Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Blaine Family papers, 1849-1864
Overview of the Collection
- Dnr
- Blaine, Edward L.; Blaine, Catherine; Blaine, David
- Title
- Blaine Family papers
- Dates
- 1849-1864 (inclusive)18491864
- Quantity
- 0.25 linear feet, (1 bound manuscript including one photograph)
- Collection Number
- Mss.002
- Summary
- The collection is one bound volume of transcribed letters documenting the travels of Reverend David E. Blaine and his wife Catharine Paine Blaine and their life in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. The volume also contains papers and genealogical information.
- Repository
-
University of Puget Sound, Archives & Special Collections
Collins Memorial Library
1500 N. Warner St.
CMB1021
Tacoma, WA
98416-1021
Telephone: 2538792669
archives@pugetsound.edu - Access Restrictions
-
This collection is available for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Reverend David E. Blaine (1824-1900) was a minister for the Methodist Episcopal Church in Seattle, Washington from 1853 to 1856. He founded Seattle's first church, known as the "Little White Church." His wife, Catharine Paine Blaine, was also a Methodist missionary. She participated in America's first women's rights convention in their previous home of Seneca Falls, New York and was one of the one hundred signers of the Declarations of Sentiments and Resolutions that launched the women's rights movement.
After moving to Washington State in 1853 with her husband, she became Seattle's first teacher and school administrator. Like many white settlers, the Blaines held racist views towards the indigenous peoples of the newly formed United States. These views, along with anti-Irish sentiments, are reflected in their letters.
In March 1856, following the Battle of Seattle, The Blaines left Seattle for Portland, Oregon to continue their work as missionaries. They lived in Oregon City from 1856 to 1859 and returned to the East Coast, ministering in New York and Pennsylvania from 1873 to 1882 before returning to Seattle to retire in 1882.
Their second son, Edward Linn Blaine (1862- 1954), served as the University of Puget Sound's chair of the Board of Trustees from 1909 to 1946.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Transcription of the original letters of Reverend David Blaine and his wife Catharine Paine Blaine. The letters were written by the Blaines from New York, at sea, and from Washington State (both Olympia and Seattle) after their journey to the Pacific Northwest. They deal in detail with family matters and the events of daily life for a pastor and his family in the Puget Sound area of Washington in the 1800s. The letters were compiled by the Blaines' son Edward Linn Blaine in 1932.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Methodist Church--Oregon--Clergy
- Methodist Church--Washington (State)--Clergy
- Methodist Episcopal Church
- Pioneers--Washington (State)
- Religion
Family Names
- Blaine Family
Geographical Names
- Oregon
- Washington (State)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Blaine, Edward L. (dnr)
Elizabeth Knight and Patt Leonard
2011
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
