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William Fletcher Wheeler papers, 1859-1894

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Wheeler, William F., 1824-1894
Title
William Fletcher Wheeler papers
Dates
1859-1894 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 linear foot of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 65 (collection)
Summary
William Wheeler (1824-1894) served as U.S. Marshal and as Montana Historical Society Librarian in Helena, Montana. Papers consist of outgoing correspondence (1859-1860, 1869-1871), including discussion of problems of Montana Territorial law enforcement; and biographical writings on Montana pioneers. [Portions same as MF 12].
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

William Fletcher Wheeler was born in Warwick, New York, July 6, 1824. After attending several New York academies, he moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1842, at the age of eighteen. For several years he worked for the Ohio Statesman as a printer and reporter, and studied law in his spare time. In 1848, he was admitted to the bar. In 1853, Wheeler married Charlotte Jersey. Three years later the Wheelers moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where Wheeler obtained the post of private secretary to Colonel Medary, newly appointed Minnesota Territorial Governor. Wheeler also served as territorial librarian. By September 1861, Wheeler had helped to raise a company for the Fourth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He fought in the Civil War battles at Iuka and Corinth, and later was part of the Vicksburg campaign. As a result of illness, Wheeler was discharged from the service in the spring of 1864.

In June 1869, Colonel Wheeler arrived in Montana as the newly appointed U.S. Marshal. He served in the position for three successive terms until 1878. During this time he was also ex-officio superintendent of the U.S. Penitentiary at Deer Lodge.

For the next decade Wheeler worked as a journalist and writer and was employed in 1884 by the Montana Historical Society to interview and write the biographies of former employees of the American Fur Company. In 1889, he accepted the position of librarian of the Montana Historical Society. He filled this post until his death in June 1894.

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Content Description

The papers consist primarily of biographical and historical writings done by Wheeler. Also included are correspondence (1859-1894) concerning personal business, his service in the Civil War, and his service as U.S. Marshal; materials related to the Meagher County vote fraud (1874); miscellaneous financial records and legal documents, and scrapbooks of writings, letters, and clippings.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Library and Archives. The Library and Archives does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library and Archives, Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by series. Some material housed in oversize folder in archives map case. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

4:4-1

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Related Materials

Portions same as MF 12.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • Biographical Material

    • Description: Biographical sketch of William F. Wheeler, by Charlotte J. Wheeler
      Dates: 1899
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: Biographical Material

  • Incoming Correspondence

    • Description: A-N (correspondents include C. C. Bateman, E. S. Bennett, Alex C. Botkin, J. M. Bronson, A. J. Falls, Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, Hiram Knowles, Martin Maginnis, James H. Mills, Minnesota State Historical Society, George W. Newkirk)
      Dates: 1872-1894
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Benjamin F. Potts
      Dates: 1870-1872
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: S-W (correspondents include Lucy W. Stedman, Ed Stone, U.S. Office of Indian Affairs, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Bob Wilson, unidentified)
      Dates: 1871-1894
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: Incoming Correspondence

  • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Description: Letterpress books
      Dates: 1859-1871, 1875-1878
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letter to his wife Charlotte J. Wheeler from Oxford, Mississippi, and LaGrange, Tennessee, during Civil War
      Dates: 1862-1863
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letter to R. R. Cowan
      Dates: 1874
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Receipts (includes some for Wheeler Estate and Charlotte J. Wheeler's purchase of a lot in Great Falls)
      Dates: 1869-1895
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: U.S. Marshal's Office: accounts, receipts
      Dates: 1874-1879
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: U.S. Marshal's Office: weekly statements of public monies received
      Dates: 1877-1878
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: Financial Records

  • Legal Documents

    • Description: Appointments as Deputy U.S. Marshal; power of attorney; Charlotte J. Wheeler's will
      Dates: 1878-1879, 1890, 1901
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: Legal Documents

  • Subject Files

    • Description: Meagher County vote fraud during 1874 capital contest
      Dates: 1874
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Congressional reimbursement to Wheeler for losses in Helena fire of 1874
      Dates: 1875, 1877-1878
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: Subject Files

  • Writings

    • Description: Biographical sketches: Baptiste Aeneas
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Louis Brown
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Joseph Cobell
      Dates: circa 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Walter W. DeLacy
      Dates: circa 1894
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Robert Dempsey
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: James Gemmell
      Dates: 1881
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Caleb Ewing Irvine
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: William Kennedy
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Benjamin Keyser
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Mortimer H. Lott (includes capture of George Ives)
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: George W. Lovell ("Captain of the Miners Guard at the Trial of George Ives")
      Dates: 1886
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Angus McDonald
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Eli W. McNeal
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Louis R. Maillet
      Dates: circa 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Henry H. Mood
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Joseph O'Neill
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: William H. Parkinson
      Dates: 1884
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 13
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Henry Robert
      Dates: 1884
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 14
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Sacajawea [typed copy]
      Dates: 1893
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 15
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Biographical sketches: Francis L. Worden
      Dates: 1885
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 16
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "Personal histories of early pioneers of Chouteau County" (interview notebook for Charles Mercier, George Weippert, Louis Rivet, Joseph Cobell, Antoine Juneau, and Henry Robert; and Fort McKenzie history)
      Dates: 1884
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 17
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Unidentified fur trader biography
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 18
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "The Battle of Corinth [Mississippi]: full account of that battle"
      Dates: 1862
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 18a
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "How the Bitterroot or Coeur d'Alene Mountains Were Made the Western Boundary of Montana"
      Dates: 1882
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 19
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "The Keelboat" [typed transcript]
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 20
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Libraries; educational institutions; and common schools of Montana
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 21
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "The Mackinaw Boat" [typed transcript]
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 22
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "Medicine Tree Hill: an Indian Legend" as told by Caleb E. Irvine
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 23
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "Missoula" (re origin of the name)
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 24
      Location: Writings
    • Description: Montana names
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 25
      Location: Writings
    • Description: "Story of course de Femmes" as told by Caleb E. Irvine (re Indian women's foot race at Evaro, in 1840s)
      Dates: 1889
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 26
      Location: Writings

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Notary public certificate [Map Case-See folder MC 65-71]
      Dates: 1879
      Container: Oversize Folder MC 65-71
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Notebook (includes "Extracts and descriptions from D. D. Owens' Geological Survey of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota"; clippings of letters to the editor; expense list for survey trip)
      Dates: 1856-1860
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Scrapbook (includes clippings of letters to the editor)
      Dates: 1878-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Scrapbook (includes clippings of articles re "Our artist abroad"; Missoula county fair, Nez PercĂ© War; Northern Pacific Railroad; Helena; Sun River, Montana's forests, etc.)
      Dates: 1878-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
      Location: Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Capitals (cities)--Montana
  • Corruption (in politics)--Montana
  • Elections--Montana
  • Fur trade--Montana
  • Law enforcement--Montana
  • Missouri River--Commerce
  • Prisons--Montana
  • Salish Indians
  • Steamboats--Missouri River
  • Vigilantes--Montana--Virginia City

Personal Names

  • Wheeler, William F., 1824-1894 (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Alder Gulch (Mont.)
  • Bitterroot Range (Idaho and Mont.)
  • Bitterroot River Valley (Mont.)
  • Chouteau County (Mont.)
  • Deer Lodge (Mont.)
  • Fort Benton (Mont.)
  • Fort McKenzie (Mont.)
  • Helena (Mont.)--Biography
  • Jocko Valley (Mont.)
  • Madison County (Mont.)
  • Meagher County (Mont.)--Politics and government
  • United States-- History--Civil War, 1861-1865.

Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004

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

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