Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 643, MtBC, us
Cowan family
Cowan Family Papers
1893-1966
28.2 linear feet
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.
Collection materials are in English
Historical Note
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.
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.
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
This collection is open for research.
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.
This collection was processed 2009 May 5
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
Cowan, David,
1850-1925
Cowan, William E
Cowan, William T. (William
Thomas), 1873-1951
Cowan family
Marias River Irrigation Project
(Mont.)
Montana-Legislative
Assembly-Senate
Montana-State Board of
Education
Phillips Petroleum
Company
World's Columbian
Exposition-(1893 :-Chicago, Ill.)
Hill County (Mont.)
Montana-Politics and
government-20th century
Rocky Boy's Reservation
(Mont.)
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
Mines and mineral resources-Montana
Practice of law-Montana-Hill County
Public lands-Montana-Hill County
Ranches-Montana-Hill County
Family papers-Montana-Hill County
Financial records-Montana-Hill
County
Business records-Montana-Hill
County
Businessmen-Montana-Hill County
Lawyers-Montana-Hill County
Legislators-Montana
Ranchers-Montana-Hill County
Civic
Activism
Elementary and
Secondary Education
Mines and Mineral
Resources
Native
Americans
Political
Campaigns
Ranching
Retail
Trade
Water and Water
Rights
Montana
Photographs
Group 1
Family Records
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.
Series 1
Correspondence
1911-1962
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.
Subseries 1
General Correspondence
1911-1962
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.
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
1939-1952
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.
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
1920s-1957
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.
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
1923-1944
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.
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
(1931)
1–60
5/11
House Bill
(1931)
61–140
5/12
House Bill
(1931)
141–230
5/13
House Bill
(1931)
231–330
5/14
House Bill
(1931)
331–450
5/15
House Joint Memorial
(1931)
1–8
5/16
House Joint Resolution
(1931)
1–10
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
1931
Rules – 1931; Mileage special session
5/26
Salaries
1931
6/1
Senate Bill
(1931)
1–56
6/2
Senate Bill
(1931)
57–127
6/3
Senate Joint Memorial
(1931)
3–7
6/4
Senate Joint Resolution
(1931)
1–6
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
(1929)
– Book
Subseries 5
Mining
1911-1952
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.
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
1924-1953
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.
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.
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
1893-1966
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.
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
1916-1953
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.
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
1901-1954
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.
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
1910-1930
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.
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.
15/14
Portraits
circa 1890s–circa 1950
#1–15
15/15
Business
circa 1930–1952
#16–31
15/16
Rural Montana
circa 1920–1939
#32–41
15/17
Negatives to Portraits
circa 1890s–circa 1920
#1–5
15/18
Cowan and Sons business promotional
drawings
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
1910-1962
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.
Series 1
Cowan and Son Store Records
1911-1962
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.
17
Store Charge Slips
1911–1912
Bundled according to date.
18
Store Charge Slips
October/November 1955
Stapled with adding machine totals.
19
Store Charge Slips
1958
1959
(some missing) Arranged chronologically by month.
20
Store Charge Slips
1960–April 1961
Arranged chronologically by month.
21
Store Charge Slips
May 1961–1962
Arranged chronologically by month.
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
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
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
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
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
31
Daily Statement Ledger:
1919
1949
(incomplete)
31
Cash Record Ledger:
Unknown
(incomplete)
31
Accounts Payable Ledger:
1916
1919
32
Banking Record and Purchases
1912–1913
1919–1927
Banking Record, 1912–1913 and Purchases, 1919–1927
32
Volume 1 Invoices:
1915–1916
32
Volume 2 Invoices:
1918
32
Volume 3 Invoices:
1925–1926
Series 2
Grain Elevator Records
1946-1960
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.
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
46-47
Assembling Sheets/Loose Leaf:
1952/1953
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
49
Grain Storage Tickets:
1951–1952
(bundles according to date)
50
Grain Storage Tickets:
1953–1954
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
56
Scale Receipts, Loose Leaf:
1952
1953
57
Scale Receipts, Loose Leaf:
1954
1956
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
60
Accounts Payable and Daily Journal
1915–1916
1927–1931
Accounts Payable, 1915–1916 and Daily Journal, 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
1957-1962
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.
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
1908-1962
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.
64/1
Account Book: Hill Co. State Bank
1910–1935
64/2
Account Book: Hill Co. State Bank; Union Bank and
Trust
1940–1946
1945–1950
Account Book: Hill Co. State Bank, 1940–1946; Union Bank and Trust, 1945–1950
64/3
Account Book: Citizens Bank––Havre
1943–1950
65
Citizen's Bank and Safe memo
1935–1950
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
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
1911-1952
Cowan Taxes contains both federal and state filings. Yearly files have been labeled
accordingly and are in chronological order.
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