Back to Finding Aids
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries

PC 35
Frank S. Matsura
Photographs, 1907-1913

Frank Matsura in his studio

To view digital images of the photographs described in this guide, please visit the Frank S. Matsura Image Collection.

The Frank S. Matsura photographs were received by the Washington State University Library in the early 1960's as part of the papers of William Compton Brown. They were separated, arranged and processed in February 1979 by David Smestad; With additional arrangement and description by Terry Abraham in February 1981.

BIOGRAPHY

Frank S. Matsura came to the United States from Japan in 1905, settling briefly in Seattle before crossing the Cascades to take a job at the Elliot Hotel at Conconully, Washington, as a handyman. Little is known about his life in Japan. He may have served in the Japanese army, perhaps during the Japanese-Russian War, as a professional comedian. In 1907 he moved to Okanogan, Washington, and set up a photography, studio which he conducted until his death in 1913 from tuberculosis at the age of 32. Judge William C. Brown served as administrator of Matsura's effects and gained custody of his photographs. As one of Matsura's closest friends, he recognized the historical importance of the photographs in his custody.

Frank Matsura's studio

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The photographs of Frank M. Matsura have been segregated from the collection maintained by Judge William C. Brown. Undoubtedly some Matsura photographs remain among Judge Brown's and, given the uncertain identification of many of the images, it is possible that other photographers than Matsura are represented here. Although the collection consists principally of prints, a small quantity of nitrate film negatives were found. These have been printed and the film discarded for security reasons. Many of the prints have manuscript notes by Judge Brown captioning and, at times, dating the images. A great quantity, however, are unidentified and undated, except for what appear to be Matsura's negative numbers. The photographic images reveal many facets of pioneer life in the Okanogan country, from work to entertainment. The photographs have been arbitrarily sorted into subject groupings and roughly organized into four groups: people, places, things, and activities. At the end of these groups are loose pages from a substantial scrapbook as well as seven over-size photographs of athletic groups.

CONTAINER LIST

Box Folder Description                             Items

   SERIES I: People
1    1    Frank Matsura                              100
     2    W. C. Brown                                7
     3    W. C. Brown's animals                      9
     4    Portraits                                  157
     5    Families                                   49
     6    Couples                                    20
     7    Children                                   71
     8    Group portraits                            104
     9    Music groups                               10
     10   Outing groups                              13
     11   School groups                              20
     12   Athletics                                  45
     13   Horsemen and horsewomen                    59
     14   Indians                                    8
          "Short shots" (multiple image negatives)
     15   Men                                        68
     16   Women                                      100
     17   Children                                   65
     18   Groups                                     28
     19   Couples, athletic groups and other         109

Box Folder Description                             Items

        SERIES II: Places
     20   Columbia River                              2
     21   Conconully, WA                              10
     22   Fort Okanogan                               7
     23   Malott, WA                                  3
     24   Okanogan, WA                                50
     25   Okanogan Auditorium                         9
2    26   Okanogan fair and parades                   17
     27   Okanogan high bridge                        8
     28   Okanogan countryside                        40
     29   Omak, WA                                    12
     30   Riverside, WA                               4

        SERIES III: Things
     31   Automobiles                                 18
     32   Blacksmith, tack shop                       2
     33   Building interiors                          7
     34   Farm animals                                11
     35   Farms                                       9
     36   Homesteads and ranches                      54
     37   Horse-drawn vehicles                        41
     38   Hotels                                      16
     39   Houses                                      15
     40   Orchards                                    55
     41   Steamboats                                  9
     42   Street scenes and buildings                 16

Box  Folder   Description                           Items

        SERIES IV: Activities
     43   Hunting and fishing                         14
     44   Farm land development                       13
     45   Okanogan Irrigation project                 10
     46   Harvest                                     4
     47   Construction of GNRR into Okanogan          16
     48   Construction of Conconully Dam              69
     49   Elgin Canyon Road construction              19
     50   Construction scenes                         23
     51   Mining                                      3

Box Folder Description                             Items

        SERIES V: Scrapbook
     52   Scrapbook of mounted prints                 350

        SERIES VI: Oversize
     53   Athletic groups                             7

         SERIES VII: Recent (2001) Japanese materials
     53      Photographs and printed materials by Tatsuo Karihara
             relating to Matsura, including recent photographs from
             vantage points used by Matsura.