Cowan Family Papers - Archives West

Cowan Family Papers, 1893-1966

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Cowan family
Title: Cowan Family Papers
Dates: 1893-1966
18931966
Quantity: 28.2 linear feet
Collection Number: Collection 643, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary: The Cowan Family Papers consist of letters, diaries, speeches, printed materials, legal and land commission papers, and financial records. Subjects include: the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, family history, Montana and U.S. politics, Montana land, irrigation and mining projects, and the State Board of Education.
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: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Historical NoteReturn to Top

In 1888, David Cowan moved from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Cypress, Montana with his wife, Jane McKina Cowan, and his 3 children. There he started a trading post which, at the request of homesteaders, he relocated to Box Elder in June 1889. By the early twentieth-century, the Box Elder trading post had evolved into a general store, the Cowan family had started a 8,000 acre ranch, and they had built a second store on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. David's son, William Thomas, joined him in running the family businesses in Box Elder at the age of fifteen. David Cowan died in 1925. As an adult, William T. Cowan took an active role in Montana politics and educational institutions. He was a state senator from 1921-1933, a U.S. Land Commissioner for 45 years as well as the chairman of the Hill County State Republican Committee. W.T. Cowan was also instrumental in negotiating the Marias River Project. He served on the State Board of Education and assisted in founding Northern Montana College where he has a hall dedicated in his name. W.T. Cowan and his wife, Margery Jacoby Cowan had three children, Jean, Virginia and William E. Cowan. W.T. Cowan died in January 1951. His son, William E. Cowan, continued to further the family business by establishing a grain elevator in the mid-1940s. W.E. Cowan attended the University of Montana, was an attorney, a member of the State Board of Education, and was active in the Montana Stockgrower's Association. W.E. Cowan and his wife Annabelle had one son, William Cowan, the donor of this collection.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Cowan Family papers consist of letters, diaries, speeches, printed materials, legal and land commission papers, and financial records. Documents have been divided into two groups, Family Records and Financial Records, each containing its own series and subseries. Group 1, Family Records, refers to the following series of: Correspondence, Biographical Materials, W.T. Cowan's Land Commission Papers, the Rocky Boy Store, Legal Papers, Political Speeches, and Photographs. In general, Family Records are organized according to subject or function, therefore, some overlap in subjects has been unavoidable. The series of Correspondence has been divided into 6 subseries, generally titled according to subject. Related documentation and some printed materials have been organized within each subseries. For example, the meeting minutes for the State Board of Education have been placed with W.E. Cowan's letters regarding his work with the State Board. W.T. Cowan corresponded and worked with a number of noted persons in his professional careers, among those found in these documents are President Harry S. Truman, Senator Burton K. Wheeler, and Governors Sam Ford and Roy E. Ayers. W.T. Cowan also kept a journal of his visit to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and wrote a family history of which there are multiple drafts which have been placed in the Biographical Materials series. W.T. and W.E. Cowan's professional papers contain information concerning Montana and U.S. politics, Montana land, irrigation and mining projects, and the State Board of Education. Group 2, Financial Records, refers to Cowan and Son Store Records, Grain Elevator Records, Phillips Gas Records, Bank Records, and Cowan Taxes. Series have been designated according to the business. Within each series documents have been separated according to document type and then arranged chronologically. Copies of customer receipts, financial statements and other loose leaf materials are followed by notebooks containing daily tallies and then by inventories. Business ledgers and account books are not comprehensive. Those years not documented in ledgers generally have loose leaf materials which can help supply information for the missing period. Cowan taxes have been arranged chronologically and file titles indicate whether the file contains federal or state tax returns, or both.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Group 1 Family Records

Series 1 Correspondence, 1911-1962

Subseries 1 - General Correspondence, 1911-1962

Subseries 2 - State Board of Education, 1939-1940, 1951-1952

Subseries 3 - Marias River Project, 1920s-1957

Subseries 4 - Senate, 1923-1944

Subseries 5 - Mining, 1911-1952

Subseries 6 - Rocky Boy Reservation Store, 1924-1953

Series 2 Speeches

Series 3 Biographical Materials, 1893-1966

Series 4 Cowan and Son: Ranch and Store, 1916-1953

Series 5 Legal Papers, 1901-1954

Series 6 Land Papers, 1910-1930

Series 7 Photographs and Pictures, circa 1890s-1952

Group 2 Financial Records, 1910-1962

Series 1 Cowan and Son Store Records, 1911-1962

Series 2 Grain Elevator Records, 1946-1960

Series 3 Phillips Gas Records,1908-1962

Series 4 Bank Records, 1957-1962

Series 5 Cowan Taxes, 1911-1952

Acquisition Information

Personal and professional papers created or collected by members of the Cowan family between 1893 and 1966 were donated to Special Collections by William Cowan in January 1996.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 May 5

