Clyde H. Porter and Mae Reed Porter Papers mssPortercm
Gayle Richardson
The Huntington Library
July 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Clyde H. Porter and Mae Reed Porter papers
Creator:
Porter, Clyde,
1889-1958
Identifier/Call Number: mssPortercm
Physical Description:
15.8 Linear Feet
(19 boxes, 1 notebook)
Date (inclusive): 1928-1956
Abstract: A collection of research and secondary
material about the fur trade in the Rocky Mountains compiled by Clyde H. Porter and Mae Reed
Porter.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Clyde H. Porter and Mae Reed Porter papers, The Huntington
Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mae Reed Porter, March 1959.
Biographical / Historical
Clyde H. Porter (1889-1958) and his wife Mae Reed Porter (1889-1969) studied and wrote
about the early exploration, development, and fur trade of the Far West, particularly the
Rocky Mountain area. Clyde H. Porter, the son of Joseph and Jennie Henderson Porter, was
born in St. Louis, Missouri; he attended Iowa State College where he met Mae Reed, whom he
married in 1910. After Clyde's service in the U.S. Army during World War I, the Porters
moved to Kansas City where Clyde gradually rose through the ranks to become an executive for
the Kansas City Power and Light Company. Both Clyde and Mae Porter were passionate about the
history of the American West. Mae Porter was an historian and art collector in her own right
who collaborated with Bernard DeVoto on his book Across the Wide Missouri. This work won the
Pulitzer Prize for history in 1948. After thirty-five years of service at the Kansas City
Power and Light Company, Clyde retired and began assisting Mae with her historical research.
Cooperatively, the Porters contributed to at least two books entitled Ruxton of the Rockies
(1950) and Matt Field on the Santa Fe Trail (1960).
Scope and Contents
A collection of approximately 4000 items from 1928 to 1956, it consists of the research
files of Clyde H. Porter and Mae Reed Porter; the collection also contains biographical
material, business papers, correspondence, manuscripts, two tins of microfilm, three rolls
of duplicates, and ephemera. There are research notes for the book, Ruxton of the Rockies
(1950) and other books concerning the Rocky Mountain region. There is also secondary source
material pertaining to German immigration to Texas and to various fur traders and
adventurers, including Toussaint Charbonneau, August Chouteau, and George Ruxton.
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1965. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the
finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
Arrangement
Organized in the following series: 1. Biographical data; 2. Business papers; 3. General
correspondence; 4. Manuscripts; 5. Records; 6. Miscellaneous notes, photographs, and
newspaper clippings; 7. Duplicates.
General
Former call number: mssPorter papers.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Fur trade -- Rocky Mountains
Fur trade -- West (U.S.)
Fur traders -- West (U.S.)
Germans -- Texas
Indians of North America -- West (U.S.)
Rocky Mountains -- Description and
travel
Texas -- Emigration and immigration
West (U.S.) -- Description and
travel
Business papers -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century
Ephemera -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century
Manuscripts -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century
Research (document genres) -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century
Charbonneau, Toussaint,
approximately 1758-approximately 1839
Chouteau, Auguste,
1750-1829
Porter, Mae Reed,
1889-1969
Ruxton, George Frederick,
1820-1848
Box 1, Folder 1-6
Biographical data: Ottomar von Behr - Toussaint Charbonneau
Box 2
Charbonneau continued (two folders)
Box 3, Folder 7-8
August Chouteau - Antoine Clement
Box 4, Folder 9-11
Eduard Degener - Major Andrew Drips
Box 5, Folder 12-18
Matthew C. Field - Dr. Ferdinand Herff
Box 7, Folder 20-22
William (Laidlow) Laidlaw - Pierre La Liberte
Box 8, Folder 23-27
Zenas Leonard - Dr. Ferdinand von Roemer
Box 9-10, Folder 28
George Augustus Frederick Ruxton
Box 11, Folder 29-32
Samuel Seymour - Herman Spiess
Box 12, Folder 33-35
Friedrich Armand Strubberg - Captain Friedrich W. Von Wrede
Box 13
Business papers; General correspondence
1928-1957
Box 14, Folder 1-8
Manuscripts: Cox - Vaughan
Box 16
Miscellaneous notes, photographs, newspaper clippings, ephemera
Box 17
Duplicates: Toussaint Charbonneau and relatives
Box 18
Chouteau and related families (Menard, etc.) - Dresel
Box 19
Drips and related families (Barnes, Mulkey, etc.) - Spiess
Volume 1
Mae Reed Porter. Notebook on the Heermann family
