Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

Summary Information

Repository

Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections

Creator

Kuykendall, Elgin Victor, 1870-1958.

Title

Elgin Victor Kuykendall Papers

ID

Cage 59

Date [inclusive]

1892-1956

Extent

11 Linear feet of shelf space, 22 Boxes

Language

Collection materials are in English.

Abstract

Correspondence, business and legal papers, deeds, contracts, briefs and court transcriptions, research notes, drafts, speeches and printed material relating to Judge Elgin Victor Kuykendall.

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Biography/History

Elgin Victor Kuykendall was born at Oakland, Oregon in 1870 and spent his early years at Fort Simcoe, Washington, where his father, George Benson Kuykendall, was the Indian Agency physician. His family moved to Pomeroy, Washington in the 1880s, and there he finished school, briefly taught and studied law in the office of Samuel Cosgrove, later Governor of Washington. Kuykendall practiced law in Pomeroy from the 1890s until 1924 when he was appointed Superior Court Judge for Asotin, Garfield and columbia Counties. In the meantime he had held several elective posts in local government, had been twice elected to the State Senate (sessions of 1917 and 1919) and had served four years as the Chairman of the State Public Service Commission. His political career was generally associated with the progressive wing of the Republican Party. Following his appointment as Superior Court Judge he was reelected to the non-partisan position several times until his retirement in 1949.

In addition to his legal and political careers, Kuykendall as also involved with research in eastern Washington history and Indian lore. Following the inspiration of his father, who had been a local historian and genealogist, he wrote many articles on local history for the press, collected Indian legends and lore, particularly of the Nez Perce, managed the local pioneer association and eventually wrote a history of Southeastern Washington. Additionally, Kuykendall was active in historic preservation and memorial organizations such as the Whitman Memorial Association, the Lewis and Clark Memorial Association and the restoration efforts at Fort Simcoe. His interest in local history led to donate his father’s papers to the Washington State University Library in 1949; in turn, his heirs donated his papers shortly after his death in 1958.

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Scope and Content

The papers of Elgin Victor Kuykendall consist of correspondence, business papers, deeds, contrasts, legal briefs, depositions, courtroom transcriptions, research notes, drafts, manuscripts and photographs relative to Kuykendall’s private and business affairs, his political activities, his position on the bench and his historical research projects. Aside from the considerable portion of the collection which deals with the history of Southeastern Washington, the subjects which most dominate the papers are the civil and criminal cases brought before the Superior Courts of Asotin, Garfield and Columbia Counties. Additionally, the general correspondence contains many references to Washington State politics, elections and public appointments in the 1930s and 1940s. The State Public Service Commission is also briefly documented.

Series 1: Business Papers, circa 1900-circa 1956. Deeds contracts, bills, receipts, record books and other papers related to Kuykendall’s properties in Southeastern Washington and Central Oregon, to the Kuykendall-Start Company, the Kenwood Promotion Company, Kuykendall Bros., Kuykendall and Gose-Attorneys, and the Chloride Queen Mine.

Series 2: Judicial and legal papers, 1917-1957. Briefs, depositions, and other legal papers submitted to the Superior Court in various cases heard by Kuykendall, abbreviated transcripts of trials kept in Kuykendall’s handwriting on selected cases heard between 1927 and 1949, a folder of letters of national reaction to the 1931 Herbert Niccolls case, in which Kuykendall sentenced a 13 year old boy to life imprisonment, correspondence and documents concerning naturalization proceedings administered by Kuykendall’s court, and correspondence and documents relative to several cases in which Kuykendall served as attorney or executor-of-estate.

Series 3: Historical Writings and Speeches, circa 1920-circa 1955. Notes, drafts, manuscripts and printed copies of a number of historical and ethnological essays written by Kuykendall, including Historic Glimpses of Asotin County and Kuykendall’s memoirs, drafts of speeches on historical and public affairs and Kuykendall’s correspondence with various historic preservation associations.

Series 4: Personal and Political Papers, 1892-1950. Documents related to elections in Southeastern Washington, Kuykendall’s candidacy papers for judicial elections, Kuykendall’s certificates of bar admission, and licenses to practice, a series of diaries (1923-1945) and numerous photographs, some identified mostly of Kuykendall and his family, Southeastern Washington and early pictures of Pomeroy, Washington and its residents.

