Based on research conducted by MASC staff, F.C. Spearin appears to be Frederick Crafts Spearin (1865-1942), a flour, grain, and hay dealer in Lynn, MA. One of Frederick’s brothers, Herbert Alonzo Spearin (1857-1933), had moved to Bellingham, WA, and taken up the lumber industry. The letter in the collection is likely addressed to one of Herbert’s sons, probably Emmons Prescott Spearin (1892-1962), who was with the Dental Corps at the Student Army Training Corps in Pullman, WA during this time. A Lena referred to in the letter is likely Emmons’ sister, Lena Myrtle Spearin (188?-1973).
The woman in the photograph, Myrtle Boyer of Spirit Lake, appears to be Myrtle I. Boyer Freeze (1897-1963), who married Walter Freeze (of Palouse, WA) and lived in the Seattle area from 1920 to her death. However, she appears to have never attended Washington State College, and we can establish no connection between her and the Spearins.
An added note on the letter reads “Belongs to Eric Egge, I think. VS.” Eric Egge was a 1919 WSC grad, and the identity of VS is unknown. Nor can we establish a link between Egge and Boyer.
The collection consists of a single page two-sided letter, from F.C. Spearin to an unidentified nephew. The letter discusses the nephew’s move to active service during World War I, and the service of F.C.’s son Willard. The letter was found folded behind a mounted photograph (also included here) of a woman identified there as Myrtle Boyer of Spirit Lake, Idaho.
Also included are photocopies of resources used in identifying the various parties involved with the original documents.
The letter has been removed from the photo mount and unfolded. The photograph has come completely loose from its mounting.
Photocopies of research materials used in trying to identify the letter’s history are found after the letter and photograph.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions apply.
[Item description]
F. C. Spearin Letter, 1918 (Cage 5127)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The provenance of the materials is unknown. In October of 2019 they were removed from the MASC’s PC 4 (WSU Historic Photographs Subject File), where they’d been filed under “Women, identified, pre-1939.” When they were acquired and placed there is unknown.
This collection was processed by University Archivist Mark O’English
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.