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Luzern Humphrey Collection
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Luzern Humphrey (1811-1857) was a farmer and millwright from Wellington in Lorain County, Ohio. Humphrey, along with three of his brothers and others, traveled by caravan to Oregon Territory in 1852. Humphrey remained there for over a year before returning in 1854. He had intended to publish a guide to the Oregon Trail based on his journey, but his efforts proved unsuccessful.
The collection primarily consists of material relating to Luzern Humphrey's overland journey from Kanesville, Iowa, to the Oregon Territory in 1852, his life there through 1853, and his return to Iowa in 1854, including his journal (3/10 - 7/28/1852), 51 letters (1852-1854) to his wife, Harriet Jane, in Wellington, Ohio, a mileage guide, notes, a short diary (8/3 - 11/15/1853), translations of Walla Walla and Nez Perce words, and an account book of his expenses. Among the places mentioned are Council Bluffs, Fairfield, and Iowa City in Iowa; Canyonville, Fort Dalles, Grave Creek Valley, Knox Butte, Milwaukie, and Willamette Forks in the Oregon Territory; and Scotts Bluff, Fort Hall, and Fort Laramie along the Oregon Trail.
There are also some papers, including letters, a diary, and miscellaneous ephemera, relating to the family of Baptist minister and founder of Adventism William Miller (1782-1849). Most relate to William's son, George W. Miller (1816-1874), who married Luzern Humphrey's eldest daughter, Inez Humphrey (1842-1928).
Thomas Lee Jacob's research materials on Luzern Humphrey's trail diary, including a transcription that Jacob's authored, are also included.
The collection is arranged into two series: "Luzern Humphrey Papers" and "Thomas Lee Jacobs Collection of Luzern Humphrey Transcripts and Miller Family Papers."
The manuscript journal (2 parts), previously part of the Rollins Collection and catalogued as C0199 (no. 534), has been integrated into this collection.
Luzern Humphrey papers were purchased from David M. Watson in September 2009 (AM 2010-35). The transcripts and Miller family papers were a gift of Thomas Lee Jacobs, 2014 (AM 2015-24).
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by John Delaney on September 29, 2009. Finding aid written by John Delaney on September 30, 2009. Folder Inventory added by Hilde Creager '2015 in 2012. Finding aid updated by Faith Charlton in September 2014.
No material was separated during 2014 processing.
People
Subject
- Husband and wife. -- 19th century -- Correspondence
- Nez Perce Indians -- Language
- Overland journeys to the Pacific
- Pioneers -- West (U.S.). -- 19th century
- Walla Walla Indians -- Language
Place
- Fairfield (Iowa) -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Fort Dalles (Dalles, Or.) -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Iowa -- Description and travel. -- 19th century
- Iowa City (Iowa) -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Knox Butte (Or.) -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Oregon -- Description and travel. -- 19th century
- Oregon National Historic Trail.
- West (U.S.) -- Description and travel. -- 19th century
- Willamette Forks (Or.) -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Date
- 2009
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
Collection Inventory
This series consists of various materials relating to Humphrey's overland journey from Kanesville, Iowa, to the Oregon Territory in 1852, his life there through 1853, and his return to Iowa in 1854. These include journals and diaries, notes, account books, translations of Walla Walla and Nez Perce words, and letters to his wife, Harriet Jane Humphrey. Among the places mentioned are Council Bluffs, Fairfield, and Iowa City in Iowa; Canyonville, Fort Dalles, Grave Creek Valley, Knox Butte, Milwaukie, and Willamette Forks in the Oregon Territory; and Scotts Bluff, Fort Hall, and Fort Laramie along the Oregon Trail. Part of his correspondence is devoted to his efforts to publish his own guide to the journey.
Materials from this series are available online.
Materials are arranged by document type.
Physical Description1 box
This subseries includes materials that document Humphrey's activities, observations, and research while journeying and residing in Oregon Territory, including journals, a mileage guide, notes, a short diary, translations of Walla Walla and Nez Perce words, and an account book of his expenses.
Arranged by document type.
Physical Description1 box
The volume includes diary entries as well as a section entitled, "Productions of Rocky Mountains," which lists animals, plants, and fruits.
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Arranged chronologically by document type.
Includes 51 letters from Humphrey to his wife, Harriet Jane Humphrey, in Wellington, Ohio.
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Materials are arranged by creator.
This series includes handwritten and typed transcriptions of Luzern Humphrey's diary documenting his journey to Oregon Territory in 1852. Most likely transcribed by a descendant, John Humphrey, the transcriptions are of Humphrey's trail diary, "Journal (Part 1)"; however, they also include entries that extend beyond the journal's date range, ending with an entry from August 13, 1852.
The series also consists of some papers, including letters, a diary, and miscellaneous ephemera, relating to the family of Baptist minister and founder of Adventism, William Miller (1782-1849). Most relate to William's son, George W. Miller (1816-1874) who married Luzern Humphrey's eldest daughter, Inez Humphrey (1842-1928).
Also included are Thomas Lee Jacob's research materials on Luzern Humphrey's trail diary, including a transcription that Jacob's authored.
Physical Description1 box
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Most of the letters were written to George W. Miller while he was living in Davis County, Illinois. They include some discussion of William Miller's activities relating to Millerism, or Adventism.
Physical Description1 folder
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Includes a DVD with scans of the 1920s Luzern Humphrey diary transcription and Miller family letters as well as a PDF of Jacob's transcription of the diary and research files on Humphrey's journey to Oregon Territory and Humphrey family genealogy.
These files are available online.
Physical Description1 folder