ohy_coll799.xml Guide to the James F. Failing family papers 1850-2009 Failing (James F.) family papers Lindsey Benjamin Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library 2019
1200 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205 libreference@ohs.org https://www.ohs.org/research-and-library/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2019-04-10. Finding aid is written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. English Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library
1200 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205 libreference@ohs.org https://www.ohs.org/research-and-library/
James F. Failing family papers Failing, James F. (James Frederick), 1842-1920 Coll 799 3.52 cubic feet 3 legal cases, 3 oversize boxes 1850-2009 1870-1986 James Frederick Failing (1842-1920) was a prominent Portland businessman, civic leader, and member of the early Failing family. After arriving in Portland from New York in 1853, James participated in the wholesale hardware business of J. Failing and Co. with his father, Josiah, and his brother Henry. He would later go on to become the director or Portland's First National Bank, and serve as a trustee for numerous local organizations. His children also became notable Portland figures through business and philanthropy.

James Frederick Failing was born in New York on March 24, 1842 to Josiah Failing and Henrietta Legge Ellison. His father and older brothers, Henry and John William, arrived in Portland in 1851, followed two years later in 1853 by James, their mother, and sister, Elizabeth. James completed his education at Portland Academy, then joined J. Failing and Co. as a clerk. The company was a wholesale hardware business started by Josiah and Henry Failing at the corner of first and Oak Streets. James later became a partner at Corbett, Failing and Company. The company operated under this name for 22 years, before later becoming Failing-McCalman Company, operated in part by James's three sons.

In 1877, James Failing became a director of the First National Bank in Portland, remaining a senior director until his death in 1920. He married Jane Johnson Conner in 1880. She was born in Albany, Oregon on February 14, 1855 to merchant John Conner (1820-1902) and his first wife, Martha Mariea Bancroft Whittlesey (1827-1861). Later, John Conner married James's sister, Elizabeth Ann Failing in 1863. Jane Conner and James F. Failing had five children: Edward Josiah (1881-1936), Kate Whittlesey (1883-1971), John Conner (1886-1951), Frederick Ellison (1892-1929), and Henrietta Chase, 1895-1989). Kate and Henrietta participated regularly in Portland civic life, volunteering with numerous organizations.

James Failing and his family were members of the First Baptist Church of Portland. He was involved in the development and construction of the church's Taylor Street building between 1892 and 1893, and was both a trustee and a deacon. His daughter Kate created scrapbooks documenting the history of the church. He was also a director of the Young Men's Christian Association and a trustee for McMinnville College (later known as Linfield College), and an active member of the Oregon Pioneer Society and the Auld Lang Syne Society. Both his father, Josiah, and brother Henry served as mayors of Portland. While James never held public office, he was regarded as a prominent individual in the Portland business and civic communities.

Series 1, People, includes materials related to specific individuals from within the family of James F. Failing. This series makes up a majority of the papers, and includes photographs, correspondence, scrapbooks, bills, certificates and other personal memorabilia. Also included are documents from the Failing Family Trust of Josiah and Henrietta Failing, as well as materials illustrating James's arrival in Portland in 1853. The focus is largely on the personal and family life of James F. Failing, rather than his business ventures.

Series 2, Topics, contains materials not specifically linked to an individual, but rather a topic. These include general family trees and history, Portland Academy, and the First Baptist Church in Portland.

Collection is open for research.

James F. Failing family papers, Coll 799, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

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.

The papers are arranged in two series: Series 1. People and Series 2. Topics. Both are in alphabetical order. Within Series 1, individuals with more materials have been arranged into alphabetical sub-series.

Gift of Bill Failing Jr, January 2019.

Additional materials related to the Failing family can be found in the Henry Failing Papers (Mss 650) and the John C. Failing certificates (Coll 601). Photographs related to the brother of James F. Failing, Henry Failing (1834-1898), can be found in Org. Lot 785 and 1336.

See digitized selections at OHS Digital Collections.

