Nineteenth Century Women
Following is an alphabetical listing of collections, or portions of collections, created by women who lived in Montana in the 1800s. For fuller descriptions or copies of inventories please contact the Archives staff.
Alcorn, Kathleen Smith
Small Collection l439
Writing, n.d. .l linear foot.
In a manuscript entitled Mortimer and Susans Trip to Montana , Kathleen, a Michigan resident, describes a trip from Missouri to Montana Territory made by her great-grandparents, Mortimer and Susan Park, in l863. Kathleen recounts the journey by wagon to Helena, where Mortimer operated a general store until l865. Also included are entries from the Gilbert Benedict diary (1864) concerning life in the early Helena area.
Anderson, Bertha Josephson
Small Collection 360
Reminiscence, l940. .l linear foot.
Reminiscence of Bertha's life in Denmark, her trip to Montana in l889, homesteading near Sidney, Montana, and life on the homestead up to about l930. [This typescript, edited by her daughter Dr. Camilla Anderson, consists of excerpts from the original reminiscence.]
Anson, Annette
Small Collection 362
Papers, l866. .1 linear foot.
The collection consists of the depositions of Annette Anson and William J. Bartlett in Annette's attempt to obtain a divorce from Allen Anson on the grounds of desertion and adultery. In her deposition Annette claimed to be the first female resident of Virginia City.
Bailey, Ella
Small Collections l865
Letter, l892. .1 linear foot.
In a letter to her brother, Clarence H. Sweet, Ella relates the details of her husband's death in a mining accident in Alder Gulch, Montana, the funeral, and her financial expectations as a widow.
Baily, Josephine McCrellis
Small Collection 374
Letter, l890. .1 linear foot.
This collection consists of a letter by Josie Lima, Montana, ranch wife to Sarah Kee, describing Lima and inviting Sarah to come to Montana as a private teacher.
Ballou, Laura C.
Small Collection 388
Reminiscence, n.d .1 linear foot
A Quebec, Canada, native, Nathalie discusses her trip to Montana Territory in l868, her experiences as a storekeeper in Maiden, Gilt Edge, Kendall, and other Montana towns from l868 to 1915.
Blake, Clara J.
Small Collection 436
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Clara, a Boston native, was the wife of Henry N. Blake, Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court. In her reminiscence, Clara discusses her honeymoon and trip to Montana Territory in l870.
Boatman, Mary Luella
Small Collection 444
Reminiscence, n.d. .2 linear foot
A Stevensville, Montana, area ranch wife, Mary reminisces about her early life, her trip to Montana in l865, her childhood in the Ruby Valley, and her life in Glendale, Dillon, and Stevensville.
Booth, Mary E. McMurray
Small Collection 1492
Reminiscence, l936. .1 linear foot.
Mary's reminiscence describes traveling with her father, Terrence McMurray, on horseback from Portland, Oregon, to St. Ignatius, Montana Territory from l861 to l863. She also discusses moving to Mission Ranch, later known as Frenchtown in l864, and her life in Mission Ranch up to l871, when she married Joseph Booth.
Brady, Julia
Small Collection 1695
Letter, l985. .1 linear foot.
In a letter to her aunt, Mrs. J. Walls of Aspen, Colorado, Julia describes a mine fire in Basin, Montana, that put many of Basin's miners out of work and spread to the surrounding hills.
Bremer, Carolina Weigand
Small Collection 1672
Reminiscence, l964. .1 linear foot.
In this manuscript, compiled and edited from an oral interview, Carolina describes her family's trip to Montana Territory in l878, homesteading near Great Falls, her marriage to Henry Bremer in l903, and their move to Collins, Montana, in l913.
Cameron, Evelyn and Ewen
Manuscript Collection 226
Papers, 1893-1929. 3 linear feet.
Papers of Evelyn J. Cameron, pioneer photographer and rancher in eastern Montana, and of her husband, Ewen S. Cameron, who raised polo ponies and studied and wrote about wildlife, particularly birds, of eastern Montana. The collection consists of letters, postcards, and greeting cards, l903-l929; thirty-five diaries, l893-l928, kept by Evelyn; a journal, n.d., kept by Evelyn containing notes, copied poems and sayings, and clippings; a scrapbook, l900-1915, containing clippings on wildlife; seven articles, l905-1914, about birds and other wildlife written by Ewen; various manuscripts, l904-1912, written by Ewen; and homestead papers 1903-1917. [Evelyn's story and some of the photographs are featured in Photographing Montana, 1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, l990.]
Clarke, Helen P.
Small Collection 1153
Papers, 1872-1934. .2 linear foot.
Helen was the Montana Superintendent of Schools and a teacher for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. She was active in trying to improve the lives of Native Americans on the Blackfeet Reservation. Her collection consists of correspondence and biographical materials.
Converse, Hazel Cole
Small Collection 1808
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot
In her reminiscence, entitled "I Remember, I Remember," Hazel recalls her childhood in Marysville, Montana, during the 1890s, including memories of her father, Dr. J. V. Cole, the first dentist in Marysville.
Cook, Mary E.
Small Collection 558
Diary, l868. .1 linear foot.
