Too often historians and other history practitioners overlook the importance of local history to an enlarged understanding of regional and national history.  Knowing the people, events, and settings often provides information important for understanding more comprehensive stories.  Recently published Camas Pioneers: Historic Profiles of Prominent Camas Families, about early white residents of the Camas, Wash., area, furnishes a significant example of the value of local history.

In her 242-page collection of mini-biographies, author Sally Alves provides what the subtitle promises: a series of “Historic Profiles of Prominent Camas Families.” The 90-year-old author, who now lives in Arizona but was a resident of Camas’ historic John Roffler House in the 1990s, emphasizes the birth and death, the fatherhood or motherhood, and often the land-owning and house-building projects of her characters. She covers the lives of about 30 individuals and several families. The biographies average about 10 pages in length.

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The book’s major strength is the hundreds of bits and pieces it contains about the births, families, lives, and deaths of dozens of Camas pioneers. This collection provides a series of illuminating glimpses of numerous early settlers in Southwest Washington and around Portland. The author has obviously ransacked numerous sources to gather her diverse information on these pioneers.  Data from census, birth and death, ownership, and newspaper records are abundant and rich. 

Most of these Camas pioneers will be unknown to readers.  There are a few exceptions, however. One chapter deals with famed Portland journalist Henry Pittock and his son-in-law Fred Leadbetter. In this section, the author treats Pittock’s important role in publishing the Morning Oregonian newspaper and his notable work in establishing the huge paper mill in Camas. Perhaps some will recognize active pioneers Aeneas and Hugh MacMaster, father and son. Or possibly teacher Nora E. Self.  Most of the book’s other figures are less well known.

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While the life story details of most of the pioneers are extensive, some facts about their lives receive less attention. As mentioned, birth and death, parenting, land ownership, and home-building capture many pages, but many religious affiliations, educational backgrounds, and general intellectual activities are overlooked.  Nor does the author show clearly the development of the Camas area socially or culturally as a context that helped shape the lives of the pioneers.

One wishes that the author had added a final, summing-up chapter in which she pointed to overarching patterns — or the lack of them — in the many lives she covers.  Plus, if the author had moved past information on individuals to form other group conclusions drawn from this well-researched book, she could have added much to its value. In addition, more demanding copyediting would have eliminated repetitions and the often-used, nonexistent “its’.” Most of the text is dated, covering up to 1992, or updated to 2011.

But the major — and memorable — importance of this volume is the richness of the author’s valuable information on the Camas-area pioneers and residents.  It overflows with interesting information on Southwest Washington. The book is a model for similar helpful studies of other local areas. The Camas-Washougal Historical Society should be roundly thanked for publishing this fact-filled volume.