New Finding Aids
New or updated finding aids are now available on Archives West for the following collections:
Eloise Hamilton papers (Ax 235)
Eloise Gladys Hamilton, poet and freelance writer, commercial photographer, public relations counsel, was born in Riverside, California on August 18, 1903, and passed away on August 6, 1984 at the age of 80 in Portland, Oregon. She wrote many poems, news articles, reports, published books, pursued commercial photography with her husband Robert F. Hamilton (married 1921) and consulted as a member of the State Furniture and Bedding Advisory Board from 1955-1963. She corresponded frequently with Ethel Romig Fuller and Alice Rush.
The Eloise Hamilton Papers consists of various writings of the poet in class assignments, news articles in the form of clippings, correspondence with friends such as Ethel Romig Fuller and Alice Rush, photography taken during her commercial photography career, publications, state board correspondence regarding her term at the State Furniture and Bedding Advisory Board from 1955-1963, and many other such related documents.
Notes on processing:
When writing the biographical note, it was difficult to find information, as all search results for Eloise Hamilton pulled up a different, award-winning author named Eloise Hamilton. The difference was that the author had the maiden name Hamilton, and the Hamilton associated with these papers, the lesser-known poet, married a man named Hamilton. They, at first glance, appeared to be the same person, but was not so.
John Stuart Dudley papers (Ax 456)
John Stuart Dudley was born in Florida in 1893, educated at the University of South Carolina and Harvard Law School. He was real estate counsel of the Port of New York Authority, an amateur playwright, and occasional actor. He was associated with Actors Studio, Inc. and died in 1966 in Wilmington, North Carolina at the age of 72.
The papers include manuscripts of “The Cheshire Arms,” “Fourth Brother,” “Judge Joie,” and “The Mighty Oak,” written under the pseudonym Archibald Forbes. There is also a folder of reports, newsletters, financial forecasts, and miscellaneous correspondence concerning Actors Studio, Inc. and Actors Studio Theater.
Notes on processing:
Manuscripts of his plays were in their entirety which were interesting to read, as was correspondence between those involved with the Actor’s Studio. There was a different individual with a similar name that needed to be sorted out, but it turned out that his name was indeed in IMDB, since there was a modern movie based off his script, “Fourth Brother,” made into a WWII era film titled “China” in 1943.
Pierre Rossiter Hines papers (Ax 225)
Pierre Rossiter Hines was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1887, and attended the New Mexico School of Mines and graduated from the Michigan Technological Institute as Engineer of Mines. Travelled extensively for work in such countries as Mexico, Canada, Siberia and Russia. He was an active supporter of mining issues and served on the State Board of Examiners from 1937-1947, remaining active in the Portland mining community as a consultant, until his death in 1969 at the age of 82.
The collection consists of several Department of Interior and mining handbooks describing various mining approaches, and also holds many manuals for various mining devices and machinery, additionally there are four commonplace books containing notes and articles of interest to the mining community and various blueprints of interest.
Notes on processing:
It was very interesting to see what manuals of mining equipment looked like in the 1930s and 1940s and after, especially manuals for“crushing” devices and tools complete with drawings and diagrams. It was difficult to find information about Mr. Hines himself, as most knew him as someone who donated his home to a historical society. Most information found about him was located in a write-up relating to this home.
–Danica Alexander, Processing Archivist