In her diary, Mary describes her trip by steamboat from St. Louis, Missouri, to Fort Benton, Montana Territory, and then by stagecoach to Helena.
Cowan, Emma Carpenter
Small Collection 576
Reminiscence,1902. .2 linear foot.
In her reminiscence, Emma discusses her wagon journey to Montana Territory in 1864 and her experiences during an 1877 trip to Yellowstone National Park with a party that was captured by the Nez Perce. [Published in Contributions to the Montana Historical Society, volume 4.]
Craig, Genieve Woodruff
Small collection 1327
Speech, 1912. .1 linear foot
In this speech, presented to the Daughters of the U.S. Army, Genieve discusses her life as the daughter and wife of career military men.
Cramer, Mattie T.
Manuscript Collection 255
Papers, 1888-1958. .4 linear foot.
Correspondence (1894-1958), diaries (1888,1895-1896), writings (n.d.), and miscellaneous financial records (1916, 1938-1946) of Malta area pioneer homesteader and newspaperwoman Mattie T. Cramer. The bulk of her papers consist of editorial and feature articles written for publication, and approximately 160 letters written to her from all over the United States, requesting information on homesteading in Montana. The diaries include Mattie's diary (1895-1896) kept while she was a traveling saleswoman in the Midwest, and the diary (1888) of her brother, Samuel E. Mathers, concerning daily life in Iowa.
Culver, Lillian E.H.
Small Collection 334
Papers, l884-1928. .1 linear foot.
Lillian was a Centennial Valley, Montana, farm wife. Her papers consist of correspondence, financial records, and miscellaneous records.
Darling, Lucia
Small Collection 145 and Microfilm 124a
Papers, 1863, 1904. .2 linear foot
Lucy Darling was the niece of Montana's first Territorial Governor, Sidney Edgerton, and traveled to Montana with Edgerton's family in 1863. Darling is credited with being Montana's first schoolteacher. She later returned east and married a Mr. Park. The collection contains her original diary kept during the trip to Bannack (June 1-September 17, 1863) and typescripts of the diary; an eight page typescript reminiscence (n.d.) entitled "The First School in Montana;" a claim certificate (1864) from Beaverhead County; and three letters (1904) from Lucy Darling Park to Montana Historical Society Librarian Laura Howey concerning the diary and other items. [Reminiscence published in Contributions to the Historical society of Montana, volume 5. The microfilm contains the typescript diary and correspondence and other materials relating to research on Darling by the Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, and a manuscript (1942) entitled "Lucia A. Darling (Park): Her Book.."]
Davidson, Mary Crittenden
Small Collection 604
Reminiscence, 1902. .1 linear foot.
Mary was the daughter of Rev. L. B. Crittenden, founder of the Gallatin Valley Female Seminary, where she served as principal until her marriage. She reminisces about the history and operation of the school from 1872 to 1877. [Published in Contributions to the Montana Historical Society, volume 6.]
Davidson, Sallie Davenport
Small Collection 606
Reminiscence, 1928. .1 linear foot.
In her reminiscence, Sallie discusses her family's trip to Montana Territory in 1865; her travels in Missouri to get schooling; experiences as the wife of Helena, Montana, merchant A. J. Davidson; and her experiences as the daughter of a pioneer family.
Doane, Mary Hunter
Small Collection 638
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot.
In her reminiscence, Mary discusses her experiences and education at St. Vincent's Academy in Helena, Montana Territory.
Dougherty, Mary Hilger
Small Collection 602
Reminiscent letter, l933. .1 linear foot.
Mary, daughter of Helena area rancher Nicolas Hilger, reminisces about her family's trip to Montana and their first years in Montana Territory. Written as a letter to her grandchildren in l933.
Drew, Sayde Wolfe
Small Collection 1532
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Sayde reminisces about her youth and early adulthood. Her family moved frequently, crossing and re-crossing the Plains by wagon several times. Sayde did laundry work, housekeeping, stock tending, and various other jobs before marrying at sixteen.
Edgerton Family
Manuscript Collection 26
Papers, 1859-1887. .5 linear foot
Sidney Edgerton was the first Governor of Montana Territory and his family was one of the first to come to Montana by wagon train. The collection contains letters written by family members while crossing the Plains and living in Bannack. Most of the letters were written by Sidney's wife, Mary, and his daughter, Martha. [Mary's letters were published as A Governor's Wife on the Mining Frontier: The Letters of Mary Edgerton from Montana, 1863-1865, edited by James L. Thane, Jr., Salt Lake City: University of Utah Library, 1976.]
Ellis, Henrietta Shoults
Small Collection 1491
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot
Henrietta reminisces bout her childhood days in Iowa and Colorado, life on ranches in Wyoming in the 1880s with her husband, Harvey Ellis, and life in Millegan, a town near Great Falls, Montana. Also included are two poems about Millegan and the surrounding area.
Eltonhead, Marion Truitt
Small Collection 664
Reminiscence, 1919. .1 linear foot.
Marion traveled to Cooke City, Montana Territory, in 1880 with her husband and a party of investors. Her reminiscence details this trip and gives commentary on Virginia City, Bozeman, Fort Ellis, Yellowstone National Park, and other locations.
