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George A. Bruffey papers, 1863-1928

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Bruffey, George A., 1842-1928
Title
George A. Bruffey papers
Dates
1863-1928 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.3 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 71 (collection)
Summary
George Bruffey (1842-1928) was a Livingston, Montana, rancher, Fish Creek general mercantile store owner, and Butte miner. His papers (1863-1928) include business records (1871-1889) for the George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company, and the Fish Creek Stage Station. Also included are drafts of his autobiography, Eighty-one Years in the West; diaries and writings; and miscellaneous correspondence.
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

George A. Bruffey, a native of Pocahontas County, Virginia, was born September 24, 1842. When he was two, his family moved to Missouri. Three years later they moved to Marion County, Iowa, where he remained until he was twenty. By 1862, Bruffey traveled to Denver, Colorado, and within a year became part of a freight team headed for the Salmon, Idaho Territory, mines. Once there, the wagon party agreed to continue to Alder Gulch where Bruffey engaged in mining until 1866. Subsequently he moved to the Jefferson River country where he herded cattle, became involved in an unsuccessful toll road venture between Butte and Boulder City, and briefly returned to mining. In 1869, he started the George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company at Fish Creek Station, Madison County, on the Salt Lake Road. He married Matilda Ridlen, a childhood acquaintance, on February 12, 1871. In 1872, Bruffey was elected to the territorial legislature from Madison County. He also served as the Fish Creek postmaster from 1876 until 1889. In 1889, he moved to Park County where he bought a ranch ten miles southeast of Livingston and started a dairy and stock ranch. He was elected in 1896 to the state legislature from Park County. In later life Bruffey became active in the Society of Montana Pioneers. In 1911, his wife died, survived by ten of her eleven children. Bruffey continued to live near Livingston and, in 1925, published his autobiography, Eighty-one Years in the West. George A. Bruffey died in October 1928.

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Content Description

Papers. 1863-1928. 3.3 linear feet. The majority of the papers consists of financial records (1871-1889) for the George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company, Fish Creek, Montana. Also included are Bruffey's drafts for Eighty-one Years in the West, various writings, diaries, clippings, and miscellaneous correspondence. There is a small subgroup of records of Louis Keysser, whose estate was administered by Bruffey.

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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. Some material housed in oversize folder in archives map case. Some material housed in manuscript volumes. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

4:4-5

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Photographs and printed material have been transferred to the MHS Photo 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

  • Biographical Material

    • Description: Biographical sketches
      Dates: 1907, 1913
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: Biographical Material

  • General Correspondence

    • Description: Bruffey family (includes Mary F. Bruffey, George A. Bruffey, Primus Bruffey, Matilda Bruffey, unidentified grand-daughter)
      Dates: 1863, 1891, 1925
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: A-H (correspondents include W.C. Alumquist, Auerbach and Company, E.J. Bowen, Thomas H. Carter, Christmas Gift Mining Company, Charles E. Davies, S.A.J. Dorn, Squire Elder, R.S. Ellison, Henry Ford, P.H. Gohn, William Goodyer, E. Gouyhuour [?], W.E. Hargrave)
      Dates: 1863-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: K-W (correspondents include Louis Keyser, Mrs. R.C. Kramer, Albert Moog, Northern Pacific Railway Company, G.C. Perkins, H.C. Reagan, Society of Montana Pioneers, C.W. VanOrsdol, R. Lee Word)
      Dates: 1877-1926, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: General Correspondence

  • Diaries

    • Description: Diary
      Dates: 1896-1897, 1910
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: Diaries
    • Description: Diaries (2 volumes)
      Dates: 1925-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: Diaries

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Account ledger: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1879-1881
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Account ledgers: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1882-1883
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1-2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Daybooks: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1878-1879
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3-4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Daybooks: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1879-1882
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1-6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Daybooks: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1882-1887
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1-4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Daybooks: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1-3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Daybook: George W. Metcalf Feed and Sale Stables / George A. Bruffey Feed and Sale Stables
      Dates: 1889-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Financial memorandum books
      Dates: circa 1862-1872
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 5-6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Inventory book: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1882-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Inventory of merchandise of J.H. Baker assigned to George A. Bruffey
      Dates: December 1886
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1877-1878
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1879-1880
      Container: Volume 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journals: George A. Bruffey Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1881-1882, 1888-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 4-5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Stock certificate for Montana Improved Spring Wheel Company
      Dates: 1915
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes promissory note, freight bill, invoices, A.O.U.W. assessment, assay report, subscription list for Eighty-One Years in the West)
      Dates: 1867-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 2
      Location: Financial Records

  • Legal Documents

    • Description: Power of attorney for W.C. Rinehart's mining claims
      Dates: 1865
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 3
      Location: Legal Documents
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes mining claim certificate; lease; U.S. Land Office certificate)
      Dates: 1864, 1914, 1916
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 4
      Location: Legal Documents

  • Organization

    • Description: Record book: Montana Woolen Mill Company (includes articles of incorporation, minutes, etc.)
      Dates: 1877-1881
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 5
      Location: Organization

  • Photographs and Printed Material

    • Description: List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives; list of printed materials transferred to Library
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 6
      Location: Photographs and Printed Material

  • Writings

    • Description: Eighty-one Years in the West (handwritten draft): pp. 139-150 missing)
      Dates: circa 1925
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 7-8
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Eighty-one Years in the West (typewritten draft: pp. 1-63, 65-142 missing)
      Dates: circa 1925
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 9
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Eighty-one Years in the West (notebook)
      Dates: 1921
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 10
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "Indian Wars" (stories)
      Dates: 1926
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 1
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Mining in Butte
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 2
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "My first Christmas"
      Dates: 1925
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 3
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "Rivers"
      Dates: 1921
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 4
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "A Story of the Gulch and Butte"
      Dates: 1927
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 5
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes many fragments of his autobiography, poem about Bruffey by Dick Porter, poem "The Whistles on the Hill: Miles J. Cavanaugh, Butte")
      Dates: 1925, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 6
      Location: Writings

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes invitation, oath of allegiance, certificate)
      Dates: 1863-1880
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 7
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: South Carolina, Interstate and West Indian Exposition Co. Commissioner for State of Montana Certificate [Map Case-See MC 65-71 Folder]
      Dates: 1901
      Container: Oversize Folder MC 65-71
      Location: Miscellany

  • Clippings

    • Description: Miscellaneous (re proposed Yellowstone game preserve, reminiscent interview, Jim Bridger, proposed pioneer monument, Perry McClain, 1864 census)
      Dates: 1920-1928, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 8
      Location: Clippings

  • LOUIS KEYSSER

    • Financial Records

      • Description: Journal: Louis Keysser Ranche
        Dates: 1870-1875
        Container: Box/Folder 8 / 9
        Location: LOUIS KEYSSER / Financial Records
      • Description: Stockbook: Louis Keysser Ranche (also includes drafts of outgoing letters, daybook entries, etc.)
        Dates: 1869-1875
        Container: Box/Folder 8 / 10
        Location: LOUIS KEYSSER / Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

      • Description: Mining claim certificates, deed
        Dates: 1864-1866
        Container: Box/Folder 8 / 11
        Location: LOUIS KEYSSER / Legal Documents
      • Description: Louis Keysser Estate (includes court order, list of notes due)
        Dates: 1881
        Container: Box/Folder 8 / 12
        Location: LOUIS KEYSSER / Legal Documents

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Authors
  • Clothing trade
  • General stores
  • Ranches
  • Retail trade
  • Stables
  • Wool industry

Personal Names

  • Bruffey, George A., 1842-1928 (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Butte (Mont.)
  • Fish Creek (Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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