Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Mansfield Family Papers, 1887-2003
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Mansfield Family
- Title
- Mansfield Family Papers
- Dates
- 1887-2003 (inclusive)18872003
- Quantity
- 4.0 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Mss 939
- Summary
- The Mansfield Family Papers contain documents, letters, scrapbooks, photos, and other ephemera. The collection documents the family business, Mansfield Grocery, in Great Falls, Montana; college life at the University of Montana in Missoula during WWII; and the career and accomplishments of Montana politician Mike Mansfield.
- 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
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
The Mansfield Family collection is largely made up of materials from John and Mary Leary Mansfield, and John's parents, Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield.
Mary Alice Leary was born on October 26, 1920 in Burke, Idaho. She was one of four children born to Daniel and Sarah Leary, both Irish Catholic immigrants. Her father was the superintendent of a silver mine, Day Mines, in Burke and her parents encouraged all their children to pursue higher education. Mary enrolled at the University of Montana in 1939 and kept a detailed scrapbook of her college experiences.
John Francis Mansfield was born on October 15, 1918 in New York City to Patrick Mansfield and his second wife Mary Treacy. John was raised in Great Falls, Montana, where his parents ran the Mansfield Grocery. After his graduation from St. Mary's High School in 1937, John was invited to live with his older half-brother, Michael J. (Mike) Mansfield, in Missoula, where Mike was teaching at the University of Montana. Mike Mansfield felt it was critically important for John to pursue a college education. John met Mary Leary during his sophomore year, and they married in 1943, shortly after Mary graduated.
In addition to raising seven children, John and Mary became the custodians of multiple generations of family history, and they actively documented Mike Mansfield's illustrious career as a politician and statesman. Mary Mansfield died on February 10, 1995, and John Mansfield died on October 23, 2001.
Patrick Mansfield, father of John Mansfield, was born April 4, 1877 in County Kilkenny, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States in 1896 and married his first wife, Mary Josephine O’Brien, in 1901. They had three children: Michael, Katherine, and Helen, before Mary Josephine died in 1910. Mary Treacy was born on April 1, 1892 in County Galway, Ireland. She immigrated to the United States in 1912 and married Patrick Mansfield in 1918. Together, they had three more children: John, Joseph, and Margaret in New York City before moving to Great Falls, Montana in 1925 to run the Mansfield Grocery store. Patrick died on December 3, 1966 and Mary Treacy died on March 30, 1967.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Mansfield Family Papers contain documents, letters, scrapbooks, photos, and other ephemera related to the Mansfield family. The collection is arranged in two series. John and Mary Leary Mansfield are the focus of Series I, which contains correspondence as well as Mary's scrapbooks documenting her time as an undergraduate at the University of Montana, then called Montana State University, and her brother-in-law Mike Mansfield's early career. John's parents, Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield, are the focus of Series II, which contains correspondence from their children and other relatives as well as items related to the family business, Mansfield Grocery, including credit logs, order books, vendor information, and deeds to the store and mining claims.
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. Non-exclusive copyright is held by the University of Montana.
Preferred Citation
Mansfield Family Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Mary and John Mansfield Papers, 1939-2003, 3.6 linear feet
Series II: Patrick and Mary Mansfield Papers, 1887-1966, 0.4 linear feet
Custodial History
This collection was held by Shelia Mansfield Miller until donation to the University of Montana.
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated by Sheila Mansfield Miller in October of 2020.
Processing Note
Newspapers, Congressional reports, Congressional stationery, duplicate copies of Mike Mansfield's speeches, congressional and press photographs of Mike Mansfield which duplicate materials in the Mike Mansfield Papers (Mss 065) were not retained. Commemorative plaques were also removed from the collection and not retained.
Separated Materials
A Democratic ticket for Mike Mansfield for Congress (1942) was placed in the Archives' Campaign Materials Collection, Pam 05.
