Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Archie W. Shiels papers
Shiels, Archie W.--(Archibald
Williamson),--1878-1974.
XOE_CPNWS0232shiels
9.5 linear feet
1790-1965
1850-1950
Archie W. Shiels was both a maker and a recorder of Alaskan
history and folklore, and former president of Pacific American Fisheries. His papers consist
of research material, publications, personal papers, maps and charts dating from around 1790
to 1965. The documents reference a number of topics primarily related to Russian America,
the Alaskan Territory, and the State of Alaska, including boundary disputes and the Bering
Sea controversy regarding fur seal fishing. Other topics include Alaska Natives' fishing
rights, maritime navigation, oil, geology, and transportation throughout Alaska, Canada, and
the Pacific Northwest.
English .
Archie W. (Archibald Williamson) Shiels was born May 26, 1878, in Edinburgh, Scotland, son
to Thomas and Mary Hannah Shiels. He came to the United States in 1893, originally working
as a purser on a steamship. Between 1893 and 1916, Shiels became closely involved with early
railroad construction in Alaska. As chief of staff to railroad contractor Michael James
(M.J.) Heney, Shiels supervised the construction of a railroad line between Skagway, Alaska
and White Horse in Canada's Yukon Territory. He later became involved in the construction of
the Copper River and North Western Railroad, which traveled nearly 200 miles from Cordova in
Southeastern Alaska to the interior of the state. Shiels joined the Pacific American
Fisheries in 1916, and served as President of the company from 1930-1946. He retired from
business in 1950.
Shiels had an avid interest in Russian America and Alaska. He collected a vast amount of
informational material, from which he researched and wrote many historical manuscripts,
books, and speeches.
Shiels died in Bellingham in September of 1974. He was ninety-six years old.
Sources: Bellingham Herald, "Deaths and Funerals: Archie
Shiels," 1974 September 6. Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, original biographical note,
circa 1957 (available in-house at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies). Koert, Dorothy
and Galen Biery. Looking Back – The Collectors Edition: Memories of
Whatcom County/Bellingham. Bellingham, WA: Grandpa's Attic (2003).
The Archie W. Shiels papers consist of research material, publications, personal papers,
maps and charts dating from around 1790 to 1965. The bulk of the materials date from around
1850 to 1950.
Research materials date from circa 1797 to 1964, and represent the background sources
Shiels used for writing his many manuscripts, books, and speeches. The documents reference a
number of topics primarily related to Pacific Northwestern history and, in particular,
Russian America, the Alaskan Territory, and the State of Alaska. Specific subjects include
Alaska's annexation to the United States and its eventual statehood, subsequent boundary
disputes, as well as the Bering Sea controversy regarding fur seal fishing. Other topics
cover the fishing and fur industries in Russia and Alaska, Alaska Natives' fishing rights,
maritime and navigation, oil and geology, and transportation throughout Alaska, Canada, and
the Pacific Northwest.
Publications date from around 1846 to 1965, and contain items authored by Shiels and other
individuals that are related to Alaskan topics and the Pacific American Fisheries company.
Some of the rarer books written by Shiels included Seward's Ice
Box: A Few Notes on the Development of Alaska, 1867-1931 (written in 1933), and
The Early History of Canned Foods (written in 1940). Other
authors' works include Lieutenant L.A. Zagoskin's Account of
Pedestrian Journeys in the Russian Possessions in America (undated), and J.M.
Shively's "Route and Distances to Oregon and California with a Description of Watering
Places, Crossing, Dangerous Indians, etc. (written in 1846).
Personal papers date from circa 1800 to 1962, and include documents belonging to Shiels,
but generally unrelated to his research regarding Alaskan history. For example, these
materials include a number of documents created by and/or retained by Shiels during his
tenure at the Pacific American Fisheries. Cannery blueprints, canning industry publications,
and a letter from Filipino cannery workers protesting their working conditions are a few
examples of items located in Shiels' personal papers. Additionally, there are photographs
and negatives documenting Shiels' career and personal life, and other Northwestern
themes.
Maps and charts date from around 1910 to 1944, and comprise early representations of
Alaskan, Canadian, and Pacific Northwestern territories, cities, and surrounding areas. Some
of the maps relate to early transportation in these regions, including maritime, railroad,
and highway routes.
