Research notes: Inventory of John Smith Griffin's parish library, prepared posthumously., 1940-1960?

The collection includes original correspondence, writings, household accounts and notes related to John Smith Griffin, many of which are related to article in his newspaper, the Oregon American in 1848-1849, and to his work with the Congregational Church of Tualatin Plains in the 1840s-1850s. Notable items in the collection include:

- Several letters and essays related to the Whitman Massacre written down within two years of the event. They highlight the viewpoint of Henry H. Spalding, Griffin's friend, who believed that Catholics had instigated the killings of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman by the Cayuse at their mission near Walla Walla, Washington.

- The manuscript of William H. Gray's "Sketches of Oregon," an account of his overland journey to Oregon with the Whitman-Spalding group in 1836.

- A photograph album containing approximately 100 portraits of friends and family of the Griffins.

- Documents related to the establishment and governance of the Congregational Church of Tualatin Plains in the 1840s-1850s.

This collection consists of the original manuscripts held at the Pacific University Archives. The collection was microfilmed for the Oregon Historical Society, and exists in facsimile form in several other archival repositories. Additional loose photographs related to the Griffin Family are located in the Pacific University Archives and are available online at http://washingtoncountyheritage.org