Rosa V. Beall was born in Lewis County, New York, June 29, 1838, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Barker. She was a graduate of music and art from Fairfield Seminary, New York. With her first husband, A. H. Van Vlierden and two daughters, she crossed the plains in 1864, arriving in Bozeman August 1 of that year. Van Vlierden and Rosa divorced in 1867 and in November 1868 she was married to William J. Beall, one of the founders of Bozeman. They lived in a home built by Beall in 1868 located on the ground now known as Beall Park until 1920 when the property, about five acres, was purchased through popular subscription for a recreational center. Mrs. Beall was prominent member of Bozeman society and wrote articles dealing with the history of the community. She took and active interest in civic and church affairs. She was one of the organizers of the Pioneers Society of Gallatin County, a charter member of St. James Episcopal church, the Lily of the Valley chapter order of the Eastern star and of the Masonic Women's Auxiliary. Mrs. Beall died on April 16, 1930 at the age of 92.
Scrapbook containing photographs, newspaper clippings, and personal memorabilia all pertaining to the Beall family or the history of Bozeman and Gallatin County and collected by Rosa V. Beall. Most of the newspaper clippings appear to be from Bozeman newspapers and date from the early twentieth century. Subjects mentioned in the clippings include: Beall Park, Bogert's Grove, Bozeman Opera House, Commercial National Bank of Bozeman, East Gallatin Farmer's Club, Episcopal Church, Fairfield Seminary, Mystic Lake Dam flood, Freemasonry, Railroads, and the West Gallatin Highway. Persons mentioned in clippings include: Mrs. William W. Alderson, William J. Beall, Rosa Grace Black, John Bozeman, William S. Brackett, Leigh Richmond Brewer, Henry T.T.P. Comstock, Thomas Cover, Phillip Dodson, Jim Gourley, Mrs. John C. Guy, Barney Hughes, Mrs. E. L. Houston, George W. Irvin, Frank Bradley Lewis, J. D. McCamman, William Rea, James U. Sanders, George D. Thomas, Daniel S. Tuttle, John Vanderbilt, and David R. Weaver.
This collection is open for research.
Scrapbook containing newspaper clippings and personal memorabilia collected or created by Rosa V. Beall was donated to Montana State University by Edwin F. Alderson, Montana State College Class of 1936.
This collection was processed 2009 February 9