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Couch Family Papers, 1839-1948

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Couch family
Title
Couch Family Papers
Dates
1839-1948 (inclusive)
1870-1890 (bulk)
Quantity
1.5 cu. ft., (2 document boxes, 1 card file box, 1 flat box, and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
Mss 952
Summary
Papers of the family of John Heard Couch, one of the original developers of the townsite of Portland, Oregon, and his descendents, including members of the Glisan and Robertson families. Papers include correspondence, legal papers, land ownership records, clippings, family Bibles, journals of John Heard Couch, and papers concerning Couch's wife Caroline and their descendants Caroline Wilson, Clementine Lewis, and Elizabeth and Rodney Glisan. Of special note is John Heard Couch's logbook, 1853-1858, for voyages on the ships Chenamus and Madonna; and the travel diary of Nan Robertson, 1911-1912, written during a trip to San Francisco and Southern Asia.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

John Heard Couch (1811-1870) was an Oregon pioneer, sea captain, merchant, a founder of the city of Portland and founder of an important and influential Oregon family. During the 1840s he sailed ships financed by John Cushing from his home town of Newburyport, Massachusetts, with supplies for establishing a dry goods business in Oregon. In 1845 he claimed a square mile of land on the Willamette River, known as Couch's Addition, in the heart of what became Portland.

Well regarded among his fellow citizens as a fair and knowledgeable man, Couch was rewarded by several public positions, including Oregon Territorial Treasurer, Multnomah County Commissioner, Oregon Port Commissioner, Oregon Port Warden, and U. S. Inspector of Hulls for Oregon. He married Caroline Flanders (1807-1885), sister of his first mate George Flanders, in 1832. Flanders was also an Oregon pioneer, merchant and Portland founder, becoming a partner in Couch's Portland land claim in 1850.

John and Caroline Couch had four daughters, three of whom married influential Portland men. Caroline Elizabeth Couch (1833-1917) married Dr. Robert Bruce Wilson, while Clementine Couch (1838-1914) started a family with prominent Portland merchant Cicero Hunt Lewis (1826-1897). Elizabeth Raines Couch's (1842-1926) husband, Dr. Rodney L. Glisan (1827-1890), the first physician in Oregon Territory, was also an early Portland land owner and was active in Couch's Addition's real estate activities after John Couch's death.

Among Couch's descendants and relatives was Nan Robertson (1885-1928). She was a sister of Thomas Robertson (1881-1924), who married Kathleen Burns (1883-1970), a great-granddaughter of John Heard Couch.

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Content Description

Papers include: Legal documents (1850-1946) such as deeds, warranty deeds, quit-claims, passport, wedding certificate, title abstracts, maps, receipts, water right certificate, tax sale; correspondence (1846-1945) to John H. Couch and others regarding property holdings; personal items, consisting of memorabilia, a Bible from the ship Chenamus, notes, newspaper clippings, and a prayer book. Also included is the travel journal (1911-1912) of Nan Robertson, an in-law of John H. Couch's great-granddaughter, documenting Robertson's trip to Australia, New Zealand, India, and Indonesia via San Francsisco.

The journal or log book (1843-1858) kept by John H. Couch includes records of his voyages on the ships Chenamus (1843-1844) and Madonna (1849). Included is information on weather, nautical position, and daily events on board. The book also contains poems and water color illustrations of vessels.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

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 before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Couch family papers, 1839-1948, Mss 952, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in four series as follows

  • Series A: Land records, 1854-1935
  • Series B: Correspondence and ephemera, 1849-1948
  • Series C: Diaries and journals, 1843-1912
  • Series D: Publications, 1828, 1860

Acquisition Information

The collection is composed of materials assembled by the Oregon Historical Society from many sources over a long period of time

Three title abstracts for Couch's Addition: gift of Mrs. Harry Couch, Aug. 9, 1976, Library Accession 13801

Prayer book of Mary Caroline Wilson, and Nan Robertson diary and memorabila: gift of Mrs. Donald E. Butler, Aug. 23, 1988, Library Accession 18949

Processing Note

Restoration and custom boxing were provided for the John Heard Couch journal, the Bible, and Nan Robertson's diary

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

  • Series A: Land records, 1854-1935

    • Description: Glisan and Couch properties—deeds, land claims, titles, general
      Dates: 1854-1933
      Container: Box/Folder 1/1-3
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935
    • Description: Deed of property from Couch and Hastings families to Battlen
      Dates: 1862
      Container: Box/Folder 1/4
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935
    • Description: Rodney L. Glisan—indexes to deeds and other title documents
      Dates: ca. 1892
      Container: Box/Folder 1/5
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935
    • Description: Deed of blocks 82 and 93 in Couch's addition to Henry Weinhard

