Sam Pambrun papers

Collection

Identifier: WCMss-723

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Sam Pambrun papers document the history of the Pambrun family, who have lived in the Walla Walla area since the early 19th century. This collection, which dates from 1885 to 2019, consists of born-digital files created by Sam Pambrun including interview transcripts, local history presentations, and family stories, documenting multiple generations of the Pambrun family. There are also original documents from the nineteenth century, including correspondence, receipts, and photographic images.

In addition to family history, the collection also sheds light on 19th and early 20th century regional history, including the fur trade, Frenchtown, the Hudson’s Bay Company, the Oregon Trail, and métis families. For additional information about the scope of the collection, see the “Preface to the Pambrun Papers,” in the Introduction folder.

Dates

circa 1885-2019

Creator

Pambrun, Sam (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for use.

Biographical Note

Sam Pambrun is a local historian, retired school administrator, and former president of the Umatilla Historical Society. The Pambrun family has lived in the Walla Walla area since the early 19th century when Pierre Chrysologue Pambrun, a French-Canadian, was stationed as the administrator for the Hudson’s Bay Company at Fort Nez Perce. Pierre’s wife, Catherine “Kitty” Umfreville Pambrun, helped to lead Fort Nez Perce, while raising their six children.

Sam Pambrun is the great-grandson of Andrew Pambrun, who also worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company and served as an aide to Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens from 1855 to 1858. He served as a translator for the Cayuse Tribe during treaty negotiations in Walla Walla in 1855. He married Mary Cook, a woman of Cree-English descent, with whom he had twelve children.

Sam has conducted extensive interviews, collected stories, and given presentations to help document his family’s long history in the Walla Walla Valley.