Montana State University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Manuscript Collections
Esther Gaskins Price Papers
Price, Esther Gaskins, b. 1892
2334
1.7 linear feet
1931-1949
The Esther Gaskins Price Papers reflect Price's interests for research purposes as well as her literary productions. Price's collection includes materials that she produced individually and those that she collaborated on with other individuals; namely Peter Karst, Dan P. Mumbre, and I.D. O'Donnell. In addition to medical history, the topics represented include irrigation and land reclamation, Crow Indian culture, and human interest stories.
Collection materials are in English
Copyright ownership for any original literary materials is unclear due to the collaborative nature of their composition and researchers are advised that any publication beyond fair use guidelines cannot be granted by Special Collections.
Literary manuscripts, correspondence, and other documents were deposited with Special Collections by Esther Price on October 20, 1969. An additional batch of manuscripts were donated by Harley O'Donnell of Billings, Montana on August 15, 2006.
Series 1 Esther Price
Series 2 Peter Karst
Series 3 Dan P. Mubre
Series 4 I. D. O'Donnell
Esther Louise Gaskins Price was born in Needham, Massachusetts on July 11, 1892. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mt. Holyoke College in 1913 and also studied at the Cleveland School of Art, Montana State University, Famous Artists School in Westport, Connecticut, and the Institution de San Miguel d'Allende in Mexico. In addition to her creative work as an artist, Price also pursued a career as a medical researcher and author. She wrote three published works;
Fighting Tuberculosis in the Rockies: A history of the Montana tuberculosis (1943), Fighting Spotted Fever in the Rockies (1948), Pennsylvania Pioneers against Tuberculosis (1952). She also served as Associate Editor for one of the Mayo Clinic publications. Price lived in Montana from 1939-1944 to conduct research on the state's medical history and other topics of interest to herself. Often her writing and research involved collaboration with others, particularly I. D. O'Donnell, an eastern Montana farmer who was active in helping establish modern irrigation methods for Montana agriculture. Price worked with O'Donnell to gather information in preparation for a proposed book on irrigation history. After leaving Montana, Price apparently returned to her profession as an artist, living in Hawaii and California. Price married at least twice, first to George Hunt Ingraham and also to Eli A. Zeitlin. When she died in La Jolla, California in August, 1992 her listed name with the Social Security Administration was "Esther I. Zeitlin."
This collection was processed 2009 July 13
The records within this collection reflect Esther Price's interests for research purposes as well as her literary productions. There is no material directly bearing on her artistic work. Price's collection includes materials that she produced individually and those that she collaborated on with other individuals; namely Peter Karst, Dan P. Mumbre, and I.D. O'Donnell. The materials in this collection are separated into four series to reflect Price's record organization, her work as an individual researcher, and her collaboration with Karst, Mumbre, and O'Donnell. In addition to medical history, the topics represented include irrigation and land reclamation, Crow Indian culture, and human-interest stories. The collection has been arranged in four series based on the collaborator's name and contains correspondence and manuscripts created as a result of collaboration between Price and the named person. The correspondence in each folder so named is arranged chronologically; however, the correspondence remains within each individual series to reflect Price's record organization and research methods. Researchers should be aware that Price used shorthand in her note taking. Although this is not the predominant method of note taking for Price, shorthand is represented throughout the collection. This collection contains oversized materials that has been separated and located elsewhere, the separation is denoted by an asterisk (*) next to the folder it was removed.
Copyright ownership for any original literary materials is unclear due to the collaborative nature of their composition and researchers are advised that any publication beyond fair use guidelines cannot be granted by Special Collections.
Price, Esther Gaskins, b. 1892-Archives
Karst, Peter, 1875-1966
Mumbre, Dan P
O'Donnell, I. D. (Ignatius Daniel), 1860-1948
Montana State Board of Health
Crow Indians
Dude ranchers-Montana
Irrigation-Montana-History
Medicine-Montana-History
Reclamation of land-Montana-History
Surveying-Montana-Anecdotes
Surveyors-Montana
Medicine and Health
Native Americans
Ranching
Women
Montana
Maps
Esther Price
1
1
The materials in series one document Price's personal literary work. The correspondence, note, clippings, literary and medical carbon copies, etc. in this series pertains to Price's medical research, as well as her efforts to publish her works in all subject areas. This files in this series have been arranged within four topical patterns. Folders 1-6 are Price's general correspondence, notes, and some memorabilia. Folders 7-45 represent Price's work on writings not necessarily dealing with medical history. Topics range from a partial manuscript for a book or short story entitled "The Diplomat" to an article discussing building an airplane factory in "No Winter Business." Folders 46-58 pertains to her work in medical writing. These materials provide some information on Price's book Fighting Spotted Fever in the Rockies; however, it also shows her research into the Medical Practice Act and the Montana Board of Health, in addition to other health related articles. folders 59-62 contain her publication photos which have been individually sequentially numbered.
