Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
George Allan Dyson papers , 1861–1931
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Dyson, George Allan, 1843-1935
- Title
- George Allan Dyson papers
- Dates
- 1861–1931 (inclusive)18612020-03-23
- Quantity
-
1.5 linear feet, (1 container)
- Collection Number
- Ax 244
- Summary
- George Allan Dyson was born in England in 1843 and his family moved to the United States soon after. In 1861 Dyson sailed to California to work in the gold mines. A few years later he moved to Brownsville, Oregon and established the town's first newspaper, the Brownsville Advertiser, in 1878. Dyson mined in central Idaho in the 1880s, and moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1899, where he worked as a tinsmith until his death in 1935. The collection consists of diaries, letters, ledgers, manuscripts and an autobiography.
- Repository
-
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.
- 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
George Allan Dyson was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, in 1843 and came to the United States around 1845. In 1861, he went to California, via Panama, and worked in San Francisco, St. Helena, California, and Gold Hill, Nevada, as a tinsmith and gold miner. He returned to the Midwest in 1869, but came west again in 1874, this time to Brownsville, Oregon. He established the town's first newspaper, the Brownsville Advertiser, in 1878, mined in central Idaho in the 1880s, and moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1899, where he resumed his trade as a tinsmith.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The George Allan Dyson Papers consist of diaries for 1861-1866, 1868-1870, 1908, 1919, and 1931, a letterbook containing copies of letters sent from Virginia City, Nevada, in 1867, and descriptive essays about Virginia City, and two ledgers, 1892-1893, 1905-1924. Among letters received are fifty-five from Fannie L. Chapman, 1868-1870, written from Black Earth, Wisconsin, Bellvue, Nebraska, Paradise, California, and St. Helena, California. Unpublished manuscripts include a fifty-two-page autobiography titled "Geoffrey Dayton," and essays on mining days in Nevada. Business records include maps, reports, and descriptions of the Lucky Boy Mine, Gold Hill, Oregon, and other mine papers.
There are four manuscript periodicals in the collection, all edited by Dyson: The Star of Hope (volume 1, number 1, March 3, 1865, published by the New Year and Good Hope lodges, Independent Order Good Templars, St. Helena, California); The Templars Gazette (volume 1, number 1, March 3, 1876, published by Brownsville Lodge No. 250, I. O. G. T.); The Temperance Banner (volume 1, number 1, February 1, 1881, published by the Brownsville Blue Ribbon Club, with printed cover); The Temperance Star (n.p., n.d.).
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Description |
|---|
| Guide to the George Allan Dyson Papers |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Gold miners--West (U.S.)
- Gold mines and mining--Nevada
- Tinsmiths--West (U.S.)
Personal Names
- Chapman, Fannie L.
Geographical Names
- Lucky Boy Mine (Gold Hill, Or.)
- Virginia City (Nev.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Diaries
- Manuscripts for publication