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Group 1: Family RecordsReturn to Top

Group 1 refers to both personal and professional papers of the Cowan family. Documents have been generally organized by subject, and therefore, there is an unavoidable overlap with some materials. For example, photographs of William T. Cowan's work on the Tiber Dam project are contained in both the Marias River Project, Series 4 and Photographs, Series 7. Financial Records have been organized in Group 2. Any financial records found in Group 1 are pertinent to business correspondence and have been organized with the surrounding documentation.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Series 1: Correspondence Correspondence has been divided into 6 subseries according to subject. Subseries titles indicated the overall subject matter of those letters. Related documentation has been kept with the original correspondence. For instance, the letters regarding the Marias River Project often contain relevant news clippings and photos.	1911-1962
	Subseries 1: General Correspondence Personal, ranch, store and political correspondence created or collected by W.T. Cowan, W.E. Cowan and Annabel Cowan. The letters pertain to ranch and store business, vacations, senate business, W.E.'s attorney letters and the Havre area Correspondents include Governor Roy E. Ayres, F.A. Buttrey, Dr. G. H. Vande Bogart, U.S. Senator Zales N. Ector, Governor Sam Ford, Oscar C. Hauge, William W. Jones, J.C. Price and A.H. Stafford. Geographic areas mentioned outside of Montana include San Diego, California, Fishkill, New York, Tusner, Oregon and Ukiah, California. Letters have been arranged chronologically.	1911-1962
Box/Folder
1/1		1911–1920
1/2		1921–1925
1/3		1926–1930
1/4		January 1931–July 1932
1/5		November 1932–1940
1/6		1941
1/7		1942–1947
1/8		1946–1947
1/9		1948–1950
1/10		1952–1953
1/11		1962
1/12		undated
	Subseries 2: State Board of Education Letters created and collected by W.T. and W.E. Cowan contain information pertaining to the State Board of Education; annual reports, magazine articles, meeting minutes, and budgets have been arranged alphabetically by subject. Correspondents include Governor Hugo Aronson, Governor Roy E., Ayers, Dr. G.H. Vande Bogart, Governor John Bonner, Mary M. Condon and Ruth Reardon.	1939-1952
Box/Folder
2/1	W.E. Cowan	1951–1952
2/2	Custodial Institutions	1951
2/3	Custodial Institutions	1952
2/4	High School Accreditation	1951–1952
2/5	High School Teachers Standards	1951–1952
2/6	Miscellaneous
2/7	Montana School for the deaf and blind	1939–1940
2/8A	Montana State Film Library
2/8B	Northern Montana College	1927–1929
2/9	Reading Council
2/10	State Board of Education	1950–1951
2/11	State Board Minutes
2/12	Transportation	1950–1951
2/13	Vocational Education	1939–1940
2/14-15	Vocational Education	1952
2/16	University Crisis	1939
3/1	University Crisis	1940
3/2	University System	February–April 1952
3/3	University System	May–December 1952; undated 1952
	Subseries 3: Marias River Project Correspondence and other materials pertaining to the Marias River Project, Tiber Dam and surrounding irrigation projects have been arranged alphabetically by subject. Maps, Engineer reports, blueprints, pictures, newspaper and magazine clippings, water conservation reports and documents of incorporation. Letters created and collected by W.T. and W.E. Cowan concerning other irrigation programs and leases on land near Lonesome Lake Reservoir. Correspondents include U.S. Senator Earl Bronson, George Campbell, Zales N. Ecton, Judge C.B. Elwell, U.S. Senator James E. Murray and U.S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler. An asterisk indicates oversize materials which have been removed and placed in Box 16.	1920s-1957
Box/Folder
4/1	Big Sandy Pumping Project
4/2	Clippings – Marias River Project
4/3	Clippings and Pictures – Tiber Dam*
4/4	Condemnation – Tiber Dam
4/5	Correspondence
4/6	Correspondence*	1935–1957
4/7	Irrigation Project	1926
4/8	Lonesome Lake Project*
4/9	Lonesome Lake Reservoir Site – Leases
4/10-11	Marias River Project
	Subseries 4: Senate Correspondence created and collected by Senator W.T. Cowan have been arranged alphabetically by subject. Pertinent additional materials include legislative memoranda, resolutions, memorials, bills introduced and passed, committees assignments and newspaper clippings. Correspondents include F.A. Buttrey and Max P. Kuhr.	1923-1944
Box/Folder
5/1	Agriculture exhibits at fairs
5/2	Agriculture relief from President
5/3	Bourine, Honorable George B. – Commemoration
5/4	Committees
5/5	County Boundaries
5/6	Custodial Institutions Finance
5/7	Elevator and warehouse districts
5/8	Government Economy
5/9A	Hilger, David – Speech to Senate	1931
