Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Clifton B. Worthen-James Fergus Collection, 1884-1955
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Burlingame, Merrill G., 1901- 1994
- Title
- Clifton B. Worthen-James Fergus Collection
- Dates
- 1884-195518841955
- Quantity
- .6 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Collection 913, MtBC, us (collection)
- Summary
- The Clifton B. Worthen-James Fergus Collection is a combination of original documents, photocopies, and typed transcripts. The materials document both the intellectual pursuits of Clifton B. Worthen as a historian and teacher, as well as the pioneer experiences of the James Fergus family. Subjects includes: history of central Montana, especially Fergus County and the Judith Basin, the vigilante activity of 1884, the DHS Ranch, the Lewis and Clark expedition, Montana politics and elections, ranching, gold rush towns of Bannack, Virginia City, and Helena, the Society of Montana Pioneers, the winter of 1887 and its effect on ranching, and territorial Montana's relations with Indian residents.
- Repository
-
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Clifton Boyd Worthen was born in Lynden, Washington on January 30, 1899. He attended the University of Washington where he received a master's degree in 1928. Worthen moved to Montana where he taught history for 13 years at the Fergus County High School at Lewistown and for 26 years at Missoula County High School. While at Lewistown, Worthen came into possession of a number of original documents created or collected by James Fergus, a pioneer rancher and politician for whom the county was named. The documents had been deposited at the school after the Fergus ranch house had burned. Worthen used the documents in his own research and for teaching until he was contacted by Allis Stuart in the late 1930s who demanded the materials on behalf of Andrew Fergus's widow, Hazel. Even though Worthen gave Stuart most of the Fergus papers, he retained an undetermined amount himself until his death in 1963. In 1969, Worthen's widow, Gladys, turned over the balance to Merrill G. Burlingame for transfer to the Montana Historical Society.
James Fergus was born October 8, 1813 at Lanarkshire, Scotland. He immigrated to North America at the age of nineteen and lived for a time in Quebec, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota where he built and managed a number of mills and factories. In the 1860s, Fergus became interested in gold strikes occurring in the west and after a brief stay in Colorado, he joined the Fisk expedition to what would become Montana Territory in 1862. Fergus lived in Bannack, Virginia City and Helena where he prospected and held a number of minor governmental offices. With his son, Andrew, he ranched near Helena until 1880 when they bought land in the Judith Basin area and established one of the largest ranching operations in the territory. James Fergus was involved with the vigilante activity of 1884 in central Montana and served as a delegate to the constitutional convention of the same year. James Fergus died in 1902 and his son, Andrew, died in 1928. Shortly after a fire destroyed the family home Andrew's widow, Hazel, temporarily stored some of the salvaged family papers at the Fergus County High School where Clifton B. Worthen worked with them during the 1930s. Mrs. Granville Stuart, who had obtained work through the Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration, contacted Hazel Fergus and arranged to sort and transcribe the family papers for the WPA. This work was carried out by both Mrs. Stuart and Mrs. Fergus primarily in 1942. The transcripts only included the papers in Mrs. Fergus's possession and the ones retained by Worthen were overlooked. Merrill G. Burlingame, in 1943, worked with the administration of the WPA to assume ownership of the transcripts. Hazel Fergus eventually donated her original papers to the University of Montana at Missoula.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Worthen-Fergus collection is a combination of original documents, photocopies, and typed transcripts selected from all of the sources described above. The materials document both the intellectual pursuits of Clifton B. Worthen as a historian and teacher, as well as the pioneer experiences of the James Fergus family. Subjects to which the collection pertain includes: history of central Montana, especially Fergus County and the Judith Basin, the vigilante activity of 1884, the DHS Ranch, the Lewis and Clark expedition, Montana politics and elections, ranching, gold rush towns of Bannack, Virginia City, and Helena, the Society of Montana Pioneers, the winter of 1887 and its effect on ranching, and territorial Montana's relations with Indian residents. Correspondents or authors of pieces in the collection include: Clifton B. Worthen, James Fergus, Andrew Fergus, Hazel A. Fergus, Oscar O. Mueller, Granville Stuart, Cornelius Hedges, Wilbur F. Sanders, Patrick Dunlany, Phillip Shoule, S.C. Gilpatrick, D.A. Meagher, A.L. Randall, Theodore Lindsay, J.L Perkins, William Cantrell, S.M. Emery, S. Spain, B.P. Carpenter, J.E. Richards, William Fly, and W.H. Watson.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Series 1 Clifton B. Worthen papers, 1927-1955
Series 2 James Fergus family papers, 1884-1907
Series 3 WPA transcripts of Fergus family papers, 1942-1943
Acquisition Information
Original documents, typed transcriptions, and photocopies created or collected by, or pertaining to Clifton B. Worthen or James Fergus were donated by Merrill G. Burlingame of Bozeman, Montana to Special Collections in several different accessions in the summer in 1969, 1973, 1975, and 1978. One file of photocopied newspaper articles by Worthen and others, originally assigned accession number 758, was copied from the Lewistown Public Library in 1967. The various Burlingame donations were previously assigned accession numbers 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 678, 696, 719, 760, 767, 838, 912, 1068, 1110, and 1221.
