Austin Mires Papers, 1872-1936

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Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries

Cage 212
Austin Mires
Papers, 1872-1936

The papers of Austin Mires, Ellensburg Attorney, were purchased by the Washington State University Library in 1967 from a daughter, Mrs. Charles E. Phillips. They were processed by Terry P. Abraham from 9/1/1967 to 6/15/1968. The literary rights in the unpublished writings of Mr. Mires in these papers are reserved by the Washington State University Library.

Number of containers: 24
Linear feet of shelf space occupied: 17
Approximate number of items: 80,000

DESCRIPTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE PAPERS

The papers fall naturally into three series: correspondence, diaries, and miscellaneous items.

Series 1: Incoming and outgoing correspondence, dealing with all facets of Austin Mires' political, professional, and personal life. Office notes, invitations (some with pencilled marginalia), bills, and receipts have been retained to provide examples of daily life in the latter period of territorial years and the early part of this century. These papers are valuable in presenting an accurate picture of the diverse activities of Austin Mires. Although Mires himself was not often in public office he was an active participant and candidate and was often called upon by his friends and associates to pass judgment on political situations, party plans, and to give his support to political ambitions.

The correspondence files are separated into two groups: loose papers and letter books. The loose papers are arranged chronologically by year, some by month, and contain incoming letters, telegrams, other miscellaneous loose papers, and some copies of outgoing correspondence. The letter books contain outgoing correspondence and are arranged chronologically.

Series 2: Diaries with daily entries for over sixty years; personal and private comments on his activities, associates, friends and enemies, and the political situations at all levels of government. While he kept his diary private during his lifetime, he realized that they would someday be of value. In addition to his comments, he often kept a daily record of his income and expenditures, in these diaries. The diaries are arranged chronologically. Some were recopied by Mires and these copies are placed with the originals. This series is not indexed. However, a very brief summary of selected excerpts has been prepared and is presented here.

Series 3: Miscellaneous papers, subdivided into groupings of photographs, newspaper clippings, essays and his literary writings, documents, and scrapbooks. The scrapbooks contain correspondence, eulogies, essays, and miscellaneous items that were gleaned from the collection by Austin Mires.

A detailed index of the correspondence is available: Austin Mires: An indexed register of his papers, 1872-1936. For more information about this index, see the WSU Libraries online catalog. An abridged version of the index is available online.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

1852	Born February 11, Parrish, Iowa. 1882 LL.B., University of Michigan.
1882	Chief Clerk of Oregon State Senate.
1883	Moved to Ellensburg and entered the practice of law.
1886	February 26, First Mayor of Ellensburg (two terms).
1888	Treasurer of Ellensburg. Vice-President of Ellensburg National Bank. (six years)
1888	Delegate to Territorial Admission Convention.
1889	Delegate to Constitutional Convention.
1898	Chairman Kittitas County Republican Central Committee.
1890	Board of Equalization and Appeal.
1899	Supervisor of Census, Second District of Washington.
1901	President, Washington State Bar Association.
1902	Ellensburg City Attorney (three years).
1904	Kittitas County Prosecuting Attorney (two years).
1904	Irrigation Code Commissioner.
1908	Defeated for Superior Court Judge.
1912	Presidential Elector (Roosevelt).
1916	Defeated for State Legislature.
1918	Defeated for U. S. Congress.
1920	State Legislature (one term). Chairman, Committee on Constitutional Revision.
1922	Defeated for State Legislature.
1926	Secretary, Kittitas County Republican Central Committee.
1928	Appointed Kittitas County Superior Court Judge, October 5. Defeated for Superior Court Judge, November 6.
1930	Justice of the Peace. 1933 Honorary President of Repeal Convention, Olympia.
1935	Police Court Judge, Ellensburg.
1936	Died March 4, Ellensburg, Washington.