5/9B	Hill County Central Committee Republican Party
5/10	House Bill 1–60	(1931)
5/11	House Bill 61–140	(1931)
5/12	House Bill 141–230	(1931)
5/13	House Bill 231–330	(1931)
5/14	House Bill 331–450	(1931)
5/15	House Joint Memorial 1–8	(1931)
5/16	House Joint Resolution 1–10	(1931)
5/17	Industrial use of gasoline
5/18	Irrigation
5/19	Legislative issues
5/20	Livestock
5/21	Miscellaneous
5/22	Paroles and pardons
5/23	Political campaign
5/24	Primary elections
5/25	Rules and milage Rules – 1931; Mileage special session	1931
5/26	Salaries	1931
6/1	Senate Bill 1–56	(1931)
6/2	Senate Bill 57–127	(1931)
6/3	Senate Joint Memorial 3–7	(1931)
6/4	Senate Joint Resolution 1–6	(1931)
6/5	State agencies finance
6/6	Taxation and exemptions
6/7	University system–Northern Montana College
6/8	University system–mileage fund–building at Montana State University Bozeman
6/9	University system–mileage fund–building at Montana State University Bozeman – Book	(1929)
	Subseries 5: Mining Letters created and collected by W.T. and W.E. Cowan pertaining to and other information concerning supply contracts, leases, mine analysis, financial ledgers and reports. Also includes blue print for mining equipment. Correspondents include Governor Roy E. Ayers, W.B. Fry and C.F. O'Hara. An asterisk indicates oversize materials that have been removed and placed in Box 16.	1911-1952
Box/Folder
7/1	Bear Paw Mining and Milling*
7/2	Blue Flame Coal Mine
7/3	Dixon Gold Mine
7/4	Duck Creek Coal Mine
7/5	Earl Booth Coal Settlement
7/6	Financial records
7/7	Lime Rock Mine
7/8	Oil leases and information
7/9	Phosphate
7/10	Vermiculite
	Subseries 6: Rocky Boy Reservation Store Letters created and collected by W.T. Cowan pertaining to uncollected Indian debts, purchase vouchers, beef contracts, licenses, bill of sales, formation of reservation and land sales to reservation. Correspondents include Senator Burton K. Wheeler and Earl Woolridge.	1924-1953
Box/Folder
8/1	Bills, Rocky Boy Agency
8/2	Cattle – Indian
8/3	Debts– Uncollected Indian
8/4	Grazing leases – Rocky Boy Reservation
8/5	History – Rocky Boy Reservation
8/6	Location – Rocky Boy Reservation
8/7	Rocky Boy Mill
8/8	Store – Rocky Boy Reservation	1931–1939
8/9	Store – Rocky Boy Reservation	1940–1953
	Series 2: Speeches Speeches written and delivered by W.T. Cowan. Speeches include campaign speeches, the dedication of Northern Montana College, commencement addresses and Montana History.
Box/Folder
9/1	Campaign speeches
9/2	Commencement addresses
9/3	North Central Montana History
9/4	Republican party speeches
9/5	Senate campaign speeches
9/6	Speeches–miscellaneous civic
	Series 3: Biographical Materials Obituaries and death announcements of family members from 1906 to 1959. Writings of W.T. Cowan including an Indian Creation story, Three Tense Moments in the Montana State Legislature and Memoirs of W.T. Cowan. Newspaper clippings about deaths, store thefts and accomplishments of W.T. Cowan. W.T.'s diary kept while attending the World Fair in 1893. Documents have been arranged alphabetically by subject.	1893-1966
Box/Folder
10/1	Cowan, Margery Jacoby
10/2	Cowan, William of Vancouver
10/3	Cowan, William Thomas
10/4	Family History
10/5	Havre History – W.T. Bibliography
10/6	Indian Creation story
10/7	Memoirs – 1st draft
10/8	Memoirs – 2nd draft
10/9	Memoirs – 3rd draft
10/10	Memoirs – final draft
10/11	Newspaper Clippings	1903–1965
10/12	Three Tense Moments in the Montana State Legislature
10/13	World Fair Diary	1893
	Series 4: Cowan and Son: Ranch and Store Correspondence and other information pertaining to ranch and store dealings created and collected by W.T. Cowan have been arranged alphabetically by subject. Partnership agreements, farm lot pools, cattle information, 1956 store theft, Cowan Estate information after David Cowan passed away. Correspondence pertain to depression, drought and loans. Correspondents include Minnie A. Thompson, Grace Cowan Jones, David Cowan, Otto M. Nelson and F.J. Hopkins. An asterisk indicates oversize materials that have been removed and placed in Box 16.	1916-1953
Box/Folder
11/1	Agricultural Adjustment Allotments
11/2	Articles of Co-partnership
11/3	Bills of Sale	1904
11/4	Box Elder Farm Lot Pool
11/5	Box Elder Store*
11/6	Box Elder Store theft	1956
11/7	Cattle	1918; 1937–1938
11/8	Cattle	1941–1944
11/9	Cattle	1951–1953
11/10	Cowan Estate
11/11	Cowan Estate – East Havre Land*
11/12	Credit Rating	1927–1928
11/13	Farm depression and drought	1916–1922
11/14	Farm depression and drought*	1923–1939
11/15	Farm Problems	1929–1936
12/1	Feeder steers	1938–1939
12/2	Great Northern Railroad	1923–1962
12/3	Hereford Bull Registrations	1921; 1952
12/4	Hill County State Bank	1906–1940
12/5	Industrial Accident Board
12/6	Investments	1916–1941
