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Greenfield Family papers, 1807-1975

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Greenfield family
Title
Greenfield Family papers
Dates
1807-1975 (inclusive)
Quantity
4 linear feet
Collection Number
MC 166 (collection)
Summary
Charles Greefield was a Helena, Montana, journalist. This collection (1807-1975) consists of personal, business, and political materials of the Greenfield family. Subgroups include papers for Charles D. Greenfield, Jr., Marguerite Greenfield, Charles D. Greenfield, Sr., Anna Elizabeth Nelson Greenfield, and Marietta McBrine Greenfield.
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
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
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

Charles Diggs Greenfield was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1857. After the Civil War he went to Denver where he worked as a newspaper reporter for the Denver Tribune. In 1883 Greenfield moved to Helena, Montana, and worked first as a printer and then as a reporter for The Helena Independent. He also helped write M.A. Leeson's 1885 History of Montana. Sometime thereafter Greenfield became editor of the Montana Record. In 1916 he was appointed Montana Commissioner of Agriculture and Publicity. In 1921 he worked as a development agent for the Great Northern Railway and helped build the Chinook Sugar Factory. Greenfield was a Democrat and served as a member of Montana's Fifth Legislative Assembly. In 1918 he acted as secretary of the Montana Council of Defense. Active in Helena's community life, Greenfield served on both the library and school boards. Greenfield married Marietta McBrine of St. Louis, Missouri, in 1881. They had four children: Marguerite, Charles Diggs, Jr., Marietta, and Thomas Loughran. Charles Diggs Greenfield, Sr., died in Helena on November 25, 1934.

Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr., was born in Helena, Montana, in 1885. He graduated from Helena High School in 1903. Between 1907 and 1919 Greenfield worked as a newspaper reporter for The Helena Independent and the Montana Record Herald. In 1919 he accepted a position as Montana Director of Publicity and farmed in the Helena valley. In 1923 he joined the office of Montana Life Insurance Company (later Western Life), where he worked in various capacities until his retirement in 1960. In succeeding years Greenfield wrote numerous historical articles for such publications as True West and Frontier Times. He was elected to the Lewis and Clark County Commission (1954-1960) and was a long-time member of the Helena Kiwanis Club. He also received a U.S. Weather Bureau award for keeping precipitation records over a forty-year period. Greenfield married Anna Elizabeth Nelson, daughter of Henry H. Nelson of Vandalia, Montana, in 1913. They had three children: Henry, Ann, and William. Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr., died in Helena on September 26, 1975.

Marguerite Greenfield was born in Helena in 1883. She graduated from Helena High School in 1900. In 1911 Marguerite started a wholesale and retail ice business, the Independent Ice Company, in Helena. She expanded in 1922 to Elk Park pond on the Continental Divide fifteen miles from Butte. Marguerite sold her business in 1934, and later ran the Ox Shoe Treasure Shop east of Helena. She wrote fiction and nonfiction and was a charter member of the Helena Landmarks Association. Marguerite Greenfield never married. She died in Helena on August 11, 1968.

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Content Description

This collection contains the personal, business, and political materials of the Greenfield family. In addition there are numerous subject files that document the family members' interest in collecting, researching, and writing Montana history. The largest subgroup is for CHARLES D. GREENFIELD, JR., and includes Biographical Material, General Correspondence (1905-1975), Court Papers, Diaries (1904-1909), Financial Records, Legal Documents, Subject Files, Writings (1904-1973),Miscellany, and Clippings. The MARGUERITE GREENFIELD SUBGROUP (which includes records from Independent Ice Company) contains General Correspondence (1903-1962), Court Papers, Diaries (1916-1934), Financial Records, Legal Documents, Printed Material, Subject Files, Writings (1906-1929), Miscellany, and Clippings. The CHARLES D. GREENFIELD, SR. SUBGROUP contains biographical material, general correspondence (1902-1934), court papers, financial records, subject files, writings (1920-1929), miscellany, and clippings. There are also subgroups for Anna Elizabeth Nelson Greenfield including general correspondence (1908-1918), financial records, writings, and miscellany; and for Marietta McBrine Greenfield, including financial records (1888-1896), legal documents, subject files, and miscellany.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by subgroup and series.

