Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Skinner family papers, 1840-2013
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Skinner family
- Title
- Skinner family papers
- Dates
- 1840-2013 (inclusive)18402013
1863-2013 (bulk)18632013 - Quantity
- 6.1 cubic feet, (4 record cartons; 2 legal document cases; 1 card file box (12x6x4); 1 slim letter document case; 8 oversize folders (12x15) in shared flat box; 2 oversize folders (16x20) in shared flat box; 2 oversize folders (20x24) in shared flat box)
- Collection Number
- Coll 1012
- Summary
- Papers of the Skinner family of Jordan Valley, Oregon, particularly of William Silas Skinner (1871-1960) and his descendants. William Silas Skinner was the eldest son of Silas Skinner (1834-1886), who came to Oregon in the 1860s and established a toll road in western Idaho and eastern Oregon and a ranch in Jordan Valley. The family continued to operate the ranch into the 21st century. The collection also contains papers of related families; financial, property, and ranching records; and materials relating to historical and genealogical research, including research by Johanna Skinner (1889-1972), which determined that the gravesite of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau is in Jordan Valley.
- 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
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Silas Skinner was born in 1834 on the Isle of Man. He immigrated to the United States in 1862, and the following year began to build a toll road in western Idaho and eastern Oregon for gold miners to use. Skinner and his business partners maintained the road until 1878, when Owyhee County purchased it. Skinner also began to raise horses in eastern Oregon and, later, in Napa Valley, California.
Skinner married Anne Jane "Annie" Callow (1846-1928), who had also been born on the Isle of Man, in 1870. The couple had seven children: William Silas Skinner (1871-1960); Catherine "Carrie" Skinner Norton (1873-1970); Annabel Skinner Hampton (1875-1962); Thomas Lewis Skinner (1877-1958); Horatio "Ray" Skinner (1879-1918); Sarah Ellen Skinner (1881-1883); and Mona Skinner Platt (born 1883). Silas Skinner died in 1886.
Sources: "High Desert Promise: The Skinner Family Legacy," by John Sackett Skinner (Hillsboro, Or.: Skinner Family, 2009); collection materials.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
William Silas Skinner, known as W. S. Skinner or Will Skinner in his life, was born in 1871 in Ruby City, Idaho. After Silas Skinner died in 1886, W. S. Skinner helped to look after the family's interests. He also managed property in Jordan Valley, Oregon, that Silas Skinner's business partner, E. H. Clinton, had owned. Skinner would later purchase this property, as well as lease another property, the Ruby Ranch, from Ruby Beers.
Skinner married Ella Sackett (1868-1941) in 1891. The couple had nine children: Silas Kirtland Skinner (1892-1983); Thomas Harold Skinner (1894-1970); Ruby Aileen Skinner Gheen (1896-1991); Verna Claire Skinner Van Matre (1897-1991); Nancy Irma Skinner Palmer (1898-1985); William Callow Skinner (1901-1982); Ella Marjorie Skinner Carlsen (1903-1998); Anna Beatrice Skinner Owings (1907-1977); and Hugh Sackett Skinner (1909-1962). W. S. Skinner died in 1960 in Jordan Valley, Oregon.
Sources: "High Desert Promise: The Skinner Family Legacy," by John Sackett Skinner (Hillsboro, Or.: Skinner Family, 2009); collection materials.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Johanna Murray was born in 1889 in Lairg, Scotland. In 1909, she came to the United States with her uncle, Alexander Murray, who was a rancher in eastern Oregon, and began a teaching career there. In 1913, W. S. Skinner and Ella Skinner hired her to teach their younger children. Through this job, she met the Skinners' eldest son, Silas Kirtland Skinner (known as S. K. Skinner or Kirt Skinner), who had been born in 1892. The two married in 1917. S. K. Skinner lived in Jordan Valley, Oregon, and worked as a rancher. He also served on local school boards for almost five decades.
Both Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner were interested in the history of southeastern Oregon and western Idaho. In the 1950s and 1960s, their research helped identify the grave of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, who had been with the Lewis and Clark Expedition as an infant, as being located at Ruby Ranch in Jordan Valley.
Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner had seven children: William Murray Skinner (1918-1942); Robert Harold Skinner (1920-2012); Silas Kirtland Skinner, Jr. (1922-1995); Verna Christine "Chris" Skinner Moore (1924-2016); Daniel Herbert Skinner (1926-2016); John Sackett Skinner (born 1929); and Jesse Johanna "Joanne" Skinner Owens (born 1932). Johanna Skinner died in 1972. S. K. Skinner remarried to Doris Burgess in 1979 and died in 1983.
Sources: Sources: "High Desert Promise: The Skinner Family Legacy," by John Sackett Skinner (Hillsboro, Or.: Skinner Family, 2009); collection materials; obituary in the Idaho Free Press and Tribune, July 3, 1972; obituary in the Ontario Argus Observer, September 8, 1983; editorial in the Ontario Argus Observer, September 11, 1983; obituary in the Owyhee Chronicle, September 14, 1983; vital records on Ancestry.com.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of the papers of Silas Skinner's family, primarily his descendants, who developed a ranch in Jordan Valley, Oregon. Individuals well-represented in the collection include Silas Skinner's son W. S. Skinner and daughter Annabel Skinner Hampton; W. S. Skinner's son S. K. Skinner and daughter-in-law Johanna Murray Skinner; and S. K. Skinner and Johanna Skinner's children Robert H. Skinner, John Sackett Skinner, and Jesse Johanna "Joanne" Skinner Owens. Personal papers in the collection consists of family correspondence, several diaries, photographs, clippings, reminiscences, and ephemera. The collection also contains papers and photographs of related families, particularly the Murray family.