12/7	Janey, Semple, Hill and Co.	1918–1936
12/8	Leases; Oil and Gas
12/9	Milk River Production Credit Association	1940–1943
12/10	Miscellaneous
12/11	Property Assessment Lists	1960–1961
12/12	Rainfall	1881–1913
12/13	State Board of Equalization
12/14	State Licenses
12/15	Unemployment Compensation
12/16	Wintering Contracts	1935–1936
	Series 5: Legal Papers Letters and documentation created and collected by W.T. and W.E. Cowan concerning legal matters in the Box Elder area. Contains lawsuits, wills, insurance information and other matters dealt with by W.E. as an attorney. Documents are arranged alphabetically according to subject. An asterisk indicates oversize materials that have been removed and placed Box 16.	1901-1954
Box/Folder
13/1	Blayney, Mary Eliza – naturalization papers
13/2	Box Elder Churches – Articles of Incorporation
13/3	Box Elder to Schwartz Ranch road deed
13/4	Broadwater, A.J. – suit
13/5	Collard, Harriet Vidal
13/6	Cowan, W.E. – Legal Business
13/7	Durant, Thomas – suit
13/8	Fish and Game Warden
13/9	Fort Assiniboine Indian Reservation
13/10	Fort Peck to Fort Benton Transportation Company	1947
13/11	Good, Henry – Lumber purchase	1935–1936
13/12	Havre National Bank vs. Cowan
13/13	Hickory, W.I. – suit
13/14	Horicka, Anton – Honorable discharge
13/15	Insurance – W.E. Cowan Agent*	1950–1952
13/16	Insurance – W.E. Cowan Agent	1953–1954
13/17	Insurance – Life, store and elevator
13/18	Legal action on theft of bicycle	1917
13/19	Maloney, Dennis F. – Will
13/20	Mckown, John – deed to wife
13/21	Meyer, W.M. – Estate
13/22	Montana Implement Company
13/23	Notarial Commission*
13/24	Postmaster at Box Elder*	1905–1914
13/25	Sandstone Farmers Company Operative Creamery – suit
13/26	Social Security
13/27	Stranahan and Stranahan Law Office
	Series 6: Land Papers Letters and documentation concerning land matters in the Box Elder area. Including abstracts of titles, deeds, desert land qualifications, mortgages and Land Commissioner papers from W.T. Cowan. An asterisk indicates oversize materials that have been removed and placed in Box 16.	1910-1930
Box/Folder
14/1	Beck, Margaret – Sale
14/2	Bennett, Frederick Gordon
14/3	Blanchfield, Edward
14/4	Bly, Celestia E.
14/5	Box Elder Townsite Abstract
14/6	Brough Brothers*
14/7	Button, Benjamin C.
14/8	Card, John
14/9	Clouse, Durrell
14/10	Coombs, E. Clifton
14/11	Corcoran, James
14/12	Cowan, David and W.T.
14/13	Cox, J.D.
14/14	Crump, Dora
14/15	Deeds	1911–1930
14/16	Drake, W.K.
14/17	Dunlop, Ker
14/18	Dyer, Lushion
14/19	English, Charles W.
14/20	Erickson, Charles
14/21	Flatness, Halvor
14/22	Gabrielsen, Edwart
14/23	Glynn, Paul
14/24	Grise, Forrest M.
14/25	Guenser, William G.
14/26	Harlock, Hannah Olson
14/27	Haskell, Pauline
14/28	Hill County Abstract Company
14/29	Hopkins, Justin P.
14/30	Hubbell, Benjamin
14/31	Iowa Land Company
14/32	Johnson
14/33	Kirkley, Dora
14/34	Lafromboise, Isadore C.
14/35	Land Commissioner – W.T. Cowan
14/36	Lantz, William
14/37	Lincoln, William E.
14/38	Martin
14/39	Maurhagen, Olus
14/40	McBride
14/41	McKernan, Michael
14/42	Moyer, Joseph E.
14/43	Nelson, Peter
14/44	Nicholas, Loring A.
14/45	Nielsen Debt
14/46	Pazderic, Kate
14/47	Perham, Mabel MacKerracker
14/48	Peterson, Peter A.
14/49	Pogreba, Francis
14/50	Pond, Elton G.
14/51	Rinker, Annie vs. Thomas Dodd
14/52	Robinson, Thomas
14/53	Shutes, William H.
14/54	Silha, Frank W.
14/55	Slavin, Frank
14/56	Smith, Pauline B.
14/57	Stehlik, Adolph
14/58	Stewart, Alexander
14/59	Stoll, Joseph and Bertha
14/60	Stolz, Jake
15/1	Stott, Elmer
15/2	Taft, Albert
15/3	Tingley, R.S.
15/4	Thompson, Herbert
15/5	Tow, Rachael
15/6	UpJohn, Charles
15/7	Vosen, Conrad
15/8	Wahl, Gottliab G. Jr.
15/9	Walkup, Eugene
15/10	Walls, William
15/11	Wik, Godfred
15/12	Wise, Clarence
15/13	Wyss, Fred
	Series 7: Photographs The Cowan photographs are black and white and pertain both to family life and to William T. and William E. Cowan's professional endeavors in Montana. Photographs have been grouped according to subject. Of interest may be photos of President Truman's visit to Montana to inaugurate the Tiber Dam found in file 15 as well as photos of Montana immigrant farmers of the 1920s and 1930s which can be found in file 16. More photos of the Tiber Dam project are located in Box 4, file 3.
Box/Folder
15/14	Portraits #1–15	circa 1890s–circa 1950
15/15	Business #16–31	circa 1930–1952
15/16	Rural Montana #32–41	circa 1920–1939
15/17	Negatives to Portraits #1–5	circa 1890s–circa 1920
15/18	Cowan and Sons business promotional drawings
box-oversize-folder
16/1	Oversize Materials from Box 4
16/2
16/3	Oversize Materials from Box 11
16/4	Oversize Materials from Box 13
16/5	Oversize Materials from Box 14
16/6	Maps: Montana and Hill County	1916–1959
16/7	Maps: Individual Ownership	1914

