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Edward Charles "Teddy Blue" Abbott papers, 1865-1963

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Abbott, E. C. (Edward Charles), 1860-1939
Title
Edward Charles "Teddy Blue" Abbott papers
Dates
1865-1963 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.9 linear feet
Collection Number
MC 51 (collection)
Summary
Edward Charles "Teddy Blue" Abbott was a Giltedge, Montana, cattleman, Fergus County school trustee, and author. This collection contains records from Teddy Blue Abbott and his family, including general correspondence, financial records, clippings, legal documents, and writings. The latter contains handwritten and typed drafts of Abbott's autobiography, We Pointed Them North (1939).
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
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

Edward Charles "Teddy Blue" Abbott was born December 17, 1860, in Cranwich Hall, Norfolk County, England. In 1871, he moved to the United States with his father, J.B. Abbott. They traveled to Texas, eventually purchased a cattle herd, and drove it north to Nebraska. Teddy Blue settled with his family at the end of the Texas cattle trail near Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1883, he entered Montana Territory with a herd of longhorns, and two years later, signed on with the DHS Ranch at Fort Maginnis. He became engaged to Mary Stuart, daughter of one of his employers, Granville Stuart. The couple married on September 29, 1889, and settled on the 3 Deuce Ranch at Giltedge, Montana. They had ten children: Katie Anne (1890-1986); Charles Edward (1892-1959); Mary E. (1895-1904); William (1897-1897); Elsie Blue (1898-1995); Granville Stuart (1901-1990); James Jefferson (1903-1988); William Robert [Robert] (1906-1964); Teddie Blue [Ted] (1909-1982); and Mary Inez (1915-1984).

Teddy Blue Abbott was a longtime member of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, he served six years on the Montana Stock Commission for Fergus County, thirty years as a member of the Democratic Central Committee, and sixteen years as a school trustee. In 1924, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Montana State Legislature. In 1938, Abbott collaborated with Helena Huntington Smith on his autobiography, We Pointed Them North, the story of his years as a cowpuncher on the Texas cattle drives and his experiences on Montana's open range in the 1880s. Teddy Blue Abbott died of pneumonia on April 7, 1939, days after the book was published.

Mary Stuart Abbott was born February 2, 1870, in Deer Lodge, Montana, to Granville and Arbonnie Stuart. She died February 5, 1967, in Lewistown, Montana.

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Content Description

The collection consists of five subgroups: Teddy Blue Abbott, Mary Stuart Abbott, Mary Inez Abbott Swanson Matejcek, Robert and Granville Abbott, and Katie Stuart. The Teddy Blue Abbott Subgroup contains ten series: Incoming Correspondence (1889-1946, undated), Outgoing Correspondence (1888-1939), Miscellaneous Correspondence (1909-1939, undated), Court Papers (1910), Diaries (1887-1890), Financial Records (1907-1963), Legal Documents (1888-1941), Writings (1938, undated), Miscellany (1888-1939, undated), and Clippings (1920-1939, undated). The Incoming Correspondence includes letters from Abbott family members, the Democratic Central Committee for Fergus County, Kenneth M. Ireland, Oscar O. Mueller, D.J. O'Malley and Mary Alicia O'Malley, Margot Pringle, Charles M. Russell, Helena Huntington Smith (Pringle), Mary Stuart before she married Teddy Blue, and Johnnie W. Young. The Outgoing Correspondence includes letters to Helena Huntington Smith (Pringle) and Mary Stuart before she married Teddy Blue. The Miscellaneous Correspondence includes letters between the U.S. General Land Office and the U.S. Land Office in Lewistown, from publisher Farrar and Rinehart to Helena Huntington Smith (Pringle), and from James Fergus to the Lewistown "Argus" concerning the funeral of Mrs. Granville Stuart. The Court Papers consist of the testimony of Stephen E. Suitor in his trial for the murder of Tom Burke and miscellaneous other cases. The Legal Documents include mortgages, warranty deeds, leases, recorded brands, and a homestead certificate. Some plats and land descriptions can be found in the Miscellany series. The Diaries series contains four diaries: 1887-1888, 1888-1889 (includes entries at the end from 1910, 1912, 1938, and a list of his children and when they were born), 1889 (includes a list of wedding expenses), and 1890 (includes an extensive list of expenses, some from 1889). The Miscellany series contains 18 notebooks, which also include diary entries and financial notations. The Financial Records contain check stub books (1907-1923), insurance policies, promissory notes, tax statements, a list of brands, and miscellaneous bills of sale, receipts, and invoices. The Writings series consists of handwritten and typed drafts of We Pointed Them North. A promotional pamphlet for We Pointed Them North can be found in the Miscellany series. Also in the Miscellany series is a campaign statement by E.C. Abbott as a candidate for the state legislature, a legislative bill for the disposition of strays, and precinct lists of registered voters. The Clippings series contains miscellaneous newspaper articles by Abbott; obituaries of Abbott, and of brother-in-law Edward Stuart and son Charles E. Abbott, Jr.; and historical articles.

The Mary Stuart Abbott Subgroup consists of a General Correspondence series (1888-1951, undated), Financial Records series (1899-1948), Legal Documents series (1909-1938), and a Miscellany series (1885-1934). Correspondents include Helena Huntington Smith (Pringle), Abbott and Stuart family members, and D.J. O'Malley. Financial records include tax statements, bank statements, and Land Office receipts. The miscellaneous legal documents include seed liens, crop mortgages, and land patents. The miscellany series contains an autograph book (1885) and invitations (1918-1934).

