Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 28
Montana State Board of
Entomology
Montana State Board Of Entomology Records
1905-1966
6 linear feet of shelf space
The Montana State Board of Entomology and the Montana State
Board of Health studied Rocky Mountain spotted fever (also known as tick fever) in the
Bitterroot Valley. Records of the State Board of Entomology consist of correspondence
(1909-1954) of State Entomologist R.A. Cooley and others; minutes (1913-1949); reports
(1909-1949); subject files; writings; and miscellany. Records of the State Board of Health
consist of correspondence (1908-1957) concerning the Rocky Mountain Laboratory and spotted
fever; reports (1929-1956); subject files (1911-1966) concerning a wide variety of health
issues including conditions on the Montana Indian reservations, the Montana Public Health
Association, spotted fever; and miscellany.
17:8-4
English
The Montana State Board of Health was created by the state legislature in 1901. One of the
first diseases the Board was asked to study was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (also known as
tick fever, since the disease is spread by wood ticks) which was occurring in the Bitterroot
Valley. Early work with the disease was done by Dr. T.D. Tuttle of the State Board of
Health and Dr. Howard T. Ricketts, who was sponsored by the American Medical Association in
1906, and by the Montana legislature in succeeding years. Work on ticks and their control by
"dipping" domestic animals and the killing of rodents upon which tick lived was done at
Montana Agricultural College and Experiment Station in Bozeman by Dr. R.A. Cooley. In 1913
the Montana State Board of Entomology was created and charged with studying Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever and methods for its control. The Board was composed of the secretary of the
State Board of Health (serving as chairman), the state veterinarian, and the state
entomologist (serving as secretary). During the years from 1913 to 1931, the membership of
the Board was W.F. Cogswell, W.J. Butler, and R.A. Cooley. Dr. Cooley also conducted tick
research in Africa in the 1920s. R.R. Parker served as assistant entomologist and conducted
field research on ticks from 1915 until 1922. Throughout the early years of research on tick
fever, representatives from the United States Public Health Service worked in Montana in
cooperation with the State Board of Health and the State Board of Entomology. In 1927 the
Montana Legislative Assembly appropriated $60,000 for the construction of a laboratory in
Hamilton to provide facilities for the study of the disease and the search for vaccines to
prevent the disease. In 1930 the state Boards assisted in the formation of the Rocky
Mountain Spotted Fever Committee composed to representatives from other states having
documented cases of the disease. This committee requested that the United States Public
Health Service "take over and assume full control of investigations of tick-borne, human
diseases." In 1932 the laboratory facilities at Hamilton were sold to the federal government
and work on tick fever was continued by federal employees.
These records are organized into two subgroups: the Montana State Board of Entomology and
the Montana State Board of Health. The Montana State Board of Entomology Records include
general correspondence (1909-1954), primarily between State Entomologist R.A. Cooley and
other members of the State Board of Entomology (W.G. Cogswell, W.J. Butler); employees of
the Board such as field researchers (Fred A. Morton, Glen M. Kohls, A.E. Seamons, Clifford
Corkins, Elmer Fessler, F.J. O'Donnell, F.B. Linfield, Roscoe W. Wells); representatives
from the United States Board of Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Public
Health Service (F.C. Bishop, L.D. Fricks, W.D. Hunter, L.O. Howard, W.V. King, H.P. Wood);
scientists working on tick diseases (including requests for tick specimens); Montanans and
public health officials requesting information about the disease; etc. This correspondence
is arranged as it was kept by Dr. Cooley, by correspondent. There is also correspondence of
W.G. Cogswell as chairman of the State Board of Entomology and R.R. Parker as assistant
entomologist. The subgroup also includes court papers (1913); financial records (1932-1941);
minutes of the Board (1913-1949); organizational materials (1913-1940); reports (1909-1949),
including those of field researchers and the Board's monthly and annual reports; subject
files (1927-1954); writings (1912-1937) of W.J. Butler, R.A. Cooley, R.R. Parker, and
others; miscellany (1905-1938); and clippings (1908-1943). The Montana State Board of Health
subgroup includes T.D. Tuttle's correspondence (1908-1912) about Rocky Mountain spotted
fever and other correspondence (1919-1957) concerning the Rocky Mountain Laboratory,
diseases, etc.; financial records (1912); reports (1929-1956) concerning typhoid fever,
polio vaccine, etc.; subject files (1914-1966) including materials on bubonic plague,
leprosy, and health conditions on Indian reservations in the state; and miscellany (1911,
1929). Printed materials and maps, photographs, and artifacts have been separated from these
records and transferred to the Library, Photo Archives, and Museum respectively.
