Brassey Family Papers, 1877-1929

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Brassey family
Title
Brassey Family Papers
Dates
1877-1929
Quantity
2 linear feet
Collection Number
Collection 0776, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Brassey Family papers include photocopies of original letters, photographs, and a scrapbook as well as the original office files of William Edward Brassey’s real estate business. Locations discussed include Diamond City, Canyon Ferry, Fort Logan, Lewistown, and Grass Range Montana.
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

Edward Brassey (1844-1926) was born in England and raised in Liverpool. He came to Helena, Montana in 1867 and worked as a miner and secretary for a local company putting up buildings on the Eldorado Bar. He also taught school at Cave Gulch and worked as a miner in Diamond City. Brassey served as a county official for Meagher County for several terms during the 1880s and moved to Lewistown in 1890 where he worked as a register for the United States Land Office and as a justice of the peace. In 1876 he married Recina Smith (1860-1918) and the couple had two children: William Edward Brassey (1879-?) and Lillian Elizabeth Brassey (1877-1933). William Edward became a real estate dealer and banker in Lewistown and, from about 1915 to 1918, in Roy, Montana. In 1895 Lillian Elizabeth married James H. Charters, a rancher and Montana state legislator, and the couple lived in Ubet and Grass Range, Montana before moving back to Lewistown around 1924.

As a banker and real estate dealer, William Edward Brassey became involved with a number of farm mortgage companies, including the American Loan and Investment Company (ALIC) of Lewistown, Montana, and in his office files were many documents from that company. The ALIC was established in Lewistown in 1911. It stopped making loans in 1922, but kept an office there until 1929. After that date it became the Tolen Land Company of Lewistown. During the years of its operation, the ALIC had two subsidiary corporations, the American Land Company and the First State Bank of Kolin. All of these operations specialized in loans to area farmers and ranchers, and the sale of the resulting mortgages to investors. Brassey had possession of the files at the end of his life and they were subsequently inherited by his son, Robert D. Brassey.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The letters in series one are photocopies and almost entirely addressed to Mrs. Racina Smith Brassey from friends and relatives in Virginia and Colorado and date from 1877 to 1915. Included in these letters are several to Racina from her sister, "Arvie," who wrote to her from Diamond City, Canyon Ferry, and Fort Logan, Montana from 1882 through 1888. All the transcriptions that were created from these copied letters have been placed in a separate folder, along with the corresponding photocopy. Copied photographs of the William Edward Brassey family, the James H. Charters family, and their homes in Lewistown and Grass Range, respectively. The photocopy of the scrapbook in folder 4 represents pages from an original kept by Lillian E. Brassey Charters and contains genealogical information about both the Brassey and Charters families. Series two contains real estate business records. The files from the American Loan and Investment Company are primarily individual case files of mortgage applicants filed alphabetically by name, along with some central office files from the business. The mortgage applications occasionally contain original land grand documents from homestead claims, color coded maps of individual farms showing land use, and inventories of farm buildings, equipment, and other data.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1 Brassey family materials, 1877-1915

Series 2 Real estate business records, 1910-1929

Acquisition Information

Original letters, photographs, and a scrapbook created or received by the Edward Brassey family were loaned to Montana State University for copying by Robert D. Brassey, Lewistown, Montana, on October 17, 1967. On the same date Brassey also donated the original office files of William Edward Brassey, consisting of records pertaining to the American Loan and Investment Company of Lewistown. The letters and photographs were returned to Robert D. Brassey and their present location is unknown. These materials were originally assigned accession numbers 563, 1400, and 2113. They were included in the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections in 1979 as control number MS 79-634.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2012 December 3

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Brassey family materials, 1877-1915Return to Top