Series 5: General Correspondence, 1923-1951. The correspondence is complete for the years 1923-1924 and 1933-1945 and concerns the operations of the Court, personal matters and state politics. Correspondence include Clarence Martin, Arthur Langlie, Homer Bond, Knute Hill, Otis Halbert Holmes, Ernest O. Holland, George B. Kuykendall, and Jerome Kuykendall. This series also contains Kuykendall’s correspondence relating to the Kiwanis Club, the Knights of Pythias Lodge and the Sons of the American Revolution.

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Arrangement

The papers of E. V. Kuykendall are arranged in five series. Each series is organized by subject, and then chronologically within each subject.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2022

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

Elgin Victor Kuykendall's heirs donated his papers to the Washington State University Library shortly after his death in 1958.

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Related Materials

Related Material

George Benson Kuykendall Papers, 1881-1931 (Cage 60)

Separated Material

Garfield County Pioneer Association Records, 1909-1948 (Cage 66)

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :

• Washington Public Service Commission.
• Washington (State). ǂb Superior Court (Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin Counties)

Family Name(s)

• Kuykendall family -- Archives

Geographic Name(s)

• Asotin County (Wash.) -- History.
• Columbia County (Wash.) -- History.
• Garfield County (Wash.) -- History.

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :

• Kuykendall, Elgin Victor, 1870-1958 -- Archives.

Creator(s) :

• Bone, Homer Truett, 1883-1970.
• Holmes, Otis Halbert, 1902-
• Kuykendall, George Benson, 1843-1931.
• Hill, Knute, 1876-1963.
• Holland, Ernest Otto, 1874-1950.
• Kuykendall, Jerome K. (Jerome Kenneth), 1907-1987.

Subject(s)

• Nez Perce Indians -- Legends.
• Indians of North America -- Northwest, Pacific -- Folklore.
• Washington (State)
• Civil Procedure and Courts
• Politics and Politicians
• Native Americans

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Detailed Description of Collection