Fabrick, Elizabeth Cox
Small Collection 676
Reminiscence, l937. .1 linear foot.
Elizabeth describes her trip to Montana in 1880 and some of her experiences living in Butte from 1880 to1883. Excerpted from a letter written to her daughter.
Farrar, Ann Clark Thurston
Small Collection 684
Papers, 1820-1822. .1 linear foot.
Ann was the niece of George Rogers Clark and the mother-in-law of Samuel T. Hauser. Her letters include two letters (1820,1822) from her mother Fannie Thurston, discussing family matters, and a short family sketch by her daughter, Ellen Farrar Hauser.
Fisk Family
Manuscript Collection 31
Papers, 1858-1901. 5.4 linear feet
The Fisk family gained prominence in Montana as emigrant guides and later as newspapermen. The collection centers on four of the Fisk brothers--Andrew Jackson Fisk, James Liberty Fisk, Robert Emmett Fisk, Van Hayden Fisk and on Robert's wife, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Chester Fisk. Through her extensive letters to her family in the East, Lizzie Fisk documented the activities of her family and the milieu in which they lived. The collection consists primarily of intra-family correspondence, the largest percentage of which is the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Lizzie (1857-1906). [Lizzie is featured in the book Lizzie: The Letters of Elizabeth Chester Fisk, 1864-1893, edited by Rex C. Myers, Missoula: Mountain Press, 1989.]
Fisk, Florence
Small Collection 1405
Papers, 1886, n.d. .1 linear foot
Florence, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Fisk, wrote two poems (n.d.) entitled "the Silver Bird's Nest" and "The Party Gown." The collection also includes a letter (1886) from her grandmother, Azubah Chester, concerning family matters.
Fisk, Julia Walker
Small Collection 694
Deed 1885. .1 linear foot
A deed conveying several Helena, Montana Territory, lots to Julia by her uncle James G. Blaine. Julia was the wife of Daniel Fisk.
Flanagan, May G.
Small Collection 1236
Papers, 1952, n.d. .2 linear foot.
May was a Fort Benton and Great Falls, Montana, educator. Her collection consists of correspondence (1952), and writings (n.d.) regarding her childhood in Fort Benton, including traveling by stage to Helena in 1886 and by steamboat to Bismarck, North Dakota, in 1887. She also discusses education, frontier homes and life, and various residents of Fort Benton and Helena. The collection also includes one article by her sister, Virginia E. Flanagan, about the day the railroad arrived in Fort Benton.
Fletcher, Ellen "Nellie" Gordon
Small Collections 78 and 1977
Papers, 1866-1870. .1 linear foot.
Ellen Fletcher was a mining and ranching wife in Summit City, Montana Territory, and later in the Madison Valley. Small collection 78 consists of letters (1866-1870) by Nellie to her family in New York describing her overland trip to Montana and life in the mining camps. Typescript copies of diary entries from her wagon trip to Montana in 1866 can be found in Small Collection l977, along with some family correspondence. [The letters in SC78 are photocopies of typescripts at Montana State University. Portions of Nellie's diary were published by her great-grandson, Francis D. Haines, in A Bride on the Bozeman Trail: The Letters and Diary of Ellen Gordon Fletcher, l866, Medford, Ore.: Gendee, l970; the entries in SC l977 were not published.]
Fortnightly Club (Helena, Mont.)
Manuscript Collection 203
Records, 1890-1989. 1 linear foot
The Fortnightly Club was a literary circle that studied English literature. The collection consists of correspondence, financial records, minutes, organizational records, outlines of study, programs, histories of the clubs, and clippings.
Fowler, Stella Tanner
Small Collection 1780
Reminiscence, ca. 1960. .1 linear foot.
In her reminiscence, written around l960, Stella discusses her childhood in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana from 1881 to 1889, and her mother's efforts as a widow to raise six children.
Fuller, Anne Herron
Small Collection 722
Letters, l941. .1 linear foot
Anne, a Chinook, Montana, area rancher, wrote several letters to her children describing her experiences living on various western army posts where her father was stationed in the 1880s.
Gardner, Flora
Small Collection 196
Reminiscent letter, n.d. .1 linear foot.
In a letter to Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Vinsonhaler, Flora reminisces about her journey from Fort Benton to Bozeman in 1879.
Gibson, Mary Douglas
Small Collection 1476
Reminiscence, l928. .1 linear foot
Mary describes her childhood in Vermont and Minnesota, a trip up the Missouri River on the steamboat Benton in 1881, her marriage to Phil Gibson, and her live in Great Falls in the 1880s and 1890s. [Photocopy of original in the Cascade County Historical Society. Literary rights retained by the donor.]
Gill, Ruth Reser
Small Collection l944
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Ruth describes her mother's memories of life at the Fort Belknap Agency during the 1880s, the opening of the Reservation to homesteading, the founding of the town of Chinook, and changes over the years.
Gilpatrick, Luella and Stephen
Small Collection 744
Reminiscence, 1915, revised l923. .1 linear foot.
Luella's reminiscence describes her trips across the Plains to Helena, Montana Territory, 1846. Her husband Stephen's reminiscence describes his travel up the Missouri River by steamboat and his experiences as a miner.
