Charles J. Doherty Papers

Charles J. Doherty Papers, 1917-1972

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Doherty, Charles J., 1892-1958
Title: Charles J. Doherty Papers
Dates: 1917-1972 (inclusive)
19171972
Quantity: 10.5 linear feet, (17 archival boxes and six oversize volumes)
Collection Number: Mss 051
Summary: Charles Doherty was a newspaperman who owned and edited the Missoula County Times in Missoula, Montana.This collection contains biographical materials, correspondence files, newspaper clippings, financial and legal records, market and research reports, writings and addresses, and photographs created and collected by Doherty. Also included are records from his wife, Clara M. Doherty, and organizations (businesses and veterans' groups) to which Charles Doherty belonged.
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.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Charles J. Doherty was born December 17, 1892, in Michigan, North Dakota. His father owned the Nelson County Independent. When Charles was two, his father died, and his mother began to operate the newspaper. At age fourteen, Charles began writing for the family-owned Adams Budget in North Dakota. He subsequently published weekly newspapers in that same town and Dunn Center, North Dakota.

He acquired the Winnett Times in Winnett, Montana, in 1920, and sold it in 1931. He was one of the individuals who advocated splitting Petroleum County off the eastern end of Fergus County.

In 1931, he acquired the weekly Missoula County Times, which he operated until 1958.

As an editor, Doherty commented frequently and vigorously on public issues and controversies, earning the admiration of other editors throughout Montana. The Missoula County Times often clashed with the Daily Missoulian, particularly over lucrative Missoula City/County "newspaper of record" publication contracts. He was an active participant of the Montana Press Association, and served as its president. He was also president of the Western Montana Press-Radio Club. In 1941, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Missoula. He married Clara Marsh in 1928; they had three children. He died May 22, 1958, in Missoula.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains biographical materials, correspondence files, newspaper clippings, financial and legal records, market and research reports, writings and addresses, and photographs created and collected by Charles Doherty. Also included are records from Clara M. Doherty and organizations (businesses and veterans' groups) to which Charles Doherty belonged: Petroleum County Realty Company, Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., and the American Legion. Collection materials are predominantly correspondence and clippings related to Doherty's career as a publisher/editor as well as an extensive sequence of documents from the 1927 American Legion convention in Paris (billed as the Second American Expeditionary Force). This collection provides an historical perspective on Montana's rural weekly newspaper trade during the first half of the twentieth century. Additionally, these materials document Doherty's socio-political opinions and civic activities.

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 transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Charles J. Doherty Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is divided into twelve series:

Series I: Biographical, 2 folders, 1917-1972

Series II: Correspondence, 3.0 linear feet, 1921-1958

Series III: Clippings, 3.5 linear feet, 1926-1958

Series IV: Financial, 0.5 linear feet, 1925-1958

Series V: Legal, 4 folders, 1924-1971

Series VI: Reports, 1 folder, 1931-1955

Series VII: Speeches and Writings, 7 folders, 1932-1956

Series VIII: Photographs, 11 images, 1917-1956

Series IX: Clara M. Doherty, 5 folders, 1947-1972

Series X: Petroleum County Realty Company, 4 folders, 1922-1930

Series XI: Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Dept. of Montana, Missoula Barracks, 3 folders, 1957

Series XII: American Legion, 1.25 linear feet, 1917-1957

Custodial History

All materials remained in the possession of the Doherty family until dontation to the K. Ross Toole Archives.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Clara M. Doherty, 1972.

Processing Note

The actions of the orginal collection processors are unknown. In 2004 archives staff addressed preservation concerns and redescribed collection materials.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Biographical, 1917-1972Return to Top

2 folders

This series contains a short biography, clippings, and other documents providing biographical information on Charles Doherty and his family.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1		1920-1972
1/2	World War I Memorabilia	1917-1918

