University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

Guide to the Mason Y. Warner Papers, 1859-1954


Coll. 245





Finding aid prepared by Vida Germano

Finding aid encoded by Bruce H. Tabb, May 2003
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html
 
Collection Number:
 

Coll. 245
 
Creator:
 

Warner, Mason Young
 
Title:
 

Mason Y. Warner Papers
 
Dates:
 

1859-1954 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

11 linear feet
6 containers, 24 volumes
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials written in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Mason Young Warner was born in 1868, the son of parents Agnes Stewart and Thomas Warner. Mason Y. Warner married Celia A. Hyland in 1894. The couple lived in Lane County all their lives, except for a short time spent in eastern Washington. They had three children, Ivan, Claire and Erma. The collection is composed mainly of correspondence, some personal files, and photographs. Most extensive in this collection is the Claire Warner Churchill Thompson material in Series IV. Her papers include many manuscripts and material from World War II.

 

Biographical Note

John Stewart (1785-1857) of Dundee, Scotland, emigrated to the United States with his family in October 1823. The family settled on a farm near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, then began it’s journey to Oregon Territory in 1853. The Stewarts traveled to St. Joseph, Missouri, by steamboat, then bought oxen for the trip to Oregon. Their wagon train, which included members of the Warner family, became known as the Lost Wagon Train of 1853. The Stewart family eventually reached the Willamette Valley and settled near Fall Creek.

Agnes Stewart (1832-1905), daughter of John Stewart, taught in the first schools in Springfield (1855), Lowell (1856) and Fall Creek (1857). She married Thomas Warner on Sept. 9, 1859. One of their five children was Mason Young Warner (1868-19??).

Mason Y. Warner married Celia A. Hyland (1871-19??) on Sept. 9, 1894. Celia Hyland was born near Junction City, Oregon, in 1871, and taught school at Lowell until shortly after her marriage. The couple lived in Lane County all their lives, except for a short time spent in eastern Washington. They had three children, Ivan, Claire and Erma.

Ivan Warner (1896-1973) served in World War I, then managed supermarkets in Cottage Grove, Lebanon, and Dallas, Oregon, before moving to Yachats in 1965.

Erma Warner (1906-19??) became a model in Los Angeles. She worked in several different cities, and in New Guinea and Manila during World War II. She later retired to Los Angeles.

Claire Warner (1898-19??) graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in history and taught school in Tillamook, Oregon. She was the author of several books, including South of the Sunset (New York, 1936) and Builders of Timberline Lodge (1937). She served as Assistant State Director for the WPA Oregon Writers Project, and helped edit the resulting Oregon guide book. During World War II, she served as a WAC for two years, and wrote Soldiers of the Air (1941-1942), a series of radio dramas for the Army Recruiting Service which were broadcast on radio station KOIN, Portland, Oregon. After the war she did public relations work for the Blue Cross Hospital Plan.

Content Description

The Mason Y. Warner Papers are composed mainly of correspondence, some personal files, and photographs. Most extensive in this collection is the Claire Warner Churchill Thompson material in Series IV. Her papers include many manuscripts and material from World War II.

Series I, Warner Family is composed of correspondence, diaries, manuscripts, genealogical material, account books, school, military, and legal records. The correspondence is arranged chronologically.

Series II, Hyland Family consists of genealogical material, deeds, autograph books, letters, an account book, and specifications for a Lowell, OR house.

Series III, Erma Warner Fletcher includes mostly correspondence to Mason Y. Warner, Celia Warner, and Clair Warner. The letters are arranged chronologically by person. Also included are manuscripts and World War II material.

Series IV, Claire Warner Churchill Thompson is composed of correspondence, manuscripts, U.S. Army files, WPA files, Blue Cross material, scrapbooks and volumes. Correspondence is arranged chronologically. There are fifteen manuscripts, many of which include several drafts. U.S. Army material covers 1941-1945, including Prisoner of War records and material on the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. WPA records include radio program manuscripts and other miscellaneous material. Blue Cross records include annual reports, public relations, advertisements and other material. Twenty-four volumes are included in this series. There are also newspaper clippings and scrapbooks.

