Papers of Benjamin W. Booher concerning Hazelet-Meals expedition from Valdez to the Copper River-Chisna area, 1900-1975 (bulk 1900-1904)

Collection

Identifier: MS 13-6

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Poem, letters to Mrs. Booher, obituary of Benjamin Booher, Chisna Mining and Improvement Co. stock certificate, genealogy, handwritten diary, dated 1900, 1901.

Dates

1900-1975
Majority of material found within 1900-1904

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is unrestricted.

Conditions Governing Use

Request for permission to publish or reproduce material from the collection should be discussed with the Librarian. Photocopying does not constitute permission to publish.

Biographical Note

In 1900 Ben Booher (Guthrie Center, Iowa) joined his wife's uncle, George Cheever Hazelet, (Omaha, Nebraska) and A. Jack Meals (O'Neill, Nebraska) on a prospecting expedition to Alaska. Booher's diary (p.96) lists fourteen additional men in the party who arrived in Valdez Feb. 1, 1900 on the vessel EXCELSIOR. They prospected in Copper Center, Valdez, Chisna, Chitna, Gulkana and Gakona. Mr. Booher's records the daily work of the party and people met on the trail. He also wrote to his wife in Iowa during the expedition. Ben returned to Alaska in 1904 and worked as a farmer and carpenter. He died in Kent, Washington in April 1975, at age 102.

George C. Hazelet and Jack Meals stayed in Valdez and were active in community affairs. In 1908, Mr. Hazelet moved to Cordova where he surveyed the townsite and also served as Mayor. He died there in August 1926. THE JOURNAL OF GEORGE C. HAZELET is available in the Library (F912. C7H3).

Extent

7 Volumes (7 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Alma Booher Bender donated the collection to the library by on behalf of the Booher family May 20, 1985. Photographs form a separate collection, PCA 250 (Acc. No. 1985-009.)

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title: Finding aid for the Papers of Benjamin W. Booher concerning Hazelet-Meals expedition from Valdez to the Copper River-Chisna area, 1900-1975 (bulk 1900-1904)
Status: In Progress
Author: Processed by: Staff. ArchivesSpace Finding Aid by: Freya Anderson
Date: 2019 June
Description rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description: Undetermined
Script of description: Code for undetermined script
Language of description note: English