Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Thomas Conrad papers, 1857-1899
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Conrad, Thomas, 1821-1880
- Title
- Thomas Conrad papers
- Dates
- 1857-1899 (inclusive)18571899
- Quantity
- .6 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 30
- Summary
- Thomas Conrad was a pioneer Montana merchant. This collection (1857-1899) consists of biographical and genealogical materials; outgoing correspondence to his wife Mary Ivory Conrad; legal documents; limited financial records; and memorabilia. Also included is a subgroup of incoming correspondence to Mrs. Conrad from her brothers during the Civil War. Much of collection documents pioneer life and conditions in Virginia City, Montana Territory.
- 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 Conrad (1821-1880) and his partner, Albert G. ("China") Clarke, opened a general hardware and merchandise store in Virginia City, Idaho Territory, in July 1864. The store was stocked with merchandise the partners had brought with them from Missouri. Conrad may have served as mayor of Virginia City for a short time. Clarke was occupied with his cattle and mining interests, leaving Conrad responsible for the store. In February 1865, the firm of Clarke and Conrad moved to Helena, eventually becoming one of the leading mercantile concerns in the city. Successive changes in the partnership were reflected in the alterations in the firm's name: in 1869, it was known as Clarke, Conrad and Miller; shortly thereafter, the company was called Clarke, Conrad and Curtin. During Conrad's stay in Montana, his wife, Mary Ivory Conrad, and daughter, Martha (Mattie), remained in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Conrad himself returned there in 1876. During a brief visit back to Helena in May 1880, he became ill, returned to St. Joseph, and died there in September 1880 at the age of fifty-nine.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Papers. 1857-1899. .6 linear foot. The collection contains biographical and genealogical material, Thomas's letters to his family in Missouri (1857-1880), legal documents, financial records, and writings. In addition, there is a Mary Ivory Conrad Subgroup containing incoming correspondence from her brothers during the Civil War. Pioneer life in Montana Territory is detailed by Thomas Conrad's descriptions of Virginia City and Helena.
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
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Thomas Conrad Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Biographical Materials |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Genealogical notes on Conrad family, by Genevieve
Clarke |
undated |
Incoming Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 2 | John Cantwell |
1877 |
| 1 / 3 | A.G. Clarke |
1868 |
| 1 / 4 | James Conrad |
1860, 1868 |
| 1 / 5 | Joseph Conrad |
1861 |
| 1 / 6 | Martha A. (Mattie) Conrad |
1872-1873 |
| 1 / 7 | Peter Conrad |
1868 |
| 1 / 8 | Simon Conrad |
1868 |
| 1 / 9 | Howard and Hinchman |
1868 |
Outgoing Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 10 | To Mary Ivory [includes typed transcripts] |
1857 |
| 1 / 11-23 | To Mary Ivory Conrad [includes pencil sketch of
Virginia City, 1864; and typed transcripts for 1858, Aug.-Dec. 1864, 1865,
1869-1880[ |
1858-1860, 1864-1869, 1871-1873, 1879-1880 |
| 1 / 24 | To Martha A. (Mattie) Conrad |
1866-1878 |
| 1 / 25 | To A.D. Kerr |
1867 |
Financial Records |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 1 | Thomas Conrad Estate account |
1885 |
| 2 / 2 | Receipts, vouchers, etc. |
1860-1898 |
| 2 / 3 | Tax assessment |
1877 |
Legal Documents |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 4 | Thomas Conrad will |
1880 |
| 2 / 5 | Miscellaneous |
1860-1885 |
Photographs |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 6 | List of photographs transferred to the Photo
Archives |
|
Writings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 7 | Notes on the Civil War |
undated |
| 2 / 8 | Notebook on general world history |
undated |
| 2 / 9 | Reminiscence of Thomas Conrad, 1867-1880 [includes
typed transcript] |
undated |
Miscellany |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 10 | List of artifacts transferred to Museum |
|
Clippings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 11 | Conrad home in St. Joseph, Missouri |
1850, undated |
Mary Ivory Conrad Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Incoming Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 12 | John Ivory; William Ivory |
1862-1864 |
| 2 / 13 | Miscellaneous |
1877-1885 |
Outgoing Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 14 | To Martha A. (Mattie) Conrad |
undated |
Diaries |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 15 | Diary |
1880-1889 |
Miscellany |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 16 | "Pious Souvenir" from Catholic Church in Bethlehem |
1877 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Montana--Helena
- Meat industry and trade--Montana
- Retail trade--Montana--Helena
- Vigilantes--Montana--Virginia City
Personal Names
- Conrad, Thomas, 1821-1880 (creator)
Geographical Names
- Helena (Mont.)--Commerce
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
- Virginia City (Mont.)
Finding aid prepared by MHS Staff
2005
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
