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Slater Family Papers, 1894-2013

Overview of the Collection

Title
Slater Family Papers
Dates
1894-2013 (inclusive)
Quantity
4.5 linear feet, (9 boxes)
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0396
Summary
A collection of family/genealogical-type materials documenting members of the Slater Family of Whatcom County, particularly John Slater, his wife Inda and daughter Doy Slater Hughes.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public for research.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

This collection features John Slater (1865-1932), a prominent farmer and businessman in the Ferndale-area of Whatcom County, Washington, and several family members. Slater was born into a family who migrated to Whatcom County in 1859. One of four surviving children, he was raised on his father's extensive farm in the Nooksack River delta and married Inda Mayfield (1868-1949) in 1886. The couple and their four children (Doy (1887-1974), Gladys (1890-1957), Verla (1903-1990), and Glen (1892-1929)) resided on their own farm until 1905, when they relocated to Ferndale. John Slater was a field representative for the Mount Vernon Condensery Company (later Carnation) and vice-president of the First National Bank of Ferndale. He served on the Ferndale School Board, as Master of the Ferndale Grange, and President of the Old Settlers Association of Whatcom County. His daughter Doy Slater Hughes graduated from the University of Washington, where she was a founding member of the Tri Delta Sorority chapter. She had a lengthy career teaching in Whatcom County schools, principally Ferndale High School. She married "Bud" Hughes in 1917 and they had four children. Slater family photographs, letters, newspaper articles, ephemera and related publications serve to highlight their participation in the life and history of Ferndale and Whatcom County.

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Content Description

This collection contains a variety of materials related to the Slater family, particularly John Slater, his wife Inda, daughter Doy Slater Hughes and three granddaughters: Dorothy Hughes Knowlton Myhre (1917-2013), Margaret Hammer Dorr (1914-1990) and Kathryn Hammer Heron (1916-2006). Also included are papers detailing education and pioneer conditions in early Whatcom County, postcards, dance cards, photographs, family history and genealogy. The bulk of the collection contains the correspondence Doy Slater Hughes received between 1902-1916 while living at home in Ferndale, attending and graduating from high school in Bellingham, attending and graduating from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and living in Bellingham while teaching at the Washington School. Her correspondents wrote lively letters, revealing much about their daily lives, their families and mutual friends, social events, jobs, and commenting on current shows, plays, and the Yukon Exhibition.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[item/file, date], Slater Family Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is organized into the following series: Series I. John Slater and Family Papers; Series II. Doy Slater Hughes Papers; Series III. Additional Family Papers; Series IV. Visual Materials and Ephemera, and Series V. Local History Materials.

Custodial History

The first installment of this collection was donated to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 2019 by Doy Groenenberg and Christine Roe, with further additions made in subsequent years by Doy Groenenberg.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Leslie Hall.

Processing Note

About Harmful Language and Content

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.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Bankers--Washington (State)--Ferndale--History--Sources.
  • Businessmen--Washington (State)--Ferndale--History--Sources.
  • College sorority members--Washington (State)--Seattle--History--Sources.
  • Education--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Farmers--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--Sources.
  • Pioneers--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Women teachers--Washington (State)--Ferndale--History--Sources.
  • Women teachers--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Women--Washington (State)--Seattle--Societies and clubs--History--Sources.

Personal Names

  • Dorr, Margaret Inda Hammer,--1914-1990--Archives.
  • Heron, Kathryn Mae Hammer,--1916-2006--Archives.
  • Hughes, Doy Slater,--1887-1974--Archives.
  • Hughes, Doy Slater,--1887-1974--Correspondence.
  • Myhre, Dorothy Hughes Knowlton,--1917-2013--Archives.
  • Slater, John,--1865-1932--Correspondence.
  • Slater, Inda Mayfield,--1868-1949--Archives.
  • Slater, John,--1865-1932--Archives.

Family Names

  • Slater family--Archives.

Geographical Names

  • Ferndale (Wash.)--History--Sources.
  • Ferndale (Wash.)--Social life and customs--History--Sources.
  • Whatcom County (Wash.)--History--Sources.
  • Whatcom County (Wash.)--Social life and customs--History--Sources.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Ephemera.
  • Family histories.
  • Personal correspondence.
  • Photographs.
  • Postcards.

Finding aid prepared by Leslie Hall and CPNWS staff.
2024 August

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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