Related Materials
Archives and Special Collections holds the extensive Mike Mansfield Papers, Mss 65
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Mary and John Mansfield Papers, 1939-2003Return to Top
This series features correspondence to John and Mary Leary Mansfield, Mary's scrapbooks from her time as an undergraduate at the University of Montana, and her documentation of brother-in-law Mike Mansfield's early career. John and Mary also collected assorted documents, programs, and guides related to Mike Mansfield, including his WWI life insurance policy.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Mike Mansfield WWI life insurance policy Bureau of War Risk Insurance, US Treasury Department
|
March 20, 1918 |
| Box | ||
| OS 3 | Scrapbook, Mary Leary Mansfield at University of Montana Mary Leary Mansfield's college scrapbook from her time as a University of Montana student; details her life as an undergraduate and the various clubs, groups, and teams she was a part of, including the Newman Club, the M Club, volleyball, lacrosse, basketball, skiing, and horseshoes
|
1939-1943 |
| OS 4 | Scrapbook, Mike Mansfield's early career Mary Leary Mansfield's scrapbook of Mike Mansfield's unsuccessful 1940 campaign for the Democratic nomination to the House of Representatives; newspaper clippings of Mansfield's first term as US Congessman
|
1940 and undated |
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 2 | Programs and guides Programs from dinners and ceremonies honoring Mike Mansfield, Congressional dinners, and Presidential inaugurations
|
1954-1969 |
| 1 / 3 | Programs and guides Programs from dinners and ceremonies honoring Mike Mansfield, Congressional dinners, and Presidential inaugurations
|
1970-2003 |
| 1 / 4 | Correspondence to John and Mary Leary Mansfield Correspondence from Mike Mansfield during his time as Ambassador to Japan; letter from cousin Sean Mansfield in Ireland
|
1977-1983 |
Series II: Patrick and Mary Mansfield Papers, 1887-1966Return to Top
Series II consists of family correspondence to Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield from sons Mike Mansfield and Joe Mansfield as well as other relatives in Ireland and New York City, including Mary Treacy’s mother, Catherine, and Patrick's sister Katie. This series also contains items related to the family business, Mansfield Grocery, including credit logs, order books, vendor information, and deeds to the store and other mining claims.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 1 | Correspondence, Mike Mansfield to Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield Letters from Mike Mansfield about brothers John and Joe; postcards from Ireland and Germany; letter from great uncle Richard Mansfield to his mother; telegram prior to Patrick's death in 1966
|
1887, 1943-1966 |
| 2 / 2 | Correspondence, Other family to Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield Letters from family in New York and Ireland
|
1911-1964 |
| 2 / 3 | Correspondence, Joe Mansfield to Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield and siblings US Navy draft notice; letters and postcards from Joe's time in the service
|
1942-1943 |
| 2 / 4 | Correspondence, Other family to Patrick and Mary Treacy Mansfield Letters, postcards, and holiday cards from family in New York and Ireland
|
undated |
| 2 / 5 | Deeds and claims Mining claims, lease agreements, titles, and deeds held by Richard Mansfield, Patrick Mansfield, and Mary Treacy Mansfield
|
1891-1946 |
| 2 / 6 | Mansfield family photos Unidentified
|
Undated |
| 2 / 7 | Mansfield Grocery order book and forms Order book and vendor information for Boesmann Brothers and Hirschler Brothers wine and liquor merchants
|
1890, 1931 |
| 2 / 8 | Mansfield Grocery credit logs Patrick Mansfield's pocket calendar and customer account for Mrs. Rogers
|
1925, 1930s |
| Box | ||
| OS 4 | Illustrated holiday calendar, compliments of Mansfield Grocery |
1925 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Mansfield Family--Archives
- Mansfield, John Francis, 1918-2001 (creator)
- Mansfield, Mary Alice Leary, 1920-1995 (creator)
- Mansfield, Mary Treacy, 1892-1967
- Mansfield, Mike, 1903-2001
- Mansfield, Patrick, 1877-1966
Corporate Names
- Mansfield Grocery
- Montana State University (Missoula, Mont.)--Students
Form or Genre Terms
- Business Records
- Family Papers
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
Finding aid prepared by Kristin Gates
2021
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