Processing Note
This collection was processed 2009 February 25
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Clifton B. Worthen papers, 1927-1955Return to Top
Photocopied historical research papers and printed articles created or collected by Worthen, or in collaboration with Lewistown, Montana attorney Oscar O. Mueller, in Worthen's capacity as a historian and high school teacher. The papers deal with the history of central Montana, especially Fergus County and the Judith Basin, the vigilante activity of 1884, the DHS Ranch, and the Lewis and Clark expedition. Originals are at the Montana Historical Society at Helena.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | Notes of historical interest covering the Judith Basin
copied at the Fergus County High School under the direction of C.B. Worthen,
instructor in history. Pages 1-67 |
|
1/2 | Notes of historical interest covering the Judith Basin
copied at the Fergus County High School under the direction of C.B. Worthen,
instructor in history. Pages 68-162 |
|
1/3 | The Judith Basin in Central Montana/by Clifton B.
Worthen, Missoula County High School. Pages 1-50 |
|
1/4 | The Judith Basin in Central Montana/by Clifton B.
Worthen, Missoula County High School. Pages 51-102 |
|
1/5 | Central Montana/by Clifton B. Worthen and Oscar O.
Mueller |
|
1/6 | Camps of Lewis and Clark compiled by Clifton B.
Worthen |
1955 |
1/7 | Fergus County, A Miniature of the West/By C. B.
Worthen |
1927 |
Series 2: James Fergus family papers, 1884-1907Return to Top
Photocopied and original papers created or collected by James Fergus or his son, Andrew, which had been in the possession of Cilfton B. Worthen. In 1969, Worthen's widow, Gladys, turned these materials over to Merrill G. Burlingame for transfer to the Montana Historical Society. Burlingame photocopied the majority of these pieces prior to depositing them with the MHS in Helena. Correspondents include: Granville Stuart, Cornelius Hedges, Wilbur F. Sanders, Patrick Dunlany, Phillip Shoule, S.C. Gilpatrick, D.A. Meagher, A.L. Randall, Theodore Lindsay, J.L Perkins, William Cantrell, S.M. Emery, S. Spain, B.P. Carpenter, J.E. Richards, William Fly, and W.H. Watson. Topics include: Montana politics and elections, ranching, the vigilante movement of 1884, the Society of Montana Pioneers, the winter of 1887 and its effect on ranching, the DHS Ranch, the history of central Montana and the Judith Basin, and relations with Montana Indians. The papers were calendared in at least four different accessions, and those descriptions have been transferred to the inventory below. An asterisk indicates the letter or document described is an original, documents transcribed by Merrill Burlingame have been so identified, and all materials have been chronologically arranged. Unless otherwise indicated, the calendared item is a letter.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/8 | 1884 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
January 8, 1884 | |
Article from Mineral Argus about a trip home from
California. |
March 1884 | |
From Granville Stuart referring to progress of the
action against horse thieves (typed transcript) |
July 24, 1884 | |
From W. H. Sutherlin re: result of the
election. |
November 8, 1884 | |
Entries from account book of James Fergus (typed
transcript) |
December 24, 1884 | |
1/9 | 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
February 10, 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
April 20, 1885 | |
From Wilbur F. Sanders suggesting a bill to
establish definite wages for officials to prevent undue pressure |
May 9, 1885 | |
From B.P Carpenter re: Indian
depredations* |
July 7, 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
July 10, 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
July 23, 1885 | |
From Granville Stuart complaining about roving
Indians |
July 26, 1885 | |
From William Fly about the release of a
murderer.* |
July 29, 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
September 23, 1885 | |
From Granville Stuart complaining about the
unrealistic attitude of the military concerning Indians. |
September 26, 1885 | |
From Granville Stuart re: his personal
finances |
October 24, 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
November 30, 1885 | |
From W. H. Watson re: lumber orders.* |
December 15, 1885 | |
From Granville Stuart re: wolves on the range and
actions against them |
December 19, 1885 | |
1/10 | January-June, 1887 | |
From Wm. Fergus re: family affairs. |