Location of Collection

7:7-4

Location of Collection

7:7-5

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Artifacts, photographs, and printed material and maps have been transferred to the Museum, Photograph Archives, and Library respectively. See inventory below for more information.

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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

  • Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr.

    • Biographical Materials

    • General Correspondence

      • Description: A-G (correspondents include Adventure; Aerophilia; American Kennel Club; American Life Convention; American Museum of Natural History; The American Weekly; American Red Cross; Bald Butte Mining Company; Bankers National Life Insurance; Blair Camera Company; Blue Shield of Montana; Book of the Month Club; Braun-Knecht-Heimann Company; Samuel G. Blythe; The Buckboard; Burlington-Northern Ry. Company; Butte Evening News; C.J. Howard, Company; California-Western States Life Insurance Company; F.B. Carpenter; Carroll College; Charlton Publications, Inc.; Colgate-Palmolive Company; Collier's National Weekly; Congressional Library; Tilford Cornn; The Country Gentleman; David Current; John B. David; John N. DeHaas, Jr.; The Dillon Examiner; Dowling and Erickson; Erickson and Richards; Farm Journal; Field and Stream; Ford Motor Company; Fireman's Fund; J.W. Freeman; Frontier West; Galusha, Higgins and Galusha; M.P. Gilchrist; Charles D. Greenfield; Michael Ginsberg; Girls Rodeo Association; Great Falls Tribune; Grey Owl Laboratories; Gurney Seed and Nursery Company)
        Dates: 1900-1974
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: Greenfield family; Greenfield family Christmas letter
        Dates: 1903, 1946, 1961-1975
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: H-M (correspondents include Halbert's Inc.; George H. Hammond; Harper's Magazine Company; Charles D. Hazelbrigg; Helena Independent Record; Carl E. Herfurth; Hoofs and Horns; Hungry Horse News; Burt C. Jensen; John Hancock and Mutual Life Insurance Company; The Ladies Home Journal; Lewis and Clark Company; Life Insurance Sales Research Bureau; Maverick Publications Inc.; John Melcher; Merrill Lynch, Pierce; Mike's Trading Store, Inc.; Montana Constitutional Convention; Montana Daily Record; Montana Farmer-Stockman; Montana Highway Patrol; Montana Life; Montana Newspaper Association; Montana Reservoir and Irrigation Company; Montana Standard; Montana Stockgrowers Association; Montana Weekly Record; Montana Dept. of Public Welfare; Montana Historical Society; Montana State University; Montgomery Ward; The Mutual Life and Citizens' Assurance Company, Ltd.)
        Dates: 1905-1975
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: Mike Mansfield
        Dates: 1966-1974
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: Lee Metcalf
        Dates: 1966, 1971-1972
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: N-T (includes Anna A. Nelson; Henry H. Nelson; Newsweek; Pan-American Life Insurance Company; Curtis Pigott; Richard Roeder; Jo and Glen Slaughter; Smithsonian Institution; Edmond G. Toomey )
        Dates: 1902-1975
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: U-Y (correspondents include United Aircraft Corporation; United Press Association; United States Dept. of Agriculture; United States Dept. of the Army; United States Civil Service Commission; United States Dept. of Commerce and Labor; United States Dept. of Justice; University of Utah; Vandalia Machinery and Welding Works; Wall Street Journal; Wells-Dickey Company; Robert Wolenik; Western Life Insurance Company; Western Publications; Western Underwriter; Theodore Wiprud; Wyoming State Archives and Historical Dept.)
        Dates: 1909-1974
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: Western Life Insurance Company (re retirement)
        Dates: 1950
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence
      • Description: Unidentified
        Dates: 1921, 1924, 1965, 1971-1974
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / General Correspondence

    • Miscellaneous Correspondence

    • Court Papers

      • Description: U.S. v. Treasure State Industries, et.al.; State of Montana v. Marguerite, Charles, Thomas, and Marietta Greenfield re highway easement; appointment as jury commissioner
        Dates: 1929, 1959-1960
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Court Papers