Group 2: Financial Records, 1910-1962Return to Top

The financial documents in Group 2 have been divided into 5 series. Each series pertains to the financial records of a distinct business or to banking or government documents.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Series 1: Cowan and Son Store Records Store Records refer to the finances and inventory of both the Box Elder and Rocky Boy Stores. The records easily identified as being from either the Box Elder or the Rocky Boy Store have been labeled accordingly. However, most of the documents have not been separated according to store and have simply been arranged according to document type. The records begin in 1911. Most of the store business records from prior to this date were destroyed in a fire. Documents pertaining to customers, their purchases and billing are in boxes 16-23. Store sales records and inventory are in boxes 24-28. Accounts receivable and payable ledgers, and general ledgers are in boxes 29-31. Invoices from 1915-16, 1918 and 1925-26 are found in 3 volumes, #1-3. As indicated with the dates of invoice records, although extensive, many of the Cowan and Son Store Records are fragmentary and inconsistent.	1911-1962
Box
17	Store Charge Slips Bundled according to date.	1911–1912
18	Store Charge Slips Stapled with adding machine totals.	October/November 1955
19	Store Charge Slips (some missing) Arranged chronologically by month.	1958; 1959
20	Store Charge Slips Arranged chronologically by month.	1960–April 1961
21	Store Charge Slips Arranged chronologically by month.	May 1961–1962
Box/Folder
22/1	Customer Statements: A–B	1913–1914
22/2	Customer Statements: A–B
22/3-4	Customer Statements: C–D
22/5	Customer Statements: E–F
22/6	Customer Statements: G–H
23/1	Customer Statements: G–H	1913–1914
23/2	Customer Statements: I–J
23/3-4	Customer Statements: K–L
23/5-6	Customer Statements: M–N
23/7	Customer Statements: O–P
24/1	Customer Statements: Q–R	1913–1914
24/2	Customer Statements: S
24/3-4	Customer Statements: S–T
24/5	Customer Statements: U–V
24/6	Customer Statements: W–X
24/7	Customer Statements: Y–Z
Box
25	Daily Cash Register Tallies	1956–1962
26	Store Cash Books:
		November 1927–December 1930
		July 1933–January 1934
		February 1934–March 1935
		November 1934–July 1935
		August 1935–January 1937
		April 1935–August 16, 1936
		August 17, 1936–August 22, 1938
		January 1937–April 1939
		August 31, 1938–April 1940
		April 1940–December 1940
		February–December 1947
		January 1948–September 1949
		September 1949–December 1950
		May–November 1951
		January–March 1952
		July–November 1952
		January–November 1953
		January–October 1954
		January–December 1955
26	Daily Sales Records:
		May 1939–April 1940
		May 1940–March 1941
		April 1941–March 1942
		April 1942–March 1943
		March 1943–February 1944
		March 1944–December 1946
26	Safe Journals:
		December 1940–October 1941
		November 1941–August 1942
		August 1942–June 1943
		June 1943–November 1945
		November 1945–December 1946
		January–December 1947
		January 1948–May 1949
		May–November 1949
		November 1949–June 1950
		June–February 1950
Box/Folder
27/1	Rocky Boy Store––Daily Business Record	1942–1952; 1954
27/2	Store Inventory and Settlement	1952
27/3	Store Inventory and Settlement (cont.)	1952
27/4	Store Inventory	1954
27/5	Store Inventory (cont.)	1954
28/1	Box Elder Store––Inventory Notebooks	circa 1950s
28/2	Store Inventory	1951
28/3	Store Inventory	1952
28/4	Store Inventory	1953
28/5	Store Inventory	1960–1961
28/6	Store Inventory Notebooks	1961
28/7	Business Reports	1951
box-oversize
29	General Ledgers:	1905–1910
