University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
William A. Olson papers
William A. Olson, 1911-1985
MG 393
MG393
7 cubic feet
1958-1978
Correspondence concerning Idaho history, especially the Nez Perce War of 1877; also photocopies of historical records, handwritten and typed transcripts of published material, maps, newspaper clippings, and other papers.
English
.
William A. Olson was born June 16, 1911, at Breckenridge, Minnesota, the son of Carl Henning and Laura Enderson Olson. As a young man he moved with his family to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He attended the University of Idaho, graduating with a B.S. degree in business with a major in accounting in 1939. He served as secretary of the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce, and in 1941 he became the first full time alumni secretary of the University of Idaho.
He married Julia Hunter on August 28, 1937, at Coeur d'Alene. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Air Corps and was stationed at the Salt Lake City Air Base, and later served in the South Pacific. In 1946, following his military service, he moved to Pocatello where he worked for M.T. Deaton Co. as an accountant for two years. In 1948 he opened his own public accounting firm in Boise where he continued until his retirement in January of 1979.
He was past president of the Idaho Society of Certified Public Accountants, a member of the Elks Club, and a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He was also an avid collector of Idaho history. He died in Boise on October 18, 1985.
Although the photocopies in this collection include material from as early as the 1860s the correspondence related to the collecting of the material spans the years 1964 to 1978.
Included in the records are photocopies of historical records, handwritten and typed transcripts of published material, maps, newspaper clippings, photographs, and correspondence concerning Idaho history. Also included are several sets of bibliography and note cards.
Some of the material in this record group was in unlabeled or poorly labeled three ring binders, and other material was in well-labeled folders. Since there appeared to be no order to the received arrangement, a series order based on format was imposed during processing.
The first series contains the material which was removed from the three-ring binders. Since most of the binders were not labeled or had one or two word labels, these were given broad subject headings, e.g. Indians, Nez Perce; Mining; Florence, Idaho; then alphabetized using the name, if any on the binder, followed by a brief description of the type of material (handwritten notes, photocopies, etc.). If there was no title on the binder only a description of the type of material was used.
The second series contains the material which was in labeled folders; it is divided into two subseries, letter size and legal size. These are also arranged alphabetically by folder heading, with an occasional description of contents. This series contains correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, about Olson's collecting activities as well as photocopies, handwritten excerpts from published sources, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
Olson's bibliography and note cards are in series three. These are on 5x8 pieces of paper and are arranged alphabetically or, as in the case of the Nez Perce war of 1877, chronologically.
Material in three ring binders was removed from the binders and placed in acid-neutral folders. Duplicate photocopies were discarded, as were carbon copies of the handwritten notes. Also discarded were the handwritten drafts of letters when the carbon-typed copy was present. USGS maps not in individual folders were sent to the gifts librarian for evaluation as possible additions to the University Library's map collection. This reduced the records by 2.5 cubic feet.
The papers of the William A. Olson were donated to the University of Idaho Library by his son William T. Olson in June 1996.
Collection is open for research.
FOR DOCUMENTS Author, Description or "Title' of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Additional materials were passed along to Gifts librarian for consideration to add to main collections.
Idaho--History--Sources
Nez Percé Indians--Wars, 1877--Sources
Gold Mines and Mining
Idaho
Native Americans
Series I. Notebooks
Books: Dealers and prices
224 items
1/1-3
Books: Titles of books on northwest history, possibly owned by Olson
15 items
1/4
Correspondence: A-Z
89 items
1964-1965
1/5
Correspondence: McDermott, John D. (material on Nez Perce)
13 items
1966-1967
1/6
Florence, Idaho. Docket book of Jaspar Rand, Justice of the Peace (typescript)
1 item
1862-1876
1/7
History: McDonald, Duncan, biographical sketch, handwritten
1 item
1/8
History: Rutledge, Louise. D. Boon, 1776, a western bicentennial mystery
1 item
1975
1/9
History, Salmon River
4 items
1/10
Excerpts from journals of M. Lewis and Sergeant John Ordway with miscellaneous notes, handwritten & typed
History, Winter Travel: Tracy & Co.'s express
3 items
1862
1/11
Typescript of story of men frozen to death in two parts, Cast & story, both handwritten
Idaho History: Benedict O. Kelly
2 items
1/12
Handwritten story, photocopies and typescript of sources. Photo of Geo. Cartwright family
Idaho History: Excerpts, typed and handwritten, from published sources, A-Z
1 item
1/13-16
Idaho History: Idaho in 1860 (handwritten)
1 item
1860
1/17
Indians, Big Foot: Johnson, Carolyn. He chose a life of revenge
1 item (carbon typescript)
1966
1/18
Indians, Big Foot: Photocopies of articles
20 items
1878-1963
1/19
Indians, Nez Perce: Brice, Patrick. Narrative
10 items
1877
1/20-21
Typescript & handwritten copy with notes.