Series II: Correspondence, 1921-1958Return to Top

3.0 linear feet

This series contains Charles Doherty's correspondence files. These materials primarily concern operation of the Winnett Times and the Missoula County Times; however, some personal correspondence is also present. Among the frequent and prominent correspondents found in this series are Forrest Anderson, J. Hugo Aronson, Roy Ayers, John W. Bonner, W. E. Borah, H. H. H. Clark, Hall F. Clement, Delmar Cole, Frank Cooney, Jack and Robert Corette, Ed Craney, Joseph Dixon, Zales Ecton, H. H. Ellsworth, John Evans, James A. Farley, James Ford, Tom L. Gibson, Dorothy Johnson, Arthur Lamey, Scott Leavitt, Joseph McCarthy, Charles and Walter McLeod, Mike Mansfield, Lee Metcalf, James Murray, Gerald Nye, James O'Connor, Arnold Olsen, Wright Patman, Wellington Rankin, Miles Romney, Arthur Stone, Adrian VanKeulen, Thomas Walsh, Alexander Warden, Burton Wheeler, and numerous staff members at the National Recovery Administration in Washington, D.C.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/3	General	1921
1/4	General	1922
1/5	General	1923
1/6	"Smiling Thru"	1924
1/7	General	1924
1/8	General	1925
1/9	General	1926
1/10	General	1927
1/11	General	1928
1/12	General	1930
1/13	Founding of Missoula County Times	1931
1/14	General	1932
1/15	General	1933
1/16	General	1934
1/17	General	1934
2/1	National Recovery Administration	1934-02
2/2	National Recovery Administration	1934-03
2/3	National Recovery Administration	1934-04
2/4	National Recovery Administration	1934-05
2/5	National Recovery Administration	1934-06
2/6	National Recovery Administration	1934-07
2/7	National Recovery Administration	1934-08
2/8	National Recovery Administration	1934-09
2/9	National Recovery Administration	1934-10
2/10	National Recovery Administration	1934-11
2/11	National Recovery Administration	1934-12
2/12	General	1935
2/13	National Recovery Administration	1935
2/14	General	1936
2/15	General	1936
3/1	General	1937
3/2	General	1938
3/3	General	1939
3/4	Against the War	1940
3/5	Tenth Anniversary Issue	1940
3/6	General	1940
3/7	General	1941
3/8	General	1942
3/9	General	1943
4/1	General	1944
4/2	General	1944
4/3	General	1945
4/4	General	1946
4/5	General	1947
4/6	General	1948
4/7	General	1949
4/8	General	1950
5/1	General	1951
5/2	General	1951
5/3	Aronson for Governor Club	1952
5/4	Office of Price Stabilization	1952
5/5	General	1952
5/6	General	1952
5/7	General	1953
5/8	General	1953
6/1	General	1954
6/2	General	1955
6/3	General	1955
6/4	General	1956
6/5	General	1957
6/6	General	1957
6/7	General	1958
6/8	Congratulations on Selling the Times	1958
6/9	General	undated

Series III: Clippings, 1926-1958Return to Top

3.5 linear feet

This series contains newspaper clippings collected by Charles Doherty over the course his professional career, reflecting his personal interests and editorial topics. These materials were extracted from papers other than the Missoula County Times and are arranged alphabetically by topic.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
6/10	Aronson for Governor Club	1952
6/11	Aronson for Governor Club	1952
7/1	Aronson, J. Hugo	1955-1956
7/2	Ayers, Roy E.	undated
7/3	Catholicism	undated
7/4	Catholicism	undated
7/5	Chain Stores	undated
7/6	City Manager	undated
7/7	Communism	undated
7/8	Communism	undated
7/9	Editorial	1958
7/10	Editorial Source Clippings	undated
7/11	Jokes	undated
7/12	Labor	undated
8/1	Labor	1958
8/2	League of Women Voters	undated
8/3	Libel	undated
8/4	Loggings	undated
8/5	McCarthy, Joseph	undated
8/6	Mencken, H. L.	undated
8/7	Missoula Bridges	1956
8/8	Missoula Chamber of Commerce	undated
8/9	Missoula City Election	1941
8/10	Missoula City Politics	1948
8/11	Missoula County Politics	1932-1935
8/12	Missoula County	1957-1958
8/13	Montana Attorney General	1926
8/14	Montana Press Association	1944
8/15	Montana Press Association	1946
8/16	Montana Press Association	1952-1953
8/17	Montana Press Association	1956
8/18	Montana Supreme Court Reports	1928
8/19	Mosby, Aline	undated
8/20	National Editorial Association	1944
8/21	Newspapers	undated
9/1	Office of Price Stabilization	1952
9/2	Paradise Dam	undated
9/3	Patriotism	1930-1932
9/4	Patriotism	1941
9/5	Patriotism	1942
9/6	Patriotism	1956
9/7	Politics	1927-1931
9/8	Politics	1932
9/9	Politics	1932-1936
9/10	Politics	1932-1936
9/11	Politics	1936-1937
9/12	Politics	1938
9/13	Politics	1939
10/1	Politics	1940
10/2	Politics	1941
10/3	Politics	1942
10/4	Politics	1942
10/5	Politics	1943
10/6	Politics	1944
10/7	Politics	1944
10/8	Politics	1945
10/9	Politics	1945
10/10	Politics	1946
10/11	Politics	1946
10/12	Politics	1949
11/1	Politics	1950
11/2	Politics	1950
11/3	Politics	1951
11/4	Politics	1951
11/5	Politics	1952
11/6	Politics	1952
11/7	Politics	1952
11/8	Politics	1953
11/9	Politics	1953
12/1	Politics	1955
12/2	Politics	1955
12/3	Politics	1956
12/4	Politics	1956
12/5	Politics	1958
12/6	Press and Printers Unions	1953
12/7	Public Health	undated
12/8	Race Relations	undated
12/9	Religion	undated
12/10	Schools	undated
12/11	Schools	1958
13/1	Snake River Power Development	1955-1957
13/2	Television	undated
13/3	Trades and Labor Council	1932-1935
13/4	Trading Stamps	undated
13/5	Unions	undated
13/6	University, Missoula	1937 and 1940
13/7	Water	undated
13/8	Wheeler, B. V.	undated
13/9	General topics	undated
13/10	General topics	undated

