Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John Marvin Blake papers, 1845-1933
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Blake, John Marvin, 1840-1927
- Title
- John Marvin Blake papers
- Dates
- 1845-1933 (inclusive)18451933
- Quantity
- 1.5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 100 (collection)
- Summary
- John Blake (1840-1927) was a Helena, Montana, pioneer, dentist, and livestock investor in the Townsend and Judith Basin, Montana, areas. He also built the Blake Block (103-105 Broadway) which served as the Territorial capitol when the government moved to Helena in 1875. The collection consists of incoming correspondence (1861-1925) to John Blake, and miscellaneous correspondence (1868-1933) for other members of the Blake family and non-family members. Also included are financial and legal records (1869-1930) and Blake family genealogical materials (1845-1874)
- 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
Dr. John Marvin Blake was born in Hope Center, New York, in July 1840. He grew up in Evansville, Wisconsin, but journeyed to Montana seeking adventure in 1864. Blake lived in Helena until the early 1870s, when he returned East to study dentistry. Dr. Blake was again in Helena by 1874, and set up one of the first dental practices in the area. Blake was also interested in livestock and owned a ranch near Townsend. Dr. Blake was married for a short time. He and his wife, Lizzie, had two daughters: Caroline who died as a baby and Nellie. The marriage ended in divorce in 1882. Blake never remarried. Blake lived most of his life in Helena. He built the Blake Block in the downtown area which housed numerous offices and shops and served in 1875 as the headquarters for the territorial government of Montana. Blake declared bankruptcy twice in his lifetime, once in 1905 and again in 1913. John Marvin Blake died in 1927 at the age of 87.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists primarily of incoming and outgoing correspondence. There is also a small amount of miscellaneous correspondence written to and from individuals other than Blake. In addition, there are financial and legal materials concerning Blake's ranching interests, dental practice, and other business activities.
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
Incoming Correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Mary Blake Adams [sister and husband Lo] |
1870-1878, undated |
| 1 / 2 | A (correspondents include George M. Argue; S.C.
Ashby; E.P. Axtell) |
1871-1889 |
| 1 / 3 | E.W. Beebe |
1870-1886, undated |
| 1 / 4 | Phrone Blake Benton [sister] |
1870-1880 |
| 1 / 5 | Caroline Blake [mother] |
1871-1873, undated |
| 1 / 6 | Elizabeth [Lizzie] Blake [wife] and daughter Nellie |
1874-1882, undated |
| 1 / 7 | Horace Grealey Blake [brothers] Josiah Blake |
1870-1871 1884 |
| 1 / 8 | James H. Blake [brother] Diamond City |
1870-1881, undated |
| 1 / 9 | B-C (correspondents include Chauncey Barbour;
Benjamin P. Barker; W.S. Barrett; Beaverhead County, Montana; M.F. Bishop; Frank A.
Bowen; J.L. Brown; D. Butterfield; Bedford Montana; E.A. Carleton; Robert Carr; N.K.
Cartwright; Celluloid Manufacturing Company; Chicago Refining Company; The Chicago
Water Motor Company; Lootie Clark; W.A. Clark; Cornish,Curtis and Greene Manufacturing
Company; Craven Brothers) |
1874-1893, 1915 |
| 1 / 10 | D-F (correspondents include Deering-Hauberg Company;
Henry DesCombes; The Detroit Motor Company; John Dickinson; H.C. Dodge; Douglas and
Perrine; S.H. Dyer; John Eddy; Sam Elwell; L.E. Emma; Leonhard Fertig; First National
Bank; William Fisher; A.J. Fisk; Alice R. Fisk; J.O. Flower; E.L. Foucar; Frank H.
Fowles; W. Fox; Leander W. Frarie; Nick Fretz) |
1870-1888 1919,1922 |
| 1 / 11 | H-I (correspondents include James Gaylord; A.
Goodrich; Cornelius Hackshaw; C.S. Halsey; N.H. Hart; Helena Hot Springs Company; G.W.
Heller; Diamond City; H.H. Houghton; The International Tooth Crown Company) |
1870-1889 1906 |
| 1 / 12 | J-L (correspondents include Jefferson County
Treasurers Office; Jefferson County Office of Clerk and Recorder; Johnson and Lund;
Anna Johnson; John H. Johnson; L.G. Johnson; R.A. Johnson; Johnston Brothers; W.T.