Series V, Photographs consists of negatives, slides, and prints from each series.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series:

  • Series I. Warner Family
  • Series II. Hyland Family
  • Series III. Erma Warner Fletcher
  • Series IV. Claire Warner Churchill Thompson
  • Series V. Photographs

Administrative Information

Separated Materials 

Photographs in this collection are stored separately under call number PH240.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Mason Y. Warner Papers, Coll. 245, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Churchill, Claire Warner, 1898-1956
Stewart, Agnes, 1832-1905--Diaries
Stewart, Helen Marnie, 1835-1873--Diaries
Warner, Mason Young
Warner family
Oregon National Historic Trail
Frontier and pioneer life--Oregon
Overland journeys to the Pacific
Women pioneers--Oregon--Diaries
Diaries
Letters
Pioneers
Builders of timberline lodge
Soldiers of the air
South of the sunset

Detailed Description of the Collection

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


 
box
1		 folder
1

Inventory

  
 

Series I:  Warner Family
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1		 folder
2
1887-1889
   1887-1889
 
3
1890-1892
   1890-1892
 
4
1893
   1893
 
5
1894
   1894
 
6
1895-1897
   1895-1897
 
7
1900-1909
   1900-1909
 
8
1910-1915
   1910-1915
 
9
1916-1917
   1916-1917
 
10
January 1918-June 1918
   January 1918-June 1918
 
11
July 1918-December 1918
   July 1918-December 1918
 
12
January 1919-February 1919
   January 1919-February 1919
 
13
March 1919-August 1919
   March 1919-August 1919
 
14
1920
   1920
 
15
January 1921-July 1921
   January 1921-July 1921
 
16
192108/1921-12
   192108/1921-12
 
17
1922-1923
   1922-1923
 
18
January 1924-August 1924
   January 1924-August 1924
 
19
September 1924-December 1924
   September 1924-December 1924
 
20
192501/192506
   192501/192506
 
21
July 1925-December 1925
   July 1925-December 1925
 
22
January 1926-June 1926
   January 1926-June 1926
 
23
July 1926-December 1926
   July 1926-December 1926
 
24
January 1927-June 1927
   January 1927-June 1927
 
25
January 1927-December 1927
   January 1927-December 1927
 
26
January 1928-June 1928
   January 1928-June 1928
 
27
July 1928-December 1928
   July 1928-December 1928
 
28
January 1929-March 1929
   January 1929-March 1929
 
29
April 1929-December 1929
   April 1929-December 1929
 
30
1930-1933
   1930-1933
 
31
1934-1935
   1934-1935
 
32
1936-1938
   1936-1938
 
2 1
1939-1944
   1939-1944
 
2
undated
   undated
 
3
Genealogies/Biographical material (Warner and Stewart Families)
  
 
4
Agnes Stewart (Warner) diary; Helen Stewart (Love) diary
   1853
 
Both are diaries of an 1853 overland journey from Missouri to Oregon. The sisters were part of the "Lost Wagon Train of 1853."
 
5
Agnes Stewart diary
  
 
Transcript prepared by Dr. Kenneth Holmes
 

Mason Y. Warner diary
   September 1890
 
Written while on a prospecting trip
 
7
Peggy A. Warner diary
   1918-1920
 
8
Autograph Books
  
 

Mason Y. Warner Autograph Book
   1881-1894
 

Celia A. Hyland (Warner) Autograph Book
   1893-1896
 
9-14
Manuscripts (mainly poems) by Mason Y. Warner
  
 
15
Legal Documents
  
 
volume
Vol. 1
Financial Record Book (receipts)
   1890-1893
 
folder
16
Military Record (Mason Y. Warner)
  
 
17
School Materials
  
 
Report cards, diplomas, etc. mainly for Erma and Wilma Warner.
 
18
Greeting cards, Valentines
  
 
19-20
Programs, Tickets
  
 
21
Account Book.
  June 1881-January 1884(?)
 

Series II:  Hyland Family
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
2		 folder
22
Family History; Hyland Clan Historian Reports
  
 
23
Genealogical material
  
 
24
Deeds
   1859-1896
 
25
Hyland, Amos Damon: Letters; Report of Survey
  
 

Amos Damon Hyland Letters
   1853-1904
 

Report of Survey
   March 8, 1892
 
26
Amos Damon Hyland Memorial Dam Committee
   1954
 

Hyland, Ansel A.: Autograph Book
   1886-1890
 

Hyland, Benjamin: Accout Book
   1866-1876
 

Hyland, Celia A. (Warner): Autograph Book
   1883-1890
 

Hyland, Celia A. (Warner): Autograph Book
   1883-1890
 
27
Hyland, Mrs. R.A.: Specifications for a one-story frame residence and wood house, Lowell, OR
   September 1909
 

Series III:  Erma Warner Fletcher
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
   
Letters to Mason Y. and Celia Warner
  
 
box
3		 folder
1
1942-1943
   1942-1943
 
2
1944
   1944
 
3
1945
   1945
   
Letters to Claire Warner Churchill Thompson
  
 
4
1944-February 1945
   1944-February 1945
 
5
March 1945-October 1945
   March 1945-October 1945
 
6
Typed copies
  
 
7
Letters from Celia Warner
   1949-1950
 
8
Manuscripts by Erma Warner Fletcher and by Mason Y. Warner
  
 
9-10
World War II Misc.
  