29	General Ledgers:	1951
29	General Ledgers:	1952
30	General Ledger:	1919–1936
30	Collection Register:	1922; 1923; 1935; 1943–1950
30	Accounts Receivable:	1919; 1936
30	Accounts Receivable:	1952–1953
box-oversize-folder
31/1	Accounts Payable, A–J:	1912–1915
31/2	Accounts Payable, K–Q:	1912–1915
31/3	Accounts Payable, R–Z:	1912–1915
31/4	Accounts Payable:	1950–1951
31/5	"Combined Cash Journal":	Unknown
box-oversize
31	Daily Statement Ledger: (incomplete)	1919; 1949
31	Cash Record Ledger: (incomplete)	Unknown
31	Accounts Payable Ledger:	1916; 1919
32	Banking Record and Purchases Banking Record, 1912–1913 and Purchases, 1919–1927	1912–1913; 1919–1927
32	Volume 1 Invoices:	1915–1916
32	Volume 2 Invoices:	1918
32	Volume 3 Invoices:	1925–1926
	Series 2: Grain Elevator Records Cowan and Son Grain Elevator records have been separated according to document type and then arranged chronologically. Records relating to customers, their use of storage facilities, the quality of their grain and its value are located in boxes 32-56. Documents pertaining to the finances of the grain elevator as a business and grain shipments for the Cowan ranch are found in boxes 57-58.	1946-1960
Box/Folder
33/1-4	Grain Settlements:	1946–1948
34/1-4	Grain Settlements:	1949–1950
35/1-4	Grain Settlements:	1951–1952
36/1-4	Grain Settlements:	1953
37/1-3	Grain Settlements:	1954
38/1-5	Grain Settlements:	1955
39/1-4	Grain Settlements:	January–July 1956
40/1-4	Grain Settlements:	August–December 1956
41/1-4	Grain Settlements:	1957
42/1-3	Grain Settlements:	1958
43/1-4	Grain Settlements:	1959
43/5	Atwood Larson Company Grain Settlements	1944
44/1	Certificate of Grade, Weight and Dockage of Grain: A – H
44/2	A – H (cont.)
44/3	I – R
44/4	S – Z
44/5	Miscellaneous
45/1	Assembling Sheet Book:	1950
45/2	Assembling Sheet Book: A	1950
45/3	Assembling Sheet Book: A	1951–1952
45/4-5	Assembling Sheet Book: B	1951–1952
Box
46-47	Assembling Sheets/Loose Leaf:	1952/1953
Box/Folder
48/1	Assembling Sheet Book:	September 15, 1958–August 9, 1959
48/2	Assembling Sheet Book:	August 10, 1959–June 1960
48/3	Reports of Cash Values:	1951–1953
48/4	Reports of Cash Values:	1953–1954
48/5	Storage Receipts:	1949–1951
48/6	Storage Receipts:	1951–1953
48/7	Storage Receipts:	1953–1955
48/8	Storage Receipts:	1956–1957
Box
49	Grain Storage Tickets: (bundles according to date)	1951–1952
50	Grain Storage Tickets:	1953–1954
Box/Folder
51/1	Grain Inspection Certification:	1951
51/2	Grain Inspection Certification:	1954
51/3	Wheat Sample Reports:	1955
51/4	Wheat Sample Reports:	1956
51/5	Wheat Sample Reports:	1957
51/6	Wheat Sample Reports:	1958
51/7	Wheat Grade and Weight Tickets:	1958
51/8	Wheat Grade and Weight Tickets:	1959
52/1	Wheat Grade and Weight Receipt Books:	August 22–September 8, 1955
52/2		August 22–November 7, 1955
52/3		September 8, 1955–April 2, 1956
52/4		September 10, 1955–January 10, 1956
52/5		January 10–March 26, 1956
52/6		April 2–May 31, 1956
52/7		April 10–August 6, 1956
52/8		August 7, 1956–March 1, 1957
53/1	Wheat Grade and Weight Receipt Books:	May 31–August 1, 1956
53/2		August 1–August 8, 1956
53/3		August 10–August 14, 1956
53/4		August 14, 1956–May 9, 1957
53/5		October 20–December 28, 1956
53/6		March 1–May 1, 1957
53/7		May 5–July 20, 1957
54/1	Wheat Grade and Weight Receipt Books:	July 20–July 21, 1957
54/2		July 24–July 31, 1957
54/3		August 1–September 3, 1957
54/4	Cleaning and Treating Receipts:	1956
54/5		1957
55/1	Scale Receipt Books:	1951
55/2-5		1951
55/6-8		1952
55/9		1954
55/10		1955
Box
56	Scale Receipts, Loose Leaf:	1952; 1953
57	Scale Receipts, Loose Leaf:	1954; 1956
