James McCampbell Lyle Papers

James McCampbell Lyle Papers, 1883-1949

Overview of the Collection

Creator: James Mccampbell Lyle
Title: James McCampbell Lyle Papers
Dates: 1883-1949 (inclusive)
18831949
Quantity: 3 l.f.
Collection Number: MG024 (collection)
Summary: Correspondence and financial material relating to his medical practice and drug store in Peck, Idaho, and his farm and orchard near Lewiston, Idaho. Also correspondence regarding real estate sales in Peck from townsite promoter D.S. Waskey.
Repository: University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

James McCampbell Lyle was born in Franklin, North Carolina, September 16, 1876, the son of J.M. and Nannie Lyle. He was educated in the public schools of Franklin. At the age of 16 he lost his father and spent several years farming to help support his mother. He then entered the medical department at the University of Nashville, in Tennessee and in 1901 was a member of the 50th graduating class of that institution.

After graduation he moved to Peck, Nez Perce County, Idaho, to begin his medical career. From 1913 to 1919 he also operated the drug store in Peck. In 1920 he moved to Lewiston, and in 1923 was appointed health officer for Nez Perce County.

In addition to his medical practice he retained his early interest in farming and was the owner of several tracts of farm and orchard land in the Lewiston Orchards. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.

On April 29, 1903, he married Elizabeth Rogers; they had three children, James M., Jr., Donald R., and Elizabeth L.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The papers of James Lyle span the years 1883 to 1949, with the bulk of the material dated between 1901 and 1940. The correspondence is all incoming. From 1902-1918 it is from D.S. Waskey of the Deming Investment Company, Oswego, Kansas. Waskey was one of the original Peck Townsite promoters, but after moving to Kansas from Colfax, Washington, he wished to divest himself of his Peck property and paid Lyle a commission to sell the lots for him. Many of the letters contain comments on early Peck residents. After 1920, when Lyle moved to Lewiston, a majority of the letters are from his Peck patients who wrote him about their medical problems and sought his advice.

The bills and receipts include such things as poll, property, and road tax receipts, fish and game licenses, dog licenses, utility bills, rent receipts, medical supply invoices, and insurance receipts.

The practitioner's visiting lists and call lists are a chronological records of visits, including the patient's name, date of the visit and the charge. Each book also contains a section for recording births and deaths. The patient account books list all charges for an individual patient during the period covered by the book. There are also some records for the Lyle Drug Store in Peck, and several account books for the farm and orchard property.

Included in the last series are the articles of incorporation and the by-laws for the Peck Publishing Company, James Lyle's early report cards from Franklin High School, and an early essay on Charles Dickens.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Items in the correspondence series are in chronological order; financial material is arranged first by year, then alphabetically within the year.

Acquisition Information

The papers of Dr. James M. Lyle of Peck, and later Lewiston, Idaho, were donated ,to the University of Idaho Library by his son, James M. Lyle, Jr., in 1959.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Correspondence , 1902-1937Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1-17	D.S. Waskey Correspondence 309 items	1902-1918
1/18-28	General Correspondence 259 items	1918-1937

Series II. Financial Material , 1901-1949Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	A. Medical Practice	1901-1949
Box/Folder
1/29-60	Bills and receipts 2486 items	1903-1934
2/61-66	Bills and receipts 775 items	1935-1940
2/67-73	Practitioner's Visiting List and Call List 7 items	1902-1923
2/74-92	Patient Account Books 19 items	1901-1949
3/93-94	Personal and Office Expenses 2 items	1922-1929
3/95-102	Receipt Books 8 items	1932-1943
	B. Drug Store	1913-1919
Box/Folder
3/103	Inventory of stock bought from Central Drug Co. 1 item	1913
3/104-105	Cash Record 2 items	1916-1919
3/106	Inventory of Drug Store Stock 1 item	1918-1919
3/107	Record of drugs dispensed under the federal anti-narcotic law 1 item	1915-1919
	C. Farm Accounts	1917-1946
Box/Folder
3/108	Farm Accounts 1 item	1917-1934
3/109	Record of farm products shipped 1 item	1917-1946
3/110	Orchard Expenses 1 item	1930-1935

Series III. Other Papers , 1883-1924Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
3/111	Peck Publishing Company Articles of Incorporation and By-laws 1 item	1911
3/112	Nannie Lyle's "Account of wool carded" and other accounts 1 item	1883-1896
3/113	James M. Lyle's report cards and school statements, Franklin, N.C. 17 items	1890-1894
3/114	Deed, stock certificate, and J.M. Lyle estate distribution 3 items	undated
3/115	Newspaper clippings 5 items	1901-1924

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