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Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Thomas O. Larson Papers, 1909-1950
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Larson, Thomas O., b. 1874
- Title
- Thomas O. Larson Papers
- Dates
-
1909-1950 (inclusive)19091950
- Quantity
- 2.5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 307
- Summary
- Thomas Larson operated a sheep ranch near Choteau, Montana, and served in the Montana legislature. Collection (1912-1948) includes correspondence, financial records, legal documents, speeches, and subject files.
- Repository
-
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov - Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Thomas O. Larson was born in Norway on November 27, 1874, the second of nine children of Ole and Annie Larson. The family moved to the United States in 1880 and settled on a farm in Benton County, Minnesota. In the summer of 1895 Thomas opened a small store at Burton in Teton County, Montana. The following two years he operated a stage line between Collins and Choteau. He then went into ranching, raising cattle, horses, sheep, and wheat on a desert land claim half way between Choteau and Bynum. He was involved in the Teton Co-operative Reservoir Company, the Brady Townsite Company, and the Brady Irrigation Company. He served two terms as president of the Montana Wool Growers Association, and one term as president of the Montana Livestock Production Credit Association. Larson was also active in Republican politics. He served as assessor of Teton County from 1900 to 1904, was in the state Senate from 1911 to 1921 and from 1927 to 1937, and ran for the U.S. Senate in 1936. While in the Legislature, Larson sponsored the bill splitting Teton County into three counties; introduced the first Blue Sky Law, regulating the sale of stocks; and helped establish the 19th Judicial District. Larson was active in several fraternal orders, including the Masons, the Knights Templar, the Helena Consistory of the Scottish Rite, the Algeria Shrine Temple, the Red Cross of Constantine, and the Royal Order of Jesters. Larson married Helen Stowe in 1902. They had two daughters Alva Gertrude and Harriet Helen. Alva married Wilfred Armstrong, who succeeded Larson in managing the ranch; Harriett married the noted Choteau author A.B. Guthrie Jr. Thomas O. Larson died March 18, 1958.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Papers consist of incoming correspondence (1912-1950), concerning politics, sheep raising, and fraternal activities; scattered outgoing correspondence (1917-1945); court papers (1918-1930); financial records (1910-1950) consisting primarily of county taxes, receipts, livestock shipments and inventories, wool production figures, and promissory notes; legal documents (1913-1943) primarily concerning land leases; maps and plats of Larson land holdings; printed material; and speeches concerning political campaigns and history. In addition, there is a subject file (1909-1946) focusing on politics and ranching matters. This file includes folders on several companies, in which Larson held an interest, including the Birch Creek Water Company, the Brady Irrigation Company, the Brady Townsite Company, and the Teton Co-operative Reservoir Company. It also includes files on Larson's leasing of grazing land on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, including lists of Blackfeet tribal allotment holders. There is also a file on the Sun River elk herd, including reports on the condition of the herd. Miscellaneous material includes certificates and membership cards, fraternal order materials, humor and poetry, a booklet of the Sun River Sanitarium Association, and other items. Clippings include reviews and announcements for A.B. Guthrie Jr.'s The Big Sky, and a scrapbook (1936) of clippings concerning Larson's race for the U.S. Senate.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Biographical Material Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Obituaries |
1958 |
Incoming Correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 2 | E.R. Alquist |
1917, 1939-1941 |
| 1 / 3 | A (correspondents include
Will Aiken, Mary Alderson, American Legion of Montana, Anti-Saloon League of
Montana) |
1917-1921, n.d. |
| 1 / 4 | Ballie Buck (illustrations
transferred to museum) |
1937-1939 |
| 1 / 5 | B (correspondents include
M.E. Baatz, Lora Bailey, Arnold G. Baker, A. Beardslee, Biographical
Encyclopedia of America, Arnold A. Boe [in Norwegian], J.C. Boettcher, J.G.
