WEA_SPC0050595.xml Guide to the Agnes L. Colton Papers Colton (Agnes) Papers Blake Yacker Eastern Washington University, Archives and Special Collections 2025
Archives & Special Collections Eastern Washington University Libraries 320 Media Lane, 100 LIB Cheney, WA 99004 Business Number: 5093592475 archives@ewu.edu https://www.ewu.edu/library/ewu-archives-special-collections/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-05-06. Guide is written in English Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. Eastern Washington University, Archives and Special Collections Agnes L. Colton papers SPC 005-0595 1.15 linear feet 1862-1964 The Agnes L. Colton papers consist of photographs, diaries, and research notes pertaining to the extended Colton family. Much of these materials relate to the families ties to Colton, South Dakota and the frontier of western expansion in the late 19th century and early 20th century. English .

The Agnes Colton papers consist of research materials pertaining to the Colton family. Topics include frontier life in the late 1900's to early 20th century, farming, family narratives, education, and travel. The collection contains typed diary transcripts, the diaries themselves, genealogy notes, letters, photographs, and postcards from various members of the Colton family. This also includes rejected manuscripts submitted to publishers and associated correspondence.

Provenance of collection is unknown. Aquired by Eastern Washington University in 2005.

Agnes Louise Colton was born on November 5th, 1905 in Colton, South Dakota to parents William Oscar Colton and Nina L. Smead Colton. She grew up during the latter part of the western frontier, and spent some of her childhood in Spokane, Washington. Her mother, Nina L. Smead Colton was her father's second wife. William's first wife, Ellen Sylvester Colton died in 1903, at the age of 45 after 23 years of marriage. Agnes attended Lewis and Clark high school in her teens, and got her bachelor's degree from Whitman College. In 1939 she graduated from the University of Washington with a PhD in History. In 1954 she was hired by Eastern Washington University. She taught in both the English and History departments for 18 years until her retirement in 1972. In addition to teaching, Colton conducted her own research. She died in 1992 at the age of 86.

The Agnes L. Colton Papers are arranged into two series: Series 1: Diaries and Genealogical Research, 1862-1952 (0.65 linear feet) Series 2: Photographs, 1867-1962 (0.5 linear feet)

Honoring the female pioneering spirit: a look at the lives of Agnes Colton and Cecil Dryden, by Joneel R. Roley. Published in 1994

The Miles Edwin Traver Papers, 1859-1965, Cage 190, Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections

Collection is open to the public.

Use of this collection is subject to the rules concerning access to archival and manuscript collections at Eastern Washington University. For more information, see: https://www.ewu.edu/library/ewu-archives-special-collections/ Copyright restrictions may apply. For more information or permission to publish, contact Eastern Washington Universitiy Libraries, Archives and Special Collections at (509) 359-2475 or archives@ewu.edu.

Agnes Colton papers; Spc 005-0595; box number; folder number; Archives and Special Collections, Eastern Washington University

 Spokane (Wash.)--History--20th century South Dakota--History New York (State)--History Greenacres (Spokane Valley, Wash.)--History Agriculture Pioneers Women Coeur d'Alene Seattle Diaries Washington (State) Spokane Photographs Diaries and genealogical notes Series 1 0.65 linear feet 1862-1962

The Diaries and genealogical notes series consists of the diary manuscript of Melzar Colton and physical diaries of Stella Wheeler and William Oscar Colton. Additionally there is a detailed family history of the extended Colton family, publishing correspondence, family correspondence, and genealogical research notes.

 Family journals 1 1 Melzar Colton diary typed 1863, 1952 1 2 Stella Wheeler diary 1863 1 3 William Oscar Colton diary 1916 1 4 Genealogy notes 1952 1 5 Stella Wheeler diary notes undated 4 1-11 Notes from books and other publications undated 4 12 Stella Wheeler diary notes undated 4 13-15 Loose notes undated 3 5 Marriage certificate of William Oscar Colton and Nina L. Smead 1904 OS Photographs Series 2 1867-1962

The Photographs series includes photographs of the extended Colton family, friends of the family, and family homes.