The collection includes financial, property, and ranching records. Many of these document the finances, ownership, and operations of the Skinner Ranch, including a period when a portion of the land was owned by E. H. Clinton and his heirs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the period in the 1920s and 1930s when the ranch faced financial difficulties, was foreclosed, was leased to the Skinner family, and then was repurchased by the family. Other financial and property documents include records relating to the property and estate of the related Murray family in Oregon, the wills of individual family members, and the financial papers of W. S. Skinner's friend Willis G. Thompson.
The collection also includes materials that reflect the Skinner family's interest in local and family history. This includes the research that Johanna Skinner undertook to identify the gravesite of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, John Sackett Skinner's efforts to ensure that she and S. K. Skinner were credited for their work in identifying the gravesite, and biographical and genealogical information. A significant portion of the biographical and genealogical information was compiled by John Sackett Skinner in the 1990s and 2000s as research for his book about the family, "High Desert Promise: The Skinner Family Legacy."
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Skinner family papers, Coll 1012, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in three series:
- Series 1: Personal and family papers and memorabilia
- Subseries 1.1: Correspondence and diaries
- Subseries 1.2: Papers relating to individual family members
- Subseries 1.3: Papers, photographs, and memorabilia of related families
- Subseries 1.4: Other papers, memorabilia, and family photographs
- Series 2: Financial, property, and ranching records
- Series 3: Historical and genealogical research materials
- Series 3.1: Research on Jean Baptiste Charbonneau's gravesite
- Series 3.2: Other historical research
- Series 3.3: Family history and genealogical research
Acquisition Information
Gift of Nancy Skinner Melville and Sally Skinner, November 2023 (RL2023-072), with additions in May 2024 (RL2024-035).
Preservation Note
Researcher access to negatives and DVDs in the collection is limited for preservation purposes; contact library staff to inquire about access. Fees may apply.
Processing Note
For preservation purposes, several photographs were removed from their frames, and photographs included with a report about the Middle Fork of the Malheur River were removed from their album pages after being photocopied to document original order.
Related Materials
Other materials at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library that relate to the Skinner family and their research interests include the Irving W. Anderson collection on Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Mss 955; a vertical file, Biography - Skinner, Silas (Sam); and the book "High Desert Promise: the Skinner Family legacy" by John Sackett Skinner, call number 979.5970099 S628h.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Personal and family papers and memorabilia, circa 1865-2008Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1.1: Correspondence and diaries |
circa 1870-2007 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Letter from Annie Skinner to Silas Skinner, with annotation by Annabel Skinner Hampton |
1885 July 19; circa 1960 |
1 | 2 | Letter from Thomas Callow to Annie Skinner |
1892 June 26 |
1 | 3 | Annie Skinner correspondence to W. S. Skinner and Ella Skinner |
1900 June 25; 1918; 1926 October 15 |
1 | 4 | Letter from Annie Skinner to Jane Callow and family |
1914 June 11 |
1 | 5 | Letter from Annabel Skinner Hampton to Carrie Skinner Norton |
1931 October 18 |
1 | 6 | Annabel Skinner Hampton correspondence to W. S. Skinner |
1931-1953; undated |
1 | 7 | Annabel Skinner Hampton correspondence to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1958-1960 |
1 | 8 | Letter from Annabel Skinner Hampton to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner with family history vignettes (typescript copy) |
1958 October 4 |
1 | 9 | Annabel Skinner Hampton correspondence to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner, with enclosed photographs of John Caine and Bessie Caine |
1960; circa 1870 |
1 | 10 | Carrie Skinner Norton correspondence to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1958 September 11; 1961 February 15 |
1 | 11 | Carrie Skinner Norton correspondence to W. S. Skinner |
1931-1955; undated |
1 | 12 | Letter from Heather Proctor to Carrie Skinner Norton, forwarded to W. S. Skinner |
1934 December 5 |
1 | 13 | Letter from Ella Skinner to Johanna Murray (later Johanna Skinner) |
1917 June 6 |
1 | 14 | Ella Skinner correspondence to family |
1931 August-September |
1 | 15 | Letter from Richard Wyle to Ella Skinner |
1921 September 22 |
1 | 16 | W. S. Skinner correspondence to family |
1924-1931 |
1 | 17 | W. S. Skinner correspondence to S. K. Skinner family |
1947-1952 |
1 | 18 | W. S. Skinner correspondence to Harold Skinner (photocopies) |
1953-1956 |
1 | 19 | Letter from Clifford N. Carlsen to W. S. Skinner and Ella Skinner |
1926 August 11 |
1 | 20 | Letter from C. W. Skinner to W. S. Skinner with enclosed photographs |
