J. Neilson Barry collection

MSS 1
 

GROUP 1: PERSONAL PAPERS

The papers in this group are divided into four series:

 Biographical and Genealogical Papers
Family correspondence
Miscellaneous files
Diaries, account books, and other volumes

Biographical and Genealogical Papers

              This series contains biographical information on J. Neilson Barry in the form of news clippings, an obituary, entries from biographical works, and various lists, summaries, and reminiscences he recorded.  There are also a few photos of Barry.  This series also includes genealogical charts and histories for the Barry family and his wife’s family, the Pegrams.  The Barry family file (Folder 7) contains typewritten stories his father related of his experiences at the battles of Murfreesboro and Shiloh during the Civil War.

Box 1:  Biographical and Genealogical Papers

Folder 1  Resumes; obituary; clippings
           2  Childhood reminiscences (Letter, 1939)
           3  Reminiscences, etc.
           4  Directory entries
           5  Photographs
           6  Miscellaneous
           7  Family history:  Barry
           8  Genealogy:  Pegram

 Family correspondence

            Very little of J. Neilson Barry’s personal correspondence with members of his family has survived.  What little there is, is filed in this series, along with some letters with  Ida Pollard Evans, a correspondent from his childhood home of Warrenton, Virginia.  Included are 5 letters written to Barry by his son, E. Dighton Barry, while Barry was in Europe with the YMCA in 1918.  Along with personal news, 14-year old Dighton describes precautions and effects of the influenza pandemic in Spokane, Washington.  There are also a number of letters regarding the health and financial situation of Barbara Pegram, his wife’s niece, who was in a sanitarium in Spain in 1939.

Box 1: Family correspondence

Folder  9   Letters from his son, E. Dighton Barry, 1918
          10   Letters from grandsons, 1957-1960
          11   Letter to Herbert Barry (brother), 1926
          12   Correspondence of Mildred Pegram Barry (wife)  (2 items)
          13   Letters from Ida Pollard Evans, 1949-1952
          14   Correspondence with Julia Barry Horner (sister)
          15   Correspondence regarding Barbara Pegram (niece), 1939
          16   Letter from Marjory Pegram (sister-in-law)
          17   Correspondence regarding Marjory Pegram, 1960
          18   Correspondence with other family members

Miscellaneous Files

 
Box 1: Miscellaneous Files

            This box contains loose pieces of paper that were found inside of J. Neilson Barry’s account books, diaries, etc., plus some collected poetry and humor.

Folder  19         Loose items from Account books
            20          Loose items from Address books
            21          Loose items from Clergyman’s register
            22          Loose items from Commonplace book
            23          Loose items from Diaries
            24          Loose items from Mildred P. Barry account  books
            25          Collected poetry and humor
 

Box 2:  Miscellaneous Files 

            This box contains papers regarding the construction and furnishing of Barry’s home, Barrycrest, in Portland, Oregon, his work as a probation officer in Spokane, Washington, and his service as a YMCA overseas secretary in 1918; together with correspondence (chiefly after 1950) about Episcopal Church matters.  As a probation officer in Spokane, Barry worked with prisoners and was also called upon to mediate neighborhood disputes.  This box contains statistical summaries of his work, a few case reports, and miscellaneous papers.  Daily logs of Barry’s probation work are found in Box (Box 41) (see page xx).

            Barry served with the YMCA in France during World War I.  He was trained at a YMCA conference for “overseas war work secretaries” at Columbia University in June 1918.  One of his projects in France was to write a guide book for soldiers in the Ardeche leave area.  That booklet is included in the collection.  Letters written to Barry by his son while Barry was in France are found in Box 1, with the Family correspondence.  Although Barry retired from an active ministerial career in 1913, he reported annually to the Bishop of Washington, D.C., usually that he had conducted no parochial work during the past year.  He maintained an interest in Episcopal history and church affairs and corresponded with colleagues in the church.  These files contain their letters.  Barry’s correspondents include Benjamin D. Dagwell, Bishop of Oregon.