January 1, 1887 | |
From Judith Wool Growers Assoc. |
January 1, 1887 | |
From Granville Stuart re: harsh winter |
January 4, 1887 | |
From Patrick Nunlany re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
January 23, 1887 | |
Ffrom H.P. Brooks re: harsh winter |
January 30, 1887 | |
From Phillip Shoules re: harsh winter |
February 10, 1887 | |
From S.C. Gilpatrick re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
February 11, 1887 | |
From D. A Meagher re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
February 14, 1887 | |
From A. L. Randall re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
February 20, 1887 | |
From Theodore Lindsay re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
February 22, 1887 | |
From J.L. Perkins re: harsh winter |
February 24, 1887 | |
From Wm. Cantrell re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
March 2, 1887 | |
From S.C. Gilpatrick re: politics in
Helena |
March 8, 1887 | |
From A. L. Randall re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
April 15, 1887 | |
From T.C. Power Co. re: harsh winter (typed
transcript) |
April 29, 1887 | |
To Conrad Kohr re: Granville Stuart's efficiency
with the DS Ranch and with the Vigilante Committee of 1884 (copy and typed
transcript) |
May 5, 1887 | |
From Granville Stuart re: a roundup |
May 8, 1887 | |
From Granville Stuart re: stock thieves |
June 11, 1887 | |
From Granville Stuart re: stock thieves |
June 21, 1887 | |
From H.M. Martin re: wool prices. |
June 28, 1887 | |
1/11 | July-December 1887 | |
From James Dempsey request a loan. |
July 22, 1887 | |
From James Dempsey giving thanks for the
loan. |
August 7, 1887 | |
from Cornelius Hedges |
August 30, 1887 | |
Contract to sell sheep to James D. Grant and W. S.
Cowan. |
September 2, 1887 | |
From Andrew Fergus telling about delay getting home
and about cattle sale. |
November 26, 1887 | |
1/12 | 1888 | |
Fragment of a letter to Miss Simpson (cousin in
Scotland) |
February 14, 1888 | |
Fragment of a letter to Granville Stuart explaining
why he didn't vote for him. |
November 2, 1888 | |
From J.H. Carter giving thanks for support during
election. |
November 19, 1888 | |
Note about his reaction to the disrespect of the
young |
November 26, 1888 | |
1/13 | January-June 1889 | |
Settlement with Andrew. |
January 1889 | |
To J.S. Stuart re: roundup expenses. |
February 3, 1889 | |
To Andrew Fergus re: financial arrangements in case
of his death. |
February 5, 1889 | |
Private memorandums for Andrew Fergus to be used
"when I am gone" |
February 5, 1889 | |
From Richard Hodgson, George Stephens poisoning dogs
that killed chickens. |
February 23, 1889 | |
To James E. Hughes re: a $5.00 donation. |
February 23, 1889 | |
To cousin Mrs. Janet Simpson in Scotland re: family
matters |
February 25, 1889 | |
From J. H. Moe re: nominations to the constitutional
convention. |
April 8, 1889 | |
From the president of the Montana Central Railway
(signature not clear). |
May 3, 1889 | |
From Samuel P. Putnum re: skipping a trip to Montana
in 1889 |
May 10, 1889 | |
From Granville Stuart thanking James Fergus for his
remarks at Katie's funeral |
June 8, 1889 | |
From Wilbur F. Sanders condolences on James Fergus's
defeat in an election for the state legislature. (Incomplete) |
June 28, 1889 | |
1/14 | July-December 1889 | |
From daughter Luella re: social life with reference
to Granville Stuart. |
August 2, 1889 | |
To son Andrew from Butte after the Republican
Convention (typed transcript) |
August 24, 1889 | |
To Andrew Fergus re: the Republican convention in
Anaconda which he was attending |
August 25, 1889 | |
From Andrew Fergus re: cattle prices very low in
Chicago where he sold their cattle |
October 4, 1889 | |
From Granville Stuart re: his health and return from
South America |
October 6, 1889 | |
From Granville Stuart re: the election |
October 11, 1889 | |
To T.C. Power re: regret on his defeat in
gubernatorial election and promise to settle the Brooks matter |
October 11, 1889 | |
To Erickson re: statement that he was a Republican
but free to vote for any good candidate |
October 13, 1889 | |
To daughter Luella re: a statement about his
character |
October 17, 1889 | |
To the 1889 roundup asking for a settlement of hide
money from Henry Brooks and offering his ranch as the next headquarters |
November 30, 1889 | |
To J.C. McNamara re: disputed Silver Bow election,
on verso a petition to eradicate beaver during irrigation season |
December 7, 1889 | |
Fragment of second letter to Mrs.