The Archie W. Shiels papers are organized according to the following series
arrangement:
- Series I. Research Material, circa 1797-1964
- Subseries 1: Alaska, Canada, and Pacific Northwest reference material, 1797-1947
- Subseries 2: Alaska Natives reference material, 1930-1950
- Subseries 3: Alaska Purchase, Boundary disputes, and statehood reference material,
1860-1950
- Subseries 4: Bering Sea Arbitration reference material, 1890-1896
- Subseries 5: Fishing and Fur Industries reference material, 1901-1944
- Subseries6: Maritime Navigation reference material, 1931-1943
- Subseries 7: Oil and Geology reference material, 1930-1935
- Subseries 8: Transportation reference material, 1930-1965
- Series II. Publications and Writings, circa 1846-1965
- Subseries 1: Publications and Writings by Shiels, 1920-1965
- Subseries 2: Publications and writings by other authors, 1846-1934
- Series III. Personal Papers, circa 1800-1962
- Subseries 1: Pacific American Fisheries material, 1930-1962
- Subseries 2: Photographs and Negatives, 1910-1933
- Series IV. Maps and Charts, circa 1910-1944
The collection is open to the public.
Archie W. Shiels papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives
& Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.
Most of the research material, including maps, charts, and some original manuscript
material, was donated (presumably to Western Washington University) in 1957 by Archie W.
Shiels. He donated additional materials to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 1971.
A few of Shiels' rarer books were donated in 1995 by Dr. Robert L. Monahan. Previously,
these books belonged to James Scott who was Shiels' secretary at one time. In 2009,
additional rare books were donated by the archives of the University of Alaska Fairbanks'
Elmer E. Rasmuson Library.
Duplicates and non-archival materials were removed from the collection.
This collection may include content about Indigenous/First Nations people that is offensive
and harmful. To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection
description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on
this topic), see our Statement About
Potentially Harmful Language and Content
Acquisition records indicate that some materials were removed from the collection.
Shiels, Archie W.--(Archibald
Williamson),--1878-1974--Archives.
Pacific American Fisheries,
Inc.--History--Sources.
Alaska--History--Sources.
Canada--History--Sources.
Northwest,
Pacific--History--Sources.
Russia--History--Sources.
Bering Sea
controversy--History--Sources.
Fisheries--Alaska--History--Sources.
Fisheries--Russia--History--Sources.
Fur trade--Alaska--History--Sources.
Fur trade--Russia--History--Sources.
Statehood (American
politics)--History--Sources.
Transportation--Alaska--History--Sources.
Alaska--Annexation to the United
States--History--Sources.
Fishing and
Canning
Alaska
Transportation
Records (Documents)
Maps.
Series I
Research Material
1790-1960
Alaska, Canada, and Pacific Northwest reference material
1797-1947
General reference material - Alaska
circa 1850s-1940s
English.
1
1-2
General reference material - Canada
circa 1930s
1
3
General reference material - Pacific
Northwest
circa 1920s-1940s
1
4
Alaska and Northwest biographies
circa 1797-1947
1
5
Census of Sitka, Alaska (photostat copy)
1870
1
6
Exploration of Alaska and Canada reference
material
circa 1790s-1930s
English.
2
1-2
National Resources Committee, Alaska Resources
Committee - "Alaska: Its Resources and Development"
1937 December
2
3
Preston Times -
re-prints of "Off to... Alaska"
circa 1939
OV1
1
Rampart Miner
(publication from Rampart City, Alaska
1901-1902
2
4
Alaska Natives reference material
1930-1950
General reference material
circa 1930s-1940s
2
5
Alaska Natives fishing rights reference
material
circa 1930s-1940s
English.