1959 May 17; circa 1920; circa 1940 |
1 | 21 | Letter from Thomas Lewis Skinner to W. S. Skinner |
1956 December 1 |
1 | 22 | Correspondence to W. S. Skinner from various people |
1910-1953; undated |
1 | 23 | Letter from Anna Beatrice Skinner to family |
circa 1925 |
1 | 24 | Letter from Anna Beatrice Skinner Owings to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1951 December 9 |
1 | 25 | Letter from Doris Skinner to Esther Emmel relating to S. K. Skinner's reminiscences |
1983 January 22 |
1 | 26 | Postcard from S. K. Skinner to Johanna Murray (later Johanna Skinner) |
1914 July 30 |
1 | 27 | Birthday letter from Skinner family to Johanna Murray |
1914 November 15 |
1 | 28-33 | Correspondence between Johanna Murray and S. K. Skinner |
1916-1917 |
1 | 34 | Correspondence between Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1918 October-November |
1 | 35 | S. K. Skinner correspondence to Johanna Skinner |
1928 May |
1 | 36 | Letters from Billie Skinner and Johanna Skinner to S. K. Skinner |
1929 January 3 |
1 | 37 | Johanna Skinner correspondence to S. K. Skinner, including discussion of the military doing practice bombing in Jordan Valley |
1943 March |
1 | 38 | Letters from Chris Skinner (later Chris Moore) and Johanna Skinner to S. K. Skinner |
1945 August |
1 | 39 | Johanna Skinner correspondence to Meg Gray and Ann Gray |
1970-1972 |
1 | 40 | Letter from Johanna Skinner to Clarice (no surname given) (photocopy) |
1972 June 29 |
1 | 41 | Card from Ruby Beers to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner for birth of their child |
circa 1918 |
1 | 42 | Letter from Elsie Gries to Johanna Skinner and family |
1930 December 31 |
1 | 43 | Letter from Ella Murray to Johanna Skinner |
1940 February 22 |
1 | 44 | Correspondence to Johanna Skinner, S. K. Skinner, and Joanne Skinner from family while they were in Scotland and the Isle of Man |
1953 June-October |
1 | 45 | Correspondence to Johanna Skinner from Floy Nobel and Meg Gray |
1954 January 15; 1966 June 11 |
1 | 46 | Letter from Lola Mackenzie to Johanna Skinner (photocopy) |
1958 January 3 |
1 | 47 | Letter from Anne Humphreys to S. K. Skinner and Johanna Skinner |
1964 June 20 |
1 | 48 | Berniece Jordan Olds correspondence to Johanna Skinner and to Jordan Valley postmaster, regarding whether she is related to the Jordan brothers of Jordan Valley, and enclosed photograph |
1964-1966 |
1 | 49 | S. K. Skinner correspondence to Robert H. Skinner |
1942 June 9; 1945 April 8-9 |
1 | 50 | S. K. Skinner correspondence to W. S. Skinner and Ella Skinner |
1919-1920 |
1 | 51 | S. K. Skinner correspondence to W. S. Skinner |
1940-1956 |
1 | 52 | Letter from Louise Wilkinson to S. K. Skinner |
1931 June 16 |
1 | 53 | Letter from S. E. Mussell to S. K. Skinner |
1964 September 18 |
1 | 54 | Letter from Barrett Randall and Marie Randall to S. K. Skinner (photocopy), with contextual annotations by Joanne Skinner Owens |
1972 July 19; undated |
1 | 55 | Birthday letter from Senator Mark O. Hatfield to S. K. Skinner |
1977 December 13 |
1 | 56 | Letter from Edna Mae Wimsatt to Chris Moore about Sara Skinner's selection as Malheur County Mother of the Year |
1960 March 26 |
1 | 57 | Joanne Skinner postcard to Robert H. Skinner |
1945 July 8 |
1 | 58 | Correspondence to Joanne Skinner Owens |
1948-2001 |
1 | 59 | Joanne Skinner Owens e-mail correspondence |
2007 |
1 | 60 | Letter from John Sackett Skinner to Robert H. Skinner |
1942 October 18 |
1 | 61 | John Sackett Skinner correspondence to Joanne Skinner |
1952 December 25; 1954 May 7 |
1 | 62 | Card to John Sackett Skinner and Carole Skinner from siblings |
2007 November 25 |
1 | 63 | Letter from Merle Skinner and Hugh Skinner to family |
1958 August 26 |
1 | 64 | Letter from Visalia Stock Saddle Company to Robert H. Skinner |
1941 August 28 |
1 | 65 | Robert H. Skinner correspondence to Joanne Skinner and John Sackett Skinner |
1942-1946 |
1 | 66 | R. G. Johnson correspondence to Robert H. Skinner and other Oregon State College graduates |
1944-1945 |
1 | 67 | Correspondence to and from Robert H. Skinner and Sara Skinner |
1964-1996 |
1 | 68 | Letter from Donald Grant to Robert H. Skinner and Daniel Skinner with accompanying obituary for Johanna Skinner by Grant that was printed in Scottish newspaper |
1972 July |
1 | 69 | Correspondence to Robert H. Skinner and Sara Skinner from political figures |
1978-1991 |
1 | 70 | Letter from Agatha Andrus and Gordon Andrus to Robert H. Skinner, and enclosed clipping about the Skinner family |
1985 October |
1 | 71 | Letter from Silas K. Skinner, Jr. to Robert H. Skinner |
1942 May 9 |
1 | 72 | Correspondence to Robert H. Skinner relating to recognition for his work in the agriculture industry |
1987-1988 |
1 | 73 | Tom Skinner postcard to S. K. Skinner family |
1942 February 16 |
1 | 74 | Letter from William M. Skinner to family |
1941 August 18 |
1 | 75 | Graydon Crawford correspondence to the Skinner family |
1934 December 25; 1937 December 26 |
1 | 76 | Letter from Ruby Skinner Gheen's husband, Ethan P. Gheen, probably to Ella Skinner |
1931 |
1 | 77 | Thank-you notes to the Skinners from J. G. Green and Emma Edwards Green, with explanatory notes and clipping about Emma Edwards Green |
1932 October 17; undated; 2002 March 11 |