Boswell Company, Hugh W. Buchanan, Clarence Bucher, W.J. Butler) |
1914-1942 |
| 1 / 6 | William Cowgill (re sale of
ranch) |
1922-1924, 1939 |
| 1 / 7 | C (correspondents include
J.J. Cain, B. Castberg, John W. Coburn, George Coffey Jr., Consistory Shrine
Temple Association, Convent of the Good Shepherd, Ransom Cooper, W.H. Corry,
Kenneth D. Creveling, P.H. Crossen, W.C. Curtis) |
1915-1942 |
| 1 / 8 | Day and Hansen Security
Company |
1922-1925 |
| 1 / 9 | Joseph M. Dixon (includes
campaign material and report of investigating committee re charges he made re
oil tax) |
1920-1921, 1930 |
| 1 / 10 | D (correspondents include
Henry Davidson, Glenn T. Davis, Julia DeWitt) |
1915-1930 |
| 1 / 11 | John E. Edwards (re Bank of
Commerce, Forsyth) |
1916. 1920 |
| 1 / 12 | E (correspondents include
George Ebner, T.S. Eidem, R.T. Ellis, Grace V. Erickson) |
1916. 1920 |
| 1 / 13 | James W. Freeman
|
1915, 1927-1933 |
| 1 / 14 | F (correspondents include
Mrs. J.F. Fait, R.M. Farrington, A.J. Findley, First National Bank of Conrad,
First National Bank of Fairfield, First National Bank of Great Falls, L.A.
Foot, Charles A. Franks, Frary and Burlingame, Frye and Company) |
1917-1934 |
| 1 / 15 | Galusha, Higgins and
Galusha, accountants |
1950 |
| 1 / 16 | Great Western Sugar Company
(re decision not to build sugar factory near Choteau) |
1916-1917 |
| 1 / 17 | G (correspondents include
W.N. Gaines, Harry R. Gallaway, W.W. Gamble, A.C. Grinde, F.H. Gilcrest Farm
Companies, W.H. Gorham, Great Falls Breweries Inc., Great Northern Railway
Company, John J. Greene, A.A. Grorud, A.B. Guthrie Jr., J.W. Gwinn)
|
1915-1941 |
| 1 / 18 | Charles W. Helmick
|
1915-1916 |
| 1 / 19 | J.E. Hult |
1913-1914 |
| 1 / 20 | H-I (correspondents include
Hallowell, Jones and Donald; J.A. Hanlon Company, E.G. Hartfield poem-letter;
R.M. Hattersley; John A. Havey; Stuart Hazlett; M.J. Healey; R.P. Heren; David
Hilger; Hirshberg Brothers; T.J. Hocking; L.F. Howard; H. Homer Hullinger;
International Refining Company; Ives and Smith) |
1913-1946 |
| 1 / 21 | Mrs. T. Jorame [in Norwegian
with translation] |
1920 |
| 1 / 22 | J-K (correspondents include
C.B. Jackson, E.E. Jackson, C.P. Johnson, Kyle Jones, W.D. Jones, Arthur
Jordan, E.L. Jourdonnais, F.S. Kalberg, Cornelius F. Kelley, J.M. Kennedy, W.P.
Kenney, C.H. Kester, Ira M. Kiley, Wally Kingsbury, J.C. Kinney, S. Kittilson,
John Krause, Henry Kurtz) |
1912-1942 |
| 1 / 23 | L (correspondents include
O.M. Lanstrum, E.M. Larson, Scott Leavitt, Dan Ledgerwood, E.E. Leech Land
Company, Lewis Grain Company, Nettie C. Lewis, Dan Lindseth, Jerome G. Locke,
A.O. Longmuir, Henry Love) |
1917-1933 |
| 1 / 24 | Thomas A. Marlow (re Teton
Co-operative Reservoir Company, Brady Irrigation Company) |
1915-1917, 1925 |
| 1 / 25 | Masonic Grand Master of New
York (against any alliance with Ku Klux Klan) |
n.d. |
| 1 / 26 | Montana Land Dept./Dept. of
State Lands and Investment |
1913-1914. 1933-1934 |
| 1 / 27 | Montana Livestock Finance
Corporation (includes inspection of ranches) |
1922 |
| 1 / 28 | Montana... (includes Montana
Board of Barber Examiners, Montana Cowboys, Montana Senate, Montana Grain
Inspection Dept., Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Wool Growers
Association) |
1922-1933 |
| 1 / 29 | M (correspondents include
George W. Magee, D.F. Mains, Malone and Truchot, Duncan Martin, Valerie A.
Matthews, R.E. McAllister, T.D. McCain, Washington J. McCormick, E.H.
McDonnell, Kenny McKnight, F.A. Meagher, T.A. Meagher, Menomont Exploration and
Development Company, Louis Momberg, G.E. Monkman, John Moore, J.C. Morgan, C.F.
