University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
4673 (Accession No. 4673-001)
Leary, Eliza Ferry
Eliza Ferry Leary papers
1860-1907
1.08 cubic feet (3
boxes)
Collection materials are in
English.
Correspondence
and memorabilia concerning the life of a Washington pioneer and daughter of
Elisha P. Ferry, governor of Washington.
Eliza Ferry Leary was born August 24, 1851 in Waukegan, Illinois. She
came to the Pacific Northwest in 1869, settling in Olympia with her parents
after first visiting Seattle. As the daughter of the first governor of
Washington, Elisha P. Ferry, she was one of the city's best-known women of the
time. She met three presidents, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and
Rutherford B. Hayes, helping to entertain President Haynes in the executive
mansion in Olympia as a small girl. President Lincoln called on her family's
home in Waukegan, and her parents even named her brother Abraham Lincoln Ferry
due to their friendship with Lincoln.
She married John Leary, a prominent citizen and capitalist of Seattle,
on April 21, 1891 in Olympia. The couple lived at Mr. Leary's home in Seattle.
Mr. Leary was one of the builders of Seattle, as well as an early mayor of the
city. Through her familial connections and her own dynamic personality, Eliza
was acquainted with many famous leaders of the West and the nation. She died in
1935 from injuries sustained after breaking her hip in her home.
Arranged in 3 series.
- Series 1, Incoming Letters, 1860-1899
- Series 2, Outgoing Letters, 186?-June 18, 1901
- Series 3, Miscellaneous, 1860-1901
The Eliza Ferry Leary correspondence consists of ten folders of
letters. Nine of these folders contain letters written to Leary, the majority
of which were from friends, with some also coming from relatives. This incoming
correspondence ranges in date between the years of 1860 and 1895. However most
of these letters arrived in the 1870s and 1880s. All of the letters are from
her unmarried days, except for the correspondence with her father, which lasted
until his death in 1895. The content of these letters definitely reflect an
upper class milieu; typical topics include: sickness, beaux, parties,
engagements, marriage, the weather and recreational activities (dances, games
and horseback riding). Also included are some mementos, such as scraps of
friends' hair tied with bows, calling cards, and programs. A single folder
contains letters written by Leary to friends and family; these letters
primarily describe Leary's travels to San Francisco, San Diego and Karlsbad
between 1869-1901.
Open to all users.
Request at UW
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of
Washington Libraries.
Leary, Eliza Ferry--Archives
Children of governors--Washington (State)
Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State)
Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Pioneers
Washington (State)
Politics and Politicians
Series 1
Incoming Letters
1860-1899
1/1
Unidentified Authors
186?-1907
1/2
"A"
1877-1878
1/3
Bell, Lillian
1881
1/4
Bergman, Eva
1871
1/5
Blynn, Elva
1879, 1880-1881
1/6
Briggs, Minnie
1873-1876
1/7
Brooks, Laura
1879-1881
1/8
Burton, Victor
1869-1876
1/9
"B"
1873-1881
1/10
Clancy, Laura
1881-1884
1/11
Cory, Eliza P.
1872-1884
1/12
Cory, James Y.
1871-1880
1/13
"C"
1869-1886
1/14-18
Daniels, W. B.
1873-1879
1/19
Dickinson, Hattie
1974-1883
1/20
"D"
1973-1881
1/21
"E"
1874-188?
1/22
Fenner, Arthur
1872-1873
1/23
Ferry Family
1861-1882
1/24
Ferry, Elisha P.
1871-1895
1/25
Ferry, Evelyn P.
1880-1883
1/26-31
Ferry, Sarah B. Kellogg
187?-1871
1/32
"F"
1872, 1884
1/33
Flint, S. C.
1873-1876
1/34
Ford, Angie L.
1876-1877
1/35
Ford, Georgie P.
186?-1879
2/1
Gerrish, M. A.
1879-1883
2/2-4
Gilbert, Fanny
1871-1881
2/5
Griswold, George B.
1874-1875
2/6
"G"
1876
2/7
Hatch, Addie A.
1883
2/8
Hill, Nell
1878
2/9
Holbrook, Annie
1870-1876
2/10
Hoyt, L. J.
1883-1887
2/11
Hyland, Amy
1872
2/12
"H"
186?-1880
2/13
"I"
186?
2/14
Jennings, Mrs. J.
1877-1879
2/15
Jennings, W. A.
1877-1878
2/16
Jennings, Sue
1878-1879
2/17
"J"
1879
2/18
Kubel, E. F.
1879-1880
2/19
Leary, John
1895
2/20
Lindsley, Lettie
1874-1881
2/21
Love, C. W.
1873-1874
2/22
"L"
1867-1877
2/23
McMicken, Nellie
1875-1882
2/24
Meigs, Lillie
1878-1886
2/25
Miller, Mary M.
1874, 1882
2/26
"M"
1871-1881
2/27
Nickels, Emma L.
1886
2/28
"N"
1879, 1881
2/29
Owings Family
1880-1881
2/30
"O"
1875-1880
2/31
Parks, Mollie
1871-187
2/32
"P"
1876-1886
2/33
"Q"
1881, 1884
2/34
Richards, F. E.
1877
2/35
Reitz, Ella R.
1871-1874
2/36
"R"
1873-1883
2/37
Steele, Lizzie
1871-1874
2/38
Stevens, Annie
1871-1872
2/39
Stevens, Kate
1871-1874
2/40
Stitzel, Amanda K.
1873
2/41
Sutherland, Lizzie
1875-1877
2/42
Sutton, Maggie A.
1870, 1876
2/43-45
Swick, Jennie Flint
1872-1883
2/46
"S"
1870-1883
3/1
Tull, Victor
1871-1886
3/2
Tull, C. D.
1879-1880, 1883
3/3
"T"
1874-1882
3/4
"U"
1874
3/5
"V"
1871-1872
3/6
Wodleigh, Florence
1874, 1883
3/7
Wright, Lizzie
1868-1876
3/8
"W"
186?-1882
3/9
"K"
1874, 1879
Series 2
Outgoing Letters
186?-June 18,
1901
3/10-13
Various Parties
186?-June 18, 1901
Series 3
Miscellaneous
1860-1901
3/14
Memorabilia
undated
3/15
Old Inventories
1860-1901