Grand Army of the Republic
Manuscript Collection 205
Records, 1881-1941. 5 linear ft.
This collection contains the records of the Montana Department of the GAR and of the Woman's Relief Corps, including correspondence, financial records, organizational materials, rosters, minutes, and records for various locals, including Anaconda, Butte, Boulder Valley, Columbia Falls, Deer Lodge, Fort Custer, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, and Missoula. [Fragile materials have been copied on Microfilm 429.]
Guthrie, Idora Z. Smith
Manuscript Collection 201
Diaries, 1877-1937. 3 linear feet
Idora's diaries describe her daily life, family, activities, teaching career, mining and homesteading experiences, and career in sales in rural New York and in Helena and the Marysville area in Montana.
Hale, C. Adelia French
Small Collection 782
Reminiscences, l929. .1 linear foot
Adelia traveled with her family to Virginia City, Montana, Territory, in 1864. She married Helena jeweler, N. B. Hale and they moved to California in 1874. Her reminiscences concentrate on the trip to Montana and include comments on conditions in the gold camps.
Hardin, Eliza Eardley
Small Collection 788
Reminiscence, n. d. .1 linear foot.
In this reminiscence Eliza describes her family's wagon journey from California to Anaconda, Montana Territory, in 1881.
Hauser Family
Manuscript Collection 37
Papers, 1864-1914. 29 linear feet.
Samuel T. Hauser was a business and political pioneer in Montana Territory. His wife, Ellen Farrar Hauser was one of the leading ladies of Montana society. The collection contains a subgroup for Ellen, which consists of correspondence (1873-1906), financial records (1865-1906), and legal documents (1879-1917).
Helena Women's Relief Committee
Small Collection 997
Records, 1887-1894. .1 linear foot
Sarah discusses the formation of the first public school in Montana Territory at Virginia City and her experiences as a teacher in that school from 1866 to1867.
Hibbard, Margaret Sieben
Small Collection 1663
Interview, 1968. .1 linear foot.
Margaret primarily talks about her collection of historic vehicles and the person who owned them; she also discusses Lillie Aston the first madam of the Castle and prostitution in Helena.
Hildebrandt, Mollie Largent
Small Collection 2044
Papers, 1881-1891. . 1 linear foot
This collection includes two diaries (1882-1886) written by Mollie concerning her life in Sun River, Montana Territory, and the surrounding area, and a letter (1881) written to John Largent by Clint Hildebrandt requesting his consent to marry his daughter Mollie.
Hoffman, E. E. and Henry B.
Small Collection 1737
Letter, 1872. .1 linear foot
In a letter to their niece, E. E. Hoffman and her husband Henry describe farming, gardening, and mining activities in Deer Lodge, Montana Territory; E. E.'s homesickness for the East, and the loneliness of her life in Deer Lodge.
Hogan, Kate and Martin E.
Small Collection 864
Papers, 1866-1874. .1 linear foot.
This collection consists of seven letters by Lieutenant Martin E. Hogan and one letter (1867) by his wife, Kate, telling of her arrival in Montana via the Missouri River.
Holding, Marianne McWethey
Small Collection 1929
Reminiscence, l925, revised l934. .1 linear foot.
Marianne's reminiscence describes her trip to Montana Territory in 178, her life on the family homestead on the Prickly Pear Valley near Helena, the birth and death of her children, and other events. [An edited version was published by the family.]
Holter Family
Manuscript Collection 80
Paper, 1861-1968. 95 linear feet
The Holter Family Subgroups contain correspondence and other materials by and between various family members and provide information concerning not only the family's business activities and investments, but also the growth and development of Helena and the vicinity. Of greatest interest to someone studying 19ty Century women will be the subgroup for Anton M. Holter's wife, Mary Pauline Loberg Holter, which covers the period 1872 t l914.
Hughes, Minnie Stevenson
Small Collection 1797
Letter, 1969. .1 linear foot.
In a letter to Max Goodsill, publicist for the Yellowstone Park Company, Minnie describes her family's journey from Colorado to Bozeman, Montana Territory, in l883, their life in Bozeman from 1883 to 1889, the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, and the Wylie Transportation Company, a park concessionaire.
James, Elizabeth "Bessie" Emmons
Small Collection 861
Reminiscence, 1947. .1 linear foot.
In her reminiscence, Bessie describes her family's wagon journey from California to the Deer Lodge Valley, Montana Territory, in 1881. [Typed transcript of an oral interview conducted in 1947.]
Jones, Carrie J.
Small Collection 1330
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot
Carrie's reminiscence, entitled "Reminiscence of Early Days in Havre," describes the town from 1893 to 1920.
Kaiser, Alvie Nave
Small Collection 1488
Diary, 1890-1891. .1 linear foot.
Alvie's diary tells of the marriage to rancher Edward Kaiser, life on their Myersburg area homestead, and her daily activities as a homemaker.
Kelley, Mary L.
Small Collection 920
Reminiscence, l920. .1 linear foot.
Mary's reminiscence describes her journey by wagon train from Kansas to Virginia City, Montana Territory in 1864.