The photocopied letters almost entirely addressed to Mrs. Racina Smith Brassey. Four letters appear to be from friends in Virginia or Colorado, 1877-1888. Nine letters, written from 1884 to 1887, are from Smith's sister, Arvie, and were written from Canyon Ferry, Montana. Seven additional letters, written from 1882-1884 are from Arvie at Fort Logan, Montana. The latest letter, dated 1915, is from Forrest Charters to his father, James, written from the Los Angeles Military Academy. Some of the letters copied so poorly that library personnel prepared typed transcripts, and these have been placed in a separate folder. The copy photographs are of members of the Brassey and Charters families, and their homes. The photocopied scrapbook in folder four contains obituary clippings for Edward Brassey, other Racina Smith Brassey, and members of the Charters family, along with information on the towns of Grass Range and Lewistown. An original stock certificate for the Magpie Mining Company is included.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Photocopied letters
1887-1915
1/2
Transcribed letters
1887-1915
1/3
Photographs #1-12
#1. Edward Brassey
circa 1890
#2. Edward Brassey
circa 1910
#3. Racina Smith Brassey
circa 1900
#4. Edward, Racina, William Edward, and Lillian Elizabeth Brassey
circa 1890s
#5. William Edward Brassey and Rolla Marie Brassey
1915
#6. William Edward Brassey and son
#7. Lillian E. Brassey Charters and James H. Charters
#8. James H. Charters
circa 1920
#9. Forrest Charters
(James H. and Lillian's son)
#10. Edward Brassey home, Lewistown
#11. James H. Charters home, Grass Range
#12. McDonald ox freighting outfit, Lewistown
1911
1/4
Lillian E. Brassey Charters scrapbook

