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Ernest Calvin Baxter Papers, 1911-1948

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Baxter, Ernest C. (Ernest Calvin), 1870-1948
Title
Ernest Calvin Baxter Papers
Dates
1911-1948 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 156
Summary
Ernest Calvin Baxter was a Twodot and Harlowton, Montana, banker, ranch investor and businessman who served in the state legislature, 1913-1917. This collection (1911-1948) includes correspondence, financial records, legal documents, court papers and subject files from Baxters' business interests in the Bank of Wheatland County, Twodot Land and Livestock Company, and Consumers' Oil Company.
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
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

Ernest Calvin Baxter was born in Steuben County, New York, on May 3, 1870, and grew up on his father's farm near Nelson, Pennsylvania. In July 1893 Baxter traveled to Montana, working for a time as a bookkeeper at the Crow Indian Agency before investing in a chain of mercantile stores located in the Twodot area. It was in Twodot that Baxter met Clarence P. Tooley who became a close business associate.

Beginning in 1905 Baxter and Tooley formed two ranching businesses; the Twodot Land and Livestock Company and the Tooley-Baxter Land and Livestock Company. Together these companies owned the Linton, Duffey, and Tice ranches totaling more than 20,000 acres. In addition to their ranching enterprises, Baxter and Tooley were also interested in banking. In 1906 they joined with Dr. Henry B. Tice to organize the second bank in the Musselshell Valley, the Tooley, Baxter and Tice Banking House located in Twodot. In 1917 the Bank of Wheatland County opened in Harlowton with C.P. Tooley as president and E.C. Baxter as secretary and cashier.

Following the death of C.P. Tooley in October 1918, Baxter remained associated with Tooley's widow, Harriet Tooley, who continued her husband's insurance and other business activities. Baxter also invested in the oil industry, holding interests in Consumer's Oil Company of Harlowton and the Norwegian-American Oil Company.

Baxter, a Republican, was active in politics. He was elected to the state legislature in 1913 and served through 1917. During his legislative career he was active in the campaign to create Wheatland County, and his efforts met with success in 1917.

In 1890 Baxter married Frances Chapman and the couple raised five children, Robert, G.O. (Otis), Harry, Frances, and Helen. E.C. Baxter died in Harlowton on December 24, 1948.

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Content Description

This collection includes correspondence, financial records, and subject files concerning E.C. Baxter's business interests. There is very little information of a personal nature. A separate subgroup was created for the financial records of the Consumers' Oil Company.

The Clarence P. and Harriet W. Tooley Papers (Manuscript Collection 155) also contain materials of some Tooley-Baxter businesses.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

by series

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information:

available upon request

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • Ernest Calvin Baxter

    • General Correspondence

      • Description: A - W [correspondents include various constituents from Meagher County re prohibition, creation of Wheatland Coutny, herd laws, licensing of pharmacists, death penalty, and other legislative bills; Rolf Marstrander re the Norwegian American Oil Co.]
        Dates: 1917
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: A - W [correspondents include J. E. Brown, J. H. Freeman, Dudley N. Hartt, W. Lee Heidenreich re Norwegian American Oil Co., Knights of Pythias, Phil Libby, J. B. Owlett, S. C. Purdy]
        Dates: 1918
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: B - T [correspondents include J. W. Duncan, Frank A. Hazelbaker, E. O. Hedrick, G. W. Maine, Montana Wesleyan College, J. B. Owlett, Carl W. Riddick, W. L. Starret]
        Dates: 1919
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: B - S [correspondents include Harry Baxter, J. W. Buck, J. B. Owlett, Carl Shaw]
        Dates: 1926
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: B - S [correspondents include Robert N. Jones re Charlie Blevins, Eugene Cooke, Jocob T. Elston]
        Dates: 1927
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: M - S [correspondents include Pattison National Bank and Henry Smith]
        Dates: 1928
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: B - S [correspondents include Henry Bottom, D. W. Iden, H. B. Smith]
        Dates: 1929
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: Miscellaneous [correspondents include Henry Bottom, William B. Douglas, Henry B. Smith]
        Dates: 1930-1934
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence
      • Description: Miscellaneous [correspondents include W. C. Husband, Dell Larrson]
        Dates: 1911-1913
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / General Correspondence