General Correspondence
1
1
General Notes
circa 1931-1949
1
2
General Notes
1
3
Magazine & newspaper clippings
1
4
Passport
1926
1
5
Steno notebook, [notes for History of the State Board of Health]
1
6
Captain R.E. Peasley, Captain of the clippers
1
7
Crow Indian Sundance, A Prayer for Victory—Notes
1
8
Crow Indian Sundance, A Prayer for Victory
1
9
The Diplomat—Chapter II
1
10
The Diplomat—Chapter III
1
11
The Diplomat—Chapter IV
1
12
The Diplomat—Chapter V
1
13
The Diplomat—Chapter VI
1
14
The Diplomat—Chapter VII
1
15
The Diplomat—Chapter VIII
1
16
The Diplomat—Chapter IX
1
17
The Diplomat—Chapter XI
1
18
The Diplomat—Chapter XII
1
19
Don't Marry a Doctor
1
20-23
Haleakala, House of the Sun—Notes
1
24
Haleakala, House of the Sun
1
25
Helena Flying School
1
26
Little Doc, Aldrich and Jardine
1
27
Medicine with Wings—Notes
1
28
Medicine with Wings—Draft I
1
29
Medicine with Wings—Draft II
1
30
Montana Dude Ranch Run by Amherst Woman
1
31
No Winter Business
1
32
Poetry
1
33
Try Sky for your Nerves
1
34
[Untitled]
1
35-37
Welcome Stranger
1
38
Whitby Island—Brochure & Maps *
1
39
Whitby Island—Notes
1
40
Whitby Island—Postcards
1
41
Whitby Island—Indian Recipes
1
42
Whitby Island—Peaceful Weekend
1
43
Whitby Island—Trees on Whitby Island, by Harriet Swift Race
1
44
Whitby Island—Whitby Island
1
45
Fighting Spotted Fever in the Rockies—Correspondence
1947
1
46
Fighting Spotted Fever in the Rockies—Illustrations
1
47
Health from the Dye Pots—R.N.: A Journal for nurses
1938 December
1
48
Medical Practice Act
1
49-51
Montana Board of Health, from W.I. Cogswell—Notes
1
52
Montana Board of Health, from W.I. Cogswell—Notes
1
53
Montana Board of Health, from W.I. Cogswell—Notes
1
54
Montana Board of Health, from W.I. Cogswell—Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Affairs
1
55
Montana Board of Health, from W.I. Cogswell—Publications, photograph, & chart
1
56
Quackery, Miracle Healing and Medical Cults
1
57
Sulfanilamide Scores Another Triumph
1
58
Photographs #1-6 [Crow Indian Sundance a Prayer for Victory]
1
59
Photographs #7-10 [Montana Dude Ranch Run by a Woman]
1
60
Photographs #11 [Montana State Board of Health]
1
61
Photographs #12-24 [Ski in the Spring]
1
62
Peter Karst
2
The correspondence, notes, clipping, and literary carbon copies in series two relate to Price's literary efforts with Peter Karst, a Gallatin County, Montana dude ranch owner. The materials discuss a tale on marriage in addition to a three-part story discussing ticks and spotted fever.
Clipping
1
64
Correspondence
1922
1
65
Notes
1
66
Photographs #30-37 [suggested illustrations for Montana's Incredible Joe]
1
67
Bigamy and Buffaloes
1
68
Three Men from Amherst
1
69
[Three Men from Amherst] Part II Clarence Birdseye Comes to Shoot Elk and Bear
1
70
[Three Men from Amherst] Part III Flies Bring a Third Amherst Man to Montana
1
71
Dan P. Mumbre
3
The notes, correspondence, and literary carbons in series three relate to Price's work with Dan P. Mumbre, a Montana land surveyor. The correspondence suggests a familiarity between Price and Mumbre; she refers to him as "Uncle Dan". The manuscripts discussed in this series deal with Mumbre's experiences in surveying and assorted tales that he collected while engaged in that work, including surveys done by others.
Biographical Notes
1
72
Correspondence
1938
1943
1
73
Correspondence
1946-1947
1
74
Correspondence
undated
1
75
Random Tales—Title page and Bad Rock Canyon
1
76
Random Tales—Bill Boston, J.P.
