Oregon Historical Society, Davies
Family Research Library
Mss
80
Drake, John Miller, 1830-1913
John Miller Drake Papers
1841-1935
1862-1895
2 cubic feet
2 document cases, 2 oversize folders
Papers of an officer in the 1st Oregon
Cavalry and 1st Oregon Infantry during the Civil War, and later purchasing
agent for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. Materials include records
of the 1st Oregon Cavalry, correspondence, copy of Drake's journal describing a
campaign against the Snake Indians in 1864, articles, legal papers, business
correspondence for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, private account
books, and receipts for the Portland Board of Trade. Also includes genealogical
materials for the Parrish family.
The collection is in
English
Original of Drake's 1864 journal located at Yale University Library,
New Haven, Ct.
Biographical Note
John Miller Drake was born December 31, 1830 in Stroudsburg,
Pennsylvania. He emigrated to California during the Gold Rush of 1849,
relocating in Oregon nine years later, in 1858. He served as an officer in both
the 1st Oregon Cavalry and 1st Oregon Infantry volunteer regiments during the
Civil War. Following the war, he became the purchasing agent for the Oregon
Railway & Navigation Company, a post he filled for 17 years. He died in
Portland on December 11, 1913.
Papers include: Supply records, orders, and letters (1862-1865) of the
1st Oregon Cavalry; typescript copies of letters (February 23, 1864-March 24,
1865) received by Captain John M. Drake at Fort Dalles; photocopy and
typescript copy of Drake's journal (1864) describing a campaign against the
Snake Indians in Eastern Oregon; "The Oregon Cavalry" (1906), article written
by John M. Drake; building agreements and accounts (1888) for three Portland
houses; legal documents (1865-1909); business correspondence (1876-1895) for
the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company; private account books (1871-1912);
and Portland Board of Trade receipts (1870-1871). Also includes genealogical
materials for the Parrish family, compiled in 1935.
The collection is arranged in the following series
- Series A: First Oregon Cavalry Materials, 1862-1865;
1906
- Series B: General Materials, 1841-1935
- Series C: Financial Records, 1867-1912
The collection is open to the public.
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the
Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication,
and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library
prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold
copyright to all of the materials in the collection. In some cases, permission
for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the
copyright owners.
John Miller Drake Papers, Mss 80, Oregon Historical Society Research
Library
Part of the collection was a gift of Ruth Drake, 1944 Oct. 25
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.
Drake, John
Miller, 1830-1913--Correspondence
Drake, John
Miller, 1830-1913--Diaries
Oregon.
Volunteer Cavalry, 1st.
Oregon
Railway and Navigation Company
Portland
Board of Trade (Or.)
United
States. Army--Officers--Correspondence
United
States. Army--Officers--Diaries
Fort Dalles
(Or.)
Oregon--Description and travel
Oregon--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Pacific Coast Indians, Wars
with, 1847-1865
Shoshoni Indians--Wars,
1863-1865
Military
Native Americans
Oregon
Reminiscences
Receipts
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series A
First Oregon Cavalry Materials
1862-1865
1906
1/1
Correspondence and miscellany
1862-1865
1/2
Requisition records
1864 Dec.
Oversize Folder 2
Provision records for 1st Oregon Cavalry
1865
Records formerly folded into packets. Includes names and
signatures of members of the unit. Contains the following:
- Monthly return of c. c. & g. equipage, January
1865
- Monthly return of provisions, January 1865
- Monthly return of recruiting property, January
1865
- Monthly return of clothing, camp and garrison equipage,
February 1865
- Return of provisions for the month of February,
1865
- Monthly return of recruiting property, February
1865
- Monthly return of provisions for part of the month of
March 1865
- Monthly return of recruiting property, part of March
1865
- Monthly return of c. c. & g. equipage, March
1865
1/3
John Drake personal military papers
1862-1865
1903
Overize Folder 1
Certificates of appointment
1862-1865
Three certificates of appointment of John Drake as Captain,
Major, and Lieutenant Colonel.
1/4
John M. Drake journal of campaign against Indians of
Eastern Oregon--Typescript copies and notes
1864
1905
Two typescript transcriptions of Drake's journal, including an
introduction by Drake written in 1905. One may have been annotated by Priscilla
Knuth of the Oregon Historical Society for use in a publication.
1/5
John M. Drake journal of campaign against Indians of
Eastern Oregon--Photocopy of original journal
1864
Photocopy from original in Yale University Library. The journal
was written in 1864 in a diary book for 1863 titled "Daily pocket remembrancer
for 1863."
1/6-7
Letters received by John M. Drake at Fort Dalles
(typescript transcriptions)
1864-1865
1/8
"The Oregon Cavalry" by John M. Drake (typescript
transcription of article)
1906
Series B
General Materials
1841-1935
1/9
Building accounts for houses in Portland
1888
1/10
Compositions written by John M. Drake at Stroudsburg
(Pa.) Academy
circa 1841
1/11
Genealogical materials for the Parrish
family
1935
1/12
Legal documents
1865-1909
1/13
Oregon Central Military Road Co. materials
1888-1899
Includes list of stockholders and papers regarding a law suit in
1899.
1/14
Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
materials
1876-1895
1/15
Portland Board of Trade invoices
1870-1871
Series C
Financial Records
1867-1912
2/1
Account book
1867-1907
2/2
Account book
1871-1877
2/3
Cash account book
1886-1890
2/4
Day books (2 vols)
1890-1894
1894-1898
2/5
Day book
1903-1912
2/6
Private cash account books (2 vols)
1877-1882
1882-1886
2/7
Private account book
1874-1878