 

Series IV:  Claire Warner Churchill Thompson
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
   
Letters
  
 
box
3		 folder
11
1918-1920
   1918-1920
 
12
1921
   1921
 
13
1922-1923
   1922-1923
 
14
1924
   1924
 
15
1925
   1925
 
16
1926
   1926
 
17
1927
   1927
 
18
1928
   1928
 
19
1929-1930
   1929-1930
 
20
1931-1935
   1931-1935
 
21
1936-1943
   1936-1943
 
22
1943-1945
   1943-1945
 
23
Fragments
   undated
 
24
Churchill Bugle/Churchill WAC Bulletin
  1943-1946
 
25
Autograph Book; Biographical material
   1906-1907
   
Manuscripts
  
 
One draft unless otherwise noted
 
26
Abandon All Hope
  
 
2 drafts
 
27
The American Flag
  
 
28
Annie’s Crimson Crime
  
 
29
Barefoot King
  
 
30
Bed and Bored
  
 
2 drafts
 
31
Before the Rain; Green Makes Talk Among the Leaves
  
 
32
Beyond the Bridge
  
 
33
The Brass Ring
  
 
2 drafts
 
34
China Jim Comes to God
  
 
35
The Christ
  
 
36
Conversation at Noon
  
 
37
Cowage in the Price
  
 
38
Dear, Dear Library
  
 
39
The Dim Eye
  
 
40
Every Guy is a Big Shot
  
 
4 1
The Gal From Galveston [play]
  
 
2 drafts
 
2
God Talks Greek to Loggers
  
 
3
Going Home to Glory
  
 
4
The Hard-Boiled Baby [puppet play]
  
 
5
The Holy Highway to Hell
  
 
6
An Irresistible Army
  
 
7
Korean Widow
  
 
2 drafts
 
8
The Land of Perpetual Spring
  
 
9
Lank Peters Tames the Indians
  
 
10
Life in the Old Dame Yet
  
 
1 drafts, research material
 
11
Lippy
  
 
2 drafts
 
12
The Lost Art of Bullwhacking
  
 
3 drafts
 
13
The Lovely Lovely Lanuage
  
 
Speech for Toast Mistress Club
 
14
Maples in the Rain
  
 
15
Mercurial Mister Morris
  
 
2 drafts
 
16
Mild Teller of Wild Tales, Jess Taylor
  
 
17
No More Star Spangled Bargains
  
 
18
Ole Breaks Into Print
  
 
19
Onions, Invective and Indigo Blue (A Study of William Morris)
  
 
20
Oregon, The Beaver State
  
 
21
Oregonians
  
 
2 drafts
 
22
Please Pass the Potatoes
  
 
23
The Portsmouth Wench [novel]
  
 
24
The Promissory Land
  
 
3 drafts
 
25
Puppets’ Tour of the West [puppet play]
  
 
26
The Same Old Macaroni
  
 
2 drafts
 
27
Sauvie’s Island
  
 
28
Sort of Screeching
  
 
6 drafts
 
29
The Stay at Home Heart [puppet play]
  
 
30
The Thompson’s Trek to Tuhuantepec (Mexico), or, You Must Go to Mexico
  
 
2 drafts
 
31
Three Toots From the Santa Mari
  
 
32
Time in Flight [novel]
  
 
33
The Time, the Place, and Nature’s Necessity
  
 
34
The Two-Way Stretch
  
 
35
Venereal Disease in Oregon
  
 
36
Waddle Duck Land
  
 
37
The Weather Maker and Other Marionette Plays (Beyond the Bridge; Won’t You Walk Into My Parlor; the Moon Men; The Eye Thief)
  