Morris, Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, Henry L. Myers)
|
1913-1941 |
| 1 / 30 | David H. Nelson (re purchase
of land) |
1918-1930 |
| 1 / 31 | Northern Pacific Railway
Company (includes Agricultural Development Agent E.F. Benton; Freight Agent
Howard Ellsworth) |
1924, 1938 |
| 1 / 32 | N (correspondents include
National Geographic Society, Anna E. Nett) |
1915-1916 |
| 1 / 33 | Frank A. Oulton (re ranch
and Bynum affairs) |
1912-1914, n.d. |
| 1 / 34 | A.K. Prescott (includes
affidavit by W.H. Scott about their contract) |
1909-1918 |
| 1 / 35 | P (correspondents include
Marcia L. Patterson, Lewis Penwell, P.A. Peterson, J.A. Phillips, Ray R.
Porter, T.H. Pridham, E.O. Prince, Producers Co-operative Commission Company,
Robert H. Proudfoot) |
1912-1943 |
| 1 / 36 | Republican Party
|
1919-1937 |
| 1 / 37 | Carl W. Riddick, U.S.
Congressman |
1921-1923 |
| 1 / 38 | R (correspondents include
Elmer R. Reynolds, L.R. Rieder, C.B. Roberts, D.H. Roberts, Nancy Russell re
memorial statue for Charles M. Russell, Robert Ryan) |
1916-1929 |
| 1 / 39 | S (correspondents include
St. Joseph's Parish, George O. Sanford, Scandinavian Erickson for Governor
Club, Fred Schoensigel, Sidney J.W. Sharp, Shell Oil Company, Sherburne
Mercantile Company, John L. Slattery, Pete Snelson, Harry R. Snyder, George
Sollid, S.V. Stewart, Tom Stout, G.W. Streeter) |
1912-1944 |
| 1 / 40 | Teton County (includes
County Commissioners, Superintendent of Schools) |
1917-1933 |
| 1 / 41 | T-V (correspondents include
Teton Service Company, Texas Company, J.N. Thelen, Gust Thompson, L.G.
Torkelson, M.F. Trask, Trinity Lutheran Church, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation,
U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Internal Revenue Service, University of Montana
Agricultural Experiment Station, F. Van Orsdel) |
1913-1942 |
| 1 / 42 | N.P. Walters (re detective
business and re Algeria Shrine and Royal Order of Jesters) |
1915-1924 |
| 1 / 43 | W-Y (correspondents include
E.C. Waldron, Thomas J. Walsh, Arthur "Punk" Ward, Mrs. J.W. Ward, O.S. Warden,
Washington Trust Company, J.R. Watkins Company, Simon Weil, T.B. Weir, A.J.
West, Daniel Whetstone, B.C. White, Williams and Pauly, Winslow and Company,
William N. Wright, J.E. Young) |
1912-1941 |
Outgoing Correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 1-5 | Miscellaneous [scattered]
|
1917-1945 |
Court Papers Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 6 | Affidavit of weapons
ownership: World War I |
1918 |
| 2 / 7 | J.E. Hodgskiss vs. Hugh
Bowers complaint (re William Hodgskiss Estate) |
1930 |
| 2 / 8 | Thomas O. Larson vs. Ruth
Fitzsimmons et al. complaint (re Stemple Mining District claim) |
1922 |
| 2 / 9 | Agnes Baart Radcliffe et al.
vs. Roman Catholic Bishop of Helena et al. brief (re Joseph A. Baart Estate;
T.O. Larson was one of defendants) |
n.d. |
| 2 / 10 | [Unidentified case] brief
(re amending constitution) |
n.d. |
Financial Records Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 11 | Bills [scattered]
|
1915-1934, n.d. |
| 2 / 12 | Financial statements
|
1921, 1944, n.d. |
| 2 / 13 | Hay production |
1922, n.d. |
| 2 / 14 | Income tax files on
employees |
1940-1950 |
| 2 / 15 | Larson Building account book
(Alva Larson and Harriet Larson Guthrie) |
1941-1946 |
| 2 / 16 | Livestock inventories
|
1940-1944 |
| 2 / 17 | Livestock shipments
|
1924-1942 |
| 2 / 18 | Montana Unemployment
Compensation Commission filings |
1936-1946 |
| 2 / 19 | Oil royalties on
Beardslee-Swears farm |
1925 |
| 2 / 20 | Promissory notes
|
1910-1925 |
| 2 / 21 | Receipts: Brady Irrigation
Company |
1916-1917, 1924 |
| 2 / 22 | Receipts: life insurance
|
1912-1934 |
| 2 / 23 | Receipts: state lands leases
|
1913-1934 |
| 2 / 24 | Receipts: miscellaneous
|
1912-1941 |
| 3 / 1 | C.J.B. Stephens, dentist,
accounts |
1919-1930 |
| 3 / 2 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Lewis and Clark County |
1924-1947 |
| 3 / 3 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Pondera County (T.O. Larson) |
1920-1949 |
| 3 / 4 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Pondera County (other people, primarily William and James Cowgill) |
1920-1925 |
| 3 / 5 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Pondera County (delinquent) |
1922-1934 |
| 3 / 6 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Teton County (T.O. Larson) |
1914-1949 |
| 3 / 7 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Teton County (Helen Larson, Alva Larson, Harriet Larson Guthrie) |
1941-1949 |
| 3 / 8 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Teton County (other people) |
1918-1949 |
| 3 / 9 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Teton County (delinquent) |
1927-1924 |
| 3 / 10 | Taxes and tax assessments:
Toole County |
1923-1932 |
| 3 / 11 | Taxes: motor vehicles
|
1938-1939 |
| 3 / 12 | Taxes: Internal Revenue
Service claim and response |
1943-1950 |
| 3 / 13 | Wool production and cost
statistics for Montana |
n.d. |
| 3 / 14 | Wool shipments |
1934, n.d. |
Legal Documents Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 15 | Agreements (includes Fred S.
