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Special Collections & Archives


Manuscript Group 24

JAMES McCAMPBELL LYLE

Papers, 1883-1949
3 l.f.


The papers of Dr. James M. Lyle of Peck, and later Lewiston, Idaho, were donated to the University of Idaho Library by his son, James M. Lyle, Jr., in 1959. They were processed by Judith Nielsen in April 1985.

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES M. LYLE

James McCampbell Lyle was born in Franklin, North Carolina, September 16, 1876, the son of J.M. and Nannie Lyle. He was educated in the public schools of Franklin. At the age of 16 he lost his father and spent several years farming to help support his mother. He then entered the medical department at the University of Nashville, in Tennessee and in 1901 was a member of the 50th graduating class of that institution.

After graduation he moved to Peck, Nez Perce County, Idaho, to begin his medical career. From 1913 to 1919 he also operated the drug store in Peck. In 1920 he moved to Lewiston, and in 1923 was appointed health officer for Nez Perce County.

In addition to his medical practice he retained his early interest in farming and was the owner of several tracts of farm and orchard land in the Lewiston Orchards. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.

On April 29, 1903, he married Elizabeth Rogers; they had three children, James M., Jr., Donald R., and Elizabeth L.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The papers of James Lyle span the years 1883 to 1949, with the bulk of the material dated between 1901 and 1940. The correspondence is all incoming. From 1902-1918 it is from D.S. Waskey of the Deming Investment Company, Oswego, Kansas. Waskey was one of the original Peck Townsite promoters, but after moving to Kansas from Colfax, Washington, he wished to divest himself of his Peck property and paid Lyle a commission to sell the lots for him. Many of the letters contain comments on early Peck residents. After 1920, when Lyle moved to Lewiston, a majority of the letters are from his Peck patients who wrote him about their medical problems and sought his advice.

The bills and receipts include such things as poll, property, and road tax receipts, fish and game licenses, dog licenses, utility bills, rent receipts, medical supply invoices, and insurance receipts.

The practitioner's visiting lists and call lists are a chronological records of visits, including the patient's name, date of the visit and the charge. Each book also contains a section for recording births and deaths. The patient account books list all charges for an individual patient during the period covered by the book. There are also some records for the Lyle Drug Store in Peck, and several account books for the farm and orchard property.

Included in the last series are the articles of incorporation and the by-laws for the Peck Publishing Company, James Lyle's early report cards from Franklin High School, and an early essay on Charles Dickens.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

Items in the correspondence series are in chronological order; financial material is arranged first by year, then alphabetically within the year.

SERIES LIST

Containers

I. Correspondence, 1902-1937 1

II. Financial Material, 1901-1949 1-3

A. Medical Practice

B. Drug Store

C. Farm Accounts

III. Other papers 3

INVENTORY

JAMES McCAMPBELL LYLE

Box Folder Description Items

I. Correspondence, 1902-1937

1	1-17	D.S. Waskey Correspondence, 1902-1918	309
	18-28	General Correspondence, 1918-1937	259

II. Financial Material, 1901-1949

A. Medical Practice, 1901-1949

	29-60	Bills and receipts, 1903-1934	2486
2	61-66	Bills and receipts, 1935-1940	775
	67-73	Practitioner's Visiting List and Call List, 1902-1923 	7
	74-92	Patient Account Books, 1901-1949	19
3	93-94	Personal and Office Expenses, 1922-1929	2
	95-102	Receipt Books, 1932-1943	8

B. Drug Store, 1913-1919

103	Inventory of stock bought from Central Drug Co., 1913	1
	104-105	Cash Record, 1916-1919	2
	106	Inventory of Drug Store Stock, 1918-1919	1
	107	Record of drugs dispensed under the federal anti-narcotic law, 1915-1919	1

C. Farm Accounts, 1917-1946

	108	Farm Accounts, 1917-1934	1
	109	Record of farm products shipped, 1917-1946	1
	110	Orchard Expenses, 1930-1935	1

III. Other Papers, 1883-1924

	111	Peck Publishing Company Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, 1911			1
	112	Nannie Lyle's "Account of wool carded" and other accounts, 1883-1896			1
	113	James M. Lyle's report cards and school statements, Franklin, N.C., 1890-1894		17
	114	Deed, stock certificate, and J.M. Lyle estate distribution, n.d.	3
	115	Newspaper clippings, 1901-1924	5


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