Peter V. Jackson Papers, 1869-1916

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Jackson, Peter V.
Title
Peter V. Jackson Papers
Dates
1869-1916
Quantity
1 linear foot
Collection Number
Collection 2583, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Peter V. Jackson Papers consist of business and personal letters received by Jackson from 1868 through 1916. The letters document Jackson's activities in operating his various business interests and range from extensive descriptions to brief notations regarding purchases, payments, or banking matters. The collection also includes banking memoranda and statements. Names of interest include Henry Augustus Ward (1834-1906), David Folsom, Charles W. Cook, and George W. Rea.
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

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Peter V. Jackson was born on October 8, 1844, at Rochester, New York, the son of Joel and Julia A. (Southworth) Jackson. He grew up in Rochester and graduated from Rochester University in 1866. Soon after his graduation Jackson accepted a position as accountant and bookkeeper for the Midas Mining Company, a business founded by several Rochester businessmen to develop and exploit mineral deposits in the far west. Jackson came to Montana by the Missouri river in the spring of 1867 and assumed his duties at Midasburg, the company's headquarters west of present day Norris in Madison County, Montana. When the company suspended operations in 1869 Jackson was left in charge of the works, and becoming part owner of the property, continued in charge until 1871, when he became assistant superintendent for the Columbia Mining Company at Unionville for one season, retaining his interest in the Midas Company. After that he was engaged in assaying and dealing in gold and silver bullion at Sterling for nearly ten years. In 1877, Jackson began operations in ranching and stock raising, eventually owning several thousand acres of land. He was married in June, 1875, to Henrietta Fletcher, a native of Allegany County, New York. The Jacksons had eight children including: John T. Jackson, Peter V. Jackson Jr., M. W. and Emily M., who attended the Wesleyan University in Helena. Peter Jackson died on July 7, 1923.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Peter V. Jackson papers consist of business and personal letters received by Jackson from 1868 through 1916. The letters document Jackson's activities in operating his various business interests and range from extensive descriptions to brief notations regarding purchases, payments, or banking matters. Included in the correspondence are letters from Henry Augustus Ward (1834-1906). Ward was a Rochester, New York natural history professor and geologist who became well known as a supplier of specimens to museums and exhibitions around the world. In 1865 became part owner of the Montana mining claims and initially directed Jackson's activities in their management. Afterwards he corresponded with Jackson to facilitate the contracting of hunters to gather skins and skeletons for his museum and taxidermy services. Represented in the hunter's letters are those from the David Folsom, Charles W. Cook, and George W. Rea. There are also business letters from Bozeman business owner Davis Willson. Included in the correspondence are letters addressed to Emily Jackson from Peter V. Jackson, Henrietta Jackson, as well as Peter V. Jackson Jr. during and after her time at Wesleyan University in Helena. The collection also includes banking memoranda and statements.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1 Correspondence, 1868-1916

Series 2 Financial Papers, 1869-1898

Series 3 Printed Material, circa 1870-1890

Acquisition Information

Original letters, postcards, financial documents, and ephemera created or collected by Peter V. Jackson was purchased by Montana State University on March 18, 2014 from Stuart MacKenzie of Chinook, Montana.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2014 June 19

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Correspondence, 1868-1916Return to Top