Kennedy, Clara Hart
Small Collection 1664
Papers, 1867-1908. .1 linear foot
Clara's papers contain material about her first husband, Assistant Federal Assessor Samuel S. Hart, and her second husband Park City Mining Company Superintendent George S. Kenney. Included in the collection are correspondence, legal documents, and miscellaneous papers, including an election certificate (1908).
Kimball and Hanson Families
Manuscript Collection l88
Papers, l864-1957. 1.5 linear feet
This collection consists of papers from three generations of Kimball and Hanson families from 1864 to 1957. The Peter and Anna Gustafsen Hanson Subgroup contains correspondence and financial records (1894-1895) about their creamery business in Stevensville, Montana, their marriage certificate, naturalization papers of Peter (1872,1892), and an autograph book (1881-1886). The Albert and Hilma Kimball Subgroup consists of correspondence (1897-1940), including Hilma's letters of recommendation as a teacher and appointments to teaching positions (1897-1903); diaries (1933-1944), including Hilma's reminiscences and an article on Butte's history: and miscellaneous papers, including autograph books (1880-1891), Hilma's school records (1893-1902) and scrapbooks (1927-1941).
Kirkpatrick, Alma Coffin
Small Collection 940
Reminiscence, ca. 1910. .1 linear foot
Alma's reminiscence, including abstracts from her diary, discusses her trip to Montana Territory by steamboat in 1878, her experiences as a school teacher at Glendale in 1880, and life in Glendale from 1878 to 1884.
Lacy Family
Small Collection 2139
Reminiscences, l958, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Included is a reminiscence (n.d.) by Lula Asa Murphy Armstrong Lacy (Lou) describing her early years in Indiana, her marriage to Earnest E. Lacy, and life on the Lacy ranch in the Moiese Valley of Montana. Entitle "Lou's Story," the reminiscence covers the period from the 1860s to 1973. (Restriction: "Lou's Story" may not be photocopied without the donor's consent.)
Leedy, Jeannette Morrow Whitehead
Small Collection 373
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot
Jeannette tells of her life in Montana Territory in the l860s and 1870s while married to her first husband, John C. Whitehead.
Lewis, Mary Jane Jones
Small Collection 1918
Letters, l886-1897. .1 linear foot.
The collection includes letters (1888-1897) from Mary Jane to her sisters describing domestic life and sheep ranching near Putnam, and Howard, Montana Territory, in the Yellowstone River Valley.
Lewis, Mrs. W. M.
Small Collection 477
Diary, 1891. .1 linear foot
Mrs. Lewis, a ranch woman living in the Sheridan, Montana, area, kept a diary (January-June l891) about daily events of ranch life, recipes, neighbors, and the weather.
Lindsay, Kathleen, Lady
Small Collection 1692
Papers, 1895, n.d. .1 linear foot
Kathleen and her husband, Walter Lindsay, were Anglo-Irish aristocrats and Miles City horse ranchers. The collection includes Lady Lindsay's reminiscences of life on their ranch, and a clipping (1895) describing the Custer County Fair. [47 photographs in the Montana Historical Society Photograph Archives.]
Lott, Melvina J.
Microfilm 125
Diary, 1880. Partial reel;
Melvina was an early Sheridan, Montana Territory, resident. Her diary (September 1880) describes a trip to Yellowstone National Park.
Madison County Federated Women's Club
Small Collection 1382
Writings, 1930. .2 linear foot.
The Madison County Federated Women's Club was formed to compile the history of Madison County, Montana, from l863 through the l920s. Included are histories of Cardwell, Harrison, the Madison Valley, Pony, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, and other small communities. There are also chapters on gold discoveries, the Vigilantes, pioneers, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and political developments.
Maxson, Etta
Small Collection 1390
Diary, 1893-1894. .1 linear foot.
Etta's diary (September 1893-February 1894) describes her experiences as an employee of the Ramona Mission, an Indian school near Custer, Montana, and her reflections on the life and culture of the area's Native Americans.
McCarthy, Maggie and John E.
Small Collection 1697
Papers, 1892-1903. .1 linear foot.
The collection includes a certificate of appointment (1899) for Maggie as postmistress at Jennings, Montana.
McNulty, Flora McKay
Manuscript Collection 261
Papers, 1872-1938. 5.5 linear feet.
Flora McKay moved to Virginia City, Montana Territory, with her parents in 1863. She grew up in Virginia City and returned there after receiving an education, including a medical degree, in the Midwest. The collection consists of correspondence (1876-1935); court papers (1925) concerning water and land rights; financial records (1875-1934); legal documents (1876-1933), primarily concerning building and mining agreements; and school notes and records (172-1910) from Virginia City grade school through Chicago Women's Medical College. Also included are subgroups for the numerous women's groups in which she participated, including the Ladies of the Macabees, Ladies Reading Club, Madison County Federation of the Women's Clubs, and Union Circle of King's Daughters.
Menard Family.
Unprocessed collection (Ac93-58)
Papers, 1886-1931. .5 linear foot. Unprocessed collection.
This collection consists of correspondences (1919,1930); financial records (1891-1935); land, naturalization, and other legal records (1896-1923); writings, in French, and various certificates (1886-1931) of Israel and Philomene Menard and their children, Raoul, Brondel, and Marie, and her husband, Arthur Stuart.