    • Diaries

    • Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

    • Subject Files

    • Writings

      • Description: "Al Ross, Hannibal of the Mountains"
        Dates: 1967
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 11
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "The Ben Roberts Move to Cascade, 1889"; "Bitter Root Development Company"
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 12
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Charity Dillon"; "City Man Who Went Farming"
        Dates: 1930, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 13
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Clean-up of Laramie in '68" (includes research material)
        Dates: 1967-1971
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 14
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Comments on Political Matters, 1911"; "Donlan and Morony" (John G. Morony)
        Dates: 1911, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 15
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Farm Hunting by Mail"; "The Fleece Hunters"
        Dates: 1924, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 16
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Grand Scenery Meets the Eye on Every Side" (re Carbon County)
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 17
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Helena's Hidden Channel of Gold" (includes research materials)
        Dates: 1966
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 18
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Henry C. Smith"; "How the Public Grafts"; "Hunting Down the Land Thieves"
        Dates: undated, 1907
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 19
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "I Worked for the Bureaucrats"; "Ideal Conditions for Writing a Novel"; "In Debtor's Row"
        Dates: 1925, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Jim's Friend"; "John E. Edwards"; "Land Frauds"
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 2
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Little Dog Became the Best Friend the Montana Whites Ever Had" (includes research materials)
        Dates: 1971-1972
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 3
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Major Logan's Bleeding Heart" (re Sidney Logan); "The Man Who Blackmailed A Railroad"; "The Man Who Worshipped Power"; "The Millstones"
        Dates: 1904, 1966, 1968, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 4
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: Newspaper articles re snow removal, Thomas Francis Meagher, William Boyce Thompson, Harlowton, Mullan Road, heat engines, Indians, and impeachments; letters to the editor
        Dates: 1940-1966
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 5
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Philanthropy"; "Prohibition and a Race Horse" (re Gould, Montana); "Public Lands and Hydroelectric Power Sites, 1909"
        Dates: 1909, 1965, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 6
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Pike Landusky, the Violent Peace Officer"; "How the Logan Boys Got That Way" (re Harvey Logan) (includes research materials for both articles)
        Dates: 1967, 1969
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Range Fencing by Cattle Barons"; "Rodeo Back Stage"; "Rustling Jimmy"
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 8
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Small Town Reporter"; "The Smile"
        Dates: 1911, 1941
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 9
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "Stillwell - The Trouble Shooter"; "Stray Horse Mine"
        Dates: 1909-1913, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 10
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: "There was Something About Him"; "The Trade"; "The Wooden Man"
        Dates: 1912, 1967, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 11
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: Miscellaneous re A.J. Campbell, Frank Conley, Cooke City, Fort Assiniboine controversy in 1911, hunting, William R. Logan, Thomas A. Marlow, Carl Rasch, Wellington D. Rankin, Helena, mining, Yogo sapphires, A.E. Spriggs, Little Plume, C.W. Dawe, Joseph M. Dixon, Samuel V.. Stewart, women's suffrage, weather, Montana Historical Society newspaper collection, O.M. Landstrom (includes research materials)
        Dates: 1910-1973
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 12
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: Miscellaneous re Huntley Project, Marysville, John Irving, Chance (Montana), sheep industry, Peter Dobbs, George Steele, William H. Hunt, World War I, state government reorganization, smoking, Quigley (Montana), John H. Shober, Harry Cunningham, bridles, aeronautics class, Jake Hoover, census taking, Charles M. Russell
        Dates: 1965-1972, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 13
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings
      • Description: Miscellaneous commentary, personal experiences, etc.; research notes
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Writings

    • Miscellany

      • Description: Certificates, brand register, memberships, vision and hearing tests, recognition for weather observation, etc.
        Dates: 1903-1971
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 2
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Miscellany
      • Description: Vocabulary notebook
        Dates: 1908
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 3
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Miscellany
      • Description: Miscellaneous notes, poems, memorabilia, etc.: R. Gray letter; legislation re proposed Bear Paw County; agricultural production tables; horse bands list; "the Eureka Bridle"; commencement invitations and programs, business cards; list of Lewis and Clark County Officials' Salaries (1955); etc.
        Dates: 1908
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 4
        Location: Charles Diggs Greenfield, Jr. / Miscellany

