McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.) Records

McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.) Records, 1903-1968

Overview of the Collection

Creator: McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.)
Title: McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.) Records
Dates: 1903-1968 (inclusive)
19031968
Quantity: 26.5 linear feet, (6 boxes, 93 oversize volumes, and 15 photographs)
Collection Number: Mss 047
Summary: This collection contains correspondence, financial, legal, promotional, personal, and photographic records relating to the McGowan Commercial Company of Plains, Montana, a general store that supplied many of the material goods in this small western Montana town and surrounding areas.
Repository: University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions: Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Colonel James A. McGowan was born in Malone, New York,on March 5, 1852. He graduated from Wesleyan Seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1868. He then worked for three years in a lumber office and then as a railroad contractor and mercantile manager for 11 years before settling in (Wild Horse) Plains, Montana, in May of 1882. He was one of the founders of the city and brought the first farming equipment into that valley where he was the first farmer. Plains was at the time a boom town as the outfitting center for the Coeur d'Alene mining district.

In 1884 he went into partnership with Neptune Lynch, on whose ranch the city was founded. McGowan quickly assumed control of the mercantile business partnership and expanded his influence to control the entire community. He had great ambitions for the town. By the time of his death in 1911, McGowan controlled the general mercantile (McGowan Commercial Company) a butcher shop, a blacksmith shop, a livery stable, a hotel, the Plains News Letter (now the Plainsman), the electric light and heating plant, the Plains water company and was founder and president of The First National Bank of Plains. He also owned the largest grain farm in the valley, upon which as many as 25 worker were employed. A staunch Republican and great supporter of the Progressive Movement, McGowan served as State Stock Commissioner and as United States Commissioner. He was also an active member of the Masons.

McGowan married Delia Farmer, the daughter of James and Sarah Farmer. He died in Los Angeles, where he had gone to improve his health, on April 1, 1911. His death was widely mourned across western Montana.

The McGowan Commercial Company sold a full variety of items for mining, agriculture, and living. From 1902 to 1932, Clifford H. Rittenour was employed at the store, first as manager, then as President of McGowan Commercial Company. He attended the University of Montana in Missoula.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains correspondence, financial, legal, promotional, personal, and photographic records relating to the McGowan Commercial Company of Plains, Montana. Financial records comprise the majority of collection items. These materials provide insights into the challenges and successes of operating a rural general merchandising business as well as the early economic history of Plains, Montana.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], McGowan Commercial Company Records , Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series:

Series I: Correspondence, 2 folders, 1904-1926

Series II: Financial, 2.5 linear feet and 93 oversize volumes, 1903-1968

Series III: Legal, 1 folder, 1911

Series IV: Clippings, 1 folder, 1932

Series V: Personal, 2 folders, 1895-1901

Series VI: Photographs, 15 photographs, 1898- circa 1960

Series VII: Promotional Calendars, 4 items, 1920-1930

Acquisition Information

Gift of Francis Bates, 1972; gift of Tevis Hoblitt, 1974; calendars were a gift of Special Collections, Montana State University - Bozeman, 2009.

Processing Note

The collection was originally processed in two parts: LC 47 (which arrived in 1972) and SC 260 (which arrived in 1974), with photographs remaining unprocessed. In 2004, these three parts were brought together as one collection, arranged, and described. In 2009 four promotional calendars were received from MSU-Bozeman and an additional series, Series VII, was created.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Correspondence, 1904-1926Return to Top

2 folders

This series includes two folders of general correspondence regarding McGowan Commercial Company store operations. These materials provide some insights into rural business practices and the early twentieth-century economy of Plains, Montana.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
5/1		1904-1907
1/1		1924-1926