    • Incoming Correspondence

      • Description: A - P [correspondents include Wade H. Steele, J. H. Freeman, Lee Dennis and K. B. Dorney re Knights of Pythias, W. W. Bowers, G. W. Maine, Lee Mantle, L. C. Ulm for the New Counties League, George M. Parker]
        Dates: 1915
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: A - W [correspondents include John Baxter, Jr., Otis Baxter, Rob Baxter, E. C. Blackwell, J. W. Duncan, J. M. Logan, G. W. Maine, Charles W. Newton re Modern Woodmen of America, C. F. Morris]
        Dates: 1916
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: A - W [correspondents include Eugene C. Marsh, William E. McKell, G. O. Baxter, Harry Baxter, Continental Bank and Trust Company, Florence B. Danenhour, J. W. Duncan, J. H. Freeman, Harlowtown Chamber of Commerce and W. C. Husband re creationof Wheatland County, Charles S. Davis re Knight of Pythias, Rolf Maustrauder, Mary Wilson Messimer, Modern Woodmen of America, C. B. Roberts, J. M. Scanland, C. R. Stone, Sun River Valley Chamber of Commerce, War Camp Community Recreation Fund]
        Dates: 1917
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - Y [correspondents include Banking Corporation of Montana, I. L. Knudson, Knights of Pythias, G. W. Maine, W. Manly, Montana Industrial Accident Board, J. B. Owlett, Carl Riddick, Claire Wellington, Montana Christian Temperance Union]
        Dates: 1918
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: A - Z [correspondents include Banking Corporation of Montana, J. W. Duncan, W. L. Starrett, Wester Live Stock Loan Co.]
        Dates: 1919
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Pattison National Bank
        Dates: 1920, 1923
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - P [correspondents include William H. Brown, Jacob T. Elston]
        Dates: 1924
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - W [correspondents include F. A.Johnson & Son, J. B. Owlett, Mrs. M. H. Tice, B. B. Wells]
        Dates: 1925
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - Z [correspondents include E. C. Blackwell, J. B. Owlett, W. R. Park, Pattison National Bank, Philip H. Young, F. G. Zoller]
        Dates: 1926
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 18
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - W [correspondents include E. C. Blackwell, Central Trust Co. of Illinois, M. W. Messimer, Waldorf Co., E. H. Williams]
        Dates: 1927
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 19
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - W [correspondents include James H. Park, Eugene Cook, Waldorf Co.]
        Dates: 1928
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 20
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - U [correspondents include Eugene Cook, James S. Park, D. E. Perkins, Susan Smith, Union Loan Co.]
        Dates: 1929
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 21
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - P [correspondents include J. W. Buck, Essington and McKibbin, Montana Life Insurance Co., J. H. Park]
        Dates: 1930
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 22
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - S [correspondents include J. W. Buck, Eugene Cook, Wallis Huidekoper, G. C. Perkins, W. B. Smith]
        Dates: 1931
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 23
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: B - S [correspondents include Henry Bottum, Joseph W. Buck, Eugene Cook]
        Dates: 1932
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: D - W [correspondents include Hazel Harbright, C. Koehler Co., Burton K. Wheeler]
        Dates: 1933
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Swan & Sons-Morss Co., Inc.
        Dates: 1934
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: C - U [correspondents include E. O. Day, Lee Dennis, D. Hibbard, Robert Baxter, Adelaide Park, State Bank of Twodot]
        Dates: n.d.
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Incoming Correspondence

    • Outgoing Correspondence

      • Description: Miscellaneous [correspondents include Sam V. Stewart, Nellie M. Tice, E. W. Funk, Butte Cat & Transfer Co., C. R. Stone, C. F. Williams, William R. Park, Eugene Cook, Dave Hopkins re Knights of Pythias, Earl Wineman]
        Dates: 1917-1931
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Outgoing Correspondence

    • Court Papers

      • Description: Jury subpoena; Gray v. Baxter satisfaction of judgment
        Dates: 1919, 1934
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Court Papers

    • Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

    • Subject Files

    • Miscellany

      • Description: Plat, cartoons, political materials, invitations and printed materials re honey, Red Cross, and Studebakers
        Dates: 1913-1931
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Miscellany

    • Clippings

      • Description: Obituaries (G. Otis Baxter, Frances Chapman Baxter, E. C. Baxter)
        Dates: 1940-1948
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
        Location: Ernest Calvin Baxter / Clippings

  • Consumers' Oil Ocmpany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Banks And Banking--Montana
  • Insurance companies
  • Land companies
  • Petroleum industry and trade--Montana
  • Ranches--Montana

Geographical Names

  • Harlowton (Mont.)--Commerce
  • Two Dot (Mont.)
  • Wheatland County (Mont.)--Commerce


2004

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