Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company Records, 1877-1971

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company
Title
Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company Records
Dates
1877-1971
Quantity
8.4 linear feet
Collection Number
Collection 536, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company Records consist of general correspondence, printed materials, legal documents, land and livestock papers, and organizational and financial records. Series have been assigned according to activity and function. General correspondence were kept primarily by ranch managers and refer to ranch operations and business. Printed Materials contains published documents collected by the Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company. A number of these articles refer to the history and/or accomplishments of the Donahoe family and their ranch. The Livestock and Land series contains official certificates and registers for cattle and sheep as well as legal documents such as land deeds and mining claims. The ranch's Organizational Records contain articles of incorporation and company by-laws, stock share certificates and minute books for both the Castle Mountain Ranch and the Butte Brewing Company. Employee Records refer to insurance records for employee liability and Social Security filings. Employee names and payroll ledgers have been placed in the following series of Financial Records. Financial Records contains ledgers, account books, tax returns and banking records. The managers of the Castle Mountain Ranch collected documents significant to financial records, such as correspondence, receipts and relevant newspaper clippings, and placed them in yearly files labeled "Accounts." Many of these files remain in their original order. Any oversize documents, maps, machinery specs, etc. have been placed in oversize storage.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company, located near White Sulphur Springs, Montana, has been operated as a corporate ranch since the late nineteenth century. Originally the Anderson Brothers Livestock Company, Michael Donahoe of Butte acquired the ranch in 1903 and changed the name to the Castle Mountain Livestock Company in 1906. The Donahoe family lived on the ranch until 1910 at which point they relocated to Seattle, Washington and left the ranch under the managership of Henry Melloy. In 1926 Jap Stewart took over ranch operations. He acquired sheep and additional Herefords, and consequently, changed the name of the ranch to Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company. Jap Stewart resigned in 1941 and Michael Donahoe's children, Charles W. and Kathleen turned to their brother, Walter Donahoe to manage the ranch. The company actively acquired additional land holdings from 1910 through the mid-1960s. The ranch was sold in 1967 to Charles and Connie Nicholas of Dillon, Montana. At the time of this sale, the land holdings of the ranch comprised approximately 44 thousand acres. The ranch was once again sold in 1970 to Louis L. Ward of Kansas City, Missouri. The Donahoe family also owned the Butte Brewing Company.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Castle Mountain Records consist of general correspondence, printed materials, legal documents, land and livestock papers, and organizational and financial records. Series have been assigned according to activity and function. General correspondence were kept primarily by ranch managers and refer to ranch operations and business. Printed Materials contains published documents collected by the Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company. A number of these articles refer to the history and/or accomplishments of the Donahoe family and their ranch. The Livestock and Land series contains official certificates and registers for cattle and sheep as well as legal documents such as land deeds and mining claims. The ranch's Organizational Records contain articles of incorporation and company by-laws, stock share certificates and minute books for both the Castle Mountain Ranch and the Butte Brewing Company. Employee Records refer to insurance records for employee liability and Social Security filings. Employee names and payroll ledgers have been placed in the following series of Financial Records. Financial Records contains ledgers, account books, tax returns and banking records. The managers of the Castle Mountain Ranch collected documents significant to financial records, such as correspondence, receipts and relevant newspaper clippings, and placed them in yearly files labeled "Accounts." Many of these files remain in their original order. Any oversize documents, maps, machinery specs, etc. have been placed in oversize storage.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1 General Correspondence, 1928-1950

Series 2 Printed Materials, 1942-1967

Series 3 Livestock and Land Records, 1887-1967

Series 4 Organizational Records, 1899-1967

Series 5 Employment Records, circa 1940-1966

Series 6 Financial Records, 1900-1972

Acquisition Information

Corporate records created and collected by the Castle Mountain Livestock Company were donated to Special Collections by Walter A. Donahoe, Newell Gough and Charles Cole in 1967, 1969 and 1972.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 May 4

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  General Correspondence, 1928-1950Return to Top

General Correspondence contains the incoming and outgoing letters of Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company managers, Jap Stewart and Walter Donahoe and foreman, J.H. O'Rourke. Letters have been grouped according to employee and then arranged chronologically. Correspondence refer primarily to financial matters and prospective land purchases.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Donahoe, Walter A.
1928
1/2
Donahoe
1941
1/3
Donahoe
1942
1/4
Donahoe
1943
1/5
Donahoe
1944
1/6
Donahoe
1945
1/7
Donahoe
1946-1948
1/8
Donahoe
1949-1950
1/9
O'Rourke, J.H.
1919
1/10
Stewart, Jap
1941

