Guide to the Roberts Family Papers 1853-1994

Creator:	Roberts, Alvin Brown
Title:	Roberts Family Papers
Dates:	1853-1994 ( inclusive )
Quantity:	1.5 linear feet (3 boxes)
Collection Number:	HTM_WCMss55
Summary:	Newspaper articles, personal notebooks and sketches, genealogical materials, published articles of an early pioneer family.
Repository:	Whitman College and Northwest Archives 345 Boyer Avenue Walla Walla, WA 99362 (509) 527-5922 archives@whitman.edu http://www.whitman.edu/archives
Languages:	Materials are in English

Biographical Note

A.B. (Alvin Brown) Roberts was born May 17, 1832 in Knox Township, Jefferson County, Ohio. In 1853 he arrived in Oregon Territory and settled in Portland where he established the stone cutting firm of Roberts and Hartle. He served in Company A, Multonomah County, First Regiment from October 13 to December 19, 1855 in what was known as the Yakima War. He fought in what became known as the Battle of Walla Walla on December 7, 1855.

After his military service, Alvin went back to marble-cutting in Boise City, Idaho. On September 15, 1858 Roberts married Martha Elizabeth Baxter in Clackamas County, Oregon. They divorced in 1866

In March of 1859, he moved to what is now Walla Walla. He purchased a land claim from an acquaintance for $250.00 which amounted to about 160 acres. When authorities platted the new town, the area he originally claimed was donated to the city and became known as Roberts Addition. Roberts planted what is believed to be the first apple orchard in the valley. He sold some of his one-year-old trees for one dollar each and since that proved so profitable, went into the nursery business exclusively. He rose to much prominence in the fruit industry of the territory and state, much of which centered in Walla Walla at that time. He was also the father of masonry in Walla Walla and was first master of the Walla Walla Lodge No.7.

E.G. Roberts, brother of A.B., was the founder of Roberts Monument Co., in 1872. His son, Lee, continued with the business and was a life-long resident of Walla Walla.

Content Description

The Roberts Family Papers contains newspaper and magazine articles written by A.B. Roberts about life in the Northwest of the 1850s, the Indian Wars, the fruit industry, and the founding of Walla Walla. It also includes A.B.and Lee Roberts’ personal notebooks and sketchbooks, genealogical materials about the Roberts family and its descendants, and personal correspondence.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :

None.

Restrictions on Use :

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. for copyright not held by Whitman College.

Preferred Citation :

Roberts Family Papers, Whitman College and Northwest Archives.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

By series.

Acquisition Information :

Donated to the Whitman College and Northwest Archives by Barbara Swan, Mary Lou Cooper and Patsy Jean Pompeo between 1992 and 1994

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Newspaper Articles by, about, or collected by Roberts

