Lamb-Douglas Family papers, circa 1860-1975

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Lamb-Douglas Family
Title
Lamb-Douglas Family papers
Dates
circa 1860-1975 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.5 cubic feet, (4 document cases, 1 flat box, 1 custom box)
Collection Number
Coll 65
Summary
Materials collected by the Lamb and Douglas families, primarily of Tillamook, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. Included are photographic materials, biographical information and ephemera. Most photographic materials depict the members of the Edie (related to the Lamb family) and Douglas families. The business papers and other legal documents of Benjamin Charles Lamb of Tillamook, 1924-1930, are also included.
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

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

The Lamb and Douglas families of Tillamook, Oregon, were related through the marriage of Carlos Ellsworth Douglas and Kathryn Elizabeth Lamb in the early 1930s. Kathryn's parents were Benjamin Charles ("B.C.") Douglas and Charlotte Mary (Edie) Lamb.

Benjamin Charles ("B.C.") Lamb (1865-1931), was born on December 12, 1865 in Illinois. He spent his youth in Duluth, Minnesota and pursued several careers, including seaman, printer and businessman. He started in the printing trade working for the Kansas City Star, moved to California and worked for the San Francisco Examiner, and, in Portland, found a job at the Morning Oregonian. In 1889 Lamb moved to Tillamook, Oregon, where he would live for the rest of his life. There he began working for the Headlight, the local newspaper, and several years later he became co-owner, eventually selling his interest to B.E.F. Jones. Following his printing career he became involved with the shipping firm that managed the Sue S. Elmore, a steamer that made trips between Tillamook and Portland. He also served as the manager of Bell Telephone Company for Tillamook and later as a member of the board of directors (1910) and the president (1915) of the First National Bank of Tillamook. He also partnered with Captain Schrader in 1900 to create the Lamb-Schrader Company in Tillamook, which he managed with his son, Charles, after the passing of Captain Schrader. Lamb was one of the town's leading citizens and was said to have been the oldest master freemason in that locale. He died of pneumonia in 1931.

In 1900 B. C. Lamb married Charlotte Mary Edie, with whom he had two children, Charles and Kathryn (later Mrs. Carlos Douglas). Mrs. Charlotte Lamb was born on January 16, 1878 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Charles Edie and Kathryn Bruce Edie. She had at least three siblings (possibly six), including Annie, David and Jane (also possibly Will, George and Pete). George Edie's wife was named Janet, and David's wife was Belle. Related to the Edies was the Brown Family of Scotland, including Jane H. Brown, Margaret Hay Bruce Brown, John Crawford Brown and Charles Edie Brown. Jane H. Brown was Charlotte Mary’s aunt, and other members of the Edie family included Ralph and Beth Edie of Salem, Oregon.

Other members of the Lamb family (as identified in photographs, postcards and letters in the collection) include sisters Mary E. and Marian E. Lamb; Bob Lamb, nephew of Charlotte Lamb, (whose wife was Suanna) of Ventura, California; and Hazel Lamb. Benjamin Charles Lamb, Jr. (possibly the same as Charles Lamb, son of Mr. and Mrs. B.C. Lamb) married Zada Marie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Alfred Felton.

The daughter of B. C. Lamb (senior) and his wife Charlotte was Kathryn Elizabeth Lamb. She married Carlos Ellsworth Douglas of Seattle, Washington. Both had graduated from the University of Washington and had two sons, Bruce (born 1941) and Robert. Carlos. ashington, D.C. in the 1940’s and it is unclear where he worked following his service.