Simpson |
December 15, 1889 | |
To McLaughlin re: a backhanded apology stating his
feelings about wrongs to Indians |
December 28, 1889 | |
1/15 | 1891-1892 | |
Tax receipts for James and Andrew Fergus and Thomas
Shea |
November 28, 1891 | |
To Miss Lillie Berntheiod from Andrew
Fergus |
February 14, 1892 | |
To editor of the Arena re: hypocrisy of Christian
morals |
June 9, 1892 | |
From B.O. Flowers |
June 20-July 6, 1892 | |
From Gov. J.K. Toole re: control of the Cree
Indians |
September 2, 1892 | |
From Albert Ronne of Woody Island telling about his
homestead |
November 1, 1892 | |
Purchase of a brand from G. (Slier) |
November 21, 1892 | |
List of grievances against his brother Andrew in
Scotland |
1892 | |
1/16 | 1893-1905 | |
From S. M. Emery requesting information for a
composite Montana history to be published by the Montana State House Keepers
Society* |
January 23, 1893 | |
From Jerry Collins, National State Historical
Publishing Company, re: portrait of James Fergus to be printed in an upcoming
history of Montana.* |
April 23, 1894 | |
From J. E. Richards re: bounties to protect
stockmen.* |
July 18, 1894 | |
From S. Spain of Benson Mines, N.Y. requesting a
book which Fergus had told him he was writing.* |
March 11, 1905 | |
1/17 | no date |
|
Note on Day House stationary about the setting up of
an unnamed county organization |
undated | |
Manuscript account in handwriting of the first Fisk
expedition, life in Bannack in 1862, the starting of the vigilantes,
etc. |
undated | |
Letter to his family in Scotland full of trouble and
family history |
undated | |
A second letter to Scotland with reflections on his
view of religion, science, etc. |
undated | |
Memo about cattle |
undated | |
Letter to Robert Fergus in Scotland re: family
business |
undated | |
Notes about science and religion, and the history of
the Moline plow. |
undated |
Series 3: WPA transcripts of Fergus family papers, 1942-1943Return to Top
Typed and handwritten transcriptions of original Fergus family papers in the possession of Hazel Fergus and prepared by her and Mrs. Allis Stuart for the Federal Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administration. Most of the original papers from which these transcriptions were taken were subsequently donated to the University of Montana at Missoula. The letters transcribed here were done in rough chronological order, although occasionally documents of widely different dates were included in one transcription. Most include annotations from Hazel Fergus or Allis Stuart placing the letter in historical context. The letters mostly pertain to James Fergus and his early life in Minnesota, his trip to the gold fields of Montana Territory, his family's subsequent move to join him, and the establishment of their ranch in what would become Fergus County, Montana. Included with the transcriptions are several biographical sketches prepared by Hazel Fergus or Allis Stuart, and a file of letters collected by M. G. Burlingame which document the transcription activity and provenance of the original documents.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/18 | 1835-1840 | |
1/19 | 1841-1847 | |
1/20 | 1851-1853 | |
1/21 | 1854-1857 | |
1/22 | 1858-1860 | |
1/23 | 1861 | |
1/24 | 1862 | |
1/25 | 1863 | |
1/26 | 1864-1865 | |
1/27 | 1866 | |
1/28 | 1867 | |
1/29 | 1868-1869 | |
1/30 | 1872 | |
2/1 | 1873 | |
2/2 | 1874 | |
2/3 | 1875 | |
2/4 | 1876-1877 | |
2/5 | 1878 | |
2/6 | 1879 | |
2/7 | 1880 | |
2/8 | 1881 | |
2/9 | 1881 | |
2/10 | 1882-1884 | |
2/11 | 1186-1893 | |
2/12 | 1894-1896 | |
2/13 | 1897-1908 | |
2/14 | undated | |
2/15 | Biographical |
|
2/16 | Provenance correspondence |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life-Montana
- Gold mines and mining-Montana
- Indians of North America-Montana
- Ranchers-Montana-Fergus County
- Ranches-Montana-Fergus County
- Vigilantes-Montana
- Winter-Montana
Corporate Names
- Lewis and Clark Expedition-(1804-1806)
- Society of Montana Pioneers
Geographical Names
- Bannack (Mont.)-History
- Fergus County (Mont.)-History
- Helena (Mont.)-History
- Judith River Watershed (Mont.)-History
- Montana-History
- Montana-Politics and government
- Virginia City (Mont.)-History
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Cantrell, William (creator)
- Carpenter, B. P. (Benjamin Platt), b. 1837 (creator)
- Emery, S. M (creator)
- Fergus, Andrew, 1850-1928 (creator)
- Fergus, Hazel A (creator)
- Fergus, James, 1813-1902 (creator)
- Fly, William, d. 1887 (creator)
- Hedges, Cornelius, 1831-1907 (creator)
- Mueller, Oscar O., 1877-1964 (creator)
- Sanders, Wilbur Fisk, 1834-1905 (creator)
- Shoule, Phillip (creator)
- Stuart, Granville, 1834-1918 (creator)
- Watson, William H., 1822-1894 (creator)
- Worthen, Clifton Boyd, 1899-1963 (creator)