Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 1033, MtBC, us
Ewing, Helen C.,
1903-1985
Helen C. Ewing Papers
1901-1971
.4 linear feet
This Helen C. Ewing Papers consists primarily of Robert
Ewing's working papers including: 4 years of a daily work diary during 1940-1943; contracts,
work estimates, bids and specifications; newspaper clippings; reports; and correspondence.
Also present are photocopied news clippings about Robert, Helen and Angus McLeod; mining
claim correspondence and associated papers; ration coupons from WWII and assorted
memorabilia and photographs.
Collection materials are in English
Biographical Note
Helen C. Ewing was born in Butte, Montana in 1903 the daughter of Angus B. McLeod who was a mine
supervisor for the Black Rock Mine, the Sheriff of Silver Bow County from 1926-1929 and a
State Legislator in 1923. She received her B.A. from Montana State University (U of M),
Missoula, MT in 1925 and the Carnegie Library School of the Carnegie Institute of
Technology, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In 1932 Helen married Robert L. Ewing in 1938. He was a civil
engineer with the Montana Highway Department stationed in Butte at the time. Robert Lee
Ewing was born in Pendleton, Oregon in 1884. After high school he took an I. C. S. Course in
Civil Engineering and worked his way from an instrument man in 1901 to an engineer in 1909.
He worked for several companies and as an independent contractor on railroad and road
construction from 1901 to 1917. In 1917 he joined the Idaho Highway Department and served as
District Engineer for District no. 6 from April 1919 - May 1921. In May 1921 he became a
civil engineer for the Montana State Highway Department and supervised construction of many
difficult mountainous miles of roads. He was let go in 1949 at the age of 65 after 27 years
of service. Robert and Helen settled in Glasgow Montana where he sold mutual funds and she was
the City-County Librarian. In 1952 he bid and received a contract to upgrade the Glasgow
Airport as an independent contractor. He also researched and held interests in mining claims
throughout his career. In 1962, they moved to Bozeman, Montana where Robert died in April 1971.
Helen retired as the Circulation Librarian (Assistant Professor Emerita) at Montana State
University, Bozeman, Montana in 1972.
This collection consists primarily of Robert Ewing's working papers including: 4 years of a
daily work diary during 1940-1943; contracts, work estimates, bids and specifications;
newspaper clippings; reports; and correspondence. Also present are photocopied news
clippings about Robert, Helen and Angus McLeod; mining claim correspondence and associated
papers; ration coupons from WWII and assorted memorabilia and photographs.
This collection is open for research.
Helen C. Ewing donated papers of her husband Robert L. Ewing during his career as a Civil
Engineer for the Idaho and Montana Highway Departments along with mining claims and
correspondence; personal papers about her father Angus McLeod, her husband and herself
including newspaper clippings and family photographs in 1972. She donated a group of family
WWII ration books in 1984. The latter items, originally assigned collection number 1398,
have been incorporated into this collection.
This collection was processed 2008 August 1
Ewing, Helen C.,
1903-1985
Ewing, Robert L. (Robert Lee),
1884-1971
McLeod, Angus B. (Angus
Benjamin), 1873-1938
Ewing, Robert L. (Robert Lee),
1884-1971
Idaho-Bureau of
Highways
Montana-Highway Dept
Airports-Montana-Glasgow
Highway engineering-Idaho
Highway engineering-Montana
Highway engineers-Montana-Diaries
Mining claims-Montana
Women librarians-Montana
World War, 1939-1945-Economic
aspects-Montana
Family papers-Montana
Photographs
Ration books
Civil engineers-Idaho
Civil engineers-Montana
Mining and Mineral
resources
Women
Idaho
Montana
Photographs
1/1
Robert L. Ewing vita; contract from Intermountain
Railway Company, 1914
through 1927
1914
1/2
Contract for Idaho Highway Department project, spec papers and
department employee list
1918-1919
1/3
Idaho Highway Department - correspondence; news clipping;
financial report
1920-1921
1/4
District #6 report by Robert Ewing in the State of
Idaho, Department of Public Works, 1st Biennial Report
for period ending December 31, 1920
1/5
Correspondence about job application for Spokane,
Washington job
March 1924
1/6
Blackfeet Scenic Road - correspondence, work estimates,
newspaper clipping
1925-1929
1/7
Right of Way correspondence, condemnation order, final
reports
1935
1/8
Daily work diary from and related papers and
correspondence
November 12, 1940-December 31, 1943
1/9
Bids, agreements and map of Glasgow Airport construction
project
1952-1953
1/10
Mineral and mining claims - correspondence, agreements
and productivity
1925-1961
1/11
Photocopied news clippings and news clippings about
Robert and Helen Ewing and Angus McLeod
1/12
Memorabilia- ration coupons in leather wallet,
retirement program, clippings, humorous writings
1/13
Photographs 1-5: Black Rock Mine, Angus McLeod, State
Legislature, Angus and mine tour
1923
1/14
Photographs 6-7: Helen McLeod; Helen Ewing at children's
story hour
1921
1961
1/15
Photographs 8-13: Royal Order of Jesters, Chas Miller
Birthday party
1932
1/16
Photographs 14-20: Movie set of "Told in the Hills" with
Monte Blue in Glacier Natl. Park
1918
1/17
Photograph negatives for #1, 2, 4, 7, 21
Oversize - photographs and certificates,
21-25
(in separate box)
1/21
Miners at Black Rock Mine, Butte with Angus McLeod and
Helen
1912
1/22
Miners at unknown mine with Angus McLeod
circa 1900
1/23
State Legislature poster with individual member
portraits, Angus McLeod
1923
1/24
Certificate of membership, NW Assn of Sheriffs and
Police, Angus McLeod
1929
1/25
U.S. Bureau of Mine certificate of Mine Rescue training,
Angus McLeod
1914