Carlos Ellsworth Douglas and his sister, Grace Douglas (Martin) were born to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Carlos (E.C.) Douglas. The elder Douglas was born on September 23, 1884, in Brainard, Minnesota. His mother was Elizabeth Moore Douglas and he may have had a brother named Roy. E. C. Douglas eventually came west and served in the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 45th Legislative District. His wife was Lenora (or Nora), who was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Carey (or Cary) of Seattle. Lenora Carey Douglas had at least two sisters: Mrs. R. D. Bodle (possibly called Lizz) and Mrs. Lela Sheehan. Grace Douglas (daughter of E. C. Douglas and sister of Carlos Ellsworth Douglas) married a Mr. Martin and had three children, David, Jimmie and Jan. Her brother, Carlos Ellsworth Douglas, graduated from the University of Washington in 1932 and worked for R.D. Bodle and Co. between 1927 and 1937. He was stationed with his family in Washington, D.C. at one point.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists of papers, photographs, and ephemera of the Lamb and Douglas families of Tillamook, Oregon. Included are: business papers of B.C. Lamb, 1924-1930; photographs and photograph albums of the Lamb, Douglas and Edie families; a prayer book belonging to a member of the Douglas family; and legal documents. Three of the photograph albums are from the Edie family and many of the other photographs in the collection are from the Douglas family. Prominent among the photographs are members of the Douglas and Edie families, including Charlotte Mary (Edie) Lamb, mother of Charles Lamb and Katherine Elizabeth (Lamb) Douglas; Elnora and Earl Douglas, parents of Grace (Douglas) Martin and Carlos Ellsworth Douglas; and Kathryn and Carlos E. Douglas and their two children, Bruce and Robert. Biographical information is provided in the form of photo captions, newspaper clippings, and business correspondence of B. C. Lamb, and personal correspondence.

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 prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.

Preferred Citation

Lamb-Douglas Family papers, Coll 65, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in the following series:

  • Series A: Photographs, circa 1860-1970
  • Series B: Papers, 1901-1975
  • Series C: Books and other publications, circa 1880-1959

Processing Note

Cabinet photographs and cartes-de-visite were removed from albums for preservation; original albums are included in the collection. B. C. Lamb business papers were removed from a letter box, although the original order of the materials was retained.

Custodial History

The materials were donated to a thrift shop in Portland by an unknown person..

Acquisition Information

Acquired 2004, Library Accession 25521

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

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

Series A:  Photographs, circa 1860-1970Return to Top

Album numbers and page numbers were assigned at time of processing and are for convenience of identification only.

Container(s) Description Dates
Album 1 (cabinet photographs)
Box/Folder
1/1
Pages 1-12
circa 1880-1900
1/2
Pages 13-21
circa 1880-1900
1/3
Pages 22-32
circa 1880-1900
Box/Folder
1/4
Album 2 (primarily cartes-de-visite and tintypes)
circa 1860-1895
1/5
Album 3 (3 cartes-de-visite, 1 tintype, 1 calling card)
circa 1870-1900
1/6
Framed photographs (2): Benjamim Charles Lamb, Charlotte Mary Lamb, and unidentified woman
circa 1880-1895
2/1-6
Douglas Family photographs, general
circa 1880-1970
5/3
Brown photograph album--possibly Douglas Family in Tillamook
circa 1900
2/7
Photographs found loose in brown album above
circa 1890-1960
2/8-10
Studio portraits
circa 1900-1940
5/1
Douglas Family Album pages
Inludes Carlos Douglas, christening of a boat in Tillamook, group photographs of Seattle Masonic organizations. Original covers discarded due to mold damage.
circa 1912-1945
5/2
Photograph of sailing ship Morningstar II; and group of naval officers
circa 1945

Series B:  Papers, 1901-1975Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/1-3
B. C. Lamb correspondence (from letterbox)
1901; 1924-1930
3/4
General family correspondence and papers
circa 1937-1975

Series C:  Books, circa 1880-1959Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4/1
Original photo albums 1 and 2 (empty)
circa 1880-1890
4/2
Prayer book of Bruce Douglas
1953
4/3
Sword and shieldyearbook from South Salem High School (with autographs written to "Sharon")
1959
4/3
Sword and shieldyearbook from South Salem High School (with autographs written to "Helen")
1959
Box
6
Original photo album 3 (empty)
circa 1885

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Newspaper publishing--Oregon--Tillamook
  • Newspapers--Oregon--Tillamook--History
  • Printers--Oregon--Tillamook

Personal Names

  • Douglas, Kathryn Lamb
  • Lamb, B. C. (Benjamin Charles)--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Lamb-Schrader Company (Tillamook, Or.)

Family Names

  • Lamb Family

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--History
  • Tillamook (Or.)--History

Form or Genre Terms

  • Cabinet photographs
  • Cartes-de-visite
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Photographs
  • Tintypes

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Douglas, Carlos Ellsworth (creator)
    • Douglas, Earl (creator)
    • Douglas, Elnora (creator)
    • Lamb, Charlotte Edie (creator)
    Family Names
    • Douglas Family (creator)
    • Edie Family (creator)