Series 2:  Printed Materials, 1942-1967Return to Top

Printed Materials contains published documents collected by the Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company. Materials have been arranged alphabetically by title. File 14 of "Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles" contains information on local ranching conditions and interests. Other newspaper articles are scattered throughout the "Accounts" files in the Financial Records series; keeping with Castle Mountain's filing system, these articles remain in "Accounts" since they give pertinent information on the financial pursuits of the ranch. An asterisk indicates oversize materials which have been removed and placed in oversize storage.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/11
"Crystallized Facts about Sugar Beets"
1950
1/12
"Donahoe Family Have Been Long-Time Residents of Meagher County"
(The Meagher County News)
September 21, 1967
1/13
"Law Makers of Montana"
1953; 1955
1/14
Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles*
1940s-1960s
1/15
"Montana House of Representatives--Roster"
1947
1/16
"Rules of the Senate"
1947; 1953; 1955

Series 3:  Livestock and Land, 1887-1967Return to Top

The Livestock and Land series has been organized according to subject and arranged alphabetically with the exception of livestock records which have been placed at the end of the series. Some overlap in materials has been unavoidable. Nearly all files contain legal paperwork and documentation. Livestock records and certificates are located in boxes 4 and 5. These documents have been separated according to document type and then arranged chronologically. An asterisk indicates oversize materials which have been placed in oversize storage.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/1
Brands
1899-1961
2/2
County Business*
2/3
Forest Permits*
2/4-5
Forest Permits
2/6
Highway Contracts, Correspondence and Maps*
2/7
Irrigation*
1941-1958
2/8
Land*
2/9
Land Deeds*
2/10
Land Leased
2/11
Land Leased
2/12
Land Leased (cont.)
3/1
Land Ownership Records*
1887-1941
3/2
Land Ownership Records (cont.)
1887-1941
3/3
Land Purchased*
1918-1960
3/4
Leases and Rents: Contracts and Correspondence
3/5
Leases and Rents: Contracts andCorrespondence (cont.)
3/6
Leases and Rents: Receipts
3/7
Mining Claim (Jap Stewart)
1937; 1939; 1941
3/8
Shearing
1952
3/9
Water
(copies)
1878-1949
3/10
Water
1950-1967
3/11
Wool Weights
3/12
Sire Book--Private Herd Register: Cattle and Sheep
1898-1902
3/13
Register: Cattle, Sheep, Fences etc.
1930s-1940s
4/1
American Hereford Record, Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1917; 1919-1922
4/2
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1923-1924
4/3
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1925-1926
4/4
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1927
4/5
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1929; 1930
4/6
Livestock Certificates: Cows
1931
4/7
Livestock Certificates: Bulls
1931
4/8
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1932
4/9
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1933
4/10
Livestock Certificates: Cows
1934
4/11
Livestock Certificates: Bulls
1934
4/12
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1935
4/13
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1937-1938
4/14
Livestock Certificates: Cows
1938
4/15
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1939-1942
4/16
Livestock Certificates: Cows and Bulls
1944-1946; 1948
4/17
Miscellaneous Registered Bull Certificates and Correspondence
1945-1951
4/18
Livestock Contracts
1940; 1941
4/19
Livestock Inventory
1935
4/20
Sheep Inventory
1942
4/21
Livestock Vaccinations and Inventories
1950s
4/22
Livestock Vaccinations and Inventories
1960s
Box
5
Application for Livestock Certification Receipt Booklets
1929-1930
April-June 1930
June-August 1930
February-May 1931
April-June 1931
August 1931-May 1932
April-July 1932; April-March 1933
April-June 1933
April-July 1933
April-September 1934
May 1933; January 1934-May 1934
April-May 1934; March-June 1935
May-September 1935; April-May 1937
April-May 1937; May-June 1941
5
Livestock Sales/Receipts of Certificate Transfer Booklets
Miscellaneous Buyers
1929-1932
Hill, Ebert Sheep Company
1930
Ebert Sheep Company, J.B. Kendrick, and Miscellaneous Buyers
1930
T.H. Tice, U.S. Government, and Miscellaneous Buyers
1931-1934
Ebert Sheep Company
1932
U.S. Indian Service, T.H. Tice, and Miscellaneous Buyers
1933-1937
N.P. de Mauriac
1937

Series 4:  Organizational RecordsReturn to Top

Organizational Records have been separated according to document type and, with the exception of oversize materials in Box 6, have been arranged alphabetically. The series includes articles of incorporation, bylaws, meeting minutes and stock certificates for both the Castle Mountain and the Butte Brewing Company. The minutes are extensive. The writings found in Walter Donahoe's Daily Record Books are minimal.

