Describing Archives: A Content Standard

xoe_cpnws0345 Doris Burn Family Papers 1886-2011 Burn (Doris) Family Papers Jaime Ganzel Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies 2017

Goltz-Murray Building 808 25th St Bellingham 98225-9123 cpnws@wwu.edu

This finding aid was produced by Jamie Ganzel and CPNWS staff in 2017. English Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. English Center for Pacific Northwest Studies

Goltz-Murray Building 808 25th St Bellingham 98225-9123 cpnws@wwu.edu

Doris Burn Family Papers XOE_CPNWS0345 9 linear feet 1886-2011 The Doris Burn Family Papers document the life, career, and family history of local children’s book author and illustrator, Doris Burn. The collection also documents the family history of her parents, Lage and Dotty Wernstedt, and members of the Burn family including June, Farrar and South Burn. The bulk of collection materials are in English, with some Wernstedt family materials and publications in Swedish.

Collection is organized in accordance with the following series arrangement: Series 1. Family and Biographical Information; Series 2. Journals, Diaries and Notebooks; Series 3. Doris Burn Professional Papers; Series 4. Family and Personal Correspondence; Series 5. Lage and Frederick Wernstedt Family History and Writings; Series 6. Photographic Materials.

Related collections at Center for Pacific Northwest Studies include the June and Farrar Burn Papers, South Burn Papers and the Lage Wernstedt Photographs.

All collection materials are subject to a publication restriction that will expire on 2025-01-01 (researchers must receive written permission from the Doris Burn Legacy LLC before quotation or reproduction of materials for publication). Some specific materials are also subject to access restrictions as noted in this collection guide. Please contact the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies for additional information.

The following materials are subject to an access restriction (researchers must receive written permission from the Doris Burn Legacy LLC before materials will be made available for viewing): Doris Burn Diaries 1954-1967 and correspondence between South and Doris Burn, approximately 1956-1993. Please contact the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies for additional information. Other collection materials are open to the public for viewing, but subject to a publication restriction (expiring 2025-01-01).

Doris (Wernstedt) Burn was a United States children's author and illustrator, and long-time resident of the San Juan islands of Washington State. She was born April 24th, 1923 in Portland, Oregon to Lage and Adele (Dotty Graham) Wernstedt. Her father was a Swedish-American explorer, photographer, mountaineer, and surveyor for the United States Forest Service and later in life, an inventor and expert in aerial photography and photogrammetry.

Doris Wernstedt attended Grant High School in Portland, and later the Universities of Washington, Oregon State and Hawaii. Her later artist and author statements frequently reference her childhood dream to live on an island: the Wernstedts purchased land on Waldron island in 1934, where they built a summer cabin, and forged close friendships with island residents including the writer June Burn and her family. Doris Wernstedt married South (Robin) Burn - the younger son of June and Farrar - at the end of World War II. Following completion of her studies, they settled at Fishery Point on Waldron island. Doris and South Burn had four children together (Mark, Robin Skye, Cameron and Lisa). The couple separated in 1955, though would remain close friends.

Burn held a life-long dream of becoming a children's book illustrator and author. In 1956, shortly following the birth of her youngest child, she travelled to New York City with a portfolio of drawings to show to publishers. The response that Burn received encouraged her to continue writing and drawing on her return to Waldron island. Her children recall her working late into the night by kerosene lamp (Waldron island had no electricity) after they had gone to bed.

Burn's first published work, Andrew Henry's Meadow, was issued by Coward-McCann in 1965, and won the Washington Governor’s Art Award in 1966. During the 1960s and 1970s, Doris Burn authored or illustrated a total of eleven published works. She later moved to Oakland, California, before returning to reside in Washington (State) - first to care for her elderly mother on Guemes Island, and finally in Bellingham. By the time of her death in 2011, Doris Burn’s best-known work, Andrew Henry's Meadow, had been republished by San Juan Publishing Company (2005), and her books and illustrations have continued to gain recognition as children’s classics.