Series 2:  Real estate business records, 1910-1929Return to Top

Office files from the American Loan and Investment Company (ALIC), the American Land Company, the Toland Land Company, and the Banker's Reserve Deposit Company provide annual statements of profit and loss, along with some legal claim case files. One folder of printed material contains brochures and pamphlets issued by the Northern Pacific Railway Company and other real estate dealers for farmland throughout northern and central Montana. The bulk of the files in this series are from the ALIC and are alphabetically arranged mortgage applications, farm leases, and contracts covering a wide variety of customers primarily in the Fergus County, Montana area. Some mortgage applications give considerable detail on the types of structures and movable property on the farms, along with hand drawn sketches of the land showing cultivated acreage, pasturage, watercourses, and farm buildings. Some files contain original homestead certificates issued by the General Land Office after the owners completed their claim requirements.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/5
Printed material, brochures, etcera
1/6
American Land Company
Affiliated corporations questionnaire
1920
1/7
American Land Company
Classification of lands
1/8
American Land Company
Annual reports
1918-1928
1/9
American Loan and Investment Company
Annual reports
1915-1928
1/10
American Loan and Investment Company
Assignment of mortgages
1/11
American Loan and Investment Company
Claims against
1918
1/12
American Loan and Investment Company
Office leases and insurance
1923-1926
1/13
American Loan and Investment Company
Unidentifed expense ledger
1/14
American Loan and Investment Company
Claim against Milwaukee Road
1918
1/15
Toland Land Company
Annual report
1929
1/16
Bankers Reserve Deposit Company of Denver
John F. Day loan
1923
1/17
Allen, Conrad
1/18
Ames, Alfred B.
1/19
Ames, Claude B.
1/20
Anderson, Rodney J.
1/21
Anthony,Charles B.
1/22
Ayers Ranch Company
1/23
Ayers Ranch Company
1/24
Ayers Ranch Company
1/25
Ayers Ranch Company
1/26
Ayers Ranch Company
1/27
Ayers, George W. and Mary E.
1/28
Ayers, Roy E. and Ellen
1/29
Barta, Frank and Josephine
1/30
Barta, Joseph B. and Helen
1/31
Barta, Joseph B. and Helen
1/32
Barta, Joseph B. and Helen
1/33
Bastian, Alfred C. and Alvina
1/34
Beattie, Elizabeth and Robert
1/35
Beattie, George and Jane
1/36
Beattie, Robert and Elizabeth
1/37
Bertrand, Emanuel
1/38
Blackburn, Wm.
Note to Arthur Longford
1/39
Boiler, Edwin S.
1/40
Brenning, Joseph C.
1/41
Brimble, Albert E. and Mary
1/42
Bronson, James D.
1/43
Brown, Ray L.
1/44
Buck, Alphonso E.
1/45
Buehler, Elmer A.
1/46
Butcher, John H.
1/47
Butler, John W.
1/48
Callewaert, John Edward
1/49
Cannon, George W.
(Kingsburg)
1/50
Carlberg, Albert B.
1/51
Carmichael, E. W.
(McFarland, Minette)
1/52
Charters, James H.
1/53
Chrisman, Paul and Belle K.
1/54
Cole, Snowden F.
1/54a
Combs, J. F.
1/55
Coslet, Charles B. and Stella B.
Loans n. 419, 429
1/56
Crow, Edward F.
1/57
Daniels, John
1/58
Dankflesen, Christ
Leases
1918 and 1919
1/59
Davis, R. S.
Assignment of mortgages
1914-1919
1/60
Deethardt, George and Louisa K.
1/61
DeVivier, Benoni
1/62
Dougherty, George W.
1/63
Downes, Ernest
1/64
Downing, Walter 0. and Antonette R.
1/65
Dusek, Vaclav. F.
1/66
Dyrenforth, Emily
1/67
Echten, J. J.
1/68
Eckert, Valentine
1/69
Erasmus, Louis
for American Loan and Investment Company
1/70
Ferrell, N. E.
1/71
Finkbeiner, Franklin C. and Marie A.
1/72
Finkbeiner, Lena M.
1/73
Finkbeiner, Walter E.
Loan n. 385, 455
1/74
Finkbeiner, Winfield W.
1/75
Fisher, Andrew E. and Emma
1/76
Fisher, Sjoerd and Elina Teyong
1/77
Fitzgergald, Henry F.
Administrator for John C. Fitzgerald
1/78
Fleischmann, Daniel J.
1/79
Flippin, George and Hilda
Lease
1918, 1919
1/80
Foreman, Clarence F. and Marquetta
1/81
Foreman, David and Mary E.
1/82
Fowler, Charles H.
1/83
Frye, Romeo C.
1/84
Fulbright, William F.
1/85
Fuson, Arthur N. and Mary P. and Brown, Arron and Helen
1/86
Giroux, Theodore
Personal injury claims
1917
1/87
Green, Anna E.
1/88
Greenfield Land
(Roy E.). Rental.
1/89
Haker, Edward E. and Minnie
1/90
Hamilton, George R. and Lucy
1/91
Harmon, Jacob L. and Belle
1/92
Hedge, Ira B. and Lizzie
1/93
Hedge, Ira B. and Lizzie
1/94
Henry, Christena Ellis
1/95
Hilger, David and Christena F.
1/96
Hines, Michael
1/97
Hobson, S. S.
1/98
Hodik, Charles and Annie
1/99
Holstlow, C. W.
1/100
Holt, Amos H.
1/101
Hood, Jonathan W.
1/102
Hoover, Claude
1/103
Hunger, Rena B. and F. D.
1/104
Jackson, Thomas and Hattie
1/105
Jenni, John S. and Albertina
1/106
Jenni, John S. and Albertina
1/107
Jenni, John S. and Albertina
1/108
Jennings, Joel and Cora
1/109