1 | 78 | Letter from Annabel Skinner Hampton's husband, Robert Quine Hampton, to Lily (no surname given) |
1937 December 6 |
1 | 79 | Typescript copies of Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner's diaries, with accompanying letter by John Sackett Skinner |
1936-1952; 1996 February 20 |
1 | 80 | Johanna Skinner notepad with diary entries for trip to Scotland and Isle of Man |
1953 June 3-October 2 |
2 | 1 | Johanna Skinner diary for trip to Scotland and Isle of Man and related ephemera |
1953 June 3-October 10 |
2 | 2 | Joanne Skinner diary from trip to Scotland (photocopy) |
1953 June 4-23 |
2 | 3 | Booklet with diary entries and research notes by Johanna Skinner |
1969 |
Subseries 1.2: Papers relating to individual family members |
1869-2008 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 4 | Papers relating to Silas Skinner and Annie Skinner (photocopies) |
1869-1953 |
2 | 5 | Malheur Enterprise editorial about Ella Skinner's death (typescript copy) |
1941 October 30 |
2 | 6 | Biographical sketch of W. S. Skinner by John Sackett Skinner |
undated |
2 | 7 | John Sackett Skinner reminiscences about W. S. Skinner's character |
1992 January 27 |
2 | 8 | Portrait of W. S. Skinner |
circa 1917 |
2 | 9 | Ontario Argus-Observer articles about W. S. Skinner's reminiscences (original clippings and printout of transcript) |
1951 |
2 | 10 | W. S. Skinner reminiscences about 1870s and 1880s, including 1878 conflict between Euro-Americans and Native peoples (photocopy); attached typescript of excerpt from October 29, 1870 issue of Owyhee Avalanche, with handwritten note |
1947; undated |
2 | 11 | Johanna Skinner notes about W. S. Skinner's account of moving horses from Jordan Valley, Oregon, to Napa, California, in 1884; edited version of account by Robert H. Skinner |
circa 1955; circa 2000 |
2 | 12 | W. S. Skinner reminiscences about the winter of 1888 (typescript copy) |
circa 1955 |
2 | 13 | W. S. Skinner ephemera: Benevolent Protective Order of Elks membership cards; driver's license |
1934-1936 |
2 | 14 | Obituaries for W. S. Skinner |
1960 March |
2 | 15 | Memorial service program for W. S. Skinner; eulogy for W. S. Skinner by Raymond A. Thompson |
1960 March 3 |
2 | 16 | Transcript of oral history interview with Edith Elizabeth Skinner |
1983 August |
2 | 17 | Memorial services programs for Verna Clair Matre and Doris Rebecca Skinner |
1991; 1994 |
2 | 18 | Heald's Business College report card for S. K. Skinner |
1913 February |
2 | 19 | Biographical sketch of Johanna Skinner |
undated |
2 | 20 | Materials relating to Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner's marriage |
1917 October-December |
2 | 21 | Wedding portraits of Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1917 |
2 | 22 | Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner guestbook |
1962-1968 |
2 | 23 | Silas K. Skinner: Correspondence and compiled articles about the history of trotting horses |
1879-1966 |
2 | 24 | Clippings of photographs of Homedale Depot and Pioneer Hotel from the early 20th century, with notes by Johanna Skinner about being there in 1913 |
circa 1969 |
2 | 25 | Program for Malheur County Historical Society lecture series, including lecture by S. K. Skinner |
circa 1970 |
2 | 26 | Clippings about S. K. Skinner |
1971; 1982 |
2 | 27 | Photographs of S. K. Skinner at Jean Baptiste Charbonneau's grave |
circa 1971 |
2 | 28 | Family signatures and toasts for S. K. Skinner's birthday (photocopy) |
1977 November 26 |
2 | 29 | Transcript of S. K. Skinner's oral reminiscences (Owyhee Times Narrative, tapes 18 and 19) |
1980 July 22 |
2 | 30 | Obituaries for Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1972 July; 1983 September |
2 | 31 | Memorial service programs for Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner |
1972 July 3; 1983 September 9 |
2 | 32 | Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Association letters to Ontario Argus Observer and Idaho Statesman regarding Johanna Skinner's death |
1972 July |
2 | 33 | Eulogy for Johanna Skinner by Raymond A. Thompson |
1972 July 3 |
2 | 34 | Transcript of oral history interview with Violet Skinner |
1979 December 29 |
2 | 35 | Violet Skinner reminiscences |
1980 February |
2 | 36 | Obituaries for Violet Skinner |
1981 November 4 |
2 | 37 | Memorial service program for Violet Skinner |
1981 November |
2 | 38 | Obituary for William Callow Skinner (original clipping and printout of transcript) |
1982 August 11 |
2 | 39 | Clippings about Chris Skinner Moore |
1969-2000 |
2 | 40 | Joanne Skinner (later Joanne Owens) educational records and ephemera |
1937-1955 |
2 | 41 | Photocopies of plaques presented to Joanne Owens for her teaching work |
1994 |
2 | 42 | Transcript of Pete Miller's remarks at Joanne Owens' retirement |
1994 |
2 | 43 | Joanne Owens reminiscences with handwritten notes and commentary |
1995-2008 |
2 | 44 | Joanne Owens reminiscences about visiting Anne Humphreys in London, and related rodeo program |
2001 January 30; 1948 August |
2 | 45 | John Sackett Skinner reminiscences and social commentary about his school days, titled "Those Olden Days" |
2004 |
2 | 46 | Robert H. Skinner: order form for saddle |
1935 March 28 |
2 | 47 | Robert H. Skinner: certificate for Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity |
1939 October 22 |