CONTAINER LIST

Box Folder Year Months

Subseries 1: Correspondence
Subseries 1.1: Loose Papers

1 1 1888
2 1889 January-February
3 1889 June-July
4 1889 August
5 1889 September-October
6 1889 November
7 1889 December
8 1890
9 1891
10 1892
11 1893 January
12 1893 February
13 1893 March
14 1893 April
15 1893 May
16 1893 June
17 1893 July-September
18 1893 October-December
2 19 1894
20 1895
21 1896
22 1897
23 1898 January-June
24 1898 July-September
25 1898 October
26 1898 October
27 1898 November
28 1898 November
29 1898 December
30 1899 January-February
31 1899 March-April
32 1899 May-June
33 1899 July-August
34 1899 September-October
35 1899 November-December
3 36-37 1900 January
38-39 1900 February
40-44 1900 March
4 45-47 1900 April
48-51 1900 May
52 1900 Census Maps, Papers
5 53-55 1900 June
56 1900 July
57 1900 August
58 1900 September
59 1900 October
60 1900 November
61 1900 December
6 62-63 1901
64 1902
65 1903
66 1904 January-February
67 1904 March
68 1904 April
69 1904 May
70 1904 June
71 1904 July
72 1904 August
73 1904 September-December
7 74 1905
75 1906
76 1907
77 1908
78 1909
79-81 1910
82-83 1911
8 84-85 1912
86 1913
87 1914
88 1915
9 89 1916
90 1917
91 1918
92-93 1919
94-95 1920
96-98 1921
10 99 1922
100 1923
101 1924
102-103 1925
11 104-105 1926
106-107 1927
108-109 1928
12 110-111 1929
112-113 1930
114-115 1931
13 116-117 1932
118 1933
119-120 1934
121 1935
122 Undated Papers

Subseries 1.2: Letterbooks

Container Book Years
14 123 1890-1891
124 1891-1892
125 1892-1893
15 126 1891-1895
127 1893-1894
128 1893-1900
129 1900-1901
130 1902-1928

Series 2: Diaries

Box Diary Years
16 131 1871
132 1875
133 1875
134 1876
135 1877
136 1877
137 1876-1877
138 1878
139 1879
140 1878-1879
141 1880
142 1881
143 1882
144 1883
145 1884
146 1885
147 1886
17 148-161 1887-1900
18 162-174 1901-1913
19 175-186 1914-1925
20 187-197 1926-1936

Box Items Description

Series 3: Miscellaneous
Subseries 3.1: Photographs

21 198 Austin Mires, 20 years old.
199 Austin Mires as Supreme Court Judge, with negative.
200 Austin Mires, 84 years old, with negative.
201 Austin Mires' first home in Ellensburg.
202 Austin Mires fishing.
203 Mrs. Mary L. Mires, with negative.
204 University of Michigan Law Class of 1882, 40 individual photographs, many autographed.
205 U. S. Supreme Court, 9 photographs.
206 3 Group photographs (1882?)
207 Alpheus Felch
208 House of Representatives, 1921.
209 Territorial Capitol (in oversize case)

209a Constitutional Convention [participants, Olympia, WA] July 4, 1889 (in oversize case)

210 Graduation picture, Class of 1882 (in oversize case).
210a Geddis Block, Mires' Office.

Subseries 3.2: Newspaper Clippings

211 Unidentified list.
212 Articles of deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Mires. (Seattle Times, March 4, 1936; Ellensburg Evening Record, March 4, 1936; an unidentified, undated (1940?) clipping.)
213 Picture of Mires as first mayor of Ellensburg (undated).

Subseries 3.3: Essays and Writings of Austin Mires

22 214 Eloquence of Jesus Christ.
215 My first trip to Ruby City and the Okanogan Mines.
216 A trip to the head of Nigger Creek.
217 A hunting trip to Government Meadows.
218 A little trip across an Empire.
219 A trip to Lake Wapsus.
220 An auto trip from Ellensburg, Washington to Southern Oregon.
221 A short hunting trip to Crab Creek.
222 A trip to Oregon.
223 My first trip across the Cascade Mountains.
224 A trip to Upper Naches and Echo Lake.
225 A trip up the Chewawa River.
226 The Umpqua River.
227 The Calapooia River.
228 A short hunting trip in my early youth.
229 Some old Umpqua and Oregon history.
229a Some recollections gold. Umpqua Academy. OHQ Reprint. Vol 19, 1918, p. 38-48.
230 A. W. Purdy.
231 The Roslyn Bank Robbery.
232 Tribute to my law partner, C. V. Warner.
233 An address, George Washington, 1922.
234 The Republican Party.
235a Candidacy for State Representative, 1918.
236a Patriotism, Ms, 1895. Marriage, Ms, 1895.
237a The Nanum Mystery.
238a Swauk, Umpqua Academy address. June 6, 1920.

