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John J. Powers papers, circa 1871-1968

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Powers, John J.
Title
John J. Powers papers
Dates
circa 1871-1968 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.4 linear feet
Collection Number
1392, Collection 1392, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
John J. Powers was a cartoonist, illustrator, and miner who worked primarily for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in Butte, Montana, from the mid 1920s until 1968. The John J. Powers papers document his work as a cartoonist and illustrator for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company as well as life in Butte, Montana, and experiences during World War II and consist of correspondence, posters, pamphlets, and photographs. The documents include correspondence and pamphlets from the Anaconda Company's Bureau of Safety as well as safety posters and pencil drawings by Powers. The photographs are of mines and miners in Butte in the late 1930s and early 1940s, soldiers and German prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II, and Fort Logan (Camp Baker) Montana.
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
Collection materials are in English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
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Historical Note

John J. Powers was born about 1904, in Providence, Rhode Island, the third son of Irish immigrants John J. Powers and Mary Mahar Powers. The family moved to Butte, Montana, not long after his birth where his father worked as a miner in the copper mining industry. John (Jr.) grew up in Butte and spent most of his life working as a cartoonist and miner for the Anaconda Mining Company. He began working in the mid-1920s as a cartoonist, not long after he completed high school. During the 1930s he worked as a miner, returning to cartooning in the 1940s. He retired in 1968 and remained in Butte, where he died on November 9, 1989.

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Content Description

The John J. Powers papers document his work as a cartoonist and illustrator for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company as well as life in Butte, Montana, and experiences during World War II. The documents in this collection focus primarily on mining safety and include correspondence and pamphlets from the Anaconda Company's Bureau of Safety. While not extensive, Power's artwork is represented by several mine safety posters, including several original pencil drawings. The bulk of the photographs are of mines and miners in Butte in the late 1930s and 1940s, produced by various photographers, and likely for Anaconda Company materials. There are also photographs of soldiers in both the European and Pacific theaters during World War II, the homefront, and German prisoners of war (POWs). These appear to have been sent to the Anaconda Company for use in their materials. Photographs of Fort Logan (Camp Baker), located in Meagher County, Montana, are also found in the Powers papers.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Creator Name], [Date of Creation], [Brief Description of Object], Folder [#], Box [#], [Collection Name], [Collection #], Montana State University (MSU) Library, Bozeman, MT

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Series 1 Anaconda Company Bureau of Safety correspondence, posters, and pamphlets

Series 2 Photographs

Subseries A World War II Subseries B Butte, Montana, Mines

Acquisition Information

The John J. Powers Papers were donated to Special Collections by his niece, Mrs. Joe Williams, in 1978.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2010 October 18

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Cartoonists--Montana--Butte
  • Mine safety--Montana
  • Miners--Montana--Butte--Photographs
  • Mines and Mineral Resources--Montana--Butte (Mont.)--Photographs
  • Savings bonds--United States
  • Soldiers--United States--Photographs
  • World War, 1939-1945 --Campaigns--France--Normandy--Photographs
  • World War, 1939-1945 --Medical care--Photographs
  • World War, 1939-1945 --War work--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Anaconda Company. Bureau of Safety
  • Anaconda Copper Mining Company
  • United States. Army. Parachute troops--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Butte (Mont.)--Photographs
  • Camp Baker (Mont.)--Photographs
  • Fort Logan (Mont. : Fort)--Photographs
  • Montana

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs
  • Photographs
  • Posters

Kim Allen Scott, 2010. Anne Foster
2025

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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