Tom Haines Papers, 1938-1984

Tom Haines was born March 4, 1903 in Rockport, Illinois. In 1918 he moved with his parents to Clinton, Montana. After attending the University of Montana he returned to Illinois to run his uncle’s store until 1931, when he and his family returned to Missoula. He and his wife, Edna May Bolin, purchased and managed the O.K. Trading Company for the next twenty-four years. During this time period, Haines became involved in the Missoula County GOP.

In 1950 Haines was elected a member of the Montana House of Representatives and served for eleven consecutive terms. He was a supporter of education and created the Swan River Youth Camp, special education classes in public schools, and the Friends of the Library at the University of Montana. After politics, he became manager of the Montana Food Distributor Association.

An avid historian, Haines published A History of Gilgal Landing and Rockport, Illinois and Montana Flouring Mills History: 1846-1889, and compiled a significant amount of biographical material pertaining to Montana territorial legislators and information on gold mining in the Quigley, Montana area. Haines died on March 21, 1997 in Missoula, Montana.