Subseries 3.4: Documents and Diplomas

23 235 Washington State Bar Association Proceedings, 1897.
236 Proceedings of the Washington Irrigation Institute, November 18-19, 1937.
237 Judicial articles - Constitutional Convention, 1889, Ms.
238 Vote by precincts for members of the Constitutional Convention, 1889, Ms.
239 Committee on Water Rights - Constitutional Convention, July, 1889, Ms.
240 Address of Austin Mires - President, Washington State Bar Association.
241 Names contributing to testimonial presented to Austin Mires - December 15, 1898.
242 Appointment of Austin Mires as 12th Census Supervisor for Washington's Second District, December 12, 1899, by President McKinley.
243 Bachelor of Law Degree, University of Michigan, 1882.
244 Certificate of Law of the Supreme Court of Michigan, 1881.
245 Certificate from Umpqua Academy, 1876.
246 Articles of Constitutional Convention, 1889.

Subseries 3.5: Scrapbooks

24 247 Scrapbook No. 4.
248 Political scrapbook, 1888-1900 (1935).
249 Eulogies
250 Letters related to U. S. Census, 1930 (1900).
251 Old Letters, 1880-1900 (1935).
252 Letters (birthday), 1918-1923.
253 Related to the 70th and 80th birthdays of Austin Mires (1922-1935).

Box	Folder	Year	Months

Subseries 1: Correspondence
Subseries 1.1: Loose Papers

1	1	1888
	2	1889	January-February
	3	1889	June-July
	4	1889	August
	5	1889	September-October
	6	1889	November
	7	1889	December
	8	1890
	9	1891
	10	1892
	11	1893	January
	12	1893	February
	13	1893	March
	14	1893	April
	15	1893	May
	16	1893	June
	17	1893	July-September
	18	1893	October-December
2	19	1894
	20	1895
	21	1896
	22	1897
	23	1898	January-June
	24	1898	July-September
	25	1898	October
	26	1898	October
	27	1898	November
	28	1898	November
	29	1898	December
	30	1899	January-February
	31	1899	March-April
	32	1899	May-June
	33	1899	July-August
	34	1899	September-October
	35	1899	November-December
3	36-37	1900	January
	38-39	1900	February
	40-44	1900	March
4	45-47	1900	April
	48-51	1900	May
	52	1900	Census Maps, Papers
5	53-55	1900	June
	56	1900	July
	57	1900	August
	58	1900	September
	59	1900	October
	60	1900	November
	61	1900	December
6	62-63	1901
	64	1902
	65	1903
	66	1904	January-February
	67	1904	March
	68	1904	April
	69	1904	May
	70	1904	June
	71	1904	July
	72	1904	August
	73	1904	September-December
7	74	1905
	75	1906
	76	1907
	77	1908
	78	1909
	79-81	1910
	82-83	1911
8	84-85	1912
	86	1913
	87	1914
	88	1915
9	89	1916
	90	1917
	91	1918
	92-93	1919
	94-95	1920
	96-98	1921
10	99	1922
	100	1923
	101	1924
	102-103	1925
11	104-105	1926
	106-107	1927
	108-109	1928
12	110-111	1929
	112-113	1930
	114-115	1931
13	116-117	1932
	118	1933
	119-120	1934
	121	1935
	122	Undated Papers

Subseries 1.2: Letterbooks

Container	Book	Years
14	123	1890-1891
	124	1891-1892
	125	1892-1893
15	126	1891-1895
	127	1893-1894
	128	1893-1900
	129	1900-1901
	130	1902-1928