 
2 drafts
 
38
Where the West Ends
  
 
2 drafts
 
39
The Wild Blue Yonder (The Soldier’s God)
  
 
40
With a Bow to the Specialist, or How to Accommodate Nature Gracefully
  
 
41
With Apologies to the Fish
  
 
42
Story Ideas, notes, etc.
  
 
43
Notecards
  
   
U.S. Army Service Files
  
 
44
Civilian War Services
  
 
45
Orders
   1943-1945
 
5 1
Orders
   1943-1945
 
2
Personal
  
 
3
Prisoner of War, Preliminary Records (Hitler’s Staff); Radio programs (broadcast on KOIN, Portland, OR)
  
 
4
Know Your Navy; Soldiers of the Air
  1942
 

1941
   1941
 
6
1942
   1942
 
7
Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps
  
 
8
Miscellaneous
  
   
WPA Files
  
 
9
The Diary of Basil N. Longworth, Oregon Pioneer; Oregon Oddities
 
 
10
1-2 to 2-19
  
 
11
3-1 to 4-17
  
 
12
Radio program manuscripts
  
 
13-14
Miscellaneous
  
   
Blue Cross Files Annual Reports
  
 
15
Employees
  
 
16
Stockholders
  
 
17
Comics, Sample advertisements
  
 
18
Employee Relations
  
 
19
Employee Welfare Programs
  
 
20
General Public
  
 
21
National Hospital Day
  
 
22
Opinion Research
  
 
23
Public Relations
  
 
6 1
Publicity Analysis
  
 
2
Tours
  
 
3
Miscellaneous
  
 
4
Industrial Accident Commission
   1948/1949
   
Public Relations
  
 
5
Public Relations News
  1946-1950
 
6
Miscellaneous
  
 
7
Civil Defense
  
 
8
Examinations
  
 
9-11
Newspaper Clippings
  
   
Newspaper Clippings/Scrapbooks
  
 
12
#1
  
 
13-14
#2
  
 
15-17
#3
  
 
18
Miscellaneous
  
   
Volumes
  
 
volume
3

Ainslie, Hew. Scottish Songs, Ballads, and Poems. New York: Red Field
   1855
 
Belonged to Agnes Stewart Warner.
 
4

Bible. New York: American Bible Society
   1854
 
Presented to Throne E. Warner by Agnes Stewart, Aug. 16, 1857
 
5

Bible
 
 
Belonged to Celia A. Hyland Warner
 
6

Blanchard, Rose Arrington. Ginia, The Story of an Oregon Pioneer. Northern Hollywood, CA
   1954
 
Presented to Mason Y. Warner by Claire Warner Churchill.
 
7

Brown’s Dictionary of the Holy Bible. Newcastle Upon Tyne: M. Angus and Son (2 vol.)
   1800
 
Brought from Dundee, Scotland, by John Stewart, grandfather of Mason Y. Warner
 
8

Churchill, Claire Warner. Slave Wives of Nehalem. Portland, OR: Metropolitan Press
   1933
 
9

Churchill, Claire Warner. South of the Sunset. New York: Rufus Rockwell Wilson, Inc.
   1936
 
10

Cotton, S.J. Stories of Nehalem. Chicago: M.A. Donahue & Company
   1915
 
Belonged to Claire Warner Churchill
 
11

A Discourse on the Decree of Election
   undated
 
Given to Celia Warner by Mrs Booth
 
12

Dow, John G., ed. Selections from the Poems of Robert Burns. Boston: Ginn and Company
   1898
 
Belonged to Claire Warner Churchill
 
13

Fillmore, Charles. Mysteries of Genesis. Lee’s Summit, MO: Unity of School of Christianity
   1950
 
14

Gospel Hymns. New York: Bigelow Main
   undated
 
Belonged to Mason Y. Warner
 
15

Maclaren, Ian. Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush. New York: Dodd, Medd and Company
   1895
 
16

The Methodist Hymnal. New York: The Method Book Concern
   1905
 
Presented to Claire Warner Churchill by Celia A. Warner, 1906
 
17

Oregon Civil Defense Plan
  1951
 
18

Oregon, End of the Trail. Portland, OR: Binfords & Mort
   1940
 
Compiled by the WPA Writers Program and edited by Claire Warner Churchill
 
19

Reilly, Henry J. Americans All, the Rainbow at War. Columbus, OH: The F.J. Heer Printing Co., Publishers
   1936
 
20

The Sabbath School Harp
 
 
21

Smith, Harold H. Typewriting Technique, College Course. New York: The Gregg Publishing Company
   1938
 
Belonged to Erma Warner Melvin
 
22

Taylor, Benj. F. Song of Yesterday. Chicago: S.C. Griggs and Company
   1875
 
Presented to Claire Warner Churchill by Celia A. Warner, July 12, 1937
 
23

Watson, J. Madison. Independent Third Reader. New York: A.S. Barnes & Company
   1876
 
Belonged to Celia A. Hyland
 
24

Your Hidden Treasure. 9th annual edition
   1951
 
Expense book prepared for the employees of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
 

Series V:  Photographs
 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
1-3

Europe
  
 
4-5

Erma Warner – Personal Photos
  
 
6, 8, 10

Family
  
 
7

Miscellaneous
 
 
9

Negatives / Slides
  
 
11

Albums
  
 
12

Oversize photos/Family