Johansson, Gottfrid and Anna
1/110
Johnson, Nels B. and Tressa May
1/111
Johnson, Peter A.
1/112
Jones, James H.
2/1
Kaull, Edgar J. and Ella J.
2/2
Kaull, Edgar J. and Simon Brown
2/3
Kaull, Edgar J.
2/4
Kelleher, James
2/5
Kelleher, James, Leon (son) and Marie E.
2/6
Kelleher Estate
2/7
Key, Killis and Christena
2/8
Kinzel, Lillian
2/9
Kirkland, Ira Bird and Kathryn A.
2/10
Knox, Roy
Seeding grain
1917
2/11
Kraftenberg, Albert Leonard
2/12
Krwanck, John
Buy Rumley tractor and Avery Separator
1918
2/13
Langford, Arthur
2/14
Lansing, Elmer E. and Emily
2/15
Larson, Peter N.
Loans n. 142, 464
2/16
Leap, Eugene C. and Mary
2/17
Leeper, Katie Kelleher and A. L. Leeper
2/18
Lehmicke, A. J.
2/19
Lindstrand, Emil D. and Anna Lorene
2/20
McChesney, Lewis H.
2/21
McDonald, Charles N. and Ellen and Roy L. and Margareta
2/22
McEwen, Wright A. and Eva M.
2/23
Mclntosh, John J. and Nellie and William
2/24
McKenzie, Harry
Lease of land
1917-1919
2/25
MacKenzie, Harry J.
2/26
McMaster, Carrie and Lloyd D.
2/27
McRae, E. F.
(Guardian Edith J. McRae)
2/28
McVay, Frederick A. and Mary L.
2/29
Malcolm, John N.
2/30
Marshall, Chas. J.
Attorney's fees for services to the company
2/31
Martin, Carrie
2/32
Martin, Wm. H. and Mary U.
2/33
Matejcek and Trubac
2/34
Maurer, Louis
2/35
Maurer, Louis and Jewel
2/36
Mauzey, Earl F.
2/37
May, Philip
2/38
Meadors, William
2/39
Meisser, J. M.
Plow land
1917
2/40
Melot, Guy W.
2/41
Miller, Carl W. and Lottie E.
2/42
Milne, John F.
2/43
Moore Farm
(Land from Wm. R. and Minnie Heller and Frank J. Robinson)
2/44
Moseley, James E.
2/45
Mungall, Robert Jr.
2/46
Nicholson, Thomas and H. T. Goodall
2/47
Nihill, Patrick and Annie North
2/48
North Moccasin Live Stock Co.
2/49
Olson, Amelia
Farm Lease
1917
2/50
Olson, E. T.
Farm Lease
1920
2/51
Olson, Lewis C., Christian G. Olson and Belle
2/52
Osborne, J. N.
2/53
Parrott, John H.
(Land from F. V and Mildred H. Huffine, George A. Stewart, and Bertha Smith)
2/54
Paul, Wm.
2/55
Pierce, Frank M.
Lease of land
1917
2/56
Pierce, Philip L.
2/57
Pierre, Charles E. and Arthur B. Maxwell
2/58
Piper, Harley and Nettie
2/59
Polson, Peter and Louise
2/60
Pound, Dora M. and Augustin Y.
2/61
Prince, W. L.
Sale of mortgages
2/62
Rankin, William K. and Ethel R.
2/63
Redman, Franklin P.
2/64
Reed, Buell
2/65
Reed, Richard H.
(Executor estate of Arthur B.Wilson)
1/66
Reed, Spencer C.
2/67
Reusch, Louis W.
2/68
Ricks, Florence C.
(Administratrix to Fred B. Ricks)
2/69
Roberts, Byron and Catherine M.
2/70
Robinson, Chas. L. and Mertie
2/71
Rosen, John H.
2/72
Schaefer, John R.
2/73
Schaefer, Otto
2/74
Schlotman, Fred R.
2/75
Schmeck, Frank R.
2/76
School Lands
2/77
Scott, Louis H. and Tacy
Loans n. 280, 514, 515
2/78
Seaver, Stanley J.
2/79
Sennett, James P.
2/80
Shafer, Otto
2/81
Shanard, T. J. and Clara and E. M. Wipfand and Maria
2/82
Shaw, Veda and James W.
2/83
Shepherdson, William K. and Alpha
2/84
Simacek, Vaclav
2/85
Smith, Bertha and George R.
2/86
Smith, George M.
2/87
Smith, Thomas E. and Lillian G.
2/88
Sodergren, H. Martin and Ethel R.
2/89
Steward, Oscar S. and Christina
2/90
Stewart, Peter and Anna M.
2/91
Stoutenburg, Albert C. and Mary A.
2/92
Swager Brothers
Summer fallow
1916
2/93
Tadewald, Charles W.
2/94
Thompson, Harry C. and Elva M.
(Clark and Ridenaur land)
2/95
Thornton, Beryl
2/96
Thurston, Floyd and Mabel
2/97
Turnbull, Robert F.
2/98
Ullery, Oliver
Break Sod; Lease Land
1915; 1918
2/99
Ulrich, Wm. 0.
2/100
Upton, Chester W.
2/101
Valentine, Richard E. and Agnes
2/102
Van Cleave, George
2/103
Wadsworth, Benjamin F. and Laura
2/104
Ward, Isom
2/105
Wegner, John G. and Claudia 0.
2/106
Wheaton, Willard W. and Thel I.
2/107
Willcox, Harry V.
2/108
Wilson, Dick Y.
2/109
Wilson, Guy
(Sale)
2/110
Withers, James A. and Virginia A.
2/111
Woodman, Irene
Will
2/112
Woten, Walter R. and Anna
2/113
Wright, Elsie A. and Homer
2/114
Wright and Weed
(Lizzie and Edmund Wright and Howard T. and Elizabeth Weed)
2/115
Wrobetz, Charles J.
2/116
Zastrow, August
Lease land
1918-1919

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Farm mortgages -- Montana
  • Land tenure -- Montana
  • Landowners -- Montana
  • Mortgages -- Montana
  • Real property -- Montana

Personal Names

  • Brassey, Edward, 1844-1926
  • Brassey, Racina Smith, 1860-1918 -- Correspondence
  • Brassey, William Edward, b. 1879
  • Charters, Lillian Elizabeth Brassey, 1877-1933

Family Names

  • Bracey family
  • Charters family

Geographical Names

  • Grassrange (Mont.)
  • Lewistown (Mont.)
  • Montana -- Genealogy

Form or Genre Terms

  • Business records -- Montana
  • Photographs -- Montana
  • Scrapbooks -- Montana

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • American Loan and Investment Company