The collection is arranged by series.
Collection open for research.
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.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Assiniboine Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Atsina Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Crow Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Dakota Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Landless Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Medicine--Research
Public health--Montana
Research--Montana
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Salish Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Tick-borne diseases
Dakota Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Assiniboine Indians--Health and welfare--Montana
Florence (Mont.)
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation (Mont.)
Fort Peck Indian Reservation (Mont.)
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation (Mont.)
Powderville (Mont.)
Rocky Boys Indian Reservation (Mont.)
Montana
Medicine and Health
Native Americans
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Montana State Board Of Entomology
General Correspondence
1 / 1
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and F. C.
Bishop (includes tick analysis data)
1910-1931
1 / 2
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. J.
Butler (includes correspondence with Deputy State Veterinarian C. H. Stevens; F. J.
O'Donnell)
1913-1931
1 / 3-4
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. F.
Cogswell
1913-1925
1 / 5
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. F.
Cogswell (includes correspondence of F. J. O'Donnell)
1926-1932, 1935
1 / 6
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. F.
Cogswell
1930-1932
1 / 7
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and L. D.
Fricks
1913-1922
1 / 8
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and L. O.
Howard (chief, U. S. Bureau of Entomology)
1910-1931
1 / 9-14
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. D.
Hunter
1909-1918
1 / 15
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. V. King
(includes correspondence to King from W. D. Hunter)
1909
1 / 16-20
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and W. V. King
1910-1918, 1922, 1929
1 / 21-29
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and R. R.
Parker
1911-1921
2 / 1-3
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and R. R.
Parker
1922-1931, 1936
2 / 4
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and T. D.
Tuttle
1908-1911
2 / 5
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Roscoe W.
Wells
1914-1917
2 / 6
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and S. B.
Wolbach
1915-1931
2 / 7
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and H. P. Wood
1913-1914
2 / 8
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Fred A.
Morton, Glen M. Kohls, A. E. Seamons, Clifford Corkins, Elmer Fessler, F. J.
O'Donnell, F. B. Linfield (includes tick data)
1910-1931
2 / 9
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and H. T.
Fernald, H. T. Ricketts, J. J. Moore, Joseph Bequaert, E. D. Germain, W. A. Hooker,
W. D. Pierce, I. U. Temple, A. H. McCray, J. L. Todd, E. V. Cowdry
1909-1928
2 / 10
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and the
Biological Survey (U. S. Department of Agriculture Bureau of Biological Survey;
includes correspondence with C. Hart Merriam, Clarence Birdseye, A. X. Fisher, H. W.
Henshaw, H. W. Grayvill, and R. R. Spencer; arranged chronologically)
1910-1931
2 / 11
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Montana
State Officials (including Attorney General D. M. Kelly; Congressional
representatives John Evans, Henry Myers, Thomas Walsh, Jeannette Rankin, W. E.
McMurry, Tom Stout, Fred Whiteside; Governors EdwinNorris, S. V. Stewart; State Fish
and Game Wardens J. L. DeHart, Henry Avare; State Land Board secretary; R. H. Cather
at Montana State Hospital)
1909-1931
2 / 12
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Numerous
Persons in the Bitterrot Valley (requests for information from individuals, chambers
of commerce, local businesses, etc.; arranged alphabetically)
1909-1931; 1944
2 / 13
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Numerous
Persons in Montana outside of the Bitterroot Valley (requests for information, etc.;
arranged alphabetically)
1909-1931
2 / 14
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Numerous
Persons in United States outside of Montana (includes correspondence with public
health officials, universities, etc.; arranged alphabetically by state)
1909-1931
2 / 15
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Numerous
Persons in Foreign Countries including G. H. F. Nuttall, Cecil Warburton, E. Brumpt,
Eric Hearle, Hideyo Noguchi, etc. (also includes Seymour Hadwen, P. A. Buxton, David
Miller, and others from Australia, New Zealand, South America, Japan, India, and the
Canal Zone)
1913-1932
2 / 16-17
Correspondence between R. A. Cooley and Numerous
Persons Growing Out of Tick Parasite Work Done in the Union of South Africa and the
Province and Protectorate of Kenya (includes Cooley's paper "Africa" given to the Q.
K. Club of Bozeman; Fred A. Morton correspondence concerning ticks shipped to U. S.;
reports on foreign tick studies; etc.)
1928-1932
2 / 18
Correspondence between W. F. Cogswell and L. D.