Meredith, Emily R.Small Collection 288
Papers, 1862-1863. .l linear foot.
Emily's papers consist of a reminiscence entitled "By Wagon from Bannack City to the Bitter Root Valley" (1862-1862); a letter (April 1863) to her father describing living conditions in Bannack, and miscellaneous writings.
Miller, Lillian M.
Small Collection 1852
Reminiscence, ca. l968. ,2 linear foot.
Lillian describes her family's life on the Miller Brothers Sheep Ranch near Chinook, Montana, for 1892 to 1909, and comments on Chinook history.
Monroe, Bessie K.
Small Collection 1503
Reminiscence, l968. .1 linear foot
In her reminiscence, Bessie discusses her childhood on the Kerlee family homestead in the Tincup area near Darby, Montana in the 1890s.
Montana Woman's Christian Temperance Union
Manuscript Collection 160
Minutes, 1884-1953. 1 reel.
The Missionary Society was the women's missionary group of the Presbyterian Church. It was also known was the Woman's Synodical Missionary Society and as the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society.
Mountjoy, Ella and Wiley
Small Collection 545
Papers, 1864-1896. .1 linear foot.
Papers consist of Ella's reminiscence describing her life in various Montana communities, including Twin Bridges and Deer Lodge, from 1864 to 1896. Also included are letter (1942) from the Mountjoys to Dr. Merrill Burlingame describing the establishment of the College of Montana in Deer Lodge and Wiley Mountjoy's work there.
Muth, Estella Amanda Hoyt
Small Collection 2157
Diaries, 1881-1889. .1 linear foot.
This collection consists of typed transcripts of Estella's diaries. Entries concern daily life in Helena, Montana; the residents of Marysville, Belmont, and Helena; and trips to Yellowstone National Park, Seattle, and the Blackfoot River country.
O'Keeffe, Mollie
Small Collection 593
Writing, l883. .1 linear foot.
Missoula schoolgirl Mollie O'Keefe, in an essay entitled "The Coming of the Railroad," expresses her opinions on the impact of the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad through the territory in 1883. The collection also contains a biographical sketch (1955) of Mollie by John H Toole.
O'Neal, Evelena O. Marsh
Small Collection 169
Evelena's reminiscences describe her steamboat journey to Montana Territory in 1883 and her live at Fort Carroll, Rocky Point, Big Sandy, and Chinook.
O'Neil, Eliza Waring
Small Collection 603
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 liner foot.
Eliza's reminiscence describes her wagon journey to Montana Territory in l864 with her first husband Robert P. Waring, and her life in Diamond City and Helena.
O'Neil, Elizabeth E. Busick
Small Collection 94
Reminiscence, ca. 1907. .1 linear foot
In her reminiscence, Elizabeth describes her wagon journey from Omaha, Nebraska, to Virginia City, Montana Territory, in l863, and her experiences in Virginia City and Diamond City from 1864 to 1877.
Pike, Martha Ellen Fox
Small Collection 641
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot
Martha describes her overland journey from Texas to New Mexico in 1881, her life in New Mexico, California, and Arizona, her trip to Montana in 1896, and her life in the mining camp of Sylvanite and the lumber town of Libby from 1897 to 1909.
Plassmann, Martha Edgerton Rolfe
Manuscript Collection 78
Papers, 1863-1939. 3 linear feet.
Martha arrived in Bannack with her parents, Sidney and Mary Edgerton, in 1863, but returned to Ohio in 1865. In 1876 she married Herbert Percy Rolfe. Rolfe was the principal of the Helena, Montana schools; a lawyer in Fort Benton; and editor of the Great Falls Leader. Rolfe died in 1895 and Martha assumed the editorship of the paper. In 1895 she married the paper's business manager, Theodore Plassmann, who died later that same year. Over the years, Martha undertook a series of business ventures, though none were very successful. Her collection consists of her autobiography and over 500 historical articles, written during the 1920s and 1930s. The articles, based on her own memories and on research, cover a wide range of topics, including fur trappers, explorers, and vigilantes. [ A small amount of Martha's correspondence before her marriages can be found in the Edgerton Family Papers, Manuscript Collection 26.]
Poore, Jane T. Baldwin
Small Collection 661
Reminiscence, ca. 1934. .1 linear foot.
Entitled "A Baptist Pioneer in Montana," Jane's reminiscence describes her trip from England to Montana Territory in 1878, life in Boulder, Montana, and efforts to establish a Baptist church in Boulder.
Powers, Mary Johnstone
Small Collection 1288
Reminiscence, 1947. .1 linear foot.
In her reminiscence, entitled "A pioneer Woman's Reminiscence," Mary describes her experiences in Minnesota and Kansas, her overland journey to Montana Territory in 1882, teaching in Chouteau County, and serving as school superintendent.
Reeder, Adelaide Staves
Manuscript Collection 101
Papers, 1882-1902. .5 linear foot.
Adelaide was a Helena, Montana, teacher and suffragist. The collection consists of correspondence and two scrapbooks of clippings, one dealing with her own live and the other consisting of articles written by her brother-in-law, P. W. Reeder.