2
6-7
Arnold, W.C. - "The Hydaburg Indian Reservation -
Its Background, Validity, and Effect"
1950 December 21
3
1
Gsovski, V. - "Russian Material Available in the
Library of Congress on the Tlingit and Haida Indians of Alaska"
1940
3
2
"Indians at Work"
1944 September-October
3
3
Kerry, McCord, & Carey - "Opinion Relative to
Indian Fishing Rights in Alaska"
1942 October
3
4
Paul, William L. - "Historical and Legal Materials
Relative to the Tlingit and Haida Claims Act of 1935"
1939 May
3
5
Alaska Purchase, boundary disputes, and statehood reference
material
1860-1950
General reference material
circa 1860s-1950s
3
6
"Alaska Statehood - Hearings Before the Committee on
Interior and Insular Affairs, United States Senate"
1950
4
1
Congressional Globe -
"Speeches and Debates Pertaining to the Purchase of Alaska (First, Second, and Third
Sessions of the 40th Congress, 1867-1869)
1867-1869
4
2
National Archives and Records Administration -
photostate copies of original documents dealing with the transfer of Russian America
to the United States
circa 1867-1869
OV1
2
National Archives and Records Adminsitration -
photostat copies of original maps dealing with the transfer of Russian America to
the United States
circa 1867-1869
Volume 1
Photostat copies of original maps of Sitka during
the transfer of Russian America to the United States
circa 1867-1869
Volume 2
Seward, W.H., et. al. - "Complete Correspondence
Regarding the Purchase of Russian Alaska: Early History, Topography, Climate,
Indians, Value, etc."
1897
4
3
U.S. Embassy and Russia - "Papers Relating to the
Cession of Alaska, 1956-1964" (microfilm)
undated
4
4
Washburn, C.C. - "Speech on the Treaty with Russia
for the Purchase of Russian America"
1867 December 11
OV1
3
Bering Sea Arbitration reference material
1890
Publications from Her and His Majesty's Stationary
Office (Great Britain)
"Award of the Tribunal of Arbitration"
1893 August
5
1
"Correspondence Respecting Claims for Compensation
on Account of British Vessels Seized in Behring Sea by United States'
Cruisers"
1895 September
5
2
"Correspondence Respecting the Alaska
Boundary"
1904 January
5
3
"Correspondence Respecting the Behring Sea Seal
Fisheries, 1886-1890"
1890 August
5
4
"Correspondence Respecting the Seizures of British
Sealing Vessels by Russian Cruizers in the North Pacific Ocean"
1893 June
5
5
"Map of the Northern Portion of the North Pacific
Ocean"
1893 March
5
6
"Papers Relating to the Proceedings of the
Tribunal of Arbitration"
1893 September
5
7
"Report by Professor D'Arcy Thompson on His
Mission to Behring Sea in 1896"
1897 March 4
5
8
"Report of the Behring Sea Commission, and Report
of British Commissioners of June 21, 1892, with five maps and diagrams, and
appendices"
1892 March
5
9
"Telegraphic Correspondence Respecting Seal
Fishing in Behring's Sea during the Season of 1892"
1892 March
5
10
Morse, William H. - "The Bering Sea
Controversy"
undated
5
11
Fishing and Fur Industries reference material
1901-1944
General reference material
circa 1930s-1940s
English.
6
1-2
Department of Commerce: Bureau of Fisheries -
reports on the salmon, fish, and fur industries in Alaska
1901-1913
English.
6
3-5
Department of Commerce: Bureau of Fisheries -
reports on the salmon, fish, and fur industries in Alaska
1914-1937
English.
7
1-6
Department of Commerce: Bureau of Fisheries -
reports on the salmon, fish, and fur industries in Alaska
1938-1944
8
1
Howay, F.W. (Royal Society of Canada) - "List of
Trading Vessels in the Maritime Fur Trade, 1795-1804;" and "List of Trading Vessels
in the Maritime Fur Trade, 1815-1819"
1931; 1933
8
2
Maritime Navigation reference material
1930-1940
Dall, William H. - "Bering's First Expedition,
1725-1730 - A Critical Review and a Translation of His Original Report"
undated
OV1
4
Royal Canadian Mounted Police - "Reports and other
papers relating to the Two Voyages of the R.C.M. Police Schooner 'St.
Roch'"
1945
8
3
U.S. Coast Guard - "Nautical Rules of the
Road"
1943
8
4
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Navigation -
"Steam Vessels Built in the United States, 1807-1856"
1931
8
5
U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings
1931 July
8
6
Oil and Geology reference material
1930
Kindle, E.M. - "The Geological Story of Jasper
National Park, Canada"
circa 1930s
8
7
Maillot, E.E. - "Geologic History of the Gravel,
Muck and Ice Deposits in the Fairbanks District"
1935 March 21
8
8
Standard Oil Bulletin
1931 December
8
9
Vesper, H.G., President of Standard Oil Company of
California - remarks to the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce: "Alaska's Promise of
Oil"
1931 October 31
8
10
Transportation reference material
1930-1960
General reference material
circa 1930s-1960s
English.