Doege, R. Wolden, Arnold Baker, John Sullivan, E.W. LeRoy and Delmer Clark,
E.E. Jackson, George Thervin, Sun River Electric Cooperative) |
1915-1929, n.d. |
| 3 / 16 | Deeds and bills of sale
(includes Edward J. and Gertrude Hirshberg, W.W. Wright, James and Maria
Heighton, D.P. Fabrick) |
1920-1940 |
| 3 / 17 | Leases (includes Dept. of
State Lands, Larson and Oulton, U.S. Forest Service, Day and Hansen Security
Company, Frary and Burlingame, W.H. Babcock Company, Thacker Bond and Mortgage
Company, Armada Company, J.B. Pontius) |
1913-1934, 1942 |
| 3 / 18 | Mortgages and release of
mortgages (includes Walter H. Sanborn, C.H. Campbell and Son, Edward and Lucy
Dennis, David H. and Maria H. Nelson) |
1913-1918 |
| 3 / 19 | Oil and gas leases (includes
W.J. Johnson, California Petroleum Corporation, Oil Fields Lumber Company,
Kenneth McKenzie, Louis D.M. Drumheller, Texas Company) |
1923-1943 |
| 3 / 20 | Miscellaneous (includes
assignment, notice of water right on Spring Creek, livestock sales)
|
1916-1937 |
Maps Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 21 | Land plats: Larson Ranch
[one map in OVERSIZE FOLDER] |
n.d. |
Printed Material Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 22 | Miscellaneous (includes
catechisms in Norwegian and in English, "How to Fly a Piper Cub" [airplane],
"The Chancel Club Cook Book") |
1889-1945 |
Speeches Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 23 | Campaign speeches (race for
U.S. Senate) |
1936 |
| 3 / 24 | "The Spirit of Washington in
the late war" |
n.d. |
| 3 / 25 | Miscellaneous (includes talk
on Teton County history, speech note cards, fragment about trade with Canada)
|
1918, 1930? |
Subject Files Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 4 / 1 | Agricultural Adjustment
Administration |
1933-1934 |
| 4 / 2 | Wilfred Armstrong (re
military service) |
1946 |
| 4 / 3 | Birch Creek Water Company
(includes bylaws, assignment of stock, correspondence) |
1939 |
| 4 / 4-5 | Blackfeet Indian Reservation
grazing leases (includes permits, names of allotment holders, correspondence,
production figures, maps) |
1930-1946, n.d. |
| 4 / 6 | Brady Irrigation Company
(includes stock pledge, receipt) |
1909, 1915 |
| 4 / 7 | Brady Townsite Company
(includes plat maps, taxes, sales lists) [maps in OVERSIZE FOLDER] |
1914-1925 |
| 4 / 8 | Federal Land Bank of Spokane
(includes correspondence, receipts, notices) |
1929-1937 |
| 4 / 9 | First National Bank of Great
Falls (re mortgage) |
1932-1939 |
| 4 / 10 | Free school text book law
(text of bill, memos, financial statistics) |
1932-1933? |
| 4 / 11 | Legislature (includes report
of special committee to investigate the Liquor Control Board, 1939; status
sheets, 1929; clippings) |
1929, 1939 |
| 4 / 12 | Liberty Loan and Red Cross
(includes correspondence, statistics on town commitments) |
1918-1919 |
| 4 / 13-14 | Montana Livestock Production
Credit Association (includes mortgages, production figures, proposed bylaws,
sample documents) |
1934-1943 |
| 4 / 15 | Montana Wool Cooperative
Marketing Association (includes correspondence, statements of participation,
contracts) |
1930-1933 |
| 4 / 16 | Montana Wool Growers
Association (includes correspondence, minutes, shipping statistics, printed
material) |
1935-1941 |
| 4 / 17 | Norwegian Crown Prince Olav
and Crown Princess Martha visit to Montana |
1939 |
| 4 / 18 | Political (includes campaign
materials, presidential electors' votes, lists of legislators) [campaign poster
in OVERSIZE FOLDER] |
n.d. |
| 4 / 19 | Ranch (includes
correspondence, production statistics, etc.) |
1940-1946 |
| 4 / 20 | Regional Agricultural Credit
Corporation (includes correspondence, contracts, loan statements) |
1933-1934 |
| 4 / 21 | Republican Party (includes
letter, receipts) |
1939 |
| 4 / 22 | Ruth Dredger Manufacturing
Company (includes correspondence, photo) [blueprint in OVERSIZE FOLDER]
|
1929 |
| 4 / 23 | Selective Service Board
appointment |
1940-1941 |
| 4 / 24 | Sheep and wool materials
(includes production statistics, shearing tallies, shipments, etc.)
