Part of the Elwood Evans collection. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Library)

Ever hear of Elwood Evans? Don’t feel bad if you haven’t. You’d have to be a Washington Territory history buff to have any idea who he was.

Evans was secretary of Washington Territory from 1863 to 1868. In 1865, he carried two titles, as he also was acting governor of the territory. When he was appointed territorial secretary in 1862 by Gov. William Pickering, Evans’ predecessor, L. Jay S. Turney, did not leave office quietly.  Because Evans’ appointment wasn’t accompanied by a bond, Turney would not vacate the office because he said Evans’ appointment wasn’t legitimate. There was some confusion for a couple of months because both claimed to be the secretary.

The third and final item in this month’s State Library Jewels is the collection of Evans’ correspondence, photos and other materials.

Later this week we’ll start our online poll on the Library Jewels for this month, so be ready to vote!