8
11-13
Series II
Publications and Writings
1840-1960
Publications and Writings by Shiels
1920-1965
General reference material for and including
stories, manuscripts, and historical addresses
circa 1920s-1940s
English.
9
1-3
"Alaska's First Ten Years Under the Stars and
Stripes (1867-1877)"
undated
9
4
"Alaskan History Prior to 1897"
undated
9
5
History of Christmas in Many Lands
1956
9
6
"Pax Vobiscum Tillicum, Johnnie O'Brien - Dean of
Shipmasters of the Pacific"
undated
9
7
Russian America and the Purchase of Alaska
1949
9
8
Seward's Icebox: A Few Notes on the Development of Alaska,
1867-1931
1933
10
1
"Short History of Transportation to and within the
Territory of Alaska, 1897-1908"
1950
10
2
Tell Me A Stowry
1948
10
3
Tell Me A Stowry
undated
10
4
The Early History of Canned Foods
1940
10
5
The Purchase of Alaska
1965
10
6
"Work of the Bureau of Education in
Alaska"
undated
11
1
Publications and Writings by other authors
1846-1934
Donham, Wallace B. and R.S. Meriam - "Notes on
recovery"
1934
11
2
Gray, A.A., Francis Farquhar, and William S. Lewis -
"Camels in Western America"
1930
11
3
"Launch of the Queen
Mary in the presence of Their Majesties the King & Queen, Wednesday,
September 26, 1934 at Clydebank" (commemorative book)
1934
OV1
5
"Phillippine Maps from the Time of
Magellan"
undated
11
4
Second Wuxtra -
publication from the Seattle Press Club (includes President Taft's message to the
newspaper men of Seattle)
1911 November 1-2
11
5
Shively, J.M. - "Route and Distances to Oregon and
California with a Description of Watering Places, Crossings, Dangerous Indians,
etc."
1846
OV1
6
Zagoskin, Lieutenant L.A. - Account of Pedestrian Journeys in the Russian Possessions in
America
undated
12
1
Series III
Personal Papers
1800-1960
Pacific American Fisheries material
1930-1962
Blueprints - S.S. North
King
1930
12
2
Cannery blueprints of Ikaton, Port Moller, and Squaw
Harbor, AK
1932
1
M01
Cannery blueprint - unidentified
undated
12
3
16mm film reels - 16mm
undated
12
4
Letter from Filipino cannery workers protesting the
conditions at the Pacific American Fisheries cannery in Nushagak, AK
1933 June
12
5
Pafishco News
1962
12
6
Photographs and Negatives
1910-1940
Miscellaneous photographs and negatives
circa 1910s-1940s
English.
12
7-9
Negatives depicting scenic and family portraits, and
images by photographer Bert Huntoon
circa 1930s
13
1
Photograph album depicting scenes from Alaskan
canneries and other sites, mostly idenitified
circa 1930
13
2
Photograph album with duplicates of images depicting
Washington and Alaskan scenes from circa 1800s-1880s, including early Seattle
photographs, and corresponding negatives
undated
English.
13
3-4
Old books - Christian diary; unidentified
1650; undated
13
5
Scrip from the Tenino Chamber of Commerce for the
amount of twenty-five cents
1933 April
13
6
Series IV
Maps and Charts
1910-1930
British Columbia and Southeast Alaska map
undated
1
M02
British Columbia Highway Travel map
1930
1
M03
Fairbanks Great Circle map showing proposed location
of the Pacific-Yukon Highway, and accompanying documents
1930
1
M04
Northern British Columbia
1933
1
M05
Orcas Island and surrounding islands
1941
1
M06
Pacific Coast funnel chart showing the funnel designs
for many ships frequenting the Pacific
1928
1
M07
Pacific-Yukon international highway-airway
map
undated
1
M08
Puget Sound Country and Vicinity map from the Inland
Navigation Company
1910
1
M09
Queen Charlotte Island map
1927
1
M10
Southeastern Alaska map
1944
1
M11
United States - routes of principle explorers
(1498-1699; 1700-1852)
undated
1
M12