Series II: Financial, 1903-1968Return to Top

2.5 linear feet and 93 oversize volumes

This series contains financial records from the McGowan Commercial Company including transaction invoices, account journals, expense records, daily transaction journals, check registers, and payroll records. The documents provide insights into the challenges and successes of operating a rural general merchandising business as well as the economic history of Plains, Montana.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subseries 1: Invoices 2.0 linear feet	1936-1967
Box/Folder
1/2	A	1936-1937
1/3	B	1936-1937
1/4	C	1936-1937
1/5	D	1936-1937
1/6	E	1936-1937
1/7	F	1936-1937
1/8	G	1936-1937
1/9	H	1936-1937
1/10	I-J	1936-1937
1/11	K-L	1936-1937
1/12	M	1936-1937
1/13	N-O	1936-1937
1/14	P-Q	1936-1937
1/15	R	1936-1937
1/16	S	1936-1937
1/17	T-V	1936-1937
1/18	W-Z	1936-1937
1/19	A	1950
1/20	B	1950
1/21	C	1950
2/1	D	1950
2/2	E-F	1950
2/3	G	1950
2/4	H-J	1950
2/5	K-L	1950
2/6	M	1950
2/7	N-O	1950
2/8	P-Q	1950
2/9	R-S	1950
2/10	T-V	1950
2/11	W-Z	1950
2/12	A	1958
2/13	B	1958
2/14	C	1958
3/1	D	1958
3/2	E-F	1958
3/3	G	1958
3/4	H-J	1958
3/5	K-L	1958
3/6	M	1958
3/7	N-O	1958
3/8	P-Q	1958
3/9	R	1958
3/10	S	1958
3/11	T-V	1958
3/12	W-Z	1958
3/13	A	1966-1967
4/1	B	1966-1967
4/2	C-D	1966-1967
4/3	E-H	1966-1967
4/4	I	1966-1967
4/5	J-M	1966-1967
4/6	N-P	1966-1967
4/7	R-Z	1966-1967
	Subseries 2: Journal 34 oversize volumes	1908-1966
Volume
1		October 1908 - September 1909
2		September 1909 - June 1910
3		July 1910 - March 1911
4		November 1911 - July 1912
5		July 1912 - March 1913
6		March - September 1913
7		September 1913 - April 1914
8		May - November 1914
9		November 1914 - July 1915
10		July 1915 - February 1916
11		February - September 1916
12		September 1916 - April 1917
13		April - October 1917
14		October 1917 - May 1918
15		May - November 1918
16		November 1918 - May 1919
17		May - October 1919
18		October 1919 - May 1920
19		May - October 1920
20		October 1920 - April 1921
21		April - October 1921
22		October 1921 - April 1922
23		May - October 1922
24		October 1922 - April 1923
25		April - September 1923
26		September 1923 - March 1924
27		March 1924 - August 1927
28		September 1927 - October 1932
29		January 1933 - June 1939
30		July 1939 - December 1947
31		January 1948 - November 1953
32		December 1953 - October 1960
33		November 1960 - August 1963
34		August 1963 - July 1966
	Subseries 3: General 2 folders and 4 oversize volumes	1903-1967
Box/Folder
4/8	Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet	1903-1911
4/9	Record of Sales	1906-1915
Volume
35	General Ledger	1929-1939
36	General Ledger	1940-1951
37	General Ledger	1952-1959
38	General Ledger	1960-1967
	Subseries 4: Expense 3 oversize volumes	1940-1961
Volume
39		1940-1941
40		1950-1956
41		1957-1961
	Subseries 5: Customer 10 oversize volumes	1910-1914, 1958-1960
Volume
42		1910-1914
43		January - April 1958
44		May - August 1958
45		September - December 1958
46		January - April 1959
47		May - August 1959
48		September - December 1959
49		January - April 1960
50		May - August 1960
51		September - November 1960
	Subseries 6: Cash 20 oversize volumes	1919-1968
Volume
52		April 1919 - April 1922
53		April 1922 - January 1925
54		January 1932 - July 1934
55		November 1936 - January 1939
56		February 1939 - June 1941
57		July 1941 - October 1943
58		November 1943 - March 1946
59		March 1946 - April 1948
60		April 1948 - May 1950
61		May 1950 - April 1952
62		May 1952 - December 1954
63		December 1954 - April 1957
64		May 1957 - November 1959
65		November 1959 - December 1960
66		January 1961 - March 1962
67		March - May 1962
68		May 1963 - July 1964
69		July 1964 - September 1965
70		September 1965 - December 1966
71		December 1966 - February 1968
	Subseries 7: Invoice Registers 14 oversize volumes	1903-1968
Volume
72		January 1903 - December 1908
73		December 1908 - March, 1913
74		November 1916 - May 1919
75		July 1919 - January 1922
76		January 1922 - January 1924
77		January 1924 - April 1926
78		April 1926 - January 1929
79		January 1929 - December 1931
80		November 1935 - May 1942
81		May 1942 - October 1950
82		October 1950 - May 1959
83		June 1959 - May 1962
84		May 1962 - February 1965
85		March 1965 - March 1968
	Subseries 8: Check Registers 7 oversize volumes	1913-1962
Volume
86		October 1913 - July 1923
87		August 1923 - July 1929
88		July 1929 - February 1936
89		February 1936 - June 1943
90		June 1943 - April 1950
91		April 1950 - August 1956
92		August 1956 - December 1962
	Subseries 9: Trial Balance 2 volumes (1 oversize)	1919-1953
box-volume
4/93		1919 - 1930
Volume
94		1942 - 1953
	Subseries 10: Bills Receivable and Payable 2 volumes	1904-1941
box-volume
6/95		1904-1920
6/96		1933-1941
	Subseries 11: Payroll Summary 1 volume	1960-1963
box-volume
5/97		1960-1963