The Doris Burn Family Papers document the life, career, and family history of local children’s book author and illustrator, Doris Burn. The collection also documents the family history of her parents, Lage and Dotty Wernstedt, and members of the Burn family including June, Farrar and South Burn. The collection contains correspondence, photographs, and biographical information from both families as well as professional correspondence relating to Doris Burn’s career as a writer and illustrator, a series of Wernstedt family history publications, and the publications and professional correspondence of Lage and Frederick Wernstedt.

Doris Burn Family papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

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The Doris Burn Family Papers were donated to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies by Skye Burn, with collection materials transferred in installments (2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017) from Skye Burn and Hannah Burn.

The Doris Burn Artwork and Manuscripts are housed and available at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies as a separate collection.

Burn, Doris--Archives Burn, Doris--Family Burn, South, 1924- Wernstedt, Lage, 1878-1959 Graham, Adele, 1896-2002 Women illustrators--Washington (State)--History--Sources Women authors, American--Washington (State)--History--Sources Waldron Island (Wash.)--History--Sources Waldron Island (Wash.)--Social life and customs--Sources Washington(State) Series I Family and Biographical Information 1913-2011 Doris (Wernstedt) Burn materials Birth certificate (copy) 1923 1/1 Confirmation Certificate 1938 1/2 School Records 1939-1942 1/3 Memoirs, Grant High Yearbook--Portland, Oregon June 1941 1/4 Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Washington--Doris (Wernstedt) Burn 1947 1/5 Passport 1950 1/6A Provisional Elementary Teaching Certificate 1966-1969 1/6B South (Bob) Burn, "Whistlepunks and Geoducks," Oral History Interview 1990 1/7 South (Bob) Burn Naval Service Records 1942-1950 1/8 South (Bob) Burn - Reference Letter re: to the Department of Social Work and Human Services re: Burn's boat 1991 1/9 Dotty (Wilcox) Wernstedt - Quiniault: Senior Class Annual, Aberdeen, Washington 1913 1/10 Dotty Graham - Certificate of Commendation from Skagit County Public Works on her 100th Birthday 1996 1/11 June Burn, Living High (First edition, inscribed by author to the Wernstedts) 1941 1/12 Farrar Burn - Sheet Music undated 14 Newspaper Clippings re: Family in the News 1942-2004 1/13 Newspaper Clippings re: Waldron Island and Waldron Friends 1976-1999 1/14 Obituaries and Memorial Service Programs 1959-2011 1/15 Estate and Property Records - Farrar Burn and Bob Burn(s) 1916-1977 1/16 Estate and Property Records - Lage and Adele Wernstedt; Doris and South (Bob) Burn 1923-1997 1/17 Charles H. Ludwig, A Brief History of Waldron Island 1959 1/18 Series II Journals, Diaries, and Notebooks 1935-1967 Journal--"Doris Wernstedt, Young Lady Forester, 12 years old" approximately 1935 2/1 Handmade Memory Book--Doris (Wernstedt) Burn & South (Bob) Burn approximately 1947 2/2

Homemade book that includes instructions by Doris Burn on how to make a book, "dream" house/cabin plans imagined by Doris and South Burn, and images and writings documenting the couple's experiences in Alaska.

Diary--Doris Burn September 1954 - November 1956 2A/1

This file is subject to an access restriction that will expire on 2043-01-01. Written permission required from the Doris Burn Legacy LLC before materials will be made available for viewing (contact repository for more information).

