Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Charles P. Blakeley Papers, 1858-1912
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Blackeley, Charles P., 1834-1912
- Title
- Charles P. Blakeley Papers
- Dates
- 1858-1912 (inclusive)18581912
- Quantity
- 0.4 linear feet
- Collection Number
- 2440
- Summary
- The Charles P. Blakeley Papers consist of legal and financial documents which include: receipts for taxes and other personal business from Kansas Territory and Gallatin County; an Attorney's License from the Supreme Court of Montana Territory; a certificate of election as sheriff of Gallatin County; appointment as the Register of the Land Office in Bozeman, Montana; certificates from the Knights of Honor and the Society of Montana Pioneers; lists recording settlers of Old Central Park and Confederate Veterans of Sterling Price Camp No. 1378; letters and a telegram (from W.A. Clark); newspaper clippings; manuscripts of memorable events of his life plus a book length autobiography titled "A Sketch of the Life of Charles Presston Blakeley as Told by Himself" and assorted memorabilia and ephemera.
- 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
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Charles P. Blakeley was born in Missouri on June 6, 1834. He married Elizabeth Downing in 1856 in Kansas. When the Civil War broke out, Blakeley enlisted in the Missouri State Guard and served under General Sterling Price in the first six months of the conflict. Blakeley attempted to quit the war and return home, but was arrested by the Union Army as a former Confederate soldier. He escaped confinement in St. Joseph, Missouri and with his family moved west, arriving in Denver in 1863. They proceeded to Virginia City, Montana, arriving on May 16, 1964. In October, they moved to the Gallatin Valley where Blakeley purchased farmland, which he called Farmington Ranch near Old Central City on the West Gallatin River. From 1866-67, he served in the Montana Territorial Legislature. After mining in Deer Lodge County, Montana in 1870, he returned to the Gallatin Valley and became an undersheriff for John C. Guy, 1871-72. After running for sheriff unsuccessfully, he returned to his ranch between 1874-1878. In 1878 he moved to Bozeman, where he was under sheriff for William S. McKinzie and the deputy assessor for four years. In 1882 he was elected Sheriff of Gallatin County. Charles P. Blakeley served as a legislator and the Speaker of the 1st State Legislature in 1888. He was appointed as the Register of the US Land Office in Bozeman, 1894-1898. In 1908 he was elected Sergeant at Arms of the Montana Legislature. Charles P. Blakeley died February 24, 1912 at the age of 77.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Blakeley papers consist of legal and financial documents which include: receipts for taxes and other personal business from Kansas Territory and Gallatin County; an Attorney's License from the Supreme Court of Montana Territory; a certificate of election as sheriff of Gallatin County; appointment as the Register of the Land Office in Bozeman, Montana; certificates from the Knights of Honor and the Society of Montana Pioneers; lists recording settlers of Old Central Park and Confederate Veterans of Sterling Price Camp No. 1378; letters and a telegram (from W.A. Clark); newspaper clippings; manuscripts of memorable events of his life plus a book length autobiography titled "A Sketch of the Life of Charles Presston Blakeley as Told by Himself" and assorted memorabilia and ephemera. All items have been calendared in the following inventory. Unless otherwise indicated, all manuscripts are handwritten, or printed forms filled out in handwriting.