Series IV: Financial, 1925-1958Return to Top

0.5 linear feet and 6 oversize volumes

This series contains financial records, primarily regarding operation of the Winnett and Missoula Times but also includes some personal records. This series provides insights into the operation of rural Montana weekly newspapers.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
13/11	Equipment	1931-1936
13/12	House	1942-1957
13/13	Insurance	1927-1947
13/14	Veterans Insurance	1955-1958
13/15	General	1925-1931
13/16	General	1933
13/17	General	1934
13/18	General	1935
13/19	General	1936
13/20	General	1937
13/21	General	1938
13/22	General	1939
13/23	General	1940
13/24	General	1941
13/25	General	1942
13/26	General	1943
13/27	General	1944
13/28	General	1946
14/1	General	1947
14/2	General	1948
14/3	General	1949
14/4	General	1950
14/5	General	1951
14/6	General	1952
14/7	General	1953
14/8	General	1954
14/9	General	1955
14/10	General	1956
14/11	General	1957
14/12	General	1958
Volume
1	General Journal, Cash Receipts, Cash Disbursements, and Expenses	1947-1957
2	General Ledger	1947-1957
3	Cash Disbursements	1937-1942
4	Payroll Record	1942-1945
5	Payroll Record	1946-1947
6	Payroll Record	1948-1957

Series V: Legal, 1924-1971Return to Top

4 folders

This series contains a mixture of personal and business legal documents. This series includes a sequence documenting an extended dispute between the Times and the Missoulian regarding lucrative Missoula City/County "newspaper of record" publication contracts. Additionally, this series contains an unsigned copy of the Missoula County Peoples Exchange articles of incorporation, a Depression era civic group intended to facilitate "self-relief" through bartering, work exchanges, and community projects.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
14/13	Home in Missoula	1942-1971
14/14	Missoula County Peoples Exchange	undated
14/15	Notary Public and Civic Memberships	1924-1958
14/16	Business Documents	1926-1958

Series VI: Reports, 1931-1955Return to Top

1 folder

This series contains market and research reports collected by Charles Doherty.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
14/17	Market and Research Reports	1931-1955

Series VII: Speeches and Writings, 1932-1956Return to Top

7 folders

This series contains Charles Doherty's speeches, radio speeches, and some of his editorial writings as well as some materials written by other authors.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
14/18	Speeches and Radio Addresses	1932-1942
14/19	Speeches and Radio Addresses	1943-1944 and undated
14/20	Writings	1933-1955
14/21	Writings	undated
14/22	J. Hugo Aronson	1953 and 1956
14/23	Harry Burns	1958
14/24	Writings of Others	undated

Series VIII: Photographs, 1917-1956Return to Top

11 images

This series contains eleven photographs and postcards taken or collected by Charles Doherty during his lifetime. Seven of the nine images were taken during the 1927 American Legion Convention in Paris, France and Doherty's travels to Ireland following the convention.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
17/5	51(VIII):1: Frederick W. Newsome, Brother of Irene Newsome, Times secretary, [Soldier's grave stone]	1927
17/5	51(VIII):2: C.J. [Doherty] and [two unidentified individuals at Blarney Castle, Ireland]	1927
17/5	51(VIII):3: Sandy [Sandaker], C. J. Doherty, and [unidentified man] at Blarney Castle, Ireland]	1927
17/5	51(VIII):4: Sandy T. N. [Sandaker] at Blarney Castle, Ireland	1927
17/5	51(VIII):5: C. J. Doherty on jaunty-cart, Dublin, Ireland	1927
17/5	51(VIII):6: Montana 44, 2nd A.E.F. [American Expeditionary Force], Paris, France [Parade of Montana World War I Veterans]	1927
17/5	51(VIII):7: [Caricature of] C. J. Doherty by an artist at the Eiffel Tower	1927
17/5	51(VIII):8: Winnett Oil and Soil, Cat Creek and Flatwillow Oil Fields [sign, Winnett, Montana]	undated
17/5	51(VIII):9: Here we are with a million dollars in actual cash, Joe W. Brown's Horseshoe, [Las Vegas, Nevada, postcard from Clara Doherty]	1956
17/5	51(VIII):10: [Unidentified woman] Picture found in Charles Doherty's World War I billfold	undated
17/5	51(VIII):11: [Unidentified soldier, possibly Charles Doherty] Picture found in Charles Doherty's World War I billfold	circa 1917