Container(s) Description Dates
box-oversize
6
Minute Book: Castle Mountain Livestock Company
1899-1919; 1940-1942
Minute Book: Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company
1926-1941
6
Minute Book: Butte Brewing Company
1900-1957
6
Payroll Sheets
(From Box 15, file 6)
Box/Folder
7/1
Articles of Incorporation and Meeting Minutes
(scant)
1911-1942
7/2
By-laws and Meeting
By-laws and 1926 Stockholder's Meeting
1926
7/3
Certificates for Stock Shares
Castle Mountain Live Stock Company and Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company
7/4
Certificates for Stock Shares: Butte Brewing Company
7/5
Company Letterhead and Blank Resolution Sheets
Box
7
Castle Mountain Cattle and Sheep Company Official Seal
7
Walter A. Donahoe's Daily Record Books
1939-1946
7
Robert P. Greer's Daily Record Book
1941
8
Walter A. Donahoe's Daily Record Books
1947-1959
8
Pages from Walter A. Donahoe's Record Books
1961-1962
8
Walter A. Donahoe's Misc. Notebooks
circa 1940s

Series 5:  Employment RecordsReturn to Top

Employment Records contains the professional records regarding Castle Mountain employees from the 1940s to the mid-1960s. Auto and Building Insurance records give little information on specific employees, however, they do indicate conditions of ranch life. A detailed accounting of Employee Payroll records has been placed in the Financial Records series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
9/1
Auto Insurance
1963-1966
9/2
Employee's Liability Insurance
1940s
9/3-4
Employee's Liability Insurance (cont.)
1940s
9/5
Employee's Liability Insurance
1950s
9/6-7
Employee's Liability Insurance (cont.)
1950s
9/8
Employee's Liability Insurance
1960s
9/9
Insurance for Ranch Buildings
10/1
Social Security
1950-1952
10/2
Social Security
1954-1958
10/3
Social Security
1959-1962
10/4
Social Security
1963-1966

Series 6:  Financial RecordsReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 11-22