|
1937-1941 |
| 5 / 1 | Sun River elk herd
(resolution, reports) |
1928-1930 |
| 5 / 2 | Teton Co-operative Reservoir
Company (includes agreements, correspondence, amendments to bylaws, stockholder
list) |
1915-1921, 1941 |
| 5 / 3 | Water (includes
correspondence with Robert Ryan, National Farm Loan Associations, Davis H.
Nelson, Obert Peterson) |
1937-1939 |
Miscellany Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5 / 4 | Carriage advertisements
|
1945 |
| 5 / 5 | Certificates and membership
cards (includes brand certificates, motor vehicle registration, hunting and
fishing license, certificate of election as State Senator) [marriage
certificate, Alva Larson birth certificate, Masonic certificates in OVERSIZE
FOLDER] |
1902-1927 |
| 5 / 6 | Joseph M. Dixon speech (re
history of Columbia River region, economic development, etc.) |
1927 |
| 5 / 7 | Fraternal order materials
(includes membership cards and receipts for Royal Arch Masons, Knights Templar,
A.F. & A.M., Red Cross of Constantine, etc.) |
1925-1933 |
| 5 / 8 | Humor and poetry
|
n.d. |
| 5 / 9 | Aagot Lian candidacy for
state Senate |
1926 |
| 5 / 10 | Norwegian Relief Inc.
receipt books (World War II) |
1940 |
| 5 / 11 | Ration books (World War II)
|
1943, n.d. |
| 5 / 12 | John B. Ritch "Saga of the
Soogon: the Ballad of the Sheepherder's Quilt" [poem] |
1940 |
| 5 / 13 | Stock certificates
(primarily oil and gas companies) |
1917-1940 |
| 5 / 14 | Sun River Sanitarium
Association constitution and bylaws |
n.d. |
| 5 / 15 | Miscellaneous (includes
cattle inspections, booklet re McNary Haugen bill, Nonpartisan League card,
announcement of meeting [possibly Ku Klux Klan], theater program, list of
pallbearers for Kennie McKenzie, materials for sheep shed) |
1916-1944 |
Clippings Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5 / 16 | A.B. Guthrie Jr. (includes
The Big Sky reviews and ads; announcement of Harvard's Nieman Fellowship)
|
1944, 1947 |
| Volume | ||
| Vol. 1 | Scrapbook (re campaign for
U.S. Senate) |
1936 |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5 / 17 | Scrapbook (re campaign for
U.S. Senate) [loose items removed] |
1936 |
| 5 / 18 | Miscellaneous (re politics,
Alva Larson, John Maynard Keynes, state insurance act, state Liquor Control
Board investigation, government spending, state agencies) |
1911-1940 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Elk
- Friendly societies
- Grazing
- Norwegian Americans
- Oil and gas leases
- Petroleum industry and trade
- Sheep ranches--Montana
- Sugar beet industry
- Wool industry
- World War, 1914-1918--Home front
Geographical Names
- Blackfeet Indian Reservation (Mont.)
- Columbia River Basin
- Pondera County (Mont.)--Agriculture
- Sun River Game Preserve (Mont.)
- Teton County (Mont.)
- Teton County (Mont.)--Agriculture
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