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
1	Fort Walla Walla and Roberts' days in Walla Walla
item
1	"Founding of a Paper"--About how The Union came into existence, by A.B. Roberts	Undated
2	"Owned the Town"--A.B. visits Walla Walla, about his first days there	Undated
3	"Once Owned Land on which Walla Walla stands"--article from the Kansas City Post	March 16, 1919
4	"Fort Walla Walla and what is had done"--by A.B. Roberts	Undated
5	"Father of Walla Walla Still Lives on part of farm City was founded on"--about Roberts time in Walla Walla in the 1850s	Undated
2	Marcus Whitman and other Missionaries
item
1	Pictures of Whitman College and the grave of Marcus Whitman
2	"How Oregon was Saved"--by A.B. Roberts. Early work of the Missionaries, and history of Oregon Territory pre-1850
3	"Story of Marcus Whitman as Told by an Early Pioneer"--by A.B. Roberts
4	"Marcus Whitman, He Rode from the Columbia to the Potomac, to Save Oregon, Whitman College to be a Worthy Memorial."
5	Editorial on Levi Boyd written by A.B. Roberts
6	"Pioneer Woman Who Saw Stirring Times in Early Days Hereabouts"--article on Eliza Spalding Warren
3	History of Indians and Indian Wars
item
1	"The Indian Troubles in Idaho"--A.B. Roberts	Undated
2	"Indian War Survivor Recalls Chase of Foe"--by Thomas J. Hayter	Undated
3	"Fifty Years Ago in Walla Walla"--about battle of Walla Walla based on letter from Capt. J.U. Elgin to A.B. Roberts
4	"Indian Nomenclature"--description of Indians in the Inland Empire by A.B. Roberts	Undated
4	Veterans of Indian Wars
item
1	"Indian War Veterans, Plea for recognition by U.S. Government in Matter of Pensions"--editorial by A.B. Roberts on the need to recognize veterans of the Indian Wars for pension eligibility.	Undated
2	"Idaho Comrade with Oregon Veterans"--gathering of Indian War veterans in Portland written by A.B. Roberts	Undated
3	"Indian War Vets Hold Meeting"--Members of James W. Nesmith Post of Indian War veterans meeting in Walla Walla	Undated
4	"Complaint of Pioneer, Railroads Give Others Low Rates and cut out the deserving"--editional by A.B. Roberts on railroad fees, especially for veterans	Undated
5	"Club endorses the War veterans"--work by A.B. to get Commercial Club to support Indian War veterans pension efforts.	Undated
6	"New Pension Bill to Benefit Widow"--about an increase in pension allowance to war vets, including Indian wars.	1915
7	"An Indian War Fighter in Town"--A.B. Roberts return to Ohio, presented to Governor McKinley--see also editorial by A.B., supporting McKinley's campaign	Undated
8	"Gen. O.O. Howard dies"	Undated
9	"Indian War Veterans' Bill"--by A.B. about recent Oregon legislative Act supporting compensatory payments of Indian War vets.	Undated
10	"Pay Indian War Veterans"	Undated
11	"Monument Plan" to Major McConville and all the "fallen heroes of the Idaho Volunteers" Boise, Idaho.	Undated
5	Early History of the Inland Empire ( a five part newspaper series)
item
1	About a journey into hostile Snake River territory. The first four are based on A.B. Robert's trip to meet emigrant friends at the Snake River. The last article is on settlers' movements into the area and Indian reaction towards them.	Undated
6	Pictures of Roberts (photocopies)
item
1	Masonic Lodge delegates of Washington (picture of A.B. circled)	Undated
2	Picture of officers of the 13th Annual Indian War Veterans meeting	Undated
3	Picture available in article on first County Christmas	Undated
7	Idaho History
item
1	"Questions in U.S. History"--by A.B. Roberts. How Idaho became part of the United States.	Undated
2	"Indian Troubles in Idaho"--by A.B. Roberts	Undated
8	Vancouver History
item
1	"Tells about first County Christmas"--A.B. Roberts describes celebration of yule season in 1853.	Undated
9	Mormons, writings about...
item
1	"Astounding Inconsistency"--article criticizing speech by Judge Zane	Undated
2	"The Flag of Truce"--article on cooperation with the Mormons	Undated
10	Agriculture and Industry
item
1	"Doubling Value of Land by System of Irrigation"--A.B. Roberts tells how with well and pump, sub-irrigation may be applied to all land in the country.	Undated
2	"Says Walla Walla Valley is not a Basin"--A.B. Roberts writes about how to name the Walla Walla area in geographical terms.	Undated
3	"How to Raise the Best Fruit"--A.B. Roberts writes on fruit culture in Walla Walla Valley and the sub-irrigation system	Undated
4	"The Roberts Reservoir"--on the reservoir Roberts built in Cassia County	Undated
5	"Mines and Mining"--A.B. Roberts member of a committee appointed to formulate beneficial mining laws for Cassia county.	Undated
6	"Seen as Others See Us"--Article on the resources of Cassia county.	Undated
7	"Early History recalled"--A.B. Roberts writes of first mills in the area.	Undated
8	"Roberts Set out First Orchard Here in 1859"--Walla Walla Union-Bulletin	January 4, 1959
9	"Tragedy Marked the Beginning of Washington Oyster Industry"--A.B. Roberts	Undated
10	Article on a few of the businesses who established trade in Boise. By A.B. Roberts	Undated
11	Business enterprises of Roberts
item
1	"A.B. Roberts of Boise Trades Property for the Rupert Hotel"	Undated
2	"Attended First Congress"--Attended the National Irrigation Congress in Salt Lake.	Undated
12	Relics and Exhibits sponsored by Roberts
item
1	"Ancient relics on Exhibition"--A.B. Roberts exhibits various personal items for the Historical Society of Pioneers in Boise	Undated
13	Seattle Fair and Chicago World's Fair
item
1	"Fair Well Worth Seeing"--A.B. Roberts description of Seattle Fair	Undated
2	Letter #1 written by A.B. Roberts on the Chicago World's Fair	circa 1893
3	Letter #2 written by A.B. on the Chicago World's Fair	circa 1893
14	Personal announcements---Deaths, Marriages, etc.
item
1	"A.B. Roberts First Master Local Masons"	1922
2	"Alvin B. Roberts, Indian War Vet, is Dead, aged Ninety	1922
3	"Pioneer Resident of City Celebrates 80th birhday"	Undated
4	"Roberts-Huffaker Nuptials"--Marriage to Miss Mary Huffaker	Undated
5	"Gone to Her Reward"--Death of Mrs. Delia C. Hay	Undated
6	"E.G. Roberts Died this Morning"	Undated
7	"Hawley McFarland Nuptials"	Undated
8	Death of Carrie A. Roberts, wife of Gaylord Roberts	Undated
9	A.B. Roberts to visit Walla Walla, interviewed by President Penrose of Whitman College	Undated
10	"Widow Duggan's Plight"--Arranged marriage with a Mrs. Amanda E. Duggan and W.W. Roberts, repudiated by Roberts upon sight of the bride-to-be.	Undated
11	Article on how A.B. found two dead horses who were apparently struck by lightning.	Undated
Box
3	Book of newspaper clippings

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Series 2: Genealogical materials