New addition: In the summer of 2002, retired Montana State University faculty member A. Hayden Furgeson typed a transcription of the original manuscripts from folders 14 through 20. The transcription was not checked against the originals and remains unedited. It was added to the collection on December 3, 2010 to assist researchers.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Legal papersReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 1
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Deed from John C. Guy to Charles P. Blakeley |
||
Attorney's License from Supreme Court, Montana Territory |
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Knights of Honor benefit certificate |
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Certification of election as Gallatin County Sheriff |
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Society of Montana Pioneers certificate |
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Financial papersReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 2
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Tax receipt signed J. V. Jameson, Doniphan County, Kansas Territory |
||
Tax receipt signed A. M. Pitts, Doniphan County, Kansas Territory |
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Promissory note to bank, Iowa Point, Kansas Territory |
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Receipt for horses, Theodore Dickinson, Denver, Colorado |
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Receipt for yoke of cattle, Denver, Colorado |
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Receipt for taxes, Gallatin County, Montana |
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Receipt for payment as administrator of Robinson estate |
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Receipt for payment as administrator of Robinson estate |
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Receipt for payment as administrator of Robinson estate |
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Receipt for taxes, Gallatin County, Montana signed by T. B. Gray |
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Receipt for poor tax, Gallatin County, Montana signed by T. B. Gray |
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Receipt for taxes, Gallatin County, Montana signed by Territorial Auditor |
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Homestead receipt from Daniel McCreery (Application # 630) |
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Receipt for taxes, Gallatin County, Montana |
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Receipt from Davis and Sperling, Dry Goods |
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Receipt for poor tax signed B. M. Dawes, Gallatin County, Montana |
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Newspaper subscription receipt, Weekly Independent, Helena, Montana |
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Receipt for taxes from W. H. Bailey, Gallatin County, Montana |
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A. Lamme & Co. Ledger account page |
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Post office box receipt |
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Receipt for registered letter |
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Receipt for advertising and printing tickets, Avant Courier, Bozeman |
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Receipt from Dr. George W. Monroe |
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Lists of Gallatin County residents for:Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 3
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Those who settled near Old Central Park |
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A roster of Sterling Price Camp No. 1378 - Bozeman, Montana |
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Letters and telegram:Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 4
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Letter to C.P. Blakeley from Samuel Wood concerning Attorney License, Virginia City, Montana |
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Congratulatory telegram from W.A. Clark, Montana Senator |
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Envelope (only) postmarked Miles City, Montana sent to John E. Shaw, Colstrip, Montana |
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Newspaper clippings:Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 5
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
Notice of NPRR celebration, Grand Marshall C.P. Blakeley |
||
Captain James Blakeley, Oregon pioneer celebrates 95th birthday |
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Article written by C. P. Blakeley for Miner (Butte) about his career |
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St. Joseph (Missouri) Gazette - "How Blakeley Got out of Jail" |
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Obituary of Mrs. Chas. P. Blakely (sic) |
||
Memorabilia and ephemeraReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 6
| Container(s) | Description | |
|---|---|---|
YMCA invitation to Halloween Carnival |
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Pencil tablet cover with a few scanty notes present (date unknown) |
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Remembrance card commemorating Charles P. Blakeley at time of his death |
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Biographical notes about his ancestors and his childhoodReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 7
Biographical notes about his career in politicsReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 8
Typed story "Jennie" - about his imprisonment and escape during the Civil War and his woman helper - handwritten editingReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 9
The story "The Killing of Col. Kimble and Capt. Smith by the Sioux in 1865"Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 10
The story "My First Visit to Bozeman," Christmas 1865Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 11
Typed story "Indian Raid and Its Results, 1869" with handwritten addendum naming Andrew H. Murray as sourceReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 12
The story "In this My Last" about mining for gold in Deer Lodge County at Gold CreekReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 13
Autobiography "A Sketch of the Life of Charles Preston Blakeley as Told by Himself," pp 1 - 377Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 14-20
Life Sketch fragments plus summary list of careers and typed song lyricReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 21
Photograph, on verso: Charles P. Blakeley before 1889 by J. Towner, Broadway Gallery, Helena, MontanaReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 22
A Sketch of the Life of Charles Preston Blakeley as Told by Himself, unedited transcriptReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1, Folder 23
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Montana--Gallatin Valley
- Pioneers-Montana-Gallatin Valley
Personal Names
- Blakeley, Charles P., 1834-1912-Biography
- Blakeley, Charles P., 1834-1912-Photographs
Geographical Names
- Gallatin County (Mont.)-History
- Gallatin Valley (Mont.)-History
Form or Genre Terms
- Autobiographies-Montana-Gallatin County
- Personal papers-Montana-Gallatin County
Kim Allen Scott, 2010. Updated by Heather Mulliner, 2022.
2022
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