Robson, Inez Allen
Small Collection 1681
Reminiscences, 1938. .1 linear foot.
Inez reminisces about her family's migration from Iowa to Montana Territory in 1866; their years in Jefferson City, Unionville, Silver Star, Harrison, Pony, and Three Forks; and Inez's married life in Livingston and Whitehall. [Told to her son in 1938; forward and some annotations by Donald W. Fraser.]
Roe, Martha Ann Freeman
Small Collection 1377
Diary, 1864. .1 linear foot.
Martha's diary (May-September 1864) describes her trip by wagon, following the Lander Cut-Off, from Iowa to Bannack, Montana Territory. [ Photocopy of original at Washington State University.]
Rogers, Lucy Lowell
Small Collection 1703
Papers, 1858-1939. .1 linear foot.
The Collection includes two letters (1886) from Lucy to her daughter, Ada, in Helena, Montana Territory.
Russel, Fannie Forbis Irvine
Small Collection 165
Reminiscence, 1920. .1 linear foot.
Fannie Russel, daughter of a former slave-owner, describes her wagon journey to Montana Territory in 1864 with her husband David L. Irvine, and her first year at Racetrack, in the Deer Lodge Valley. [ Two versions of the reminiscence, one undated, the other transcribed from a talk to the Junior Historical Society in l920.]
Rust, Elizabeth Ann "Rose" Morrow
Small Collection 1415
Rose describes her life in Basin and in Butte from 1885 to 1909.
Sanders, Harriet Peck Fenn
Microfilm 86d Diary, 1888. Partial reel.
Manuscript Collection 53 Papers, 1856-1905. 1 linear foot
Small Collection 1254 Reminiscence, 1897. .1 linear foot.
Harriet was the wife of Wilbur Fisk Sanders, a prominent Helena attorney and Virginia City vigilante. Her diaries describe travel by steamboat and stagecoach; life in Bannack, Virginia City, Helena, and Salt Lake City; family activities; and her impressions of Mormon society. Her 1897 reminiscence, in Small Collection 1254 in entitled "Trip Across the Plains and Early Life in Montana, 1863-1897" and is based on her diary in Manuscript Collection 53. The original of the diary on Microfilm 86d is also in MC 53; it talks about family activities during 1888. [Much of this material was printed in Biscuits and Badmen: The Sanders Story in Their Own Words, Butte: Editorial Review Press, l983.]
Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald
Small Collection 223
Papers, 1886-1955. .4 linear foot.
Helen was a Helena and Butte, Montana, author and historian. Her papers consist of research materials compiled by her during the writing of X. Biedler: Vigilante with William Bertsche, Jr.
Schultz, Julia
Microfilm 159
Reminiscence, n.d. Partial reel.
Julia was a mixed-blood Gros Ventre and pioneer of Phillips County, Montana. Her reminiscence describes tribal life and experiences, and the Lost Keyes Mine. [Typed transcription of an interview by Homer Loucks.]
Shipman Family
Manuscript Collection 274
Papers, 1814-1989. 4 linear feet.
Clark B. Shipman farmed in Vermont and New Jersey before traveling to Montana Territory with his son Henry in 1881. They homesteaded in the Lewistown area. Two of his daughters, Winifred and Gertrude, taught school in the area. Clark's wife, Augusta remained in the east with the rest of the children until 1890. The collection consists of correspondence (1841-1955) between various family members, diaries (1882-1908), and miscellaneous legal documents, financial record, and clippings. [The Shipmans were featured in the book Women in Waiting in the Westward Movement by Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith, Norman: University of Oklahoma, l944.]
Sizer, Linda Pyle
Small Collection 103
Reminiscences, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Linda's reminiscences describe a steamboat trip down the Missouri River in 1880 and her uncle, William Patterson, of Keokuk, Iowa.
Slayton, Lizzie and Daniel W.
Manuscript Collection 178
Papers, 1883-1934. 3.5 linear feet.
D. W. Slayton was a Lavina area sheep rancher, merchant, and politician. The collection consists of diaries kept by D. W. (1884-1927) describing daily life; by his wife Lizzie (1917-1918, 1928, 1930-1934) describing her daily activities, social life, and health; and by their sixteen-year-old son Daniel (1907) describing school in Helena and Bozeman, friends, activities, and summer work on the ranch. The collection also contains correspondence (1883-1918) among the three, primarily between D. W. and Lizzie before their marriage in l887.
Snow, Fannie Comer
Small Collection 761
Reminiscent letter, 1950. .1 linear foot.
Letter written by Fannie to her niece describing her wagon journey from Texas to Montana Territory around 1883.
Society of Montana Pioneers
Manuscript Collection 68
Records, 1884-1956. 4.5 linear feet.
The collection consists of the correspondence and minutes of the Society of Montana Pioneers and its successor, the Society of Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers. To have been a member, pioneers must have arrived in Montana by May 26, l864, although it was later changed to December 31, l868. The records also include biographical material on many of the members.
Stephenson, Mary
Small Collection 785
Papers, 1817. .1 linear foot
This collection consists of manumission papers by Mary Stephenson of Harrison County, Kentucky, freeing her slave Polly and Polly's four-year-old child.
