Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
J. Quinn Thornton papers, 1837-1929
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Thornton, J. Quinn (Jessy Quinn), 1810-1888.
- Title
- J. Quinn Thornton papers
- Dates
- 1837-1929 (inclusive)18371929
1860-1874 (bulk)18601874 - Quantity
- .8 cubic feet (2 document cases)
- Collection Number
- Mss 371
- Summary
- Papers of an Oregon lawyer, jurist, and author who came overland to the west coast in 1846. Includes correspondence, notes, legal papers, manuscripts of essays, a scrapbook. Many of the items relate to Thornton's research on Dr. John McLoughlin and the Hudson's Bay Company.
- 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
Born in Mason County, Virginia in 1810, Jessy Quinn Thornton was educated at the University of Virginia where he studied law. He later practiced law in Palmyra and Hannibal Missouri, and in Quincy, Illinois. In 1838 he married Nancy M. Logue at Hannibal. In 1846 he traveled overland to Oregon with his family. He became a judge of the Oregon Provisional Government's Supreme Court and was sent to Washington to lobby for the establishment of a territorial government. His works include Oregon and California in 1848 (1849). He died in Salem, Oregon, in 1888.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection includes correspondence, notes, and other papers concerning "Why Dr. McLoughlin withdrew from the Hudson's Bay Company"; scrapbook containing clippings relating to Oregon history from S. A. Clarke collection; bound volume of essays titled "Comments of J. Quinn Thornton" (formerly Mss371 B); receipt to James Moffett for $1,000 for lot in Oregon City, 1851 July 15; complaint in action of debt, U.S. District Court, J. Quinn Thornton, plaintiff, Joshua Wells and Edward Morgan, defendants; printed pamphlet titled "Salem titles : history of the title to real estate in Salem" (48 p.); and letter from Samuel R. Thurston, 1850 Dec. 7, concerning Thornton's accusations against Thurston (4 p.). Also includes holograph manuscripts of essays on various topics, including an essay on the Oregon Bible Society and an autobiography (formerly designated as Mss371-1).
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
J. Quinn Thornton papers, Mss471, Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in one series.
Custodial History
The scrapbook was given to S. A. Clark by J. Quinn Thornton around 1869; it was donated to the Oregon State Library by Mrs. S. C. Dyer and eventually transferred to the Oregon Historical Society.
Acquisition Information
Scrapbook: gift of the Oregon State Library Mrs. S. C. Dyer. Other materials in the collection: gift of Willamette University Library, 1978 August.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Legal and financial papers | 1851, undated |
| 1/2 | Letter from Samuel R. Thurston | 1850 December 8 |
| 1/3 | Poem (typed transcript) | 1874 August 14 |
| 1/4 | Salem titles : a history of real estate in Salem, by J. Quinn Thornton (printed pamphlet) | 1874 |
| 1/5 | Carrier's address to the Patrons of the Political Examiner (printed broadside of speech) | 1837 January 1 |
| 1/6 | "Leaves from the portfolio of an old lawyer" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/7 | "The Stowe-Byson story by an Oregonian" (manuscripts) | undated |
| 1/8 | "Ancient literature and modern science" (manuscript)--speech to the Oregon State Teacher's Association, Salem | 1869 July |
| 1/9 | "The treatment of enemies" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/10 | "Extravagance in dress" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/11 | "The thoughtfulness of children" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/12-13 | "The bar and the bench" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/14 | "The climate of Oregon" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/15 | "A dream of the better land" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/16 | "The winter of life and the spring of the year : or fallen leaves from the portfolio of an old lawyer" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/17 | "Educational facilities in Oregon" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/18 | "The spring of the year " or thoughts appropriate to a floral festival" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/19 | "Is Christianity a part of the common law?" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/20 | Autobiographical sketch (manuscript) | circa 1870 |
| 1/20A | Autobiographical sketch
(preservation copy) Copy made from scan of original; made for preservation and legibility purposes.
|
circa 1870 |
| 1/21 | Essay on temperance societies (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/22 | Essay on prohibition liquor law (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/23 | Letter to the editor of the Evangelist (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/24 | "Infidelity" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/25 | "The Oregon Bible Society" (manuscript) | undated |
| 1/26 | "Titles to real estate in Salem" (manuscript and typescript) | 1874 |
| 2/1 | "Comments of J. Quinn Thornton" (bound typescript) | undated |
| 2/2 | Scrapbook | 1865-1929 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- McLoughlin, John, 1784-1857.
- Thornton, J. Quinn (Jessy Quinn), 1810-1888. (creator)
- Thurston, Samuel Royal, 1816-1851--Correspondence.
Corporate Names
- Oregon Bible Society.
Geographical Names
- Oregon City (Or.)--History--19th century.
- Salem (Or.)--History.
Form or Genre Terms
- Deeds--Oregon--19th century.
- Essays--Oregon 19th century.
- Scrapbooks--Oregon--19th century.