Fricks, S. B. Wolbach, H. L. Myers, H. S. Ccumming, Thomas Parran, Hidayo Noguchi,
A. L. Strand, and others re Rocky Mountain spotted fever
1913-1947
2 / 19
Correspondence between R. R. Parker and F. C.
Bishop, W. J. Butler, W. F. Cogswell, L. D. Fricks, L. O. Howard, B. K. Kilboure, W.
V. King, F. J. O'Donnell, R. R. Spencer, A. L. Strand, S. B. Wolbach, and others re
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
1915-1949
2 / 20
Miscellaneous correspondence re Rocky Mountain
spotted fever; grasshopper control
1919-1954
2 / 21
Mosquito problem at Orphan's Home
1947
Court Papers
3 / 1
John Dunbar vs Dr. Frick, Dr. R. A. Cooley and Dr.
W. F. Cogswell (complaint for damages re malicious mischief charge)
1913
Financial Records
3 / 2
Parasite Fund Expenditures, Receipts
1932-1941
Minutes
3 / 3
Montana State Board of Entomology
1913-1949
Organization
3 / 4
History, work plans, legislative purpose, rules and
regulations, and resolutions
1913-1940, undated
Photographs
3 / 5
List of photographs transferred to the Photo
Archives
Printed Material
3 / 6
List of printed material transferred to the Library
Reports
3 / 7
Tenth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of
Montana: Moth of the Army Cutworm, Chorizagrotis Agrestis Grote, by R. A. Cooley
1912
3 / 8
King's Reports (includes tick determination, tests,
tick lots)
1909, 1910
3 / 9
King's Journal (handwritten and typescript for
1911; typescript only for 1910)
1910, 1911
3 / 10
Host - Tick survey of the Bitter Root Valley, King
- 1911
1910-1911
3 / 11
Old Tick Records of W. V. King
1909-191, undated
3 / 12-13
Summary and references from tick investigations at
Florence
1911-1913
3 / 14
Report to Bureau of Entomology of the Work Done by
A. E. Seamans in Connection with the Spotted Fever Investigations of Bitter Root
Valley, Montana
1913
3 / 15
Account of Trip into West Gallatin Canon for Ticks
1913
3 / 16
Staff reports (includes work done in Eastern
Montana, the Bitterroot area and Carbon County
1915-1919
3 / 17
Staff reports (work done in Powderville and Miles
City)
1915
3 / 18
Reports of the Investigation and Control of the
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Tick for the Season of 1916, by W. V. King (re work
done in Bitterroot Valley)
1916
3 / 19
Staff reports (work done at Powderville)
1916-1917
3 / 20
Staff reports (includes work done at Musselshell)
1917
3 / 21
Staff reports (work done at Powderville and Eastern
Montana)
1916-1918
3 / 22
Monthly and Annual Reports 1924-1930
1924 July - 1930 June
3 / 23
Staff monthly reports; summary of parasite work
1926, 1929-1930
3 / 24
Reports - Annual - Kohls (Glen M. Kohls, laboratory
assistant)
1929-1930
3 / 25
Reports - Morton (Fred A. Morton, laboratory
assistant)
1929-1930
3 / 26
Monthly and Annual Reports 1931
1930 July - 1931 June
4 / 1
Monthly and Annual Reports 1932
1931 July - 1932 June
4 / 2
Monthly Reports 1933 (includes annual report and
photo of Rocky Mountain spotted fever exhibit)
1932 July - 1933 June
4 / 3
Monthly Reports 1934 (includes annual report)
1933 July - 1934 June
4 / 4
Monthly Reports 1935 (includes annual report)
1934 July - 1935 June
4 / 5
Monthly Reports 1936 (includes annual report and
staff reports)
1935 July - 1936 June
4 / 6
Monthly Reports 1937 (includes annual report)
1936 July - 1937 June
4 / 7
Monthly Staff Reports 1937
1936 July - 1937 June
4 / 8
Monthly Reports 1938 (includes annual report)
1937 July - 1938 June
4 / 9
Monthly Staff Reports 1938
1937 July - 1938 June
4 / 10
Monthly Reports 1939 (includes annual report)
1938 July - 1939 June
4 / 11
Monthly Staff Reports 1939
1938 July - 1939 June
4 / 12
Monthly Reports 1940 (includes annual report)
1939 July - 1940 June
4 / 13
Monthly Staff Reports 1940
1939 July - 1940 June
5 / 1
Monthly Reports 1941 (includes annual report)
1940 July - 1941 June
5 / 2
Monthly Staff Reports 1941
1940 July - 1941 June
5 / 3
Monthly Reports 1941 (includes annual report)
1941 July - 1942 June
5 / 4
Monthly Staff Reports 1941
1941 July - 1942 June
5 / 5
Monthly Reports 1943 (includes annual report)
1942 July - 1943 June
5 / 6
Monthly Staff Reports 1943
1942 July - 1943 June
5 / 7