2 | 48 | Robert H. Skinner educational records and ephemera |
1938-1941 |
2 | 49 | Materials relating to Robert H. Skinner's military service, including correspondence with the draft board, orders and permits, financial papers, and ephemera |
1941-1947 |
8 | 1 | Robert H. Skinner and Sara Skinner photographs (black and white negatives) |
1946 |
2 | 50 | Clippings about Robert H. Skinner's involvement in the ranching business and ranching organizations |
1973-1992 |
2 | 51 | Proceedings of Congress of Public Lands in the West, including questions posed by Robert H. Skinner |
1976 June |
2 | 52 | Brochure for Sagebrush Rebellion, Inc., listing Robert H. Skinner as a board member |
circa 1977 |
2 | 53 | Clipping of Robert H. Skinner letter to the Ontario Argus Observer, refuting claims of a former Bureau of Land Management employee |
1981 June 26 |
2 | 54 | Robert H. Skinner letter and resumé relating to his run for Oregon State Senate |
1982 |
2 | 55 | Robert H. Skinner: certificate of election as director of educational service district in Malheur County |
1982 April 2 |
2 | 56 | Minutes of Oregon State Board of Agriculture, including remarks by Robert H. Skinner |
1983 October 5-6 |
2 | 57 | Certificates of election for Robert H. Skinner and Sara Skinner as Republican precinct committee members |
1984 May 25 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 1 | Photographs of Robert H. Skinner, Bureau of Land Management employee Mike Holbert, and Skinner Ranch, taken for article in the Oregonian |
circa 1985 | |
Oversize 2 | Photographs of Robert H. Skinner with other members of cattle associations |
circa 1985-1988 | |
Oversize 3 | Certificates awarded to Robert H. Skinner |
1986; 1990 | |
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 58 | Robert H. Skinner: program for 73rd Annual Convention, Oregon Cattlemen's Association |
1986 November |
2 | 59 | Proceedings of National Range Workshop, including remarks by Robert H. Skinner, and related letter to Skinner |
1988 September; 1990 January 18 |
2 | 60 | Robert H. Skinner: Program for Oregon Partnership for Agricultural Progress Awards banquet, and related correspondence to Skinner |
1992 September-October |
2 | 61 | Robert H. Skinner: Clippings about Cowboys Then and Now Museum and Cattlemen's Heritage Foundation; brochure for Cowboys Then and Now Museum |
1992 |
2 | 62 | Robert H. Skinner testimony before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Lands, in favor of House Resolution 1713 |
1995 July 11 |
2 | 63 | Clippings about Sara Skinner |
1946-1985 |
2 | 64 | Invitation for wedding of Silas K. Skinner, Jr. and Naida Whybark, sent to W. S. Skinner |
1957 |
2 | 65 | Clippings about Tom Skinner |
1996; 2008 |
2 | 66 | Idaho Daily Statesman article about William M. Skinner's death (photocopies) |
1942 March 31 |
2 | 67 | Western Livestock Reporter article and testimonials about Bob Skinner, Jr. |
1998-2000 |
2 | 68 | Clippings and souvenir book about Miss Oregon pageant that Nancy Jane Skinner competed in |
1971 |
2 | 69 | Sally Skinner reminiscences |
2000 |
2 | 70 | Clippings about individual members of the Skinner family |
1960-1998 |
Subseries 1.3: Papers, photographs, and memorabilia of related families |
circa 1865-2006 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 71 | Anne Humphreys reminiscences about Skinner family, "My American Family" |
undated |
2 | 72 | Typescript copy of biographical sketch of Johanna Skinner's uncle, Alexander Murray, in Joseph Gaston's "Centennial History of Oregon," with added notes |
undated |
2 | 73 | Correspondence from Johanna Skinner's brothers, Alexander Murray and Robert Murray (both from Scotland), to family members, primarily Jessie Murray and Johanna Skinner, while serving in World War I |
1916-1918 |
2 | 74 | Correspondence, obituary, photographs, and photograph of medal relating to Alexander Murray's wounding and death in World War I (photocopies) |
1918-1921 |
2 | 75 | Photographs of Alexander Murray's grave; note with clover picked at Murray's grave (photocopy) |
circa 1918-1920; 2006 |
2 | 76 | Memorial service program for Eva O. Murray |
1994 July 5 |
2 | 77 | Jessie Murray account of her visit to the Skinner ranch (original and typescript copy) |
circa 1968 |
2 | 78 | Transcript of oral history interview with John Murray, done for Cant Ranch Oral History Program |
1982-1984 |
2 | 79 | Letter from Johanna Skinner's grandfather, Robert Murray, to Sandy Murray, with note by Johanna Skinner |
1881 January 20; undated |
2 | 80 | Murray family photographs |
circa 1865-1930 |
2 | 81 | Murray family photographs and ephemera |
circa 1865-2000 |
7 | Murray family photograph album |
circa 1865-1885 | |
Folder | |||
2 | 82 | Clippings about Oregon members of the Murray family |
1928-1984 |
2 | 83 | Clippings about Scottish Murray family members, mostly obituaries; telegram about Helen Murray's death |
1894-1960 |
2 | 84 | Clippings about Gheen family |
1977 March 15; 1986 March 5 |
2 | 85 | Sackett family photographs, including of Ella Sackett Skinner |
circa 1865-1890 |
Subseries 1.4: Other papers, memorabilia, and family photographs
Researcher access to negatives and home movies in this subseries is limited for preservation purposes; contact library staff to inquire about viewing these materials. Fees may apply.