Keener; C.S. Kelly; N.G. Kendall; Jay Kimbell; Benjamin Kimber; Kinsley and Turner;
L.C. Larson; Sister M. Lawrence; Lee and Walker; J.E. Low; W. Lindgren; Hal W.
Lombard) |
1869-1888, undated |
| 1 / 13 | M-N (correspondents include C.H. Manning; J.H.
Mantle; L.L. Maples; L. Mayn; Frank N. McFarland; M.P. McKoon; George W. Melotte;
Mills Brothers Publishers; G.N. Mires; Montana National Bank; Morgan and Wright; T.M.
Morgan; Louisa Morrison; Philip J. Moula; Murphy, Neel and Company; The National
Live-Stock Journal; Arthur Nerth; Neverslip Horse-Shoe Company; G.E. Norem; H.M.F.
Nye) |
1870-1886 1917 |
| 1 / 14 | Hattie Blake Owen [sister] "Podge" [and W.H. Owen and
daughter Nellie] |
1868-1884, undated |
| 1 / 15 | O-S (correspondents include D.F. Ordew; D. Parker;
H.M. Parks; Maria L. Pauley; J.G. Pickering; Joel W. Ramsdell; Mary Rauisford; George
E. Roberts; D.M. Rowley; Scott House; Court Sheriff; H.N. Small; A.S. Smith; William
Smyth; Fred Spencer; A.G. Steiner; C.E. Stone; L. Strickland; I. Stuart; L.V. Styles;
W.J. Sweeney) |
1869-1886 1906 |
| 1 / 16 | George and Harvey Thomas |
1868-1871 |
| 1 / 17 | George H. Tong |
1877-1886 |
| 1 / 18 | T-V (correspondents include R.H. Thomas; William H.
Todd; Joseph K. Toole; The Town of Lake Eye; Tuerk Hydraulic Power Company; Will N.
Turley; Treasury Department; The United States Assay Office; Vawter and Wickes; D.
Vinson) |
1873-1885 1898 |
| 1 / 19 | Samuel S. White Dental Depot / S.S. White Dental
Manufacturing Company |
1869-1886 |
| 1 / 20 | Thomas Wilson |
1869 |
| 1 / 21 | W-Z (correspondents include Daniel J. Wait; Mrs.
William Wallace; George Welch; S. Willey; J. Henry Wuino; P.W. Woodward; Hank Young;
F.M. Zinglar) |
1869 1875-1889 |
| 1 / 22 | Unidentified |
1869-1880, undated |
| 1 / 23 | [Scattered: mostly regarding bills, on regarding his
divorce |
1871-1899, undated |
Miscellaneous Correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 24 | G. Benedict [landlord or landlady] |
1898-1902 1916,1919 |
| 2 / 1 | Blake Family |
1869-1933, undated |
| 2 / 2 | John W. Eddy from Northern Pacific Railroad Company |
1889-1890 |
| 2 / 3 | D.J. Wait |
1885-1886, undated |
| 2 / 4 | neither from nor to John M. Blake |
1868-1922, undated |
Court Papers Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 5 | Miscellaneous |
1882-1913 |
Diaries Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 6 | Unknown |
1870 |
Financial Records Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 7 | Account Journal, Unknown |
1903-1913 |
| 2 / 8 | Accounts |
1882-1889, undated |
| 2 / 9 | Dental Practice Account Books |
1874-1930 |
| 2 / 10 | Hattie Owen Devereux |
1915-1926 |
| 2 / 11 | Insurance |
1889-1890 |
| 2 / 12 | Invoices |
1870-1916, undated |
| 2 / 13 | Notes |
1873-1890 |
| 2 / 14 | Account Books, etc. |
1884-1913, undated |
| 3 / 1 | Receipts |
1869-1917, undated |
| 3 / 2 | Taxes |
1870-1922 |
| 3 / 3 | Time Book |
1869-1871 |
| 3 / 4 | Miscellaneous |
1870-1884 |
| 3 / 5 | Licenses |
1877-1886 |
| 3 / 6 | Miscellaneous |
1872-1922 |
Photographs Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 7 | List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives |
Miscellany Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 8 | Genealogical Material |
1845-1874, undated |
| 3 / 9 | Medical Notebooks |
1870-1909, undated |
| 3 / 10 | Invitations, cards, act. plats, etc. |
1887-1907, undated |
| 3 / 11 | Miscellaneous |
1844, undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Cattle raising--Montana
- Dentistry
- Genealogy
Geographical Names
- Blake Block (Helena, Mont.)
- Helena (Mont.)--Commerce
Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