Diary--Doris Burn--"Notebook 1" April 1963 - July 1963 2A/2

Diary--Doris Burn--"Notebook 2" August 1963 - April 1964 2A/3

Diary--Doris Burn--"Notebook 3" April 1964 - May 1967 2A/4

Notebook of cabin sketches and plans drawn by Farrar Burn undated 2/3 Series III Professional Papers 1966-2007 Correspondence between Virginia Fowler (Editor, Alfred A Knopf Inc.) and Doris Burn 1967-1968 3/1 Correspondence between Atha Tehon (Random House) and Doris Burn 1967 3/2 Correspondence - Robert Nathan to Doris Burn 1968 3/3 Correspondence - General Professional Contacts 1969 3/4 Correspondence - Liesel Moak Skorpen to Doris Burn 1969-1971 3/5 Correspondence - Ian Polonsky (McIntosh and Otis Inc.) to Doris Burn re: The Summerfolk 2007 3/6 Publication Agreement - G.P. Putnam's Sons for When I First Came to this Land Illustrations 1974 3/7 Juvenile Editors List undated 3/8 Public Response 1966-1999 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award for Andrew Henry's Meadow 1966 3/9 Correspondence - Governor Daniel J. Evans to Doris Burn (Governor's Invitational Writer's Day) 1969 3/10 Correspondence - Denny Sussman (Books for Boys and Girls) to Doris Burn re: Christina Katarina 1972 3/11 Correspondence - Request for Use of Andrew Henry's Meadow for research 1977 3/12 Correspondence - The Waldron School to Doris Burn re: The Summerfolk Play 1997 3/13 Card re: Andrew Henry's Meadow Screen Adaptation 1998 3/14 Correspondence - Presentation request from Anacortes Friends of the Library 1999 3/15 Correspondence - Fan Letters 3/16 Newspaper Clippings - Book Reviews and General Interest Articles circa 1969 3/17 Series IV Family and Personal Correspondence 1928-2011 Wernstedt Family 1928-2011 Correspondence--Lage Wernstedt to Dotty Wernstedt 1928 4/1 Correspondence--Lage Wernstedt and Dotty Wernstedt 1943-1960 4/2 Correspondence--To Lage Wernstedt 1943-1955 4/3 Correspondence--Fred and Irene Wernstedt to Dotty Wernstedt and Doris Burn (1) 1942-1976 4/4 Correspondence--To Dotty Wernstedt and Doris Burn from Swedish Relatives 1949-2002 4/5 Correspondence--Dotty Wernstedt (General) 1946-1996 5/1 Correspondence--To Dotty Wernstedt re: Lage Wernstedt's Work 1949-1994 5/2 Correspondence--To Dotty Wernstedt re: 100th Birthday 1996 5/3 Burn Family 1939-2002 Correspondence--June Burn 1944-1950 5/4 Correspondence--North Burn to South (Bob) Burn 1939-1978 5/5 Correspondence--South (Bob) Burn and Doris (Wernstedt) Burn (1) 1956-1969 5A/1