Monthly Reports 1944 (includes annual report)
1943 July - 1944 June
5 / 8
Staff Reports 1944
1943 July - 1944 June
5 / 9
Monthly Reports 1945 (includes annual report)
1944 July - 1945 June
5 / 10
Staff Reports 1945 (includes annual report)
1944 July - 1945 June
5 / 11
Monthly Reports 1946 (includes annual report)
1945 July - 1946 June
5 / 12
Staff Reports 1946
1945 July - 1946 June
5 / 13
Monthly Reports 1947 (includes annual report)
1946 July - 1947 June
6 / 1
Staff Reports 1947
1946 July - 1947 June
Subject Files
6 / 4
Montana tick parasite expedition to Africa
1928-1930
6 / 5
Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton (includes
controversy over Laboratory location; floor plans are OVERSIZE MATERIAL)
1927-1954
Writings
6 / 6
W. J. Butler on tick parasite work
1928
6 / 7
R. A. Cooley on ticks, Rocky Mountain spotted
fever, tick investigations in Montana, ticks in Africa, egg laying and controlling
wood ticks
1912-1929, undated
6 / 8
R. R. Parker on vaccination for and spread of Rocky
Mountain spotted fever; tularemia; and tick investigation work in the Bitterroot
Valley
undated
6 / 9
"The Woodtick Problem in Montana and the
Northwest"; "Summary Statement Regarding the Life History of Dermacentor venustus,"
by F. C. Bishop; "Note on Control of Ticks," by S. K. Sen; comments on the wood tick
project by L. O. Howard and Royal N. Chapman; "Some Diseases of Sheep," by Dr.
Hadwin; unidentified writings on ticks, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick paralysis
in sheep, etc.
1910-1937, undated
Miscellany
6 /
Blueprints of Building for Tick and Spotted Fever
Work; drawing of laboratory grounds [OVERSIZE MATERIAL]
undated
6 / 10
Inventory for Bitter Root Field Station equipment,
tools, etc
1925, 1930, 1938
6 / 11
List of artifacts transferred to the Museum
undated
6 / 12
Memorial to William Gittinger and Arthur Kerlee; R.
A. Cooley resume
1929, undated
6 / 13
Rocky Mountain spotted fever case distribution and
patient data
1905-1934
Clippings
6 / 14
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, parasite studies,
vaccine development, laboratory in Hamilton, etc
1908-1943
Montana State Board of Health
General Correspondence
6 / 15
Correspondence between T. D. Tuttle and H. T.
Ricketts and others re Rocky Mountain spotted fever
1908-1912
6 / 16
Miscellaneous correspondence re closing of
laboratory, other diseases, etc.
1919-1957
6 / 17
Correspondence re acquisition by the Rocky Mountain
Laboratory of the Dr. P. Schultz tick collection and literature
1949-1950
Financial Records
6 / 18
Bills of Dr. T. B. McClintic for laboratory
animals, etc.
1912
Maps
6 / 19
List of maps transferred to Library Map Collection
undated
Reports
6 / 20
"Report of the activities of the State Board of
Health in controlling the epidemic of typhoid in Helena"; "Polio vaccine usage and
distribution report"; field trip report; animals used report
1929-1956
Subject Files
6 / 21
Bubonic plague
1935-1939
6 / 22
Health conditions on Montana Indian reservations
(includes studies of trachoma)
1925-1944
6 / 23
Leprosy
1918-1939
6 / 24-26
Montana Public Health Association (includes papers
given at meetings re tuberculosis, Indian Reservations conditions, scarlet fever,
botulism, cancer, cattle diseases, vitamins, venereal diseases, plague,
encephalitis, industrial hygiene, nutrition, etc.)
1914-1940
6 / 27
Montana Tuberculosis Society; Montana Trudeau
Society; Montana Thoracic Society
1955-1966
6 / 28
"Pediatric evaluation of Indian children in Great
Falls" (re Hill 57)
1959-1960
6 / 29
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Committee of American
Public Health Association, Western Branch
circa 1930
6 / 30
State Board of Health, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Conference (includes papers presented at the conference)
1923
Miscellany
6 / 31
Histories of the Montana State Board of Health and
the study of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
undated
6 / 32
Resolutions re Public Health League of Montana; U.
S. Bureau of Entomology
1911, undated
6 / 33
List of county and local health officers (includes
salary, appointment, etc.)
1929