Personal, professional, and legal letters mostly addressed to P.V. Jackson from family members and business associates in New York, especially the Rochester area, and various locations in Montana. Especially prominent are letters from Henry Augustus Ward written from New York and elsewhere pertaining to the mining concerns Jackson was managing. Of interest are the letters addressed to Emily Jackson from her father, mother, brother, as well as friends and acquaintances during and after her tenure at Mills Hall, Wesleyan University in Helena discussing her education, family news, her time spent in Seattle, Washington, as well as her time in Norris, Montana. Also included in Emily's correspondence are several letters expressing condolence over her mother's death in 1915.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
1868
1/2
1869
1/3
1870
1/4
1871
1/5
1872
1/6
1873
1/7
1874
1/8
1875
1/9
1876
1/10
1877
1/11
1878
1/12-13
1879
1/14
1880
1/15
1881
1/16
1882
1/17
1883
1/18
1884
1/19
1885
1/20
1886
1/21
1887
1/22
1888
1/23
1889
1/24
1890
1/25
1891
1/26
1892
1/27
1893
1/28
1894
2/1
1895
2/2-3
1896
2/4
1897
2/5
1898
2/6
circa 1860-1879
2/7
circa 1880-1899
2/8
Emily Jackson
1899
2/9
Emily Jackson
1900
2/10
Emily Jackson
1901
2/11
Emily Jackson
1902
2/12
Emily Jackson
1903
2/13
Emily Jackson
1904
2/14
Emily Jackson
1905
2/15
Emily Jackson
1906
2/16
Emily Jackson
1907
3/1
Emily Jackson
1908
3/2
Emily Jackson
1913
3/3
Emily Jackson
1915
3/4
Emily Jackson
1916
3/5
Emily Jackson
circa 1899-1916
3/6
Legal
1872
3/7
Legal
1873
3/8
Legal
1877
3/9
Legal
1878
3/10
Legal
1879
3/11
Legal
1880
3/12
Legal
1881
3/13
Legal
1883
3/14
Legal
1884
3/15
Legal
1885
3/16
Legal
1886
3/17
Legal
1889
3/18
Legal
1891
3/19
Legal
1895
3/20
Legal
1896
3/21
Legal
1897
3/22
Legal
circa 1870-1899
3/23
Postcards
1874

Series 2:  Financial Papers, 1869-1898Return to Top

Ledger sheets, bank statements and other material dealing specifically with Jackson's financial concerns. Although many financially related letters can be found throughout the collection, this series consists entirely of financial documents that do not have substantive cover letters or narratives associated with them.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/24
Bank Notices
1879-1886
3/25
Invoices and Receipts
1869
3/26
Invoices and Receipts
1870
3/27
Invoices and Receipts
1872
3/28
Invoices and Receipts
1873
3/29
Invoices and Receipts
1874
3/30
Invoices and Receipts
1875
3/31
Invoices and Receipts
1876
3/32
Invoices and Receipts
1877
3/33
Invoices and Receipts
1878
3/34
Invoices and Receipts
1879
3/35
Invoices and Receipts
1880
3/36
Invoices and Receipts
1881
3/37
Invoices and Receipts
1882
3/38
Invoices and Receipts
1884
3/39
Invoices and Receipts
1891
3/40
Invoices and Receipts
1892
3/41
Invoices and Receipts
1893
3/42
Invoices and Receipts
1894
3/43
Invoices and Receipts
1895
3/44
Invoices and Receipts
1896
3/45
Invoices and Receipts
1897
3/46
Invoices and Receipts
1898
3/47
Invoices and Receipts
circa 1870-1899
3/48
Tax Receipts
1870-1879

Series 3:  Printed Material, circa 1870-1890Return to Top

Newspaper clippings and other printed matter that did not accompany any particular letter in series one. Material includes: alumni constitution for the University of Rochester, Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York forms, information on transplanting trees, as well as information on mining and lumber mills.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/49
Newspaper Clippings
3/50
Printed Material
circa 1870-1890
3/51
Warranty Paperwork

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Frontier and pioneer life
  • Frontier and pioneer life -- Montana
  • Mines and mineral resources
  • Mines and mineral resources -- Montana -- Madison County
  • Naturalists
  • Naturalists -- United States
  • Zoological specimens -- Collection and preservation
  • Zoological specimens -- Collection and preservation

Personal Names

  • Cook, Charles W., 1839-1927
  • Cook, Charles W., 1839-1927 -- Correspondence
  • Folsom, David E.
  • Folsom, David E. -- Correspondence
  • Jackson, Emily M., -- Correspondence
  • Rea, George W. -- Correspondence
  • Ward, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1834-1906
  • Ward, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1834-1906 -- Correspondence
  • Willson, Davis, 1841-1915
  • Willson, Davis, 1841-1915 -- Correspondence

Geographical Names

  • Madison County (Mont.)
  • Montana
  • Montana -- Madison County
  • New York (State) -- Rochester
  • Rochester (N.Y.)
  • United States

Form or Genre Terms

  • Records and correspondence