Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Thomas Charles Power papers, 1867-1950
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Power, Thomas C. (Thomas Charles), 1839-1923
- Title
- Thomas Charles Power papers
- Dates
- 1867-1950 (inclusive)18671950
- Quantity
- 1.5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 55b (collection)
- Summary
- T.C. Power was a Montana merchandise, transportation, mining, ranching, banking, and real estate magnate; and U.S. Senator from Montana from 1890 to 1895. Collection (1867-1950) includes a transcript of a diary (1867) of his trip up the Missouri River; subject files (1873-1923), miscellany, and papers of his estate (1923-1950).
- 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 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.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Thomas Charles Power was born at Dubuque, Iowa, May 22, 1839, the son of Irish immigrants, Michael W. Power and Catherine McLeer Power.
In 1867, he travelled up the Missouri River to Fort Benton, Montana Territory and opened a general mercantile firm in partnership with his brother, John W. Power. T.C. Power and Brother and I. G. Baker and Company dominated trade and freighting on the northern plains by the mid 1870's. In connection with this trade, T.C. Power and several associates were charged by the United States government with fraud. His associates were sent to prison but Power was exonerated.
Power was also active in politics. As a Republican, he served as a delegate to the abortive 1884 Constitutional Convention, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1889, and was selected one of Montana's first U.S. Senators in a bitterly contended election in the Montana legislature.
Thomas C. Power married Mary Flanagan at Dubuque, Iowa, in 1867. The couple had one son, Charles Benton Power. T.C. Power died at Helena, Montana, March 16, 1923.
[For a longer biographical sketch see MC 55].
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This addition to the T.C. Power Papers includes a transcript of a diary (1867) of Power's trip up the Missouri River by steamboat; a subject file, including files on his prosecution in 1873-1874 for alleged fraud in his dealings with the Blackfeet Indians and with the U.S. government, on his Senate career, the construction of his house in Helena and other matters; miscellany; and clippings. There are subgroups for the settlement of his estate and for his wife Mary Flanagan Power, including a minute book for the Helena Art Club, inventories of home furnishings, a diary of a trip abroad in 1889, and other items.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
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. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in oversize folder in archives map case. See inventory below for more information.
Location of Collection
2:7-1Acquisition Information
Acquisition information available upon request
Separated Materials
For related material see the Guide to the Thomas Charles Power papers, at the Montana Historical Society, MC 55. Also see the Guide to the Charles B. Power papers, at the Montana Historical Society, MC 55a.
See Guide to the Power family photograph collection, at the Montana Historical Society Photo Archives, Lot 006.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Thomas C. Power Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Diaries |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Typescript of diary of trip up Missouri River |
1867 |
Subject Files |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 2 | Dakota Territory Golden Anniversary (includes
reminiscent letter by T.C. Power) |
1911 |
| 1 / 3-7 | Death of Mary G. Power (includes sympathy letters
and cards, lists, etc.) |
July 1920 |
| 1 / 8 | Juveniles Club at Montana Club (re Solo card game) |
1915-1916 |
| 1 / 9 | North Montana Wool Growers Association |
1902-1903 |
| 1 / 10-11 | Residence (includes correspondence, contracts,
construction specifications, and costs) |
1888-1895 |
| Oversize Folder | ||
| 1 | Residence (includes blueprint showing placement of
house on lot, by Willett and Pashley, architects); Miscellaneous Certificates; Map [Map Case] |
undated |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 12 | Subscription biography publishers |
1912-1923 |
| 1 / 13 | Trip abroad (primarily financial) |
1889 |
| 1 / 14-16 | United States Senate (includes committee lists,
reports, bills, T.C. Power's speeches, and testimonial to Vice President Levi P.
Morton) |
1893-1894 |
| 1 / 17-19 | United States vs. T.C. Power, H.D. Upham, C.E.
Giddings, et al. (original case was 1873-1874 re alleged theft of property from U.S.
Government and Blackfeet tribe; file concerns re-emergence of case as a political
issue in T.C. Power's Senatorial career) |
1873-1874, 1885-1894 |
Miscellany |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 1 | Petition for bridge over Marias River at mouth of
Teton River |
circa 1887 |
| 2 / 2 | Republican State Convention proceedings |
1904 |
| 2 / 3 | Stock subscription for Placer Hotel |
1911-1912 |
| 2 / 4 | United States Corps of Engineers report on proposed
Stubbs Ferry dam |
1892 |
| 2 / 5 | United States senators' calling cards |
circa 1890-1899 |
| 2 / 6-7 | Washington. D.C. "at homes", invitations, etc. |
1891-1894 |
| 2 / 8 | Wedding anniversary (50th) congratulations |
1917 |
| 2 / 9 | Miscellaneous (includes certificates, programs,
membership cards, etc.; some certificates in OVERSIZE FOLDER 1) |
1884-1920 |
Clippings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 10 | William A. Clark - Marcus Daly feud scrapbook |
1898-1899 |
| 2 / 11 | Glacier National Park historical article by Ira
Myers |
1921 |
| 2 / 12 | Political |
1889, 1894-1911 |
| 2 / 13 | Thomas C. Power (includes obituaries) |
1902-1923 |
Thomas C. Power Estate Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Court Papers |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 1 | Decree of final distribution |
1949 |
Financial Records |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 2 | Journal |
1936-1950 |
| 3 / 3 | Ledger |
1936-1950 |
| 3 / 4 | Trial balances |
1931-1932, 1949 |
Subject Files |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 5 | Butte-Jardine Mining Company |
1922-1926 |
| 3 / 6-9 | T.C. Power's death (includes sympathy cards and
letters, commemorative booklet) |
March 1923 |
Mary G. Flanagan Power (Mrs. T.C. Power) Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Incoming Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 10 | Miscellaneous (correspondents include T.C. Power,
L.B. Davidson, Charles B. Power, grandchildren) |
1878-1920 |
Diaries |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 11 | Diary of trip abroad |
1889 |
Financial Records |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 12 | Promissory notes, etc. |
1942-1945 |
Legal Documents |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 13 | Will [rough draft?] |
1918 |
Writings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 14 | Notebooks |
undated |
Miscellany |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 15 | Address book |
undated |
| 3 / 16 | Helena Art Club minute book |
1882-1884 |
| 3 / 17 | Inventories of home furnishings |
undated |
| 3 / 18 | Lists of visits with other United States Senate
wives |
1891-1894 |
Clippings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 19 | John R. Watson article: "Octogenarian, Trip No. 1"
(re trip across United States, through Helena, to Alaska) [map in OVERSIZE FOLDER 1] |
1920 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Blackfeet Indians--Trading posts
- Steamboat travel--Missouri River
Personal Names
- Power, Thomas C. (Thomas Charles), 1839-1923 (creator)
Geographical Names
- Alaska--Description and travel
- Glacier National Park (Mont.)
- Marias River Valley (Mont.)
- Missouri River--Description and travel
- Stubbs Ferry Dam (Mont.)
Finding aid prepared by Ellie Arguimbau, 2005
2006
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