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
1	Descendants 1st through 7th generations (29 pages) with Index (4 pages)	Undated
2	Descendants 1st through 9th generations with Index, 81 pages.	August 17, 1993
3	Family Group Sheets (30 pages)
4	Ancestry Charts (16 pages)
file
5	Ancestry Charts--Cooper (6 pages)
6	Descendancy Charts (5 pages)
7	Cemetary Plat--Riverview; Portland, Oregon
8	Bureau of Pensions Records (6 pages)
9	Entries in the Family Bible (6 pages)
10	Geneaolgy, notes on (10 pages)
file
11	Roberts/Cooper reunion; Vance Orchard article in Waitsburg Times	July 7, 1994

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Series 3: Notebooks and sketchbooks written and drawn by A.B. Roberts and typescripts of notebooks

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
3.1-3.11	Notebooks 1-11
R9	Typescripts of Notebooks 1-11
R4a	Sketchbook by A.B. Roberts
R4b	Pencil sketches
R4c	4x6 Leather Cover Sketch Book: includes eleven Pencil Sketches by A.B. Roberts	circa 1856
R16	Typescript of A.B. Roberts' Journal and original journal
box-item
2	Microfilm roll; "A series of sketches of the life of Alvin B. Roberts	March 1853-February 1915

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Series 4: Correspondence

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
1	Letters relating to collection	1926-1936
2	Typescripts of letters at the Seattle Public Library
3-6	Correspondence with Cooper, Pompeo, and Walz
7	Letters from A.B. to brother and sister. (copy)	February 5, 1859
8	Handwritten letter written by A.B. (copy)
9	Correspondence with Great Grandson of A.B. Roberts, Paul E. Lyon
10	Loan Agreement, Fort Vancouver Historical Society	October 21, 1964
11	Correspondence with Don Roberts
12	Correspondence from Irene Upson, Oregon Historical Society, to C.L. Cooper	March 24, 1932-February 18, 1936
15.1	Letter to Nellie Nelson from L.W.Roberts	August 28, 1949
15.2	Correspondence between Marge Iverson and Larry Dodd

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Series 5: "Up To The Times" Magazine articles written by A.B. Roberts

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
13.1	Articles published in 1909
item
a	"The Empire Builders"	January 1909
b	"Indian Fights in the Inland Empire"	April 1909
c	"The City of Walla Walla in 1859"	May 1909
d	"The Seattle Fair"	August 1909
e	"When the Aborigines Prevailed Throughout the Walla Walla Valley"	November 1909
f	"A Few Events that Mark Important Epochs in the Inland Empire's History. Indian Council in Walla Walla in 1855; The Murder by Indians of U.S. Agent A.J. Bolan; Battle of Walla Walla on the 7th of December 1855"	December 1909
13.2	Articles published in 1910
item
a	"Walla Walla Fifty-One Years Ago"	January 1910
b	"The Chinook Wind"	February 1910
c	"Several Changes--Killing of Citizen M.Garry by the Soldiery in the Streets of Walla Walla in 1859"	March 1910
d	"Early Staging in Inland Empire"	June 1910
e	"Walla Walla Raised the First Wheat ever Delivered to a Mill in the Country Between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains"	September 1910
f	"First Fruit Growers of the Pacific Northwest"	November 1910
13.3	Articles published in 1911
item
a	"Meeting the Emigrant Overland Trains to the Oregon Country in the Early Sixties. Dangerous Task on Account of the Hostile Indians"	March 1911
b	Continuation of March article	April 1911
c	"At the Whitman Mission"	September 1911
item
13.4	Articles published in 1912
item
a	"Society and Societies at the Beginning of the Settlement of the Inland Empire"	March 1912
b	"Incidents of the Yakima War"	September 1912

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Series 6: Lee Roberts Materials

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Folder
15.3	Photo Album and History Sketches
file
15.4	Miscellaneous photographs
file
15.5	Newspaper articles by Lee Roberts
file
15.5a	Photocopies, Roberts photo album #1
Box/Folder
2/15.5b	Photocopies, Roberts photo album #2
file
15.6a	Hunting Hudson Bay in Auld Lang Syne	1942
file
15.6b	Sketchbook, Harry Martin's Canneries
15.6c	Walla Walla's Great Industry, Apple Raising	January 31, 1909
file
15.6d	The Walla Walla Fruit Fair of 1902
file
15.6e	Great Import of Apple Industry in the Walla Walla Valley	January 24, 1909
15.6f	The Building Northwest Apple Industry
file
15.6g	An Old Mining Camp
file
15.6h	Early Day Freight Wagon
	The Epic Day of Fine Horses

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Subjects

Roberts Family Papers -- Archives.
Roberts, Alvin Brown
Roberts, Lee

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Subjects

Washington (State)

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Subjects

Walla Walla History

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Subjects

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Guide to the Roberts Family Papers
1853-1994

Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Subjects

Subjects

Subjects

Subjects

Finding aid prepared by William Huntington
©2009

Guide to the Roberts Family Papers 1853-1994

Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Subjects

Subjects

Subjects

Subjects

Finding aid prepared by William Huntington©2009

Guide to the Roberts Family Papers
1853-1994

Finding aid prepared by William Huntington
©2009