Benjamin Freeman Kendall papers.

Benjamin Freeman Kendall papers., 1853-1916

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Kendall, B. F. (Benjamin Freeman), 1829-1863.
Title: Benjamin Freeman Kendall papers.
Dates: 1853-1916 (inclusive)
18531916

1855-1862 (bulk)
18551862
Quantity: .45 cubic feet (1 document case)
Collection Number: Mss 1038
Summary: Papers of an early Indian agent, political figure, and publisher of the Overland Press in Washington Territory. Includes correspondence, financial records, and papers relating to the Indian agency.
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: The collection is open to the public.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Benjamin Freeman Kendall was a political figure and Indian agent in early Washington Territory. He owned and operated the newspaper Overland Press in Olympia, and it was there that he wrote of the incendiary activities of a Mr. Howe, a farmer of Ford's Prairie. Howe and Kendall began a feud which culminated in fight in the streets of Olympia in late 1862, Howe being wounded by Kendall's gunfire. This resulted in an incident in January of 1863 in which Howe's son Horace shot and killed Kendall at the latter's office in Olympia. Howe was arrested but acquitted, and it was rumored that Kendall's political enemies may have precipitated the assassination.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists primarily of correspondence, financial records, and legal papers. Subjects relate to Kendall's political and business affairs and his activities as Indian agent. Correspondents include: Asahel Bush, Hubert Howe Bancroft, David Logan, L. F. Grover, J. N. King, O. B. McFadden, J. L. Parrish, W. N. Rector, and E. H. Wilson. Of particular interest is a file of applications for positions in the Indian agency, 1861-1862, and applications to trade with the Nez Percé Indians, 1861. Among the personal letters is one from James Ripley Osgood, 1859 November 30, describing cultural and political conditions in Boston.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any publication use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Benjamin Freeman Kendall papers, Mss 1038, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in one series.

Acquisition Information

Letter of James Ripley Osgood was a gift of H. B. McElroy, 1916 April.

Bibliography

Scrapbook 112, page 27, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Related Materials

Information on the Kendall-Howe feud can be found in the file "Kendall, B. F.," in the Biography File, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
1	Letters to Kendall, political and business M. Bachelder, Nov. 17, 1861, Dec. 16, 18, 1862, three H. H. Bancroft, Mar. 8, 1860 Wm. H. Barnhart, May 5, 1862 H. H, Black, Aug. 6, 1862 M. Chappelin, Oct. 28, 1862 E. S. Fowler, Dec. 11, 1862 L. F. Grover, Mar. 16, 1862 Dexter A. Hawkins, June 26, 1860, May 12, 1862, two G. Hays, Apr. 19, Sept. 21, 1862, two James M. Hays, Oct. 10, 1861 Anson Henry, May 22, 1862 Edward Huggins, Dec. 11, 1862 L. D. Howe, Oct. 16, 1861 R. G. Kendall, Mar. 13, 1859 S. G. Kendall, Aug. 29, 1861-Oct. 30, 1862, three B. W. Kimball, Aug. 28-Sept. 26, 1862, three J. Nevin King, Sept. 7, 1861 Edward Lander, Jan. 15, 1858 T. F. Marks, Oct. 14, 1861 O. B. McFadden, Aug. 7, 1862 J. H. McKee, Jan. 25, 1862 W. Medill, June 17, 1857 W. E. Miles, May 12. 1859 (?) James R. Osgood, Nov. 30, 1859 Geo. Parkinson, Aug. 9, 1862 J. L. Parrish. & Co., Aug. 1, 1862 Childs Peterson, June 13, 1860 H. Race, Dec. 18, 1862 Roberts, George B., Oct. 3, Nov 18, 1862, 2 letters L. H. Roberts, Feb. 21, 1860 John H. Scranton, May 22, 1862 Thos. H. Smith, Feb. 13, 1860 H. Q. Tibbets, Dec. 20, 1862 Wm. Utter, Apr. 17, 1860 E. A. Willson, Oct. 1, 1862 E. H. Wilson, Sept. 2, 1862 C. H. Woodard, June 12, 1862	1857-1862, 1916
2	Letters to Kendall, legal and business C. H. Armstrong, Apr. 27, 1862 Albert G. Balch, July 26, 1862 Dan'l F. Bradford, July 11, 1859 H. H. Byrne, Jan. 31, Mar. 22, 1860, two L. H. Calkins, July 25, 1858 James Cawley, Nov. 17, 1862 J. S. Clendenin, Mar. 10, 1805, plus three enclosures John Collins, Aug. 8, 1862 B. F. Dennison, Dec. 10, 1862 D. W. Douthitt, Aug. 30, 1862 John Evans, June 29, 1857 Fitzhugh, Apr. 18, 1860 George Gallagher, Aug. 20, 1862 Julie Gilmore, Mar. 25, 1860; Dec. 16, 1862, two E. Greenbaum, July 10, 1860 John R. Jackson, Mar. 14, Apr. 11, 1860, two Isaac S. Josephi, Nov. 28, 1862 David Logan, Aug. 25, 1862 Wm. H. Molthrop, Mar. 9, 1860 Robert Mows, Mar. 2, 1859 E. E. Rogers, Aug. 11, 1862 Charles C. Terry, June 18, 1862 Thomas Wallace, Nov, 2, 1859-Apr. 23, 1860, six C. H. West, Feb. 23, 1858 Elisha Whittlesey, Nov. 18, 1856, Feb. 23, 1857, two plus enclosure John A. Wills, Feb. 2, 1860, Oct. 6, 1862	1855-1862
3	Letters to Kendall, Indian affairs Henri M. Chase, May 25, 1862 H. H. Mc Near, May 20, 1862 Wm. H. Rector, Feb. 15, 1862 Amos Reed, March 7, 1862 R. R. Thompson, Feb. 18, 1862	1862
4	Applications for jobs on Indian reservations	1861-1862
5	Applications to trade with Nez Percé Indians	1861
6	Bounty land claims statements	1856-1858
7	Legal documents and papers	1855-1860
8	Legal documents and papers	circa 1855-1870
9	Depositions by employees of Indian agency	1862
10	General materials	1853-1870
11	Overland Press materials	1862
12	Receipts and accounts	circa 1856-1861

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Indian agents--Washington (State).
Journalists--Washington (State)--History.
Nez Perceé Indians.

Personal Names

Kendall, B. F. (Benjamin Freeman), 1829-1863--Correspondence.
Osgood, James R. (James Ripley), 1836-1892--Correspondence.

Corporate Names

Overland Press (Olympia, Wash.)

Geographical Names

Olympia (Wash.)--History.
Washington (State)--History--To 1889.

Form or Genre Terms

Letters (correspondence).

Occupations

Journalist.

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