Archives West Finding Aid
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W. W. Raymond papers, 1847-1888
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Raymond, W. W. (William Wakeman), 1815-1894
- Title
- W. W. Raymond papers
- Dates
- 1847-1888 (inclusive)18471888
- Quantity
- 0.15 cubic feet, (6 folders in shared box)
- Collection Number
- Mss 555
- Summary
- Papers of William Wakeman Raymond (1815-1894) of Oregon, primarily relating to his role as an Indian agent. The papers include correspondence about the treatment of Native peoples and the possibility of Native people claiming land; claims that Clatsop Chief Tostou made against the United States for destroyed or confiscated property; and handwritten copies of three unratified 1851 treaties with Natives peoples. Raymond came to Oregon in 1840, and worked as a missionary, farmer, and Indian agent. He lived most of his life in Oregon in Clatsop County.
- 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
William Wakeman Raymond was born in 1815 in Lenox, New York. As a young man, he aspired to become a missionary. In August 1839, he married fellow aspiring missionary Almira David (1814-1880), and both sailed to Oregon on the ship Lausanne as part of the "Great Reinforcement" to Jason Lee's mission in the Willamette Valley. The couple had eleven children, six of whom survived to adulthood.
After doing missionary work in The Dalles and Salem, the Raymonds moved to Clatsop County, where W. W. Raymond farmed. He was appointed as a sub-Indian agent in the 1850s, and often acted as an interpreter in treaty negotiations.
Almira Raymond divorced W. W. Raymond in 1864, citing repeated adultery by W. W. Raymond with Elmira Phillips (1809-1900) and physical abuse by him. W. W. Raymond married Phillips soon after the divorce. He died in 1894 in Warrenton, Oregon.
Sources: "Almira Raymond Letters, 1840-1880," by Olga Freeman, Oregon Historical Quarterly, Vol. 85, No. 3 (Fall 1984), pages 290-303; "Violence against Wives by Prominent Men in Early Clatsop County," by David Peterson del Mar, Oregon Historical Quarterly, Vol. 100, No. 4 (Winter 1999), pages 434-450; vital records via Ancestry.com.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of the papers of W. W. Raymond of Clatsop County, Oregon, primarily relating to his work as an Indian agent. These papers include correspondence to and from Raymond, two memorandum books, and financial papers. Most of the correspondence in the collection concerns the treatment of Native peoples in Oregon and the possibility for Native people to legally claim land. Several letters specifically relate to whether or not Native people could claim land under the Homestead Act. At least some of the letters from Raymond are either draft versions or handwritten copies. The memorandum books, one of which was explicitly maintained for Raymond's work at the Grand Ronde Reservation, contain notes relating to supplies and finances, as well as censuses of Native peoples. The collection also contains three copies of claims, written by Raymond, that Clatsop Chief Tostou lodged against the United States in 1868 for compensation for property that was either destroyed or confiscated by the commander of Fort Stevens; and handwritten copies of three unratified treaties made with the Tillamook people, the Naalem band of the Tillamook, and the Clatsop people in August 1851.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
W. W. Raymond papers, Mss 555, 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
Acquisition Information
Materials were acquired prior to 1964, most likely in the late 19th century or early 20th century.
Related Materials
Other materials at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library relating to Raymond and his family include: the Joel Palmer papers, Mss 114; the Amos Starr Cooke letters, Mss 1223; the Protestant Missionaries Miscellaneous Collection, Mss 1225; "Westward to Oregon: Diary and Letters of Almira David Raymond, and W. W. Raymond, Oregon Pioneers with Rev. Jason Lee," Mss 2997; and a vertical file, Biography - Raymond, W. W.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Indian agents--Oregon
- Indian agents--Oregon--Correspondence
- Indians of North America--Oregon
- Pioneers--Oregon--Clatsop County
Personal Names
- Raymond, W. W. (William Wakeman), 1815-1894--Correspondence
Corporate Names
- United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Grande Ronde Agency--Records and correspondence
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- treaties