|
circa 1870-2008 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 86 | Biography of Virginia Fleming, who taught at school on Skinner Ranch, written by Pop McCommon |
2007 |
3 | 1 | Brochure about Jordan Valley, designed by Johanna Skinner |
circa 1960 |
3 | 2 | Brochure about Jordan Valley |
circa 2000 |
3 | 3 | Essay by Donald Grant about his stay at the Skinner Ranch (typescript copies) |
circa 1967 |
3 | 4 | History of controversy regarding grazing permits, possibly written by Robert H. Skinner, titled "The Battle of Soldier Creek" |
circa 1960 |
3 | 5 | History of Skinner family and Skinner Ranch by Robert H. Skinner |
2004 September |
3 | 6 | John Sackett Skinner writings on family history, "Capsules of History" |
1995 October |
3 | 7 | Letter and historical sketch by Robert H. Skinner and Tom Skinner about horse that S. K. Skinner rode named Bally Beers |
circa 2000 |
3 | 8 | Home movies with narration by Robert H. Skinner 3 videodiscs (DVD)
|
1951-1971; 2006 |
3 | 9 | List of teachers who taught at school on Skinner Ranch, compiled by Johanna Skinner |
1960 |
3 | 10 | List of people who have lived in the Skinner Rock House |
circa 2000 |
3 | 11 | Newsletter by Dottie C. Edwards, "The Pioneer," sent to W. S. Skinner |
1959 August |
3 | 12 | Skinner family photographs |
circa 1870-1940 |
3 | 13 | Photograph of Silas Skinner's business partner, E. H. Clinton |
circa 1880 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 4 | Photographs of Skinner family and Skinner Ranch |
1910-1915 | |
Oversize 5 | Photograph of Verna Claire Skinner, Johanna Murray, Nancy Irma Skinner, and Ruby Aileen Skinner at Ruby Ranch |
1911 | |
Oversize 6 | Photograph of W. S. Skinner, S. K. Skinner, and others cutting wild grass on Goose Ranch (print) |
1914 | |
Box | Folder | ||
8 | 4 | Photograph of W. S. Skinner, S. K. Skinner, and others cutting wild grass on Goose Ranch (glass plate negative) |
1914 |
8 | 4 | Photograph of horse on Skinner Ranch (glass plate negative) |
circa 1914 |
3 | 14 | Skinner family photographs |
circa 1940-2000 |
8 | 2 | Skinner family photographs (black and white negatives) |
circa 1950-1985; circa 1950-1960 |
8 | 3 | Skinner family photographs (color negatives) |
circa 1955-1965 |
3 | 15 | Photographs of ranching work and of Jordan Valley area |
circa 1900-1990 |
3 | 16 | Photographs of Skinner family trip to central Oregon, including Murray Ranch |
1963 October |
3 | 17-18 | Slides |
1947-1985 |
3 | 19 | Slides of Christmas celebration |
1984 December |
3 | 20 | Slides |
1986-1992 |
3 | 21 | Color slides of Christmas celebration |
1988 December |
3 | 22 | Slides of trip to Crater Lake |
1989 |
3 | 23 | Slides, including of county fair |
circa 1990 |
3 | 24 | Slides, including of Wallowa County Fair |
1990 September |
3 | 25 | Slides |
1993 |
3 | 26 | Slides |
undated |
3 | 27 | Program for Local Teachers' Institute event in Jordan Valley |
1913 November 14 |
3 | 28 | Program for play including Irma Skinner and Ella Skinner, "And Home Came Ted" |
1922 March 10 |
3 | 29 | Program for annual meeting of Malheur County Soil and Water Conservation District, and related letter to Skinner Ranches, Inc. |
1995 January-February |
3 | 30 | Purina publications featuring the Skinner family |
1980 |
3 | 31 | Issue of Oregon Beef Producer with article on the Skinner family |
1990 |
3 | 32 | Issue of Polled Hereford Ranch World with article on the Skinner Ranch |
1991 January |
3 | 33 | Robert H. Skinner remarks about how Jordan Valley has changed in his lifetime |
circa 2004 |
3 | 34 | Reminiscences about the Great Depression, probably by Robert H. Skinner |
circa 2005 |
3 | 35 | Reminiscences and ranch history, probably by John Sackett Skinner |
circa 2008 |
3 | 36 | Handwritten transcript of Thanksgiving Day radio address by Ruby Beers |
undated |
3 | 37 | Transcript of commentary on tour led by Jim Hyslop, Tom Skinner, and Robert H. Skinner; e-mail with article about the tour |
2001 September 8; 2001 September 21 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 11 | Issues of Jordan Valley Express |
1910 September 29; 1917 October 16 | |
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 38 | Clippings about the Skinner family |
circa 1960-2008 |
3 | 39 | Issue of Idaho Sunday Statesman with articles about Oregon Centennial celebrations in Jordan Valley |
1959 May 17 |
3 | 40 | Clippings and program relating to Western Livestock Journal Sagebrush Circuit Tour that included the Skinner Ranch |
1980 |
3 | 41 | Clippings and ticket relating to Taylor Grazing Act anniversary celebration at Skinner Ranch; history of Taylor Grazing Act |
1984 |
Series 2: Financial, property, and ranching records, 1863-2006Return to Top
In the 1870s, Silas Skinner and E. H. Clinton acquired 120 acres of land near the town of Jordan Valley, Oregon, to raise horses and cattle. In 1879, Skinner sold his interest in the property to Clinton. Later, Silas Skinner's son W. S. Skinner would manage this land, and purchased it in the early 20th century. He also leased the nearby Ruby Ranch from Ruby Beers. He continued to expand the ranch, and in the 1920s borrowed money from the Lumbermens Trust Bank in Portland, Oregon, to fund operations. However, the incurred debts, compounded by the Great Depression, led to the ranch's foreclosure in 1931. The following year, M. E. Gunderson negotiated to lease the ranch to the Skinner family. In 1938, the Skinner family repurchased the ranch, and it has continued operations into the 21st century.