Failing, Edward Josiah, 1881-1936 Failing, Frederick Ellison, 1892-1929 Failing, James F. (James Frederick), 1842-1920 Oregon Territory--History Portland (Or.)--History Families--Oregon--Portland Merchants--Oregon--Portland Hardware stores--Oregon--Portland Oregon Portland Failing, Jane Johnson, 1855-1932 Failing, Henrietta Chase, 1895-1989 Failing, Kate Whittlesey, 1883-1971 Failing, Jean, 1913-2008 Failing, John Conner, 1886-1951 Individuals Series 1 1850-2009 Failing, Henrietta Chase materials Subseries 1.1 Birth certificate 1895 1 12 Correspondence 1960, 1973-1983 1 13 Europe notes circa 1979 1 14 Family research 1974 1 15 Financial notes undated 1 16 Funeral service 1989, April 1 1 17 Honorary cable car gripman certificate 1981 4 1 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Portland certificate 1988 February 20 1 18 Obituary 1989 March 27 1 19 Photographs 1895-1903, 1916-1919, 1976-1985, undated 1 20 Portland Academy scrapbook 1910 6 Recipes undated 1 21 Silhouette undated 1 22 Trust 1984, 2009 1 23 Trust correspondence 2008 1 24 Failing, James Frederick materials Subseries 1.2 Biography undated 1 27 Clipper ship "Hurricane" passenger list and painting copy 1853, undated 1 28 Correspondence undated 1 29 Diary page reproduction, aboard clipper ship "Hurricane" 1853 1 30 House undated 2 1 Marriage to Jane Conner 1880 2 2 5 1 Memorials circa 1920 2 3 Newspaper scrapbooks circa 1860-1880 6 2 4 New York Public School certificate 1853 2 5 Photographs 1866-1872, 1898, undated 2 6 4 2 Photographs, portraits with wife and children undated 4 3 Pioneer Courthouse Square brick 1986 2 7 Poem written by Mary Forbush Failing for uncle undated 2 8 Scrapbook circa 1870 2 9 Failing, Jane Johnson (Conner) materials Subseries 1.3 Albany Collegiate Institute diploma 1874 June 18 5 2 Daughters of the American Revolution certificate 1912 May 9 5 3 Photographs 1900, 1917-1920, undated 2 10 4 4 Portland Art Association life member certificate 1918 December 5 2 11 Recipes notebook undated 2 12 United Kingdom alien registration 1923 2 13 Visitor sign book 1912-1948 2 14 Failing, Jean materials Subseries 1.4 Cornell University Dean article undated 3 1 Correspondence 2003-2004 3 2 Death 2008 3 3 Estate 2008 3 4 Holiday notes 2000-2008 3 5 Memorial 2008 3 6 Photographs 1913, 1996-2003, undated 3 7 Failing, John Conner materials Subseries 1.5 Correspondence 1930-1952 3 8 Memorial circa 1951 3 9 Photographs 1895, undated 3 10 Portland Academy certificate 1904 June 17 5 4 Silhouette undated 3 11 Yale scrapbook 1905-1909 6 Failing, Kate Whittlesey materials Subseries 1.6 Bills 1906 3 12 Correspondence 1952-1954 3 13 Photographs 1889-1923, 1965, undated 3 14 Recipe book undated 3 15 Silhouette undated 3 16 St. Margaret's Diocesan School for Girls certificate 1903 June 1 5 5 Other individuals materials Subseries 1.7 Brewster, William, Sr., photographs undated 1 1 Conner, Elizabeth (Failing), photographs 1882, undated 1 2 Conner, Henry, photographs undated 1 3 Conner, John, photographs undated 1 4 Conner, John, diary copy 1850 1 5 Failing, Edward, correspondence 1981 1 6 Failing, Edward Josiah, photographs 1882-1883, 1899, undated 1 7 Failing, Edward Josiah, silhouette undated 1 8 Failing, Ellen (Johnson), correspondence 1985 1 9 Failing, Frederick Ellison 1892, undated 1 10 Failing, Frederick Ellison, silhouette undated 1 11 Failing, Henrietta Legge (Ellison), oil painting copy undated 1 25 Failing, James, photographs circa 1940 1 26 Failing, William, correspondence 1975 3 17 Failing, William Latimer (1911-1989), correspondence 1986 3 18 Failing, William Latimer, Jr., correspondence 1973-2008 3 19 Wakefield, Henrietta Newton (Whittlesey), photographs undated 3 20 Whittlesey, Arphaxad Newton, memorial cross stitch by Kate Failing undated 3 21 Topics Series 2 1892-1993 Failing, family group photographs 1898, undated 3 22 Family holiday party 1993 3 23 Family reunion 1983 3 24 Family tree undated 3 25 First Baptist Church, Taylor Street building 1892-1893 3 26 Genealogy 1900, 1939-1954, undated 3 27 Portland Academy, photographs 1897, undated 3 28 Portland Rose Festival photograph 1913 3 29 Whittlesey family tree undated 3 30