Box/Folder
58/1	Inventory:	1922
58/2	Inventory:	1957–1958
58/3	Grain Bookings:	1950–1951
58/4		1951–1952
58/5		1952–1953
58/6		1953–1954
58/7		1954–1955
58/8	Want Book
59/1	Grain Warehouse Reports and Financial Correspondence	1940–1943
59/2	Grain Warehouse Reports and Financial Correspondence	1946–1948
55/3	Grain Warehouse Reports and Financial Correspondence	1951–1953
59/4	Grain Warehouse Reports and Financial Correspondence (cont.)	1953
59/5	Grain Pricing	1958–1959
Box
60	Accounts Payable and Daily Journal Accounts Payable, 1915–1916 and Daily Journal, 1927–1931	1915–1916; 1927–1931
60	General Ledger, Accounts Receivable/Payable etc.:	1937–1950
60	Daily Business Record:	1953
60	Ledger Sheets:	1955–1958
60	Grain Shipping Ledger:	1915–1916; 1920–1921; 1928–1929; 1938; 1940–1950
	Series 3: Phillips Gas Records The business of selling and delivering Phillips Gas was associated with the Cowan and Son Store in Box Elder. Customer receipts make up the bulk of the documentation.	1957-1962
Box
61	Bulk Gas Delivery Consignment Receipt Books:	1957–1960
62	Bulk Gas Delivery Consignment Receipt Books:	1961
63	Bulk Gas Delivery Consignment Receipt Books:	1961–1962
63	Remittance Notices:	1961; 1962
63	Statement of Commissions:	1962
	Series 4: Banking Records Banking Records refers both to the Cowan family's business records as well as copies of the bank's records. The records have been separated according to document type and have then been placed in chronological order.	1908-1962
Box/Folder
64/1	Account Book: Hill Co. State Bank	1910–1935
64/2	Account Book: Hill Co. State Bank; Union Bank and Trust Account Book: Hill Co. State Bank, 1940–1946; Union Bank and Trust, 1945–1950	1940–1946; 1945–1950
64/3	Account Book: Citizens Bank––Havre	1943–1950
Box
65	Citizen's Bank and Safe memo	1935–1950
Box/Folder
66/1	Mortgages Held and Paid––Bank Notes for Cowan and Son	1913–1921
66/2	Mortgages Held and Paid––Bank Notes for Cowan and Son	1921–1925
Box
67	Bank Statements and Canceled Checks	1908–1915; 1918
68	Deposit Slips/Store:	1926–1927; 1954–1959
69	Deposit Slips, Check Stubs and Bank Statements	1917–1921; 1925; 1939–1940
70	Deposit Slips, Bank Statements and Canceled Checks	1954; 1961–1962
71	Check Stubs	1948–1949; 1955–1958
72	Check Stubs	1959; 1961
73	Cash Book: Hill Co. State Bank	1919–1940
73	Certificate of Deposit Registers:
	Stockman's National Bank	1922–1924
	First National Bank St. Paul	1924–1925
	Brown State Bank	1926–1928
	Hill Co. State Bank	1928–1930
	Brown State Bank of Box Elder	1924–1926
	Draft Register: Stockman's National Bank_	1915–1922
	Series 5: Taxes Cowan Taxes contains both federal and state filings. Yearly files have been labeled accordingly and are in chronological order.	1911-1952
Box/Folder
74/1	Montana Taxes	1911; 1917
74/2	Montana Taxes	1918–1919
74/3	Montana and Federal Taxes	1922
74/4	Federal Taxes	1923
75/1	Montana Taxes	1930
75/2	Montana Taxes	1931
75/3	Montana Taxes	1932
75/4	Montana Taxes	1933
75/5	Montana Taxes	1934
75/6	Montana Taxes	1935
75/7	Montana Taxes	1936
75/8	Hill County Delinquent Taxes	1935; 1936
75/9	Montana Taxes	1937
75/10	Montana Taxes	1938
75/11	Montana Taxes	1939
76/1	Montana Taxes	1940
76/2	Montana Taxes	1941
76/3	Montana and Federal Taxes	1942
76/4	Montana and Federal Taxes	1943
76/5	Partnership Taxes	1924–1942
77/1	Montana and Federal Taxes	1944
77/2	Montana Taxes	1945
77/3	Montana and Federal Taxes	1946
77/4	Montana and Federal Taxes	1947
77/5	Montana Taxes	1948
77/6	Montana and Federal Taxes	1949
77/7	Excise Taxes	1942–1949
77/8	Montana and Federal Taxes	1950
77/9	Montana and Federal Taxes	1952

