Abstract
The Pearl Francis Neeley Photograph Collection (approximately 2000-2024) consists of digital reproductions of Francis and Neeley family photographs taken from approximately 1890 to 1945 throughout Central and Southern Nevada. Notable locations include Pioche, Eagle Valley, Spring Valley, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Also included in the collection is a digital reproduction of an autobiographical typescript by Neeley titled “My Life History,” and a multipart audio recording of Neeley recollecting her experiences growing up in rural Nevada and other events in her life. This collection consists entirely of digital surrogates.
Finding Aid PDF
Date
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Scope and Contents Note
The Pearl Francis Neeley Photograph Collection (approximately 2000-2024) consists of digital reproductions of Francis and Neeley family photographs taken from approximately 1890 to 1945 throughout Central and Southern Nevada. Notable locations include Pioche, Eagle Valley, Spring Valley, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Also included in the collection is a digital reproduction of an autobiographical typescript by Neeley titled “My Life History,” and a multipart audio recording of Neeley recollecting her experiences growing up in rural Nevada and other events in her life. This collection consists entirely of digital surrogates. This collection was previously known as the Bruce Carlson Photograph Collection.
Access Note
Collection is open for research. Arrangements must be made in advance to access digital files; please
contact UNLV Special Collections and Archives for additional information.
Publication Rights
This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. The donor, Bruce Carlson, transferred all right, title and interest they had in the Pearl Francis Neeley Photograph Collection (PH-00091) to UNLV. However, some material may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproductions and use or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.
Arrangement
Materials remain as they were received.
General Note
This collection was formerly titled the Bruce Carlson Photograph Collection, after the donor of the materials. Based on correspondence between curator Aaron Mayes and donor Bruce Carlson, the collection has been renamed to reflect the origin of the materials.
Biographical / Historical Note
Pearl Francis Neeley was a teacher in rural Nevada during the 1920s, where she taught in various schools throughout Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine counties. She was born on July 27, 1901 in Eagle Valley, Nevada, to Selina Corilla Hammond and David Francis.
Pearl’s maternal grandparents, Selina Walker and John Egbert Hammond, settled in Eagle Valley from St. George, Utah in 1865. Her father, David Francis, immigrated to the United States from Newtownards, County Down, Ireland in 1885, and arrived in Lincoln County, Nevada after first living in Iowa. Selina Corilla Hammond and David Francis were married on July 4, 1893 and had six children: John Ellis, Effa, David Willis, Annie Pearl, William “Willie” Edgar, and Hazel.
David Francis was active in ranching and raising livestock and the family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They lived in Camp Valley and Eagle Valley before purchasing Joseph Coumerilh’s ranch in Spring Valley, Nevada in 1902. In 1912, the family moved to upper Spring Valley. While Pearl was teaching near Currant, Nevada in Nye County, she met John Wesley “Wes” Neeley. The two began corresponding while Wes was working for the Union Pacific Railroad, and they were married on June 30, 1926 in Spring Valley.
After marrying, Pearl and Wes moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1926 when Wes was transferred there by the railroad. After a short time, Wes began working for the Las Vegas Land and Water Company. The Neeleys had three children, Ilene, Nevada, and Jay, all of whom attended the Fifth Street School in Las Vegas. The Neeley family moved to Los Angeles, California in the early 1950s, where Wes Neeley died on March 25, 1956. Pearl remained in Southern California, where she worked for the May Company until she retired in 1966. After retiring, Pearl Francis Neeley moved to St. George, Utah, where she lived until her death at age 78 on June 11, 1980.
Sources:
Find a Grave. “John Egbert Hammond.” Accessed January 2, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39751642/john-egbert-hammond
Find a Grave. “Pearl Francis Neeley.” Accessed December 27, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71536544/pearl-francis-neeley
Neeley, Pearl Francis. “My Life History.” Pearl Francis Neeley Photograph Collection, approximately 2000-2024. PH-00091. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Preferred Citation
Pearl Francis Neeley Photograph Collection, approximately 2000-2024. PH-00091. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 2009 and 2024 by Bruce Carlson; accession numbers 2007-013 and 2024-123.
Processing Note
In 2020, Sarah Jones created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace.
In 2024, Tammi Kim processed the optical discs from accession 2007-013 and made access copies. Landon Paljusaj processed the digital material from accession 2024-123 and made access copies, repurposed the donor-provided inventory to create item-level descriptions for all of the materials, and updated the finding aid in ArchivesSpace. The collection name was changed to reflect the origin of the materials; it was previously known as the Bruce Carlson Photograph Collection.