, Could the War Have Been Averted, The Influence of Steam undated S1 3 Poem: A Summer Sunset undated S1 4 Worcester Free Institute Semi-Annual Examination 1882 English. S1 5 The Second Political Triumvirate 1882 S1 6 Various school notes, exams 1875-1877 S1 7 Chemistry Review undated S1 8 Chemistry notebook 1880 S1 9 Physics notebook undated S1 10 Math notebook undated S2 1 German notebook undated S2 2 Notebook - "Notes, 1880"; German lessons 1880 S2 3 Transit book 1878 S2 4 F.T.U.S.A. newspapers/newsletters 1876-1878 S2 5 The F.T.U.S.A. Newspaper 1878 S2 6 High school writing books undated S2 7 School receipts and report cards 1875-1882 S2 8 Citation for honorary degree 1932 S2 9 "School Notes" 1878 S2 10 "Sketches of the early life of J.J. Donovan" by his classmate J.Q. Barlow (with accompanying notes from donor) undated S2 11 Business and Financial Records Series IV 1873-1942 Professional correspondence 1892-1919 F1 1 Report to Nelson Bennett re: the feasibility of building a railroad line from Coal Mines in Township 35, Range 5 to tidewater 1888 F1 2 Cash accounts and financial notes 1888-1909 F1 3 Banking book 1912 F1 4 J.J. Donovan cash book, inlcudes weekly entries circa 1884-1887 F1 5 Bellingham Civic League cash book circa 1921-1929 F1 6 Nelson Bennett/Fairhaven Southern charge and expense account book undated F1 7 Tax and insurance information re: Fairhaven land 1912 F1 8 Bloedel-Donovan Logging Mills papers 1913 F1 9 Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills printed photo journal 1922 September 16 F1 10 Bloedel-Donovan stock certificates issued to Helen Donovan Craven 1942 F1 11 The Making of One Hundred and Fifty Million Feet of Fir, Cedar and Spruce lumber yearly, by the Bloedel Donovan Lumber 1913 F1 12 Pacific Logging Congress 1914 F1 13 National Foreign Trade Council Conference 1917 F1 14 Cash book 1876-1880 F1 15 Bills and receipts 1873-1914 F1 16 Business and charitable activities circa 1910 F1 17 Writings and Speeches Series V 1882-1924 Love poems to Clara 1887-1906 W1 1 Notebook of children's poetry (possibly written by Clara) undated W1 2 Poetry 1882-1888 W1 3 Poetry booklet undated W1 4 J.J.'s account of a trip to Asia undated W1 5 Notes undated W1 6 "The Catholic Citizen" - J.J. Donovan address re: the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) 1924 W1 7 Speeches 1882-1924; undated W1 8-10 Images and Film Series VI 1920s Photo album: 'The West Indies and Panama" to Julia from John undated P1 1 Photo album: 'Snap-Shots of Our Hawaiian Trip' to Sister Margaret from John and Clara 1923 P1 2 Family portraits (mostly identified) and scenery shots undated P1 3-4 Glass plate negatives and steel printing plates - portraits of J.J. Donovan undated P2 Photo: "J.J. Donovan 21 years old" undated P3 1 Print: "Table Mt. Near Mt. Baker Lodge" by Bert Huntoon undated P3 2 7 negatives undated P3 3 6 envelopes full of negatives undated P3 4 1 envelope of negatives undated P3 5 2 envelopes of photos: "Recent Photos of the Children 9/24/24" and "Helen's Children and Mt. Baker 7/21-22" circa 1924 P3 6 15 family photos undated P3 7 47 photos undated P3 8 52 photos undated P3 9 95 photos undated P3 10 12 photos undated P3 11 15 prints and 285 negatives circa 1920s P3 12-13 3 photographs, papers re: Donovan dinner, railroad ticket, theater, etc. undated P3 14 15 prints and 10 negatives - papers re: South Bellingham Industrial Club undated P3 15 Folder of papers: railroads, Bellingham Chamber of Commerce, National Foreign Trade Council Conference undated P3 16 3 mounted portraits, 40 prints and 8 negatives undated P3 17 Photo album undated P3 18 45 small prints undated P3 19 17 mounted portraits, 13 prints undated P3 20-21 115 loose and 5 booklets of postcards undated P3 22-23 1 mounted portrait, 1 negative 5 prints undated P3 24 Photographic prints - mostly