Martha Holcomb Collection

Archive

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Wrangell Museum

Name/Title

Martha Holcomb Collection

Entry/Object ID

2018.021.500

Scope and Content

Martha Holcomb and her cousin Carol Erikson are descendants of W.K.Lear and his native wife in Oregon (a Yakima tribal member), thru their daughter Isabella. Martha and Carol are family historians and have collected information about W.K. Lear thru the years. Mr. Lear was an early Fort Wrangel shop keeper and the first postmaster. (10/6/1869-12/31/1878) and again (1894-Feb.1898). Martha contacted Wrangell Museum wondering if we would like some mail order receipts issued thru postmaster W.K. Lear from the period 1895-1898. After some discussion she agreed to donate the money orders and a copy of her entire W.K. Lear research collection. 1. Cert. of Deposit to Money Order Acc't (2018.021.501) Series a. 55 receipts, dated 1/21/1895 to 4/25/1898 2. Excerpts from published histories (2018.021.502) Series a. pgs 68-69 book father was Capt. William Moore b. SE Alaska by Pat Roppel c. newspaper article dated 8/19/1875 d. US Army pamphlet, Building Alaska 1867-1965 e. newspaper article dated 3/22/1890 f. pg 677 book History of Alaska 1730-1885 g. Postmarked Alaska by Joseph J. Cavagnol 3. Petitions, Deeds, letter (2018.021.503) Series a. petition for relief 6/31/1874 b. petition for land purchase 2/14/1879 c. personal property sale filed 8/19/1885 d. personal property sale filed 4/7/1898 e. letter mentioning Lear's damaged wharf 5/3/1886 4. Retirement to Soldiers Home (2018.021.504) Series a. Survivors Pension entitlement 9/11/1903 b. Soldier's Home application 2/24/1910 c. statement of applicant d. statement of doctor 2/19/1910 e. invalid voucher f. Quartermaster statement 1/17/1908 g. letter from Western Hospital for Insane 11/23/1912 h. letter from Western Hospital for Insane 11/27/1912 i. application packet with add'l letters & duplicates 5. Reg & Dictionary of Army 9/29/1789-3/2/1903 (2018.021.505) 6. Photocopy portrait, W.K.Lear, B.C. Archives (2018.021.506) 7. Photocopy of W.K. Lear, by Jos. Buchtel (2018.021.507) 8. Outline of W.K. Lear research by Carol Ericson (2018.021.508)