Series III: Legal, 1911Return to Top

1 folder

This series contains a contract from 1911.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
6/3	Contract	1911

Series IV: Clippings, 1932Return to Top

1 folder

This series contains an article presenting a brief history of McGowan Commercial Company. The article was published in the November 1932 edition of The Plainsman, a local newspaper.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
6/4	Brief history of McGowan Commercial Company	1932

Series V: Personal, 1895-1901Return to Top

2 folders

This series contains some records and memorabilia from James A. McGowan and Clifford H. Rittenour. Materials include an unsigned, undated draft copy of James A. McGowan's will. Clifford H. Rittenour was a manager of McGowan Commercial Company and became President after James McGowan's death. These items include records and memorabilia from Rittenour's student days at the University of Montana, Missoula.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
6/5	Records and memorabilia	1895-1901 and undated

Series VI: Photographs, 1898 - circa 1960Return to Top

15 photographs

This series includes fifteen photographs. Most of the photographs depict Plains, Montana, particularly the McGowan Mercantile Company store and hotel. Also included are five photographs documenting the procession to James A. McGowan's funeral, two photographs of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford H. Rittenour's 60th anniversary, an circa 1950s store anniversary, and images of the 1898 and 1901 football teams at the University of Montana.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	74-47: Main Street, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt	circa 1900
	74-48: McGowan Hotel, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt	circa 1900
	74-49: Main Street, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt	circa 1900
	74-50: McGowan Commercial Company and Hotel, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt	circa 1900
	74-51: Main Street, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt	circa 1900
Box/Folder
6/6	47(VI):1: Funeral of James A. McGowan	1911
6/6	47(VI):2: Funeral of James A. McGowan	1911
6/6	47(VI):3: Funeral of James A. McGowan	1911
6/6	47(VI):4: Funeral of James A. McGowan	1911
6/6	47(VI):5: Funeral of James A. McGowan	1911
6/6	47(VI):6: Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Rittenour 60th Anniversary Celebration	circa 1960
6/6	47(VI):7: Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Rittenour 60th Anniversary Celebration	circa 1960
6/6	47(VI):8: Anniversary Sale, McGowan Commercial Company, cake	circa 1950
6/6	47(VI):9: University of Montana football team, champions	1898
6/6	47(VI):10: University of Montana football team	1901

Series VII: Promotional calendars, 1920-1930Return to Top

4 items

This series includes four promotional calendars distributed by McGowan Commercial Company between 1920 and 1930. Each calendar has a large photograph including one of the Clark Fork River near Plains, Montana, a Herman Schnitzmeyer photo of buffalo, hunters with their deer, and Nick Lascu's sheep ranch near Plains.The calendars were transferred from Special Collections at Montana State University-Bozeman in September, 2009.

Description	Dates
OS 7: Calendar	1920
OS 7: Calendar	1928
OS 7: Calendar	1930
OS 7: Calendar	undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

General stores--Montana--Plains

Geographical Names

Plains (Mont.)

Form or Genre Terms

Business records--Montana--Plains
Photographs--Montana--Plains

Other Creators

Personal Names
- McGowan, James A., 1852-1911
- Rittenour, Clifford H.

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