            A letter to Boise State University from E.W. Giesecke, written in 2004 describing Barry’s home, Barrycrest, has been added to the file of correspondence between Barry and Giesecke (Box 9, Folder 10).  The letter includes some reminiscences by Giesecke about Barry and two photos of the house.

Box 2 

Folder  1   Barrycrest:  Land
            2                   :  Construction receipts, 1923
            3                   :  Furniture
            4                   :  Miscellaneous
            5   Spokane probation officer: statistical reports of activities, 1915-1922
            6                                            :  Case reports
            7                                            :  Miscellaneous
            8   YMCA relief work: YMCA publications and correspondence
          10                                 :  Ardeche, France
          11                                 :  Miscellaneous
          12   Episcopal Church:  Correspondence, 1897-1950
          13                                :  Correspondence, 1951-1956
          14                                :  Correspondence, 1957-1960
          15                                :  Programs, etc.

 
Box 3:  Miscellaneous Files

             This box contains the record of Barry’s students’ grades at Hill Military Academy in Portland, where he taught History and other subjects, 1929-1930, and at Oregon Institute of Technology, where he taught in 1932.  It also includes fragmentary material from the Trail Seekers, an organization formed in Oregon to promote an appreciation of history by young people, who were awarded `honor buttons’ and commendations for participation in historical projects.  Barry served as secretary of the council, the organization’s adult governing body. 

  Folder  1   Hill Military Academy:  Gradebook, 1929
              2                                       :   Gradebook, 1930
              3   Oregon Institute of Technology: Grade and assignment book, 1932
              4   Trail Seekers, Inc.:  General
              5                                :   Bylaws, 1925-1929
              6                                :   Bulletins and minutes
              7                                :   Income tax problems
              8                                :   Organizational correspondence
              9                                :   Submissions (Histories, stories)
             10                               :   Oregon Trail reminiscence, Mrs. Grider, 1926

Box 4:  Historical talks and Lecture notes

     These files contain notes and handouts from a class in the teaching of history taught by J.M. Gambrill at Columbia University in 1927; Barry’s notes and student records from his studies at Albany College in Albany, Oregon, where he earned a bachelors degree in History in 1931; and notes for talks Barry gave to school groups in the 1920s about topics in Oregon history. 

 Folder  1         Lecture notes from Columbia University, 1927
             2         Lecture notes and transcripts from Albany College, 1930-1931
             3         Historical talks
             4         Historical talks

 Diaries, account books, and other volumes

            Barry’s diaries (Box 38) are actually pocket-size date books, with brief notations of appointments and other notes.  The series also contains personal accounts of Barry and his wife (Boxes 40 and 41); Barry’s daily registers as Spokane probation officer (Box 41); his clergyman’s register of baptisms, marriages, and burials, he performed during his pastoral career; and Barry’s personal Bible, commonplace book, and other books (Box 39).  Loose papers that were inserted in these volumes were removed and placed in folders in Box 1 (page xx).

Box 38:  Diaries, account books, and other volumes

Diaries:  1885, 1902-1955  (55 volumes)

Box 39:  Diaries, account books, and other volumes   

            Holy Bible
            Book of Common Prayer
            Book of Common Prayer (miniature)
            Hymnal
            Hymnal (miniature)
            Clergyman’s register, 1895-1921
            Commonplace book
            Address books (3 volumes)
            Complete Course in Arithmetic

Box 40:  Diaries, account books, and other volumes 

             Personal account books (7 volumes)

                        1916-1920
                        1921-1923
                        1924-1934
                        1934
                        1935-1940
                        1940-1947
                        1947-1953

             Account, First National Bank (1948)
             Investment record (1916) (Redbook)
             Checkbooks (3 volumes)

Box 41: Diaries, account books, and other volumes   

Probation officer diaries and record books (4 volumes)

                        1915-1916                     1919-1922

                        1917-1918                     1922

            Mildred P. Barry account books (5 volumes)

                        1920-1929                    1938-1944

                        1929-1934                    1944-1949

                        1934-1938

Wedding invitation printing plate

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This page last changed: 7 March 2006

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