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Businessmen-Montana-Hill County
Canadian Americans-Montana-Hill County
Education and state-Montana
Gasoline-Montana-Hill County
General stores-Montana-Box Elder
General stores-Montana-Rocky Boy's Reservation
Grain elevators-Montana-Hill County
Irrigation-Montana
Lawyers-Montana-Hill County
Legislators-Montana
Mines and mineral resources-Montana
Practice of law-Montana-Hill County
Public lands-Montana-Hill County
Ranchers-Montana-Hill County
Ranches-Montana-Hill County

Personal Names

Ayers, Roy Elmer, 1882-1955-Correspondence
Ford, Sam C. (Sam Clarence), 1882-1961-Correspondence
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972-Correspondence
Wheeler, Burton K. (Burton Kendall), 1882-1975-Correspondence

Corporate Names

Marias River Irrigation Project (Mont.)
Montana-Legislative Assembly-Senate
Montana-State Board of Education
Phillips Petroleum Company
World's Columbian Exposition-(1893 :-Chicago, Ill.)

Family Names

Cowan family

Geographical Names

Hill County (Mont.)
Montana-Politics and government-20th century
Rocky Boy's Reservation (Mont.)

Form or Genre Terms

Business records-Montana-Hill County
Family papers-Montana-Hill County
Financial records-Montana-Hill County

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Cowan, David, 1850-1925 (creator)
- Cowan, William E (creator)
- Cowan, William T. (William Thomas), 1873-1951 (creator)

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents

Cowan Family Papers, 1893-1966

Overview of the Collection

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Acquisition Information

Processing Note

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Group 1: Family RecordsReturn to Top

Group 2: Financial Records, 1910-1962Return to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Personal Names

Corporate Names

Family Names

Geographical Names

Form or Genre Terms

Other Creators

Personal Names

Kim Allen Scott, 2009
April 1, 2016

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents

Cowan Family Papers, 1893-1966

Overview of the Collection

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Acquisition Information

Processing Note

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Group 1: Family RecordsReturn to Top

Group 2: Financial Records, 1910-1962Return to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Personal Names

Corporate Names

Family Names

Geographical Names

Form or Genre Terms

Other Creators

Personal Names

Kim Allen Scott, 2009April 1, 2016

Kim Allen Scott, 2009
April 1, 2016