Series IX: Clara M. Doherty, 1947-1972Return to Top

5 folders

This series consists of Clara Doherty's personal correspondence and some financial records that appear to be from a Catholic women's organization.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subseries 1: Correspondence 4 folders	1960-1972
Box/Folder
14/25		1960
14/26		1966-1967
14/27		1968-1970
14/28		1972
	Subseries 2: Financial 1 folder	1947-1955
Box/Folder
14/29		1947-1955

Series X: Petroleum County Realty Company, 1922-1930Return to Top

4 folders

The Petroleum County Realty Company was a real estate brokerage located in Winnnett, Montana. Doherty was the treasurer of the organization.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subseries 1: Correspondence 1 folder	1922-1930
Box/Folder
15/1		1922-1930
	Subseries 2: Financial and Legal 3 folders	1924-1928
Box/Folder
15/2	Tax Returns	1925-1928
15/3	General Legal Documents	1924
15/4	Licenses	1925-1927

Series XI: Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Dept. of Montana, Missoula Barracks, 1957Return to Top

3 folders

Doherty was the commander of the Missoula Barracks (or unit) of the Veterans of World War I, and was involved in its organization. The materials document eligible area veterans and actual membership.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subseries 1: Correspondence 1 folder	1957
Box/Folder
15/5		1957
	Subseries 2: Clippings and Printed Materials 2 folders	1957
Box/Folder
15/6	Clippings	1957
15/7	Resolutions and Press Releases	1957

Series XII: American Legion, 1917-1957Return to Top

1.25 linear feet

The records are mostly related to American Legion Hell Gate Post #27 in Missoula, Montana, of which Doherty was the commander. Also of particular note are records from Doherty's participation in the 1927 American Legion convention in Paris, billed as the Second American Expeditionary Force and portraying Legionnaires as the champions of western democracy.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subseries 1: Correspondence 0.25 linear feet	1917-1953
Box/Folder
15/8		1917-1929
15/9	Paris Reunion	1927
15/10		1930
15/11		1931
15/12		1932
15/13		1933
15/14		1934
15/15		1935
15/16		1936
15/17		1937-1941, 1943, and 1953
	Subseries 2: Clippings 0.25 linear feet	1919-1957
Box/Folder
15/18		1919-1953
15/19		1919-1934
15/20		1957
16/1		1932-1943
	Subseries 3: Reports 2 folders	1930-1951
Box/Folder
16/2	Membership Lists and Committee Assignments	1932-1951
16/3	General	1930-1935
	Subseries 4: Speeches and Writings 0.25 linear feet	1923-1941 and undated
Box/Folder
16/4	C.J. Doherty	1934 and undated
16/5	Other Legion Post leaders	undated
16/6	Organizational Papers	undated
16/7	Organizational Papers	1923-1935 and undated
16/8	Publications	1923-1941 and undated
	Subseries 5: Paris Convention, 2nd American Expeditionary Force 0.5 linear feet	1927
Box/Folder
16/9	Certificate of Identification	1927
16/10	Programs, Brochures, and Maps	1927
17/1	Programs, Brochures, and Maps	1927
17/2	Pictorial Review of the 32nd Division	1927
17/3	Tickets, Notes, and Memorabilia	1927
17/4	Press and Itineraries	1927

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Newspaper publishing -- Montana
Newspaper publishing -- Montana--Missoula
Real estate business -- Montana--Petroleum County
Veterans--Montana -- Missoula--Societies, etc.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Veterans--Montana--Missoula

Corporate Names

American Legion. National Convention (1927: Paris, France)

Geographical Names

Missoula (Mont.)--Newspapers
Montana--Newspapers

Form or Genre Terms

Business records -- Montana
Clippings
Personal papers -- Montana
Photographs
Speeches, addresses, etc., American

Occupations

Businessmen -- Montana
Civic leaders--Montana --Missoula
Newspaper editors -- Montana
Newspaper editors -- Montana--Missoula

Titles within the Collection

Missoula County times

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Doherty, Clara M., 1895-1975
Corporate Names
- American Legion
- Petroleum County Realty Company
- Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Missoula Barracks (Missoula, Mont.)

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