Indians, Nez Perce: Lott, Sam & Peo Peo Tah Likt. Historical sketches of the Nez Perce
1 item (photocopy of typescript)
1935
1/22
Indians, Nez Perce: McDonald, Duncan. Articles appearing in New North West
2 items (typescript)
1878
1/23
Indians, Nez Perce: The Nez Perces. Photocopy from The North American Indian, by Edward Curtis, v.8
1 item
1911
1/24
Indians, Nez Perce: Reuben's Roster. Names of Nez Perce killed by soldiers in various battles (typed)
241 items
1/25-26
Indians, Nez Perce: Williams, Jonathon (Billy)
4 items
1/27
(Typed notes on Williams, his maps and place names)
Indians, Nez Perce, War: Article on Chief Joseph, Hand drawn maps of White Bird area, typescript article: The Battle of White Bird
4 items
1/28
Indians, Nez Perce, War: Court of Inquiry: typescripts and photocopies arranged by subject
18 items
1/29-30
Indians, Nez Perce, War: Howard, O.O., Reports
2 items (photocopies from microfilm)
1877
2/31
Indians, Nez Perce, War: Indian order of battle
118 items
1977
2/32-33
(Alphabetical list of Nez Perce involved)
Indians, Nez Perce, War: Names and places, A-Z
376 items
2/34-39
Indians, Nez Perce, War: New North West
1 item
1877-1878
2/40-41
Photostats of newspaper articles
Indians, Nez Perce, War: War chronology, by date and place
190
2/42-43
Indians, Nez Perce, War: War Department files
159 items
1877
2/44-46
(Photocopy from microfilm)
Indians, Snake River, Massacre: Book. Geary, Edward R. Depredations and massacre by the Snake River Indians. Ye Galleon Press
1 item
1966
2/47
Indians, Snake River, Massacre: Otter (Elija?) Photocopies, typescripts, and handwritten notes
36 items
1860
2/48-49
Lewis & Clark: Excerpts from journals
5 items (handwritten)
1805
3/50
Lewis & Clark: Selections from the journals
20 items (handwritten and typed)
1804-1805
3/51
Mining: Boise Basin
4 items
3/52
(typed excerpts from various sources)
Mining: Healy
15 items
3/53
(Typed excerpts from journal and handwritten notes and lists of names)
Mining: Healy, John J. Frontier sketches (Ft. Benton, Montana Record)
3 items (typescript)
1878
3/54
Mining, Florence, Idaho: Babboon
3 items
3/55
Handwritten notes on mining claims in Babboon Gulch and its tributaries.