1
77
Random Tales—Demersville, 1891
1
78
Random Tales—Desert Incidents
1
79
Random Tales—Echo Lake
1
80
Random Tales—Flathead Winter of 1886
1
81
Random Tales—Flathead
1
82
Random Tales—Friendly Peaks
1
83
Random Tales—Hunting
1
84
Random Tales—Geology
1
85
Random Tales—The "Killer" of Wilderness
1
86
Random Tales—Frank Linderman
1
87
Random Tales—Bill's (Mumbre) Story
1
88
Random Tales—The Public Domaine and Surveying
1
89
Random Tales—Saga of Johnnie Syune
1
90
Random Tales—Mother Sheldon
1
91
Random Tales—A Strange Incident: Hanged in a Pullman
1
92
Random Tales—Surveying
1
93
Random Tales—Too Quick on The Trigger
1
94
Random Tales—Winter of 1887-1888
1
95
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Notes
1
96-100
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Draft I
1
101
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Draft II
1
102
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Draft III
1
103
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Draft IV
1
104
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter II [Draft V]
1
105
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter III [Draft V]
1
106
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter IV [Draft V]
1
107
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter V [Draft V]
1
108
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter VI [Draft V]
1
109
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter VII [Draft V]
1
110
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter I, Biography [Draft VI]
1
111
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter II, Pre-survey [Draft VI]
1
112
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter II [Draft VI]
1
113
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter III [Draft VI]
1
114
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter IV [Draft VI]
1
115
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter V [Draft VI]
1
116
The Seventh Standard Parallel North—Chapter VI [Draft VI]
1
117
Sweetgrass Hills—The Killing of Johnny Curry [Draft I]
1
118
Sweetgrass Hills—The Killing of Jimmy Winter [Draft I]
1
119
Sweetgrass Hills—Trip into the Sweetgrass, 1891[Draft II]
1
120
Sweetgrass Hills—Trip 1891, Blackfoot Reservation, Stevens Pass, Marias Pass [Draft II]
1
121
Sweetgrass Hills—Café a La Mud Turtle [Draft II]
1
122
Sweetgrass Hills—Ring. A Strange Friendship [Draft II]
1
123
Sweetgrass Hills—The Story of Pike Landusky Better than Beade's Best Thriller, by John B
Rich [Draft II]
1
124
Sweetgrass Hills—Lonnie Curry Takes My Seat [Draft II]
1
125
Sweetgrass Hills—The Killing of Johnny Curry [Draft II]
1
126
Sweetgrass Hills—The Killing of Jimmy Winter [Draft II]
1
127
Sweetgrass Hills—"Dutch" [Draft II]
1
128
Sweetgrass Hills—Sim Roberts, "Fast" Cow Mans [Draft II]
1
129
Through Marias Pass in 1891—Notes
1
130
Through Marias Pass in 1891—Maps *
1
131
Through Marias Pass in 1891—Draft I
1
132
Through Marias Pass in 1891—Draft II
1
133
Through Marias Pass in 1891—Draft III
1
134
Verse
1
135
I.D. O'Donnell
4
The notes, correspondence, and literary carbons in series three relate to Price's work with I.D. (Ignatius Daniel) O'Donnell. Materials in this series deal with O'Donnell's experiences with irrigation as well as information he and Price collected for research.
Correspondence
circa 1940-1948
undated
1
136
Events
1890-1902
1
137
Events
1893-1905
1
138
Notes—Biographical, Manuscript*
1
139
Random Notes
1
140
Hesper Farm, The Big Ditch
1
141
History of Billings and his early experiences there
1
142
Holland Settlement
1
143
Huntley Project
1
144
I.J. Horse Ranch
1
145
Illness
1921
1
146
Milk River Project
1
147
Milk River Project
1
148
Milk River Project
1
149
Reclamation Office. Board Review
1915
1
150
Reclamation Office. Tour
1914
1
151
Reclamation Service. Creation; First Report
1901-1903
1
152
Reclamation Service. Supervisor of Irrigation
1
153
Walsh, Senator Thomas J.
1
154
Billings
2
1
Daily, Marcus
2
2
Fabrick, Dick
2
3
Holter, Anton
2
4
Kibbey-Kent Decision
2
5
McCormick, Paul
2
6
Montana Water Conservation Board
2
7
Montana's Most Savage Crime [Author Unknown]
2
8
Morrison, C.C.
2
9
Moss, P.B.
2
10
National Reclamation Association
1938
2
11
The Promised Land: Fraser River, Al Covington [Author Unknown]
2
12
Public Lands. Homesteads, Land Offices, Tree Claims, Forests, Desert Claims
2
13
Reclamation Record. Tear Sheets
1914
2
14
Russell, Charles M.
2
15
Sheep*
2
16
Shope, Irvin "Shorty"
2
17
Smythe, William E
2
18
Sugar Beats*
2
19
Sun River Project
2
20
Virginia City. Defense County Meeting
2
21
White, B.C. (Judith Gap)—Trip to His Ranch
2
22
Yegen, Peter. Holdings. Biographical Notes, List of Holdings
2
23