 Dr. Dodge undated 1 6 Frances Abbot 1871 1 6 Ellen and Paul Tobie undated 1 6 Mina Colton Tobie undated 1 6 J. Edmund Colton and wife undated 1 6 Susie Porter undated 1 6 Mother Slacks undated 1 6 A valentine for Ellen Tobie 1909 1 6 A valentine for Grandma 1909 1 6 Miss Smead graduation card undated 1 6 Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta circa 1960 2 1 Three people posing at the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta circa 1960 2 1 J. Edmund Colton and family 1908 2 1 William Oscar Colton and Dennis Piper undated 2 1 Beth and Esther undated 2 1 Paul and Ellen undated 2 1 Agnes Colton graduation headshot 1925 2 1 Greetings from Weasro undated 2 1 School house, Crary Mills, New York 1911 2 1 Unidentified woman undated 2 1 Woman and cat 1962 2 2 Mape Church undated 2 2 Crary Mills from the east undated 2 2 Agnes Colton portrait undated 2 2 Greenacres school undated 2 2 Crary Mills, New York 1909 2 2 Agnes and William 1908 2 2 William Oscar Colton home undated 2 2 Crary Mills bridge undated 2 2 Granis Brook undated 2 2 Woman and cat 1962 2 3 Unknown woman undated 2 3 Woman in flower print dress undated 2 3 Mother Flint undated 2 3 Nina Lila Smead 1867 2 3 Unknown woman undated 2 3 Farm home of William Oscar Colton undated 2 3 Love - Margaret undated 2 3 William Oscar Colton undated 2 3 Ethel Agnes Louise Colton 1906 2 3 Nina Lila Smead undated 2 4 Nina Smead, teacher undated 2 4 West of Colton undated 2 4 William Oscar Colton team undated 2 4 Nina Smead and Jessie Blunt undated 2 4 Uncle Amos Sylvester undated 2 4 Melzar Colton and wife undated 2 4 Willie and Agnes Colton undated 2 4 Agnes Colton undated 2 4 Portrait of young man undated 2 4 Paul and Ellen Tobie undated 2 5 Father Colton? undated 2 5 Unknown woman undated 2 5 Mina Colton Tobie undated 2 5 Harold T. and Edna undated 2 5 Grandmother Blount and her house undated 2 5 Agnes Colton undated 2 5 William Oscar Colton undated 2 5 F.W. Sylvester undated 2 5 Unknown couple undated 2 5 Ellen Sylvester Colton undated 2 6 Crary Mills looking west undated 2 6 Grannis Brook Crary Mills 1913 2 6 Unknown woman undated 2 6 Sheep west of Colton undated 2 6 Tobie children undated 2 6 Unknown Coeur D'alene family undated 2 6 Hattie Colton undated 2 6 Hattie Colton undated 2 6 Willie and Agnes Colton undated 2 6 Melzar Colton, Harold and Addie Tobie undated 2 7 Agnes Louise Colton undated 2 7 Margaret L Smead undated 2 7 Agnes Louise Colton and William Edmund Colton 1908 2 7 Agnes Louise Colton undated 2 7 Frank Tobie, Mina Tobie, and children undated 2 7 Melzar Colton portrait undated 2 7 Mother Colton portrait undated 2 7 Justin, Grace, and Timothy Wheeler undated 2 7 Agnes Colton and William Colton undated 2 7 Home place Crary Mills undated 3 1 William Oscar Colton and wife 1904 3 1 William Oscar Colton and Esther Colton undated 3 1 Baby portrait undated 3 1 Portrait of a young man undated 3 1 Edith G. Traver undated 3 1 Harold Tobie undated 3 1 Agnes Colton portrait undated 3 1 Willie and Agnes colton undated 3 1 Paul Tobie undated 3 1 Portrait of a young man undated 3 2 Harry Tobie and wife undated 3 2 Frank E. Tobie 1937 3 2 Matie Colton undated 3 2 William Oscar Colton home undated 3 2 Smead and Stacks home undated 3 2 Portrait of unknown man undated 3 2 Doily photograph undated 3 2 Portrait of Spokane couple undated 3 2 Mrs and Miss Ward Teddy 1921 3 2 Grandma Slacks undated 3 3 Unmarked greeting card undated 3 3 Photograph of the Pisa Cathederal circa 1960 3 3 Photograph of unknown couple and white cat undated 3 3 William Oscar Colton undated 3 3 J.E. Colton home undated 3 3 Colton and Tobie families 1900 3 3 William Oscar Colton and family undated 3 3 Nina Lila Colton undated 3 3 William Oscar Colton house undated 3 3 William Oscar Colton home undated 3 4 Photograph of unknown man undated 3 4 Photograph of unknown man undated 3 4 Photograph of unknown man undated 3 4 Negative of unknown man undated 3 4 Photograph of unknown man undated 3 4 School Sylvesters undated 3 4 Portait of unknown woman undated 3 4 Notes on water bottle envelope undated 3 4 Fred T. Huston, Frances B. Huston. Gertrude Huston, me 1910 3 4