Source: "High Desert Promise: The Skinner Family Legacy," by John Sackett Skinner (Hillsboro, Or.: Skinner Family, 2009); collection materials.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 42 | Property and financial records of Silas Skinner and Annie Skinner (photocopies), and related notes |
1877-1908; undated |
3 | 43 | Property records (photocopies) and related notes |
1889-1922; undated |
3 | 44 | Property records, including bills of sale and mortgage |
1891-circa 1915 |
3 | 45-46 | Title abstracts |
1883-1941 |
3 | 47-48 | Compiled records and correspondence relating to Skinner property and ranching activities |
1869-1977 |
3 | 49 | Correspondence and records about ranch property and finances |
1911-1924 |
3 | 50 | Correspondence and records about ranch ownership and finances, including correspondence from S. K. Skinner to Johanna Skinner |
1929-1934 |
3 | 51-52 | Correspondence and records about ranch property and finances |
1930-1946 |
3 | 53 | Compiled records and correspondence about Clinton family property and finances |
1863-1903 |
4 | 1 | Compiled records and correspondence about Clinton family property and finances |
1899-1905; 2006 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 9 | Deeds for Elbert H. Clinton property |
1889-1890 | |
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 2 | Correspondence about W. S. Skinner purchase of Clinton property |
1907-1917 |
4 | 3 | Records and correspondence about Murray family property in Oregon, including correspondence to Johanna Skinner |
1891-1948 |
4 | 4 | Records and correspondence about Jordan Creek water rights |
1878-1943 |
4 | 5 | Records and correspondence relating to Antelope Reservoir, Jordan Valley Land and Water Company, and Jordan Valley Farms, Inc. |
1918-1939 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 7 | Blueprint maps of Sections 19 and 27, Antelope Dam Unit |
circa 1920 | |
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 6 | Records relating to W. S. Skinner estate |
1983 July |
4 | 7 | Financial papers of W. S. Skinner's friend Willis G. Thompson, including offer for subscription to the Oregonian |
1899-circa 1925 |
4 | 8 | Financial records relating to ranch |
1900-1924 |
4 | 9 | Financial records |
1921-1942 |
4 | 10 | Ranch records, including receipts, notes, and government forms |
1941-1965 |
4 | 11 | Ranch account book |
1918-1922 |
4 | 12 | Robert H. Skinner registration for brands |
1932 May 4 |
4 | 13 | Note about history of Skinner brand symbol |
circa 2000 |
4 | 14 | Records relating to cattle |
1928 |
4 | 15 | Soldier Creek Cow Camp expenses for the year |
1936 December |
4 | 16 | American Shorthorn Breeders' Association membership certificate for S. K. Skinner & Sons, and accompanying letter |
1948 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 8 | Cattle breeding registry records |
1948-1954 | |
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 17 | Checkbook, with inscription by S. K. Skinner explaining its significance |
circa 1930; undated |
4 | 18 | Letter from Ella Skinner to family with instructions about the disposition of her personal property, with annotations and notes by S. K. Skinner and John Sackett Skinner |
1931 September 15; undated |
4 | 19 | Handwritten copy of letter from J. J. Ballard to S. K. Skinner regarding cattle purchase, and explanation of letter's context by S. K. Skinner |
1939 April 14; undated |
4 | 20 | Letter to S. K. Skinner about results of groundwater sample taken from Skinner Ranch by National Uranium Resource Evaluation |
circa 1981 |
4 | 21 | Property covenant with Robert E. Lees |
1939 August 23 |
4 | 22 | Instructions on dosing livestock with phenothiazine, with handwritten note |
circa 1945 |
4 | 23 | Invoices and receipts from Helm & Yturri General Merchandise |
1931-1947 |
4 | 24 | Farm lease |
1946 February 21 |
4 | 25 | Record book with financial records and Soldier Creek Livestock Association minutes |
1954-1970 |
4 | 26 | Financial ledger |
1926 |
4 | 27 | Inventory and financial ledger |
1948-1956 |
4 | 28 | Financial ledger |
1952-1961 |
4 | 29 | Financial ledger |
1952-1977 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 10 | S. K. Skinner & Sons loan records |
1952-1953 | |
Oversize 12 | Tract map of Jordan Creek and Cow Creek area |
undated | |
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 30 | Mortgage bonds from Lumbermens Trust Company |
1922 |
4 | 31 | Circular about Skinner mortgage (photocopy) |
circa 1925 |
4 | 32 | Mortgage bond payment vouchers to Lumbermens Trust Company |
1929 |
4 | 33 | Chattel mortgages |
1959-1960 |
4 | 34 | Robert H. Skinner notes about ranch operations |
circa 1958-1969 |
4 | 35 | Handwritten notes about property |
undated |
4 | 36 | Partnership agreement between Robert H. Skinner and Daniel Skinner |
1966 October 19 |
4 | 37 | Permit granting W. S. Skinner the right to tan leather; handbook for tanning process |
1897 |
4 | 38 | Reports and photographs relating to Middle Fork of Malheur River |
1985-1988 |
4 | 39 | Respondents' brief for Oregon Supreme Court case, Robert E. Smith and Emery Smith v. S. K. Skinner, W. S. Skinner, C. W. Glenn, and George J. Dickson |
1933 |
4 | 40 | Skinner Ranch stationery |
circa 1950 |
4 | 41 | W. S. Skinner stock certificates for Peoples Milling and Elevator Association |
1914 December 21 |
4 | 42 | Tax receipt for Clinton & Skinner |
1878 November 22 |
4 | 43 | Property tax receipts |
1939 September 15 |
4 | 44 | Warranty deed for W. S. Skinner |
1922 May 3 |
4 | 45 | Johanna Skinner last will and testament |
1966 November 8 |
4 | 46 | S. K. Skinner last will and testament; S. K. Skinner letter of instruction regarding inheritance |
1966 November 8; circa 1975 |
4 | 47 | Last will and testament of Leah Vinson (neé Murray), listing Johanna Skinner as a beneficiary |
1953 July 20 |
Series 3: Historical and genealogical research materials, 1840-2013, (bulk 1871-2013) Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Subseries 3.1: Research on Jean Baptiste Charbonneau's gravesite |
circa 1955-2013 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 48 | Correspondence, writings, and published materials relating to the Skinner family's research on Jean Baptiste Charbonneau and his gravesite, compiled by Johanna Skinner, with introductory note and annotations by Joanne Owens |