Mining, Florence, Idaho: Claims
5 items
ca. 1861-1889
3/56-57
(Typed list)
Mining, Florence, Idaho: List of names from James Hawley's History of Idaho
2 items
3/58
Mining, Florence, Idaho: Scott
9 items
3/59
(Handwritten notes of Sylvester Scott and his family)
Mining, Newspaper excerpts
182 items
3/60-63
(arranged by newspaper)
Mining, Newspaper: Washington Statesman (Walla Walla)
3 items (typescript)
1861-1865
3/64
Mining & Indians: Alphabetical list of names & places
77 items (handwritten)
undated
3/65
Miscellaneous
94 items
3/66
Workbook; Checklists; Teller-Lewiston; Idaho City papers; History - income tax; Lapwai Agency letters
Series II. Folders
A. Letter size
Babboon
2 items
3/67
Bannock War of 1878
2 items
1969
3/68
Bemis, Polly
2 items
1923-1971
3/69
Berg, August
10 items
1969
3/70
(inc. photograph)
Boise Basin
3 items
3/71
Boise County. Washington Territorial Legislature
2 items
12 Jan. 1863
3/72
Correspondence
35 items
1968-1976
3/73
Aoki, Prof. Haruo, Univ. of California
14 items
1967-1969
3/74
Battle of White Bird Canyon Forlorn Hope (John D. McDermott)
10 items
1966-1968
3/75
Book orders
37 items
1967-1978
3/76
California Historical Society
1 item
1978
3/77
Chapman, John S. & Thomas McGrath, Jr.
1 item
1974
3/78
Custer's Last Stand as told by John Frederic
2 items
1971
3/79
Idaho, University of
8 items
1965-1971
3/80
Idaho State University
18 items
1964-1968
3/81
Montana, University of
4 items
1969
3/82
Montana Historical society
7 items
1967-1970
3/83
National Archives
12 items
1967-1971
3/84
Olson, Wm. A., Idaho history
66 items
1965-1976
3/85
Otter party
13 items
1868-1970
3/86
Overland, Helen Howard
9 items
1966-1982
3/87
Peo Peo Hi Hi (White Bird)
29 items
1969-1970
3/88
(inc. photograph)
Smith, Neil B. and Opal
9 items
1966-1968
3/89
Smithsonian Institution
11 items
1966-1974
3/90
Standifer, J.J.
7 items
1970
3/91
Talbotte, H.J.
1 item
1971
3/92
Taylor, Quintard
3 items
1975
3/93
Washington State University
24 items
1964-1972
3/94
Yale University Press
3 items
1969-1974
3/95
Craig, William
2 items
3/96
Crooks, Jacob
2 items
3/97
Cynthia (Ann Ewing)
8 items
3/98
DeVeny, Betty. History of John Day drainage
2 items
ca. 1971
4/99
Devine, Richard
1 item
1967
4/100
Fenn-Kooskia Mountaineer
8 items
1921
4/101
(photocopies from Early Idaho History series)
Fisher, Don C. The Nez Perce War
1 item
1925
4/102
(U of I thesis)
Florence. Handwritten notes
2 items
4/103
Florence (includes photographs)
7 items
4/104
Florence, Idaho. Newspaper clippings
3 items
4/105
Florence, Claims
1 item
1861-1870
4/106
Florence, Claims: Millers Creek
4 items
4/107
Florence, Plat maps (hand drawn)
7 items
ca. 1962
4/108
Frederic, John W.H.
2 items
1971
4/109
Gill, Clark
3 items
1964
4/110
Golden Age
1 item (reproduction)
1862
4/111
Hanson & Erickson - War photos (Nez Perce War)
29 items
1877
4/112
Healy Creek (hand drawn map)
1 item
undated
4/113
Helm, Boone
3 items
4/114
Jagger party - Scott
2 items
4/115
(handwritten and photostat copies)
Kirkwood, Charlotte. The Nez Perce War
1 item
undated
4/116
(photocopy of published work [195-?]
