Nathan Neer Slave Receipts and Papers

This collection includes approximately 350 documents that once belonged to Nathan Neer and his family, chiefly consisting of receipts and promissory notes. One folder of documents consists of receipts for the sale of slaves and payments for slave labor. There are also tax receipts related to slave ownership. One folder relates to the family's experience of the Civil War, including substitutions for the draft and confiscation of property. Many of the documents relate to the daily business of the family, such as receipts for food, clothing, tuition, magazine subscriptions, house repairs, legal fees and other goods and services. The documents, which cover the period 1830-1870, appear to have been assembled in order to settle accounts for Nathan Neer's estate. Some of the later documents are in the name of Nathan's son and heir, Edward Henry Neer. See inventory for a listing of folders.

This collection was purchased by Victor Atiyeh, who was the governor of Oregon from 1979-1987. He acquired them because of his personal interest in historical documents, particularly from the Civil War period. He donated the collection to the Pacific University Archives in April, 2014.