Montana Historical Society
Archives
MC 344
Galt Brothers Hardware
(Stanford, Mont.)
Galt Brothers Hardware records
1910-1971, bulk 1910-1956
6.5 linear feet
The Galt Brothers of Stanford, Montana, owned a hardware
store, a drayage business, a farm/ranch, and a Ford auto dealership. This collection
consists of records of those businesses.
16:2-2
150:4-1 (Volumes)
English
Historical Note
Galt Brothers was founded about 1910 by Henry H. (1886-1986), Errol F. (1889-1975), and
Oliver J. (1891-1986) Galt, all born in Minnesota, sons of William and Emeretta (Robinson)
Galt. Younger brother Glen A. Galt (1894-1986) later joined his brothers in the business.
The store specialized in hardware and agricultural implements. In 1917 Errol sold out his
share of the store to open the First National Bank in Geyser. Henry also sold out his share
to concentrate on the cattle business. O. J. Galt retired from the store about 1980. The
store continued under new ownership as the Pioneer Hardware Store.
In addition to the hardware business, the brothers ran a drayage business, a cattle ranch,
and a Ford automobile dealership and garage. Oliver primarily ran the hardware store and
drayage business, Henry the ranch, and Glen the dealership/garage along with the youngest Galt brother,
Rollin D. (1899-1988), who started out as a traveling saleman around 1920, but all brothers were involved
in all aspects of the family enterprises.
This collection consists of financial records (1910-1965) and related correspondence of the
Galt brothers' various businesses. There are five subgroups.
The Galt Brothers Hardware subgroup (1910-1958) constitutes the bulk of the collection. It
consists of general correspondence (1914-1947), arranged alphabetically within several
groups; court papers (1920-1940), predominantly bankruptcy proceedings for customers;
financial records (1910-1958) including cash books, daybook/journals, general ledgers,
invoice registers, invoices, note registers, trial balances, and other items; and subject
files, primarily re U. S. World War II government programs.
There is a small subgroup of Oliver J. Galt personal papers (1921-1942), including
correspondence, invoices, and legal documents.
The O. J. Galt Drayage business subgroup (1921-1942) includes general ledgers, a journal,
invoices, and a report to the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners.
The Galt Brothers farm/ranch business subgroup (1921-1965) includes general ledgers, a
journal, records for the sale and shipment of livestock, and subject files on various
government agricultural programs.
The Ford Dealership/Galt Brothers Garage subgroup (1917-1918, 1939) consists of a small
number of letters, invoices, and legal documents.
Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in Manuscript Volumes. See location
of Collection above and inventory below for more information.
Collection is open for research
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and
makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission
must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not
necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases,
permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright
owners.
[item description and date]. Name of Collection. Collection Number. [box and folder
number]. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request.
Processed in 2008.
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.
Stanford (Mont.)--History
Automobile dealers--Montana--Stanford
Freight and
freightage--Montana--Stanford
Hardware stores--Montana--Stanford
Ranches--Montana--Judith Basin County
Montana
Agriculture
Ranching
Retail
Trade
Detailed Description of the Collection
Galt Brothers Hardware
1910-1958
Biographical Materials
1 / 1
Obituaries and biographical sketches for William W.
Galt, Henry H. Galt, Errol F. Galt, Oliver J. Galt, and Glen A. Galt
1913-1986
General Correspondence
1 / 2
B-M (correspondents include G. E. Addy, J. I. Case
Company, F. B. Connelly Company, DeLaval Separator Company, E. F. Galt, Home Owners
Loan Corporation, Mrs. Bernard W. Jenkins, Judith Basin County Agricultural
Conservation Association, Fred B. Lind, Joe McInnis, Midland Implement Company,
Minneapolis-Moline Power Implement Company, Montana County Extension
Service)
1914-1939
1 / 3
N-Y (correspondents include Art Norton, Pennsylvania
Rubber Company, Pure Oil Company, St. Louis Electrical Works, Simmons Hardware
Company, State Building and Loan Association, Charles A. Stickney Company, Iven
Tucker, Roland Turner, Vermont Loan and Trust Company, E. L. Voth, Western Retail
Lumbermen's Association)
1914-1939
1 / 4
J. I. Case Company
1941-1943
1 / 5
Great Falls Paper Company
1946
1 / 6
Midland Implement Company
1941-1947
1 / 7
U. S. War Production Board and Office of Production
Management circulars
1941-1942
1 / 8
B-W (correspondents include Bartol Ranch, Ben Hur
Trailers, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Fort Missoula, General Manufacturing
Company, Mrs. Paul Jurasch Jr., Fred B. Lind, Lindsay Bros. Co., Majestic
Manufacturing Company, Minneapolis-Moline Power Implement Company, Montana Board of
Equalization, Montana Fish and Game Commission, O. Petesch, Reynold Plath, J. M.
