Archives West Finding Aid
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Margery Hoffman Smith papers, 1885-1986
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Smith, Margery Hoffman, 1888-1981
- Title
- Margery Hoffman Smith papers
- Dates
- 1885-1986 (inclusive)18851986
- Quantity
- 13.59 cubic feet, (13 record cartons and 1 flat box)
- Collection Number
- Mss 2660
- Summary
- Margery Hoffman Smith (born 1888) was a leading supporter of the arts, both in Portland, Oregon, and later in San Francisco. In the 1930s, Smith worked with the Works Progress Administration, supervising the handcraft work carried out for Timberline Lodge. Collection includes correspondence and diaries of Julia Hoffman, 1891-1934; correspondence of Margery Hoffman Smith, 1896-1981; papers related to Smith's professional and philanthropic activities; financial records; inventories and appraisals; and materials relating to Jane Steel, including corresondence and a notebook.
- 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
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Margery Hoffman Smith was born in 1888 to a prominent family in Portland, Oregon. She became a leading supporter of the arts, both in Portland and later in San Francisco, where she lived with her husband Ferdinand C. Smith, a partner in the brokerage house of Merrill, Lynch, Pearce, Fenner and Smith. In the 1930s, Margery Hoffman Smith worked with the Works Progress Administration, supervising the handcraft work carried out for Timberline Lodge. Her later contributions to the Portland Art Museum and the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts greatly enhanced both institutions.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Collection includes correspondence and diaries of Julia Hoffman, 1891-1934; correspondence of Margery Hoffman Smith, 1896-1981; financial records; inventories of art collections; appointment calendars; memorabilia regarding the Smith and Hoffman families; miscellaneous papers and correspondence relating to Smith's professional and philanthropic activities. Materials previously designated Mss 2660-1 include: inventories and appraisals, 1957-1981; financial records, 1963-1981, of the Wauna Land Company, the Julia E. Hoffman Trust, the F.C. Smith Trust, and donations to the Portland Art Museum; and correspondence with Jane Steel. Materials previously designated Mss 2660-2 include: correspondence and financial records, 1975-1986, concerning estates and trusts; history of 825 Francisco; insurance information; notebook of Jane Steel.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Margery Hoffman Smith papers, Mss 2660, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Gift of Margery Hoffman Smith estate, December 1981. Materials previously designated Mss 2660-1, gift of Marshall Steel, Jr., November 1985; materials previously designated Mss 2660-2, gift of Jane Watson Steel, August 1988.
Processing Note
Contains material previously designated Mss 2660-1 and 2660-2.
Related Materials
Margery Hoffman Smith photographs collection, Org. Lot 126, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Women interior decorators--Oregon
Personal Names
- Hoffman, Julia
- Smith, Ferdinand C.
- Smith, Margery Hoffman, 1888-1981
- Steel, Jane Watson--Correspondence
Corporate Names
- Portland Art Museum (Or.)
- Wauna Land Co.--Records and correspondence
Family Names
- Hoffman family
- Smith family
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- diaries
- financial records