Correspondence--South (Bob) Burn and Doris (Wernstedt) Burn (2) 1970-1980 5A/2

Correspondence--South (Bob) Burn and Doris (Wernstedt) Burn (3) 1992-1993 5A/3

Correspondence--South (Bob) Burn and Doris (Wernstedt) Burn (4) undated 5A/4

Correspondence--Doris Burn (General) 1940-2006 6/1 Correspondence--Sally Robison to Doris Burn undated. 6/2 Correspondence--Waldron Friends to Doris Burn 1964-2005 6/3 Series V Wernstedt Family History and Writings 1886-2004 Series contains items in English and Swedish. Historical Records and Resources re: Lage Wernstedt's Life and Career--Compiled by John Scurlock and Henry M. Majors 1926-2004 9/1 Correspondence--Lage Wernstedt--re: Aerial Mapping Inventions 1929-1939 9/2 Correspondence--Lage Wernstedt and Professor Earl Church 1936-1937 9/3 Patent for the L. Wernstedt Plotting Instrument--Held by Lage Wernstedt 1942 9/4 Blueprint--"Survey for Chevalier/Guard/Nash"--Krabbe & Star, Inc. 1976 9/5 Topographic Map--"Mount Lago Quadrangle" 1981 9/6 Miscellaneous Personal Papers--Lage Wernstedt 1910-1942 9/7 Oversized Framed Certificate from U.S. Forest Service to Lage Wernstedt 13 The Orientation of Oblique Aerial Photographs, by Lage Wernstedt 1935 7/1 "Daily Weather Notes, etc. May 23, 1946," by Lage Wernstedt 1946 7/2 "Instructions for Setting Up and Operating the Ryker Model PL-13 Stereoscopic Plotter, Wernstedt-Mahan Type," by Harrison C. Ryker, Inc.--License: Lage Wernstedt 1948 7/3 CEBU: Focus of Philippine Interisland Trade, by Frederick L. Wernstedt 1956 7/4 Bros Lage from Wilhelm--Compiled by Wilhelm Wernstedt--Collection of Wernstedt Family History and Correspondence 1952 7/5 The Role and Importance of Philippine Interisland Shipping and Trade, by Frederick L. Wernstedt 1957 7/6 The Philippine Island World; A Physical, Cultural, and Regional Geography, by Frederick L. Wernstedt 1967 7/7 Frederick's Mexico Campground Guide and Trailer Atlas by Frederick L. Wernstedt 1974 7/8 Frederick's Pennsylvania Campground Guide, by Frederick L. Wernstedt--Bicentennial Edition 1976 7/9 Frederick's Mexico-Central America Campground Guide, by Frederick L. Wernstedt 1977 7/10 Manuscript--"A Method of Aerial Topographic Surveying Applicable to Mountainous Country," by Lage Wernstedt 1926-1927 8/10 Manuscript--"The Orientation of Oblique Aerial Pictures," by Lage Wernstedt circa 1935 8/11 Manuscript--"Description of an Invention Useful in Aerial Mapping," by Lage Wernstedt 1936 8/12 Manuscript--"Slotted Templet System of Radial Control," by Harry T. Kelsch undated 8/13 Manuscript--Loose Manuscript Pages and Drawings--Lage Wernstedt undated 8/14 General Publications 1886-1970 Engelsk Skolgramatik, by N. A. Mathesius--English Grammar School Book in Swedish 1883 8/1 Kraftmotorer--Engine Repair/Construction Manual--(Swedish) circa 1900 8/2 Stathallaren; Christopher Wernstedt; 1542-1627--History of the Wernstedt Family 1929 8/3 Stathallaren; Christopher Wernstedt; 1542-1627--History of the Wernstedt Family (2nd Copy) 1929 8/4 The First Half-Century of the Yale School of Forestry 1950 8/5 Allsvensk Samling --"A Newspaper for All the World's Swedes"--(in Swedish) Oct. 1954 8/6 Die Heimatwerkschule Mϋlene Richterswil--Book About Swiss Craft School--(in German) 1963 8/7 Heimatwerk: Blätter Fϋr Volkskunst und Handwerk. Edited by Albert Wettstein--Swiss Traditional Crafts--(in German) 8/8 Näa Säteri--History of Wernstedt Family Property in Sweden undated 8/9 Series VI Photographic Materials 1900-2004 Wernstedt Family Photos Large Drawings--Lage Wernstedt circa 1910s-1940s 13 Lage Wernstedt Photo Album (1) early-1900s 10/1 Lage Wernstedt Photo Album (2) early-1900s 10/2 Wernstedt Family Photo Book circa 1920s-1940s 14 Dotty Wilcox College Scrapbook circa 1910s 14 Wernstedt Family Photo Album (1) circa 1900s-2004 11/1 Wernstedt Family Photo Album (2) circa 1900s-2004 11/2 Wernstedt Family Photos--Loose circa 1900s-2004 11/3 "Dotty Wernstedt's Pictures" circa 1900s-2004 11/4 Portrait--Meleher Wernstedt in Military Uniform--(Inscription in Swedish on Back) 1939 11/5 Portraits--Doris (Wernstedt) Burn--Lage and Dotty Wernstedt circa 1900s-2000s 11/6 Burn Family Photos Doris Burn's Family and Friends Photos circa 1900s-2000s 11/7 Doris and South (Bob) Burn's Family Photos (1) circa 1900s-2000s 11/8 Doris and South (Bob) Burn's Family Photos (2) circa 1900s-2000s 11/9 Lage Wernstedt Professional Images Prints of Lage Wernstedt's Photos with Correspondence--Sent to Doris Burn from John Scurlock 2004 11/10 Images Removed from "Oblique Aerial Photographs" Publication--by Lage Wernstedt 1936 11/11 Lage Wernstedt Landscape Photos and Negatives--(Removed from Meter Insurance Materials) circa 1900s 11/12 "Lage's Forest Service Pictures"--Lage Wernstedt circa 1900s 11/13 Doris Burn Memorial Photo Boards circa 1920s-2000s 12 13