    • Clippings

  • Marguerite Greenfield

    • General Correspondence

      • Description: A-G (correspondents include Amon Carter Museum of Western Art; Anaconda Copper Mining Company; William A. Clark; Ann R. Coburn; Herbert A. Doyle; J.F. Emigh; Fairmount Creamery; Robert L. Fisk; Great Falls Lodge No.214)
        Dates: 1919-1963
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 7
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / General Correspondence
      • Description: Greenfield and McBrine families
        Dates: 1906-1911
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 8
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / General Correspondence
      • Description: Great Northern Railway Company
        Dates: 1922-1923
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 9
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / General Correspondence
      • Description: H-W (includes Heileman Brewing Company; Marieta Holley; Homer Hoover; Montana State Fair; Northwestern Milling Company; Jeannette Rankin; Herman Robertson; Ward Myron Sackett; Schroeder Brothers; Allis B. Stuart; John Traufer; N.P. Walters)
        Dates: 1903-1959
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 10
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / General Correspondence
      • Description: Unidentified
        Dates: 1906-1962 undated
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 11
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / General Correspondence

    • Court Papers

      • Description: Ross and George Linden v. Marguerite and Marietta Greenfield
        Dates: 1935-1936
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 12
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Court Papers

    • Diaries

    • Financial Records

      • Description: Marguerite Greenfield deposits, insurance, invoices, receipts, etc.
        Dates: 1915-1935
        Container: Box/Folder 5 / 15
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Financial Records
      • Description: Independent Ice Company bank statement, assessment lists, ice shipments, invoices, receipts
        Dates: 1915-1935
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

    • Printed Material

    • Subject Files

    • Writings

      • Description: "Celestial Argonaut"; "Dream of a Shallow Grave"; "How a Great Breeding Herd Was Taken Out of Montana" (re A.B. Cook); "The Old Fire Bell Tower on Tower Hill"; "Old Time Saddles"
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 13
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Writings
      • Description: "Pulling Up Stakes"; "Tales from the Village Watch-Tower"; "The Widow"
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 14
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Writings
      • Description: Miscellaneous re mining, Helena, Charles Porter Grove, Charles M. Russell, Great Falls
        Dates: 1906-1929, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 15
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Writings

    • Miscellany

      • Description: Independent Ice Company inventory, envelope, etc.
        Dates: 1919-1935
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 16
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Miscellany
      • Description: School reports, certificates, invitations, programs, etc.
        Dates: 1892-1965
        Container: Box/Folder 7 / 1
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Miscellany
      • Description: Scrapbook
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 7 / 2
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Miscellany
      • Description: Miscellaneous notes, poems, J.K. Toole autograph and seal, John Shober testimony on gold discovery in Helena, Ella Knowles reminiscence, list of Democratic State Central Committee members, geological description of Toole County by Gordon Campbell, songs for "Montana Month" Description of Mrs, E. Fisk's home (1868) on Rodney Street, Helena, MT, Helena's Diamond Jubilee Official Program, Helena High School 1900 Commencement Exercises Programme.
        Dates: 1900-1968, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 7 / 3
        Location: Marguerite Greenfield / Miscellany

    • Clippings

  • Charles Diggs Greenfield, Sr.

  • Anna Elizabeth Nelson Greenfield

  • Marietta Mcbrine Greenfield

  • Separations

    • Miscellany

      • Description: Lists of artifacts, photographs, and printed material and maps separated to the Museum, Photo Archives, and Library respectively.
        Dates: 1925, 1927 undated
        Container: Box/Folder 8 / 17
        Location: Separations / Miscellany

  • Oversize

    • Miscellany

      • Description: National Council of Defense Certificate of Appreciation
        Dates: 1919
        Container: Oversizebox 1 / 1
        Location: Oversize / Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Businesswomen--Montana--Helena
  • Ice--Manufacture
  • Insurance companies--Montana
  • Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Lewis and Clark County

Personal Names

  • Greenfield family (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Blackfeet Indian Reservation (Mont.)
  • Elk Park (Mont.)
  • Fort Assiniboine (Mont.)
  • Gould (Mont.)
  • Helena (Mont.)
  • Helena (Mont.)--Commerce
  • Helena (Mont.)--Newspapers.
  • Helena (Mont.)--Social life and customs
  • Helena Fire Tower (Mont.)
  • Lewis and Clark County (Mont.)--Commerce
  • Lewis and Clark County (Mont.)--Politics and government
  • Lewis and Clark County (Mont.)
  • Mount Helena (Mont.)
  • Toole County (Mont.)
  • Vandalia (Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by Joan Bishop, 1987.
2005

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