circa 1955-1972; 2001; circa 2013 |
4 | 49 | S. K. Skinner notes about research into Charbonneau gravesite (photocopy) |
1971 October 16 |
4 | 50 | Correspondence relating to Charbonneau gravesite, mostly of Irving W. Anderson and Clyde Porter, including their correspondence with S. K. Skinner, Johanna Skinner, and W. S. Skinner |
1955-1972 |
4 | 51 | Biographical sketch of Charbonneau by Irving W. Anderson, with mention of S. K. Skinner and Johanna Skinner in acknowledgements |
1969 October |
4 | 52 | Oregonian article by Chris Moore about Charbonneau gravesite (draft and clipping of published version) |
1965 |
4 | 53 | Letter from Malheur County Historical Society to Fort Clatsop Historical Association regarding Skinner family's role in identifying Charbonneau gravesite, and related letter from Chris Moore to John Sackett Skinner and Carole Skinner |
1999 |
5 | 1 | John Sackett Skinner correspondence about Skinner family's role in identifying Charbonneau gravesite, and related pamphlets and articles |
1971; 1992; 1999-2005 |
5 | 2 | Booklet by Frances Jones, "Finding Charbonneau's Grave," about the role people including the Skinners played in locating Charbonneau gravesite |
2013 |
5 | 3 | Program for dedication of Charbonneau gravesite |
1971 August 6 |
5 | 4 | Program for re-dedication of Charbonneau gravesite |
2000 June 24 |
5 | 5 | Clippings relating to Charbonneau gravesite |
1971; 1999-2000 |
5 | 6 | Timeline of research about Charbonneau gravesite and list of sources John Sackett Skinner consulted for timeline |
circa 2012 |
Subseries 3.2: Other historical research |
1910-2008 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 7 | Article by Johanna Skinner about history of Ruby Ranch |
1959 August 24 |
5 | 8 | Chronology of Jordan Valley history compiled by Johanna Skinner (typescript copy) |
circa 1958 |
5 | 9 | Letter from Bessie Caine to Johanna Skinner about history of Silver City, with enclosed photographs |
1961 January 31 |
5 | 10 | Maps of Jordan Valley drawn by Johanna Skinner and S. K. Skinner, marking historically significant spots and features |
circa 1960 |
5 | 11 | Clippings, notes, and publications relating to history of Basque people in Jordan Valley, compiled by Johanna Skinner |
circa 1957-1972 |
5 | 12 | Johanna Skinner notes about 19th-century conflicts between Euro-Americans and Native peoples in eastern Oregon |
circa 1960 |
5 | 13 | Johanna Skinner transcript of 1898 Owyhee Directory entry about the origin of Jordan Creek's name, with additional notes (photocopy) |
circa 1969 |
5 | 14 | Notes, copied excerpts from published materials, and correspondence relating to Johanna Skinner's historical research |
circa 1960-1972 |
5 | 15 | Checkbook that Johanna Skinner used for notes on historical research |
circa 1960 |
5 | 16 | History by Jerry E. Stanke, titled "Early Days at Camp Lyon, Idaho Territory," that Johanna Skinner used in her research (original and photocopy) |
circa 1957 |
5 | 17 | Histories of Inskip Station by Ruth Inskeep |
circa 1965; 1985 |
5 | 18 | Typescript copies of excerpts from "Life and Adventures of David Lawson Shirk," with annotation on one copy by Johanna Skinner |
1920; circa 1960 |
5 | 19 | Compiled articles, correspondence, writings, and other materials about the history of the Skinner Toll Road |
1961-2008 |
5 | 20 | Letter from Floyd Acarregui to Robert H. Skinner about a murder case in Malheur County in 1910 and attached records |
1993; 1910 |
5 | 21 | Typescript of article about M. E. Bain's reminiscences of eastern Oregon history, with annotations by Chris Moore |
undated |
Subseries 3.3: Family history and genealogical research |
1840-circa 2010; 1871-circa 2010 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
6 | 1 | Genealogies of Skinner, Sackett, and Murray families |
circa 2010 |
6 | 2 | Family history compiled by Christine Moore and Nancy Moore, "History of the Descendants of Silas and Annie Callow Skinner" |
circa 1980 |
6 | 3-4 | Biographical and genealogical information compiled by John Sackett Skinner |
2008-2009; undated |
6 | 5 | Genealogical information and photographs relating to Skinner, Callow, and Sackett families compiled by John Sackett Skinner and Don Emel |
1870-1999 |
6 | 6 | Correspondence and research materials relating to the Murray and Mackenzie families compiled by John Sackett Skinner |
circa 1954-2006; 1999-2006 |
6 | 7-8 | Research and correspondence relating to the Murray, Mackenzie, and McDonald families |
circa 1960-2001 |
6 | 9 | Murray family genealogical information |
undated |
6 | 10 | Genealogical information, notes, photocopied vital records and images, clippings, and transcribed articles relating to Sackett, Skinner, and Callow families |
1871-1966 |
6 | 11 | Vital records, genealogical information, and correspondence regarding Skinner, Sackett, and Callow families |
1840-circa 2000; 1953-circa 2000 |
6 | 12 | Genealogical information about Skinner, Sackett, and Murray families |
undated |
6 | 13 | Correspondence from Anne Humphries to John Sackett Skinner and Carole Skinner about family history, and enclosed photographs |
1998-2001; 1945 |
6 | 14 | Robert H. Skinner e-mail correspondence about family history |
2000 March |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Families--Oregon
- Families--Oregon--Malheur County
- Pioneer and frontier life--Oregon--Malheur County
- Pioneers--Oregon--Malheur County
- Ranches--Oregon--Malheur County
- Ranching--Oregon
- Real property--Oregon--Malheur County
Personal Names
- Charbonneau, Jean-Baptiste, 1805-1866--Tomb
- Hampton, Annabel, 1875-1962--Correspondence
- Owens, Joanne (Jessie Johanna), 1932---Correspondence
- Skinner, Johanna, 1889-1972--Correspondence
- Skinner, John Sackett, 1929---Correspondence
- Skinner, Robert H. (Robert Harold), 1920-2012--Correspondence
- Skinner, S. K. (Silas Kirtland), 1892-1983--Correspondence
- Skinner, W. S. (William Silas), 1871-1960--Correspondence
Corporate Names
- Skinner Ranch (Malheur County, Or.)--Records and correspondence
Family Names
- Murray family
- Skinner family
- Skinner family--Correspondence
- Skinner family--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- genealogies (histories)
- photographs
- property records
- research (documents)