Series 1: Business Papers, circa 1900-circa 1956.
				box
Deeds, contracts, leases, mortgages, releases, stock certificates circa 1900-1956  100 items.				1
Taxes: federal income tax forms, property tax statements circa 1910-1956  200 items.				1
Correspondence, bills and receipts  circa 1930-1950  200 items.				1
Insurance: policies and correspondence circa 1920-1956  100 items.				2
Account books and stockholder registry books 1909-1935  6 items.				2
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Series 2: Judicial and legal papers, 1917-1957.
				box
Briefs, depositions, motions re: Superior Court cases in Asotin, Benton, and Columbia Counties 1917-1949  50 items.				3
Briefs, depositions, motions re: Superior Court cases in Franklin, Garfield, King, Kittitas, Spokane, Walla Walla and Whitman Counties 1924-1949  50 items.				4
Judge Kuykendall's personal notes on court cases and trials, 1927-1935  9 items.				5
Judge Kuykendall's personal notes on court cases and trials, 1937-1945  9 items.				6
Judge Kuykendall's personal notes on court cases and trials, 1946-1949  4 items.				7
Marriages, licenses and ceremony  15 items.				7
Niccolls trial correspondence 1931  50 items.				7
Naturalization proceedings: correspondence and documents 1927-1949  300 items.				7
Practice legal practice 1935-1955  300 items.				8
State Bar Association and Superior Court Judges Association correspondence 1934-1948  60 items.				8
Testimony before Interstate Commerce Commission 1938  1 item.				8
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Series 3: Historical Writings and Speeches, circa 1920-circa 1955.
				box
Eighty years in the changing West: memoirs of E. V. Kuykendall. 1954 1954				9
The story of Lieutenant Gaston and the Steptoe Expedition				9
Some forgotten heroes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition				9
The son of the Howling Wolf: story of Chief Kamiaken				9
Myths and legends of the Indians				9
The eagle cave legend				9
The contribution of the American Indian of Democracy Christian Indians				9
Religion of the American Indians				9
The emotional and expressive side of the American Indian				9
Legends of the Klickitats				9
Timothy: a neglected hero				9
Discussion of the Nez Perce Ceremony of Koyit, the Spring Festival				9
Koyit; the Nez Perce Spring thanksgiving festival				9
Prince Jane				9
The Isle of the Dead				9
History of the Columbia Center and the France-Haven tragedy (with documents)				9
Historic glimpses of Aostin County, with supplement of myths, legends and curious beliefs of Indians of the Northwest, main text also containing legends of Indians pertaining to the particular regions discussed. 1955				10
Father James Harvey Wilbur: his place in the history of the Northwest				10
Fort Simcoe: Former seat of the Yakima Indian Agency				10
Captain B.L.E. Bonneville in Eastern Oregon and Washington (with copies and transcripts of documents)				10
What we owe Robert Connel				10
Justice Brandeis				10
Report of the Historian (Garfield County Pioneer Association)				10
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Series 4: Personal and Political Papers, 1892-1950.
				box
Observations of the landside election of 1946				10
Early history of the Pomeroy-Clarkston Road				10
On the opening of the Snake River Bridge				10
Remarks at the dedication of the new school building at Pomeroy				10
The wisdom of the ancients				11
Address to meeting of the judges				11
The British attitude toward the Italio-Ethiopian controversy				11
Statement submit... in relation to navigation on the Snake River				11
Speech given in Pullman, 1933				11
Regarding the General Strike-- an attempted revolution in Seattle, 1919				11
Our constitution				11
Evasion of Justice on the insanity plea				11
The Constitution of the United States				11
Speech to the Northwest Electrical Association, 1921				11
Governmental regulation of public service				11
Lincoln Day banquet, 1929				11
Early irrigation dreams				11
Citizenship and crime				11
Juvenile protection				11
Paroles and pardons				11
A confidential message to the judges				11
Speech on sex crimes				11
The Blackenstoes Show				11
Miscellaneous notes, quotes and transcripts of speeches				11
The guy from Syracuse: a drama in seven acts				11
Clippings of local history stories, by Kuykendall, C.S. Kingston, J.L. Ashbrook, and John White				11
Historical and biographical sketch of the Kuykendall Famile				11
Explanation of the operation of the Washington Department of Public Works, 1923				11
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Series 5: General Correspondence, 1923-1951.
				box
Spalding Memorial Association, correspondence 1953-1954  8 items.				11
Whitman Memorial Association, correspondence 1950  35 items.				11
Fort Simcoe Restoration, correspondence 1953-1954  100 items.				11
Lewis and Clark Memorial Association, correspondence, ca 1925  15 items.				11
Source Research Bureau, correspondence 1925-1927  30 items.				11
Elections, Garfield and Asotin County: returns, sample ballots, petitions, voter lists and campaign materials 1920-1950  70 items.				12
Candidacy papers for judicial elections 1930-1940  25 items.				12
Columbia Valley Association, correspondence 1931-1934  10 items.				12
Certificates, licenses, and other papers 1870-1925  15 items.				12
Souvenirs and mementos, ca 1920-1940  50 items.				12
Testimony of Jerome Kuykendall upon his nomination as Chairman of Federal Power Commission 1953				13
Diaries 1923-1953  30 items.				13
Photographs (prints and negatives) of E. V. Kuykendall, the Kuykendall Family, southwestern Washington, Pomeroy, Samuel Cosgrove 1892-1950  200 items.				13
General Correspondence:
				box
1923-1933  500 items.				14
1933-1936  500 items.				15
1936-1938  500 items.				16
1938-1940  500 items.				17
1940-1942  500 items.				18
1942-1943  500 items.				19
1944-1945  500 items.				20
				box
Sons of the American Revolution, correspondence 1947-1951  200 items.				21
Kiwanis Club, correspondence 1935-1937  300 items.				21
Knights of Pythias Lodge, correspondence 1926-1945  400 items.				22
Donor file 1946-1960  15 items.				22
History of Garfield County, by E. V. Kuykendall. (added 7/6/1983 by Barbara Kovarik Gahl) 1955  1 item.				22
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