Leland, Alonzo
1 item
1973
4/117
Lewis, (Cougar) Dave, paper by Neil Williams
3 items
1975
4/118
Long - Swarts
4 items
1968
4/119
Manuel, Popham (handwritten notes, article)
42 items
ca. 1972
4/120
Map: Battle of White Bird, USGS
1 item
1963
4/121
Boise, USGS
1 item
1962
4/122
Burgdorff, USGS
1 item
1956
4/123
Camas Prairie, White Bird, Salmon
5 items
1869-1904
4/124
Coeur d'Alene Region
5 items
1917-1918
4/125
Elk City, USGS
1 item
1963
4/126
Fletcher. Nez Perce War 1878. Symons, Department of the Columbia, Reproduction
1 item
1892
4/127
Florence 1808-1912 (copies); USGS, 1963
4 items
4/128
Grangeville, USGS
2 items
1963
4/129
Idaho. Salmon City-Florence railroad
1 item (photocopy)
ca. 1877
4/130
Lewis & Clark (includes post cards)
6 items
1945-1966
5/131
McKenzie Creek, USGS
1 item
1963
5/132
Nez Perce National Forest, USDA
1 item
1959
5/133
Oreana, USGS
1 item
1949
5/134
Oregon, Washington, Idaho (reproduction)
1 item
1878
5/135
Steen, (Maj. E.) route against Snake Indians, Walla Walla - Boise
1 item (photocopy)
1860
5/136
Membership cards
4 items
1967-1968
5/137
Nez Perce, War of 1877, newspaper clippings
26 items
1957-1958
5/138
Norton - Chamberlain
3 items
5/139
Oliphant, Judge E.P.
1 item
1920
5/140
The Oregon Trail
1 item
1974
5/141
Osborn - Mason
1 item
5/142
Otter party
37 items
5/143
Owen, John, notes from his journal
1 item
5/144
Petition - Salmon River
2 items (photostat and typescript)
1877
5/145
Photographs, Idaho County
58 items
1922-1967
5/146
Pierce, E.D.
5 items
5/147
Rawn, Capt. Chas. C.
6 items
1877
5/148
(handwritten transcripts of letters)
Robbers Gulch
1 item
5/149
Salmon River - First ones (photocopies)
9 items
5/150
Seibert, John A.
1 item
5/151
Seven Devils mines, by Winifred Lindsay
1 item
5/152
Slate Creek Boot Hill
23 items
5/153
Space, Ralph. Lewis and Clark through Idaho
1 item
[1964?]
5/154
Sandifer, J.J. (photocopies of articles)
17 items
5/155
Swarts, Theodore
5 items
5/156
Thunder Mountain Story
1 item
[1963?]
5/157
Unfoldered notes, articles and photocopies
42 items
ca. 1974
5/158
Walla Walla
1 item (copy of lithograph)
1876
5/159
Ward massacre
1 item
1854
5/160
Weiser, Jacob
2 items
5/161
Weiser, Peter
16 items
5/162
White Bird Hill archaeology
1 item
1964
5/163
Wire Bridge
5 items
5/164
B. Legal size
Bledsoe, Matt
26 items
6/165
Correspondence: Florence, Idaho
18 items
1970-1972
6/166
F-1 (photocopies from microfilm, handwritten notes, newspaper clippings)
43 items
6/167
Florence library (photocopies of account book and rental library record
1 item
1862-1863
6/168
Howard, O.O. Nez Perce Joseph
1 item (photocopy of typescript)
1881
6/169
Keating, John J. Correspondence & clippings
14 items
1966-1974
6/170
Land sales
2 items
1860s
6/171
Reddington, J.W. Scouting in Montana (copy of typescript)
1 item
6/172
Redfield, Frank. Autobiography
1 item (photocopy of typescript)
undated
6/173
Scott family (photocopies of legal documents)
5 items
1891-1944
6/174
Teller Extras
20 items (photocopies of newspapers)
1877
6/175
White Bird (Nez Perce Indian)
5 items
6/176
Miscellaneous to be filed
148 items
6/177-178
Series III. Note cards
5x8 bibliography cards A-Z
1900
7/179
Fur trade - Astorians, 5x8 note cards
700 items
8/180
Nez Perce War
350 items
1877
8/181
5x8 note cards, chronological and alphabetical
Series IV. Additional Materials
Maps
5 items
reservation maps, pnw territory maps
1850-1867
9
182
Photographs
5 items
landscape, portraits, military headshot
undated
9
183
Notes
27 items
pnw chronology, geological survey notes
1972
9
184
Publications
26 items
idaho territory, native american history newspaper clippings, chief jospeh
1879-1972
9
185
Dept. of Justice materials
2 items
gold rush, nez perce territory gold production
1958
9
186