The Mary Inez Abbott Swanson Matejcek Subgroup consists of a General Correspondence series (1931-1953), Court Papers series, Financial Records series, and a Miscellany series. The correspondents include Helena Huntington Smith (Pringle) and Jack Abbott. The court papers consist of a subpoena (1949) and the financial records contain a tax assessment list (1952). The miscellany series contains a sketching instruction book (1857) and a sketchbook (undated) used by Mary and by James and Granville Stuart.

The Robert and Granville Abbott Subgroup contains two series, Incoming Correspondence, consisting of a postcard (undated) from a friend to Granville Abbott, and Miscellany, consisting of notebooks (1915-1919) of Robert and Granville.

The Katie Stuart Subgroup contains Katie Stuart's autograph book (1881-1887). Katie Stuart was Mary Stuart Abbott's older sister. She died of tuberculosis and the Abbotts postponed their wedding for six months out of respect for her.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

[Item description and date]. Edward Charles "Teddy Blue" Abbott Papers. MC 51. [Box and folder number]. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by subgroups with topical series.

Location of Collection

2:6-1

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request.

Separated Materials

Photographs and printed material were transferred from this collection to the MHS Photo Archives and MHS Library respectively.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • Teddy Blue Abbott

    • Incoming Correspondence

    • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Miscellaneous Correspondence

      • Description: Letters between U.S. General Land Office and U.S. Land Office in Lewistown, publisher Farrar and Rinehart to Helena Huntington Smith [Mrs. Henry Pringle], James Fergus to Lewistown Argus re funeral of Mrs. Granville Stuart)
        Dates: 1909-1939, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 29
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellaneous Correspondence

    • Court Papers

      • Description: Testimony of Stephen E. Suitor in his trial for the murder of Tom Burke; miscellaneous summons, etc., in other cases
        Dates: 1910
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 30
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Court Papers

    • Diaries

    • Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

      • Description: Mortgages and warranty deeds
        Dates: 1889-1936
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Legal Documents
      • Description: Leases and recorded brands
        Dates: 1888-1941
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Legal Documents
      • Description: Miscellaneous (includes homestead certificate, road notice, agreement for sale of mining interest, seed lien, motor vehicle licenses)
        Dates: 1888-1936
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 4
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Legal Documents

    • Writings

      • Description: We Pointed Them North (typed draft of introduction by Helena Huntington Smith)
        Dates: 1938
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 5
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Writings
      • Description: We Pointed Them North (typed draft of chapters 1-2)
        Dates: 1938
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 6
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Writings
      • Description: Miscellaneous handwritten articles (includes "Christmas at Fort Maginnis," "Story of a Reformed Cowboy," "One Day on a Roundup," "The Texas Trail," "Forty Years a Cow Puncher" [song], "'81 Trail," "Trail in '83," and untitled fragments)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 7
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Writings

    • Miscellany

      • Description: Campaign statement by E.C. Abbott as candidate for the state legislature
        Dates: circa 1924
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 8
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Legislative bill for disposition of strays
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 9
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Notebooks (14: includes diary entries, financial notations, etc.; dates vary widely)
        Dates: 1888-1938
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 10-14
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Notebooks (4: includes diary entries, financial notations, etc.)
        Dates: 1921-1926
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Plats, land descriptions
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 2
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Precinct lists of registered voters in Gilt Edge, and campaign cards
        Dates: 1914, 1916, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 3
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Promotional pamphlet for "We Pointed Them North"
        Dates: 1939
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 4
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany
      • Description: Miscellaneous (includes "Balenton Bray" by Ella Anderson, "In Loving Remembrance of Mrs. Arbonnie Stuart," cards, notes, programs, etc.)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 5
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Miscellany

    • Clippings

      • Description: Miscellaneous (includes articles by Abbott, obituaries, historical articles)
        Dates: 1920-1939, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 6
        Location: Teddy Blue Abbott / Clippings

  • Mary Stuart Abbott

    • General Correspondence

      • Description: Helena Huntington Smith [Mrs. H.F. Pringle]
        Dates: 1938-1940
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
        Location: Mary Stuart Abbott / General Correspondence
      • Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Anne Abbott, Winnie Burnett, Charles E. Abbott, Mrs. David Nelson re Jesse Stuart, Martha Anderson Wakefield, John B. Ritch, D.J. O'Malley, Charles Stuart, Hannah Armington, Norma Stuart Porter)
        Dates: 1888-1951, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 8
        Location: Mary Stuart Abbott / General Correspondence

    • Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

      • Description: Miscellaneous (includes seed lien, crop mortgage, land patents)
        Dates: 1909-1911, 1938
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 11
        Location: Mary Stuart Abbott / Legal Documents

    • Miscellany

  • Mary Inez Abbott Swanson Matejcek

  • Robert And Granville Abbott

  • Katie Stuart

    • Miscellany

      • Description: Katie Stuart autograph book
        Dates: 1881-1887
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 4
        Location: Katie Stuart / Miscellany

  • Transfers To Other Programs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Authors
  • Cattle drives
  • Cattle raising--Montana

Personal Names

  • Abbott, E. C. (Edward Charles), 1860-1939 (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Fort Maginnis (Mont.)
  • Gilt Edge (Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by MHS Staff
2004

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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