Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Collection
-
Biographical Note
- Content Description
- Administrative Information
-
Detailed Description of the Collection
- Picture list and research
- Diary
- History of Madison County: Exploration of Montana (The Lewis and Clark Expedition) by Melvin J. Lott, Chapter 1-4
- Lure of the West by Melvina J. Lott (pen name crossed out, Jane Carney Biddle), Chapter 1: Off for the West
- Twin Bridges history, clippings, biographies
- Twin Bridges and Madison County history, Orphan’s Home, Enabling Act, clippings, biography
- Schools-Twin Bridges
- The Montana State Normal University Journal, Twin Bridges, Madison County, Montana, Volume 1, #1
- Montana Normal School
- Montana Normal School
- Senate Bill #52
- Report of Commission Appointed to Examine the Accounts of the Late Auditor and Treasurer of the Territory
- Letterpress copybook
- Daybook
- Daybook
- Ledger
- Names and Subjects
M.J. Lott Papers, 1878-1908
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Lott, Mortimer J.
- Title
- M.J. Lott Papers
- Dates
- 1878-190818781908
- Quantity
- .6 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Collection 0347, MtBC, us (collection)
- Summary
- The M.J. Lott papers consist photocopied histories and reminiscences of the Twin Bridges area and original letterpress copybook, daybooks, and ledger pertaining to financial records of the family mercantile business created or collected by the Lott family.
- 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
Judge Mortimer H. Lott was born in December 1827 at Lottsville, Pennsylvania. He moved west in 1857 settling in Kansas and Colorado, prior to his move to Montana in 1862. Lott and his brother John helped build Fort Kearny in 1863. The brothers opened their first general store in Nevada City. In 1865, the Lott brothers moved to Twin Bridges. Judge Lott married Melvina J. Carson in 1880. Lott died October 4, 1920.
John S. Lott was born in Pennsylvania, November 1829. John was active in the formation of the vigilance committee in Montana. He served on the jury when George Ives was captured and sentenced. He also lead the party which arrested Sherriff Plummer, head of the Alder Gulch road agents, and took him to his place of execution. Lott with his brother Mortimer established the Lott Mercantile in Twin Bridges. John died May 23, 1910.
Melvina J. Lott née Carson was born in Pennsylvania, April 1854. Melvina moved to Twin Bridges in 1879 as a school teacher. Melvina and Mortimer Lott had two children, Mare E. Lott Comfort and Mortimer J. Lott. Melvina was active in the Twin Bridges Woman’s Club and helped Mortimer document the history of Twin Bridges. She died October 9, 1942.
Mortimer J Lott was born May 25, 1892 in Twin Bridges, Montana. Lott was a former member of the Montana House of representatives (1932-1936), state senator (1938-1954), one time Twin Bridges mayor, and son Twin Bridges founder Mortimer H. Lott. He also operated a stock ranch on the original Lott homestead. Senator Lott died November 3, 1957.
The Lott’s were founding members of Twin Bridges, Montana. In 1890, they had the town plated. They provided financial and moral support to the Montana State Normal University at Twin Bridges. They donated 100 acres of land to the State Orphan’s Home, as well as giving 45 acres for the county fair grounds and race track.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The M.J. Lott papers consist of an original letterpress copybook, daybooks, and a ledger pertaining to the Lott mercantile business in Twin Bridges. Also included in the collection are photocopies of histories of Madison County and Twin Bridges, organization papers for the Montana State Normal School at Twin Bridges, the State Orphan’s Home, the Madison County Fair Grounds, an autobiography of Mrs. M.H. Lott, and a diary kept by Mrs. M.H. Lott on a trip through Yellowstone National Park in 1880.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Photocopied histories and reminiscences of the Twin Bridges area and original letterpress copybook, daybooks, and ledger pertaining to financial records of the family mercantile business created or collected by the Lott family. Items were donated to Special Collections by Mortimer J. Lott, Jr. of Twin Bridges, Montana May 8, 2003.
Processing Note
This collection was processed 2016 January 22
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Picture list and researchReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/1
Container(s) | Description |
---|---|
List of pictures: 2-252 |
|
Research done concerning picture
139 |
Diary, September 1880Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/2
Diary Kept on Trip to Geysers of the Yellowstone in September 1880 by Mrs. M.H. Lott
History of Madison County: Exploration of Montana (The Lewis and Clark Expedition) by Melvin J. Lott, Chapter 1-4Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/3
Lure of the West by Melvina J. Lott (pen name crossed out, Jane Carney Biddle), Chapter 1: Off for the WestReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/4
Twin Bridges history, clippings, biographiesReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/5
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
History of Twin Bridges and Vicinity, Part
1 by Mrs. Melvina J. (M.H.) Lott, Historian for Twin Bridges Woman’s
Club |
1931 | |
Clippings: County Clubs’ History Gets
Hilger’s Praise; Ex-State Senator M.J. Lott Dead |
||
List and brief biographies of the first
settlers and business’ of Twin Bridges |
Twin Bridges and Madison County history, Orphan’s Home, Enabling Act, clippings, biographyReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/6
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Enabling Act |
||
List of firsts for Twin Bridges (schools,
buildings, positions, etc.) |
||
Rochester Gulch article |
||
Clippings: Cemetery Association will hold
annual meeting, elect trustees, history is given; Who set Montana’s
first sluice box? |
||
Commentary on the Orphan’s Home Bill and
Home |
||
History of the Twin Bridges Woman’s Club
by Mrs. Roy M. Austin |
||
Chapter 3 of unidentified manuscript by
Mrs. Lott |
1912 | |
History of Madison County |
||
Handwritten biography of Augustus Edwin
Learson |
Schools-Twin BridgesReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/7
The Montana State Normal University Journal, Twin Bridges, Madison County, Montana, Volume 1, #1, September 9, 1889Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/8
Montana Normal SchoolReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/9
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
List of Donors |
1890 | |
List of Petitioners to locate the Normal
School in Twin Bridges, missing the first 34 petitioners |
1891 |
Montana Normal SchoolReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/10
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Normal School location
clippings |
circa 1893 | |
1st and 2nd annual
announcements |
1889; 1890 | |
The Normal School Question |
||
Graduation Announcement
Graduation Announcement, Class of 1894
|
1894 | |
6th and 7th annual catalogue |
1893-1894; 1894-1895 |
Senate Bill #52, 1892Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/11
(Orphans, Foundlings, and Destitute Children’s Home)
Report of Commission Appointed to Examine the Accounts of the Late Auditor and Treasurer of the Territory, April 2, 1866Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/12
Letterpress copybook, circa 1884Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/13
Daybook, September 30-November 13, 1878Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 1/14
Daybook, October 1879-April 1884Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 2/1
Ledger, 1881-1882Return to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 2/2
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Mines and mineral resources
- Mines and mineral resources -- Montana
- Politics and government
Personal Names
- Coates, Grace Stone, 1881-1976
- Coates, Grace Stone, 1881-1976 -- Correspondence
Geographical Names
- Anaconda (Mont.) -- History
- Butte (Mont.) -- History
- Montana
- Montana -- Anaconda
- Montana -- Butte
- Montana -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- Montana -- Songs and music
Form or Genre Terms
- Autobiographies
- Autobiographies
- History
- Music
- Personal papers -- Montana -- Butte
- Poems -- Montana -- Butte
- Records and correspondence
- Speeches, addresses, etc., American -- Montana -- Butte
Occupations
- Poets, American -- Montana -- Butte
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Cavanaugh, Miles, -1915
- Lovely, J. A. Montana the best