Box	Diary	Years
16	131	1871
	132	1875
	133	1875
	134	1876
	135	1877
	136	1877
	137	1876-1877
	138	1878
	139	1879
	140	1878-1879
	141	1880
	142	1881
	143	1882
	144	1883
	145	1884
	146	1885
	147	1886
17	148-161	1887-1900
18	162-174	1901-1913
19	175-186	1914-1925
20	187-197	1926-1936

Box	Items	Description

Series 3: Miscellaneous
Subseries 3.1: Photographs

21	198	Austin Mires, 20 years old.
	199	Austin Mires as Supreme Court Judge, with negative.
	200	Austin Mires, 84 years old, with negative.
	201	Austin Mires' first home in Ellensburg.
	202	Austin Mires fishing.
	203	Mrs. Mary L. Mires, with negative.
	204	University of Michigan Law Class of 1882, 40 individual photographs, many autographed.
	205	U. S. Supreme Court, 9 photographs.
	206	3 Group photographs (1882?)
	207	Alpheus Felch
	208	House of Representatives, 1921.
	209	Territorial Capitol (in oversize case)
	209a	Constitutional Convention [participants, Olympia, WA] July 4, 1889 (in oversize case)
	210	Graduation picture, Class of 1882 (in oversize case).
	210a	Geddis Block, Mires' Office.

Subseries 3.2: Newspaper Clippings

	211	Unidentified list.
	212	Articles of deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Mires. (Seattle Times, March 4, 1936; Ellensburg Evening Record, March 4, 1936; an unidentified, undated (1940?) clipping.)
	213	Picture of Mires as first mayor of Ellensburg (undated).

Subseries 3.3: Essays and Writings of Austin Mires

22	214	Eloquence of Jesus Christ.
	215	My first trip to Ruby City and the Okanogan Mines.
	216	A trip to the head of Nigger Creek.
	217	A hunting trip to Government Meadows.
	218	A little trip across an Empire.
	219	A trip to Lake Wapsus.
	220	An auto trip from Ellensburg, Washington to Southern Oregon.
	221	A short hunting trip to Crab Creek.
	222	A trip to Oregon.
	223	My first trip across the Cascade Mountains.
	224	A trip to Upper Naches and Echo Lake.
	225	A trip up the Chewawa River.
	226	The Umpqua River.
	227	The Calapooia River.
	228	A short hunting trip in my early youth.
	229	Some old Umpqua and Oregon history.
	229a	Some recollections gold. Umpqua Academy. OHQ Reprint. Vol 19, 1918, p. 38-48.
	230	A. W. Purdy.
	231	The Roslyn Bank Robbery.
	232	Tribute to my law partner, C. V. Warner.
	233	An address, George Washington, 1922.
	234	The Republican Party.
	235a	Candidacy for State Representative, 1918.
	236a	Patriotism, Ms, 1895. Marriage, Ms, 1895.
	237a	The Nanum Mystery.
	238a	Swauk, Umpqua Academy address. June 6, 1920.

Subseries 3.4: Documents and Diplomas

23	235	Washington State Bar Association Proceedings, 1897.
	236	Proceedings of the Washington Irrigation Institute, November 18-19, 1937.
	237	Judicial articles - Constitutional Convention, 1889, Ms.
	238	Vote by precincts for members of the Constitutional Convention, 1889, Ms.
	239	Committee on Water Rights - Constitutional Convention, July, 1889, Ms.
	240	Address of Austin Mires - President, Washington State Bar Association.
	241	Names contributing to testimonial presented to Austin Mires - December 15, 1898.
	242	Appointment of Austin Mires as 12th Census Supervisor for Washington's Second District, December 12, 1899, by President McKinley.
	243	Bachelor of Law Degree, University of Michigan, 1882.
	244	Certificate of Law of the Supreme Court of Michigan, 1881.
	245	Certificate from Umpqua Academy, 1876.
	246	Articles of Constitutional Convention, 1889.

Subseries 3.5: Scrapbooks

24	247	Scrapbook No. 4.
	248	Political scrapbook, 1888-1900 (1935).
	249	Eulogies
	250	Letters related to U. S. Census, 1930 (1900).
	251	Old Letters, 1880-1900 (1935).
	252	Letters (birthday), 1918-1923.
	253	Related to the 70th and 80th birthdays of Austin Mires (1922-1935).