Stewart, Lou Stocking
Small Collection 795
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot
Lou's reminiscence describes her trip up the Missouri River on the steamboat Red Cloud in 1880.
Stocking, Lucy
Small Collection 142
Diary, 1871-1882. .1 linear foot.
Lucy's diary describes a steamboat trip up the Missouri River, life on her son's (Lou Stocking) ranch in the Teton River area, and her return to Chicago. [Typescript; original diary at MSU.]
Stuart, Allis Brown
Small Collection 1009
Papers, 1891-1943. .4 linear foot.
Allis was a school teacher in Maiden, Montana Territory, wife of Granville Stuart, and an amateur historian. Her collection consists of a diary (1891-1898) detailing her travels to Yellowstone National Park and describing her life in Uruguay; biographical sketches (n.d.); correspondence (1916-1943); notes from oral interviews with Andrew Garcia, Mrs. James Stuart, and others; and writings (1914, 1927, 1941-42) on the DHS Ranch, pioneers of the Bitterroot Valley, and other topics.
Sturgis Family
Small Collection 809
Papers, 1862-1867. .1 linear foot.
The collection consists of letters (1862, 1863, 1867) from Rosanna Sturgis and her daughter Ann to William Sturgis in Bannack. Rosanna and Ann describe conditions in Minnesota and their trip by steamboat to Montana Territory in l867.
Taylor, Jennie
Small Collection 833
Reminiscence, 1946. .1 linear foot.
In her reminiscence Jennie describes her arrival in Montana and her live at Sun River Crossing, Montana Territory, during the 1880s. [Typescript of oral interview by Mrs. Leroy Anderson.]
Thibadeau, Matilda Dalton
Small Collection 835
Reminiscence, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Matilda, a resident of Bannack and Virginia City in the 1860s, describes her life in Montana Territory and her memories of road agent Henry Plummer.
Tipton, Aurelia Ryan
Small Collection 853
Diary, 1878. .1 linear foot.
Aurelia' diary (June-September1878) describes her family's overland wagon journey from California to Meagher County, Montana Territory.
Trask, Mrs. W. H.
Small Collection 1388
Talk, n.d. .1 linear foot (in the Frank D. Brown Papers).
Talk by Mrs. Trask describing her early life in Virginia City, Montana Territory.
Turpin, Francis Lynn
Small Collection 156
Diary, 1895. .1 linear foot.
Francis Turpin was a St. Louis, Missouri, resident. Her diary (August 1895) describes her trip through Yellowstone Park.
Tyler, Carolyn Abbott
Small Collection 1430
Reminiscences, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Carolyn was a member of the 1862 Fisk Expedition to Montana Territory. Her reminiscences describe the overland journey to Fort Benton, encounters with Indians, fur posts along the route, and also the early development of Virginia City, including mines, the community, and vigilantes.
Wallace, Elizabeth Floweree
Small Collection 1804
Papers, 1884-1890. .5 linear foot.
Elizabeth's papers include a scrapbook of poems, a scrapbook of clippings about her marriage and the political and legal career of her husband (William Wallace, Jr.), and her husband's certificates.
Wheeler Family
Unprocessed (ac95-11) and Microfilm 355
Papers, 1856-1957 .4 linear foot.
Scrapbooks, 1876-1918. 1 reel.
Mary Wheeler was an artist and teacher in Helena, Montana. The papers include Mary's scrapbooks (1856-1896) and correspondence and writings of her father, William F. Wheeler. The two scrapbooks on microfilm consist of newspaper clippings concerning the Crook-Custer campaign against the Dakota Indians in 1876 and activities of the Montana Historical Society. Volume 2 was later used by Wheeler's great-niece, Lucille Topping, to record her woman suffrage activities.
Williams, Rachel
Small Collection 1487
Diary, 1980-1904. .1 linear foot.
Rachel was the wife of Henry Williams, owner of the Colorado Smelter in Butte, Montana. Her diary documents her life in Butte.
Willow Creek Resident
Small Collection l490
Diary, 1867. .1 linear foot.
This diary (April 1867) by an unidentified woman describes her trip from Sand Francisco up the Pacific Coast, then inland to Willow Creek, Montana Territory, to join her parents.
Women's Helena-for-the-Capital Club
Manuscript Collection 48
Records, l984. .2 linear foot.
This Helena-based women's organization promoted the establishment of Helena as the state capital. The collection contains correspondence, county lists, a record book, financial reports, speeches, resolutions, clippings, and broadsides.
Woodman, Margaret Harkness
Small Collection 988
Reminiscent letter, 1892. .1 linear foot.
Letter, written by Margaret in April 1892, describing her overland trip from Fort Benton to the Great Falls of the Missouri in July 1862.
Zook, Laura Brown
Small Collection 992
Reminiscences, n.d. .1 linear foot.
Laura (1868-1940) was a member of the first family to settle in what is now Miles City, Montana, arriving by train and then by steamer and boat in 1878. Laura, later a teacher and librarian in Miles City, reminisces about he life in early-day Miles City, her early education and various notable events in the area. [Two reminiscence, both transcripts submitted for history classes at Montana State College, Bozeman, in 1953 and l964.]