family, unidentified, a small number of Mt. Baker/industry, postcard of Mt. Baker Lodge, some Roth Easter Egg Hunt undated P4 P4 Photographic prints - these prints, accompanied by notes from notes from Brian Griffin undated P5 P5 Photographic negatives - include family travel undated P6 P6 Photographic prints - portraits of family members, scenery photos, and loose pages once part of a photo album undated P7 P7 Photo album - Victoria, British Columbia undated P8 1 Prints and negatives - banks, Tulip Parade, crows and participants at Battersby Park, California and Arizona, house and garden at St. Jo's (birth, John?) undated P8 2 Prints - Roth Easter Egg Hunt undated P8 3 Prints - scenic shots around Chuckanut Drive and Mt. Baker, including several B.W. Huntoon, also Clyde Banks images, Jacobsen image of bear in snow circa 1920s P8 4 Prints - family images, Nooksack Falls, Mt. Baker area, Clallam County mining and logging operations circa 1920s P8 5 Prints, negatives and tin type - travels (Santa Rosa Elementary), Mt. Baker, Ruby Beach on Olympic Peninsula, Gt. Northern Line (driving Golden Spike?), Japan, China, Mt. Baker Lodge, Mt. Baker, St. Joseph's Hospital, Clallam, Cargo Mill, Tulip Parade circa 1920s-1930s P9 Family gathering undated Film 1 Mt. Baker Lodge, Bellingham waterfront, Larrabee Family home undated Film 2 Children playing undated Film 3 Ephemera and Artifacts Series VII 1882-1923 Autograph book - "J.J. Donovan" circa 1882-1885 E1 1 Badge - Fourth National Foreign Trade Delegation, Pittsburgh 1917 January 25-27 E1 2 Blank diaries undated E1 3 Book plates - Elizabeth Colbourne 1925 E1 4 Business/calling cards undated E1 5 Children's Christmas books 1928 E1 6 Children's locks of hair - Helen (3 years old) and Jack 1893 E1 7 Negative album 1916 E1 8 Olive tree leaves undated E1 9 Piano key letters undated E1 10 Railroad passes undated E1 11 Rotary pin undated E1 12 Wallets and check holders undated E1 13 Wallets and identification cards undated E1 14 Assorted ephemera undated E1 15 Published Materials Series VIII 1894-1937 American Forestry Association Annual Report 1930 M1 1 Bellingham Herald's Chronological Anecdotal and Biographical History of Northwestern Washington 1910 M1 2 J.J. Donovan's obituary in the Bellingham Herald 1937 M1 3 Bibles undated M1 4 "Henck's Field Book for Engineers" undated M1 5 Books circa 1890-1928 M1 6 Catalogs 1901 M1 7 Declaration of Principles and By-Laws of the Manufacturers' and Employers' Association 1911 M1 8 Final Report of the Cascade State Road Commission of the State of Washington 1894 M1 9 Forest Club Quarterly (REMOVED) 1925 M1 10 History of Christ Church, Alexandria, VA 1926 M1 11 Instructions for Operating the Kodascope undated M1 12 Journal of Military Service Institution (REMOVED) undated M1 13 Map of Bellingham (C.M. Adams) 1904 M1 14 The Gilded Age by Mark Twain circa 1910 M2 1 McClure's Magazine 1903 M2 2 Miscellaneous articles undated M2 3 Montana Society of Engineers directory 1913 M2 4 Newspaper clippings undated M2 5 Northern Pacific Railway Company - Engineering Rules and Instructions 1889 M2 6 Pacific Highway by-laws pamphlet undated M2 7 Assorted pamphlets 1901-1904 M2 8-10 Political flyers undated M2 11 Pocket Dictionary with notation "A Souvenir of the SNS, given by Prof. H.O. Ladd" 1876 M2 12 Statement on prostitution by J.J. Donovan in the Bellingham Herald 1910 M2 13 Religious publications undated M2 14 Life's Handicap by Rudyard Kipling 1912 M2 15 Speech of the Hon. William E. Humphrey, House of Representatives 1908 May 18 M2 16 Theater playbills circa 1930s M2 17 Travel brochures and maps 1924-1925 M2 18 Whatcom County Auditor's Report 1895 M2 19 Birch Bark Poems by Charles F. Lummis 1882 M2 20 Newspapers re: J.J. Donovan undated M3 State of Washington Governor's Proclamation of Thankgiving Day 1906 M4/1