Financial Records contains documents referring to the financial transactions of Castle Mountain. The series contains ledgers, account books, tax returns, banking and employee payroll records. With the exception of the "Accounts" files, documents have been separated according to subject and function, and then placed in alphabetical order. The "Accounts" files were designed and designated by the Castle Mountain Ranch records manager. These files contain a range of financial documents including: financial correspondence, receipts, relevant newspaper clippings, etc. They have been arranged chronologically. An asterisk indicates oversize materials which have been placed in oversize storage.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
11/1
Accounts
1909-1916
11/2
Accounts
1926-1928
11/3
Accounts
1929-1931
11/4
Accounts
1932-1933
11/5
Accounts
1934-1936
11/6
Accounts
1937-1939
11/7
Accounts
1940-1941
11/8
Accounts
1942
11/9
Accounts
1943
11/10
Accounts
1944
11/11
Accounts
1945
11/12
Accounts
1946
12/1
Accounts
1947
12/2
Accounts
1948
12/3
Accounts
1949
12/4
Accounts
1950
12/5
Accounts
1951
12/6
Accounts
1952
12/7
Accounts
1953
12/8
Accounts
1954
12/9
Accounts
1955-1956
13/1
Accounts
1957-1958
13/2
Accounts
1959-1960
13/3
Accounts
1961
13/4
Accounts
1962
13/5
Accounts
1963
13/6
Accounts
1964
13/7
Accounts
1965
14/1
Accounts
1966
14/2
Accounts
1967
14/3
Accounts
1968-1971
14/4
Appraisal and Assessments*
Appraisal of Estate and Property Assessments
1965
14/5
Automobiles: Tax Assessment, Repairs
1957-1965
14/6
Depreciation Schedule of Assets*
1920s-1960s
14/7
Employee Meals: Costs and Charges*
14/8
Gasoline Tax Refund
14/9
Hay--Freight
1919-1920
14/10
Hay and Supplement Feed*
14/11
Hay and Supplement Feed (cont.)
14/12
Improvements
1949-1960
15/1
Machinery Receipts
1958-1962
15/2
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Bean
1951-1953
15/3
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Bean
1954-1955
15/4
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Bean
1956-1960
15/5
Miscellaneous
15/6
Payroll*
1908-1914; 1933-1946
15/7
Purchases
1900-1905
15/8
Receipts "A"
1920-1925
15/9
Receipts "B"
1920-1926
15/10
Receipts "C", and Donahoe, Charles
1920-1926
15/11
Receipts "E-F"
1920-1926
15/12
Receipts "G"
1920-1926
15/13
Receipts "H-J"
1905-1926
15/14
Receipts "K-L"
1902-1926
15/15
Receipts "M"
1920-1926
15/16
Receipts "N-O"
1920-1926
15/17
Receipts "P-Q"
1920-1925
15/18
Receipts "R"
undated
15/19
Receipts "S"
1920-1925
15/20
Receipts "T-V"
1920-1925
15/21
Receipts "W"
1920-1926
16/1
Sales--Cattle
1938-1944
16/2
Sales--Cattle
1945-1951
16/3
Sales--Cattle
1953-1958
16/4
Sales--Cattle
1959-1966
16/5
Sales--Miscellaneous
1940s-1950s
16/6
Sales--Sheep
1941-1957
16/7
Sales--Sheep
1958-1966
16/8
Sales--Wool
1942-1946
16/9
Sales--Wool
1947-1949
16/10
Sales--Wool*
1950-1957
16/11
Sales--Wool
1958-1966
17/1
Stock/Investments--Walter Donahoe
1941-1943
17/2
Stone House Rent, etc.
17/3
Tax Receipts--Montana
1912; 1925-1942
17/4
Tax Receipts--Montana
1943-1966
17/5
Timber Sales
1957-1961
17/6
Timber Sales
1961-1965
17/7
World War II Prices and Stamps*
Box
18
General Ledger
1936-1945
18
General Ledger
1936-1945
18
General Ledger
1938-1939
18
General Ledger
1940
18
General Ledger
1941
18
Estate Register
1938-1939
18
Miscellaneous Ledger Sheets
1931-1945
18
"Remarks" Sheets for Checking Account Records
1933; 1935; 1939
18
General Journal Sheets
1960
19
Check Stubs
1935-1948; 1952; 1956-1958; 1964-1966
Box/Folder
20/1
Bank Statements
1925
20/2
Bank Statements
1926
20/3
Bank Statements
1927
20/4
Bank Statements
1928
20/5
Bank Statements
1929
20/6
Bank Statements
1930
20/7
Bank Statements
1931
20/8
Bank Statements
1932
20/9
Bank Statements
1933
20/10
Bank Statements
1934
20/21
Bank Statements
1935
20/22
Bank Statements
1936
21/1
Bank Statements
1937
21/2
Bank Statements
1938
21/3
Bank Statements
1939
21/4
Bank Statements
(incomplete)
1943-1947
21/5
Bank Statements
(incomplete)
1951; 1953-1954
box-folder-oversize
22/1
From Box 1, file 14: Newspaper Articles
1940s-1960s
22/2
From Box 2, file 2: County Business
22/3
From Box 2, file 3: Forest Permits
22/4
From Box 2, file 6: Highway Contracts
22/5
From Box 2, file 9: Castle Mountain Livestock Company Map
22/6
From Box 2, file 10: Land Deeds
22/7
From Box 3, file 1: Land Ownership Records
22/8
From Box 3, file 3: Land Purchased
22/9
From Box 14, file 4: Assessments of Property
22/10
From Box 14, file 6: Depreciation of Assets
22/11
From Box 14, file 7: Employee Meals
22/12
From Box 14, file 10: Specs for Sliding Hay Stacker
1910
22/13
From Box 15, file 6: Payroll Sheets
22/14
From Box 16, file 10: Wool Futures Prices
22/15
From Box 17, file 3: Tax Returns
221/6
From Box 17, file 4: Tax Returns
22/17
From Box 17, file 7: World War II Prices and Stamps

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Brewing industry-Montana-Butte
  • Ranches-Montana-Meagher County
  • Ranching-Montana-Meagher County
  • Sheep ranches-Montana-Meagher County

Family Names

  • Donahoe family
  • Donahue family

Geographical Names

  • White Sulphur Springs (Mont.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Business records-Montana-Butte
  • Business records-Montana-Meagher County

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Anderson Brothers Livestock Company (creator)
    • Butte Brewing Company (creator)
    • Castle Mountain Livestock Company (creator)