Conrad V. Anderson was born on May 2, 1893 in Spokane, Washington. He moved with his family to the Roy, Montana area in 1910 where he worked on the family ranch. Eventually Anderson filed on his own claim and became a rancher himself. Apart from service in World War I, Anderson continued to live near Roy until about 1969 when he moved to Lewistown, Montana. Married on October 20, 1926 to Engeline Blais, Anderson had three children; Alvin, Gordon, and Casey. Anderson died in Lewistown on April 21, 1977.
In 1965 Conrad Anderson was contacted by MSU Special Collections librarian Minnie Paugh for the collection of historical information on central Montana. An amateur historian, Anderson had composed a number of essays and compiled research notes on his own life story, homesteading in central Montana, the vigilante activity of 1884, the Stuart and Fergus families, and the family experiences of many of his neighbors in Fergus County. His photocopied manuscripts include: "Early History of Roy and Community" around 1954; "Homestead Days," a brief handwritten autobiographical sketch; a typed transcription of lengthy autobiographical essay edited by Minnie Paugh; "The Last, Best West," a manuscript edited by Anna Zellick that again gives general Roy area history and autobiographical information; a small booklet of historical notes; letter from John W. Peck of Garneill Montana, March 24, 1954 explaining how Roy was named; letter from Ethel Young of Vancouver, Washington, August 22, 1965 giving a biographical sketch of her grandfather, Rezin Anderson, who worked as a ranch hand for Granville Stuart; photographs of the Rezin Anderson family and homes in Fergus County.
This collection is open for research.
Historical essays, notes, research letters, and photographs collected or created by Conrad V. Anderson of Roy, Montana, were loaned to Montana State University Library in several different installments from 1966 to 1971. The originals were returned and their present location is unknown. An additional Anderson manuscript was loaned to the MSU Library for copying by Anna Zellick of Lewistown, Montana in 1974. This collection incorporates former collection numbers 571 and 2044.
This collection was processed 2012 June 27