Riedlinger, William Skarda, U. S. Office of Price Administration, U. S. Dept. of
Agriculture War Board, John Valentine, E. L. Voth, West Fargo Manufacturing
Company)
1940-1947
1 / 9-10
A-W (re debt collections)
1916-1937
1 / 11
Telegrams (scattered)
1914-1940
Court Papers
1 / 12
Bankruptcy proceedings
circa 1920-1940
1 / 13
Galt Brothers vs. F. M. Bennett
circa 1931
Financial Records
1 / 14
Accounts charged off to loss
circa 1956-1971
1 / 15
Cash book
1912-1916
2 / 1-6
Cash books
1922-1936
3 / 1-4
Cash books
1937-1943
3 / 5
Check stubs
1918-1921
3 / 6
Debt collections
1930-1939, 1955
4 / 1-6
Daybooks
1922-1949
5 / 1
Daybook
1949-1955
5 / 2
Freight bills: Great Northern Railway
(scattered)
1915-1946
1
General ledger
circa 1912-1913
5 / 3-5
General ledgers
circa 1915-1918, 1923-1924
6 / 1-4
General ledgers
1927-1928, 1932, 1934
7 / 1-5
General ledgers
1938-1939, 1942, 1949, 1954
8 / 1
General ledger
1958
8 / 2
Hail adjustment proof of loss
1944
8 / 3
Insurance
1939-1940
8 / 4-9
Inventories
1914-1921
8 / 10
Inventory: East Side Store
1920-1921
8 / 11
Inventory: guns
1941, undated
8 / 12
Invoice ledger
1910-1912
9 / 1-3
Invoice ledgers
1912-1914, 1918-1927
9 / 4-10
Invoices and orders [sampled]
1913-1944, 1967
9 / 11
Minneapolis-Moline Power Implement Company
orders
1944
10 / 1
Note register
1915-1919
10 / 2
Order book
1924-1925
10 / 3
Price lists
circa 1938-1942
10 / 4
Promissory notes
1933-1942
10 / 5-6
Receipts
1922-1946
2-7
Trial balance books
1912-1924
8-9
Trial balance books
1930-1949
Legal Documents
10 / 7
Miscellaneous (includes Errol F. Galt's sale of his
interest in business, dealers' sales contracts, refund on gasoline license tax,
mortgage)
1917-1946
RESTRICTED
Reports
10 / 8
Census of business report
1939
10 / 9
Reports to Montana Unemployment Compensation
Commission
1941-1944
Subject Files
10 / 10
Burlap wool bags (includes certificates and
government wartime regulations)
1939-1942
10 / 11
Montana Seed Law
1940-1942
10 / 12
Veterans Welfare Commission
1946
10 / 13
Westinghouse lamps agency
1939
10 / 14
War Food Administration purchase certificates for
rationed farm equipment
1944
10 / 15
World War II taxes (includes retail excise,
telephone, income, victory)
1941-1944
RESTRICTED
Miscellany
10 / 16
Miscellaneous (includes Montana Board of Railroad
Commissioners order re motor carrier insurance, Rocky Mountain Sportsmen's
Association petition, Extension Service newsletter, raffle prize)
1937-1942
Oliver J. Galt, Personal
1921-1942
General Correspondence
10 / 17
Chronological
1925-1942
Financial Records
10 / 18
Invoices and receipts
1921-1940
10 / 19
Promissory notes
1933-1941
Legal Documents
10 / 20
Mortgage, contract
1938-1942
Miscellany
10 / 21
House plan
undated
Oliver J. Galt, Drayage Business
1926-1944
General Correspondence
11 / 1
Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners, Tintinger
Gravel Company
1938-1939
Financial Records
11 / 2-5
General ledgers
1926-1937
11 / 6
Insurance
1937
11 / 7
Invoices (mostly undated)
circa 1926-1944
12 / 1
Journal
1928-1929
Reports
12 / 2
Quarterly and annual reports to Montana Board of
Railroad Commissioners
1941-1944
Galt Brothers Farm and Ranch Business
1921-1965
General Correspondence
12 / 3
Chronological
1930-1933, 1943
Financial Records
12 / 4-6
General ledgers (also includes O. J. Galt personal
and drayage records)
1954-1955, 1965
13 / 1
Grain elevator receipts
1930, 1941-1945
13 / 2
Hail insurance proof of loss
1939
13 / 3
Invoices (scattered)
1921-1934
13 / 4
Journal (mostly empty, includes several pages
concerning cattle sales and shipments)
1927-1928
13 / 5-7
Sales of cattle
1928-1939
13 / 8
Sales of fur (includes skunk, weasel, and
wolf)
1934-1937
13 / 9
Sales of hogs
1929-1930, undated
13 / 10
Sales of steer hides
1929-1930, 1943-1945
Subject Files
13 / 11
Federal Agricultural Credit Corporation loan for
range cattle (Jessie Galt)
1933-1934
13 / 12
U. S. Agricultural Adjustment Administration
(includes Federal Crop Insurance)
1933-1944
13 / 13
U. S. Commodity Credit Corporation
1942-1944
13 / 14
U. S. Farm Security Administration
1939, undated
13 / 15
U. S. Office of Defense Transportation
1943
13 / 16
World War II farm programs
1941-1944, undated
Miscellany
13 / 17
Beef inspection certificates
1930-1939, 1945
Ford Garage and Dealership (Glen A. Galt & Rollin D. Galt)
1917-1918, 1939
General Correspondence
13 / 18
Chronological
1917-1918
Financial Records
13 / 19
Invoices (scattered)
1917-1918
Legal Documents
13 / 20
Distributor's agreement with Pennsylvania Rubber
Company; conditional sales contract on trucks
1917, 1939