      Photographic copies filed as negatives OrHi 73672 and 73673, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

      Dates: 1873
      Container: Box/Folder 1/6
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935
    • Description: Description of blocks on the north and west part of Couch's addition to the City of Portland

      Bound notebook, property of R. L. Glisan, including details of survey and prices for lots

      Dates: ca. 1872
      Container: Box/Folder 1/7
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935

    • Abstracts of title

    • Description: Plat of Couch's addition to the City of Portland (map)
      Dates: undated
      Container: Folder item Oversize/1
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935
    • Description: "Notes of survey of part of John H. Couch's land claim to be conveyed by Mssrs. Couch & Flanders to the Oregon Steam Navigation Co."

      Surveyed by Charles W. Burrage; includes map of property

      Dates: Oct. 6, 1864
      Container: Folder item Oversize/2
      Location: Series A: Land records, 1854-1935

  • Series B: Correspondence and ephemera, 1849-1948

  • Series C: Diaries and journals, 1843-1849, 1911-1912

    • Description: Logbook of John Heard Couch

      Logbook kept by John H. Couch during his voyages on the Chenamus (1843-1844) and Madonna (1849). Information recorded includes date, weather, nautical position, and daily events on board. Logbook also includes poems and several watercolor illustrations of vessels

      Dates: 1843-1858; 1843-1849
      Container: Box 3
      Location: Series C: Diaries and journals, 1843-1849, 1911-1912
    • Description: Diary of Nan Robertson

      Nan Robertson travelled with her family from Portland to San Francisco via train, then by ship to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and India. Entries are detailed and descriptive

      Dates: 1911-1912
      Container: Box/Folder 4/1
      Location: Series C: Diaries and journals, 1843-1849, 1911-1912

  • Series D: Publications, 1828, 1860-1865

    • Description: Bible from the ship Chenamus

      Bible published by Nahum Haskell and Timothy Bedlington, Boston, 1828; used on ship commanded by John Heard Couch on trip from Newburyport, Mass., to the Hawaiian Islands, 1847. Contains historical references on fly leaf.

      Dates: 1828
      Container: 4/2
      Location: Series D: Publications, 1828, 1860-1865
    • Description: Prayer book of Mary Caroline Wilson Burns

      The book of common prayer of the Protesant Episcopal Church in the United States, published by D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1860. Gift to Mary Caroline Wilson Burns (1857-1950) from her mother, Caroline Elizabeth Couch Wilson (1833-1917). Inscribed "Ma. Carrie from her Mother, Dec. 25th 1863"

      Dates: 1860
      Container: Box/Folder 4/3
      Location: Series D: Publications, 1828, 1860-1865

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Chenamus (Brig)
  • Frontier and pioneer life--Oregon--Portland
  • Madonna (Bark)
  • Pioneers--Oregon--Portland--Diaries
  • Real property--Oregon--Portland
  • Ship captains--Diaries
  • Voyages to the Pacific coast

Family Names

  • Couch family--Archives
  • Glisan family--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Australia--Description and travel
  • Couch's Addition (Portland, Or.)
  • India--Description and travel
  • Indonesia--Description and travel
  • New Zealand--Description and travel
  • Oregon--History--To 1859
  • Portland (Or.)--History

Form or Genre Terms

  • Deeds
  • Estate records
  • Journals
  • Journals
  • Legal documents
  • Letters
  • Maps
  • Passports
  • Receipts
  • Ships' logs
  • Watercolors

Occupations

  • Ship captains

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Couch, John Heard, 1911-1870--Archives (creator)
    • Couch, John Heard, 1911-1870--Diaries (creator)
    • Couch, Mary H. (creator)
    • Flanders, George H., 1821-1892 (creator)
    • Glisan, Elizabeth Raines, 1842-1926 (creator)
    • Glisan, Rodney, 1827-1890 (creator)
    • Lewis, Clementine, 1838-1914 (creator)
    • McLoughlin, John, 1784-1857 (creator)
    • Robertson, Nan, 1885-1928--Diaries (creator)
    • Stark, Benjamin, 1820-1898--Correspondence (creator)
    • Wood, Charles Erskine Scott, 1852-1944--Correspondence (creator)


2004

CC0

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