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James S. Dunn and Company Records , 1887-1889

Overview of the Collection

Creator
James S. Dunn and Company (Helena, Mont.)
Title
James S. Dunn and Company Records
Dates
1887-1889 (inclusive)
Quantity
4 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 109 (collection)
Summary
James S. Dunn and Company was a commission merchant house in Helena, Montana Territory, handling fish, game, poultry, fruits, and produce. The store also operated under the name of Thomas C. Patrick and Company (prior to February 1888) and Jackson, Dunn and Company (from February to November 1888). Collection (1887-1889) includes correspondence; financial records, including ledgers, invoices, cash books, day books; legal documents; and miscellany.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives
Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 406-444-2681
Fax: 406-444-5297
mthslibrary@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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Historical Note

James S. Dunn and Company, "general commission merchants of fruits, fish, game, oysters, poultry and general produce," was the successor of Jackson, Dunn and Company, which was, in turn the successor of Thomas C. Patrick and Company. The Thomas C. Patrick and Company store was established in July 1887 and located at 18 North Jackson Street in Helena, Montana. In early 1888 Patrick moved the store to 111 North Main Street. On February 1, 1888, he sold the business to his former partner DeWitt C. Jackson and his partners James S. Dunn and George G. Chandler. The new owners renamed the business Jackson, Dunn and Company. It operated under this name until December 5, 1888, when Jackson left the business and it was renamed James S. Dunn and Company. In October 1889, the store went into receivership and closed. Thomas Chase Patrick was born in Lindsay, Ontario, in 1860, the son of Thomas Chase Patrick and Marion Thirkell. He moved to Helena in the mid 1880s. He married Sylvia Lyman, daughter of Lorenzo B. and Mary Lyman, in 1887 and they had one son Thomas C., born in Seattle, Washington, in 1890. Patrick died in Lindsay, Ontario, April 6, 1896. DeWitt C. Jackson only lived in Helena briefly. Nothing more is known about him. James S. Dunn was born in Ireland in August 1843. He married Annie also a native of Ireland about 1865. They moved to Montana in the mid 1880s after brief residencies in New York, New Jersey and West Virginia. The couple had at least five children; the youngest two, Andrew and Gertie were born in Helena. After the store closed, Dunn was a life insurance agent in Helena until he moved to Tacoma, Washington, in 1901.

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Content Description

Records. 1887-1889. 4 linear feet. This collection contains business records, primarily financial volumes, for Thomas C. Patrick and Company; Jackson, Dunn and Company; and James S. Dunn and Company. Included are incoming correspondence, letterpress books of outgoing correspondence, cash books, day books, journals, customer and general ledgers, and invoices. In addition, there are a few court papers and legal documents concerning the closing of the business in October 1889.

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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 series. Some material housed in Manuscript Volumes. See inventory below for more informaton.

Location of Collection

5:7-5

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Photographs transferred to Photo Archives. 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

  • Incoming Correspondence

    • Description: A-B (correspondents include Ada Creamery Association; John Andrew; Ashland Fish Company; Bach, Cory and Company; H.E. Battin and Company; Belgrade Grain and Produce Company; A.P. Blackler; A. Booth and Sons; A. Booth Packing Company; Boulder Hot Springs)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: R.E. Cobb (St. Paul, Minnesota)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: C-F (correspondents include Celilo Salmon Fishery; John Chipp; Mrs. V.A. Cockrill; William Dwyer; D. Elithorp; E.H. Elliott; Thomas B. Ellis; J.G. Evans; Charles E. Fairchild; Frisco Poultry Company)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: C.L. Gildersleeve (Granite, Montana)
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: G-K (correspondents include Gage, Shattuck and Company; C.C. Garrett and Company; C.W. Gauthier; J.W. Gilbert; H.L. Griffin; Grinnell and Company; J.C. Hanrahan; H.M. Heinerdinger; Hoxsie and Jagger; J.B. Hunt and Company; C. Jacobson; H. Jewell; George D. Kellogg)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Levy and Spiegel; Mark Levy
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: L-M (correspondents include Charles Louch; J.J. Lynch; Charles A. Malarkey; Mandan Creamery Company; A. McDonald; Montana Company Ltd.; Montana Smelting Company; N.J. Mundy)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Northern Pacific Express Company; Northern Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: N (correspondents include F. Nickerson and Son; Northern Fresh Fish Company)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: W.S. Offner (Walla Walla, Washington)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: O-U (correspondents include James C. Ord; Oregon Railway and Navigation Company; F.H. Page; Platt and Company; L.E. Porter; Amos Root; Merrell Ryder; C.B. Salisbury; B.F. Scovil; Sewell Brothers; J.A. Shea and Company; W.D. Smith; Thorpe Brothers and Company; Albert G. Turner; Twohy Brothers and Company; Union Warehouse Company)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: W.H. Wood and Company (Sacramento, California)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: W (correspondents include E.B. Watts; C.E. Whitney and Company; Frank Wood; William Woody; J.Wooldridge; R. Wright)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: Incoming Correspondence

  • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Description: Letterpress volumes (include indexes)
      Dates: 1887 June- 1888 December
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14-16
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress volumes (include indexes)
      Dates: 1888 November- 1889 October
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1-2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Scattered letters
      Dates: 1887-1888
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence

  • Court Papers

    • Description: Summons and attachments in suits against company
      Dates: 1889 October
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
      Location: Court Papers

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Cash books
      Dates: 1887 July- 1889 October
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5-8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Check stub books
      Dates: 1887 September- 1888 August
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Daybooks [there is a Monday/Wednesday/Friday series and a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday series]
      Dates: 1887 September- 1888 July
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2-7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoice volumes [incoming invoices pasted into volume]
      Dates: 1887 July- 1888 October
      Container: Volume 1-2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoices sent [letterpress books]
      Dates: 1887 November- 1888 November
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1-2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoices sent [scattered]
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal [volume also includes customer ledger entries for December 1888]
      Dates: 1887 August- 1888 December
      Container: Volume 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journals
      Dates: 1888 December- 1889 October
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 4-5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: customers and general [index in separate volume]
      Dates: 1887 August- 1888 November
      Container: Volume 4-5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: customers
      Dates: 1889 January-May
      Container: Volume 6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: customers [index in separate volume]
      Dates: 1889 June-September
      Container: Volume Vol. 7-8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledgers: general
      Dates: 1888 December- 1889 October
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1-2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Trial balance sheets
      Dates: 1889 June-September
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes promissory notes, receipts, etc.)
      Dates: 1888-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 4
      Location: Financial Records

  • Legal Documents

    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes city business license, telephone lease, receivership deed)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 5
      Location: Legal Documents

  • Photographs

    • Description: List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 6
      Location: Photographs

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Advertisements from suppliers: A-W (includes price lists)
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 7-8
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Notes: invoice pad
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 9
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Unidentified index volume
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 10
      Location: Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Farm produce
  • Grocery trade

Corporate Names

  • James S. Dunn and Company (Helena, Mont.) (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Helena (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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