Montana Historical Society
Archives
MC 251
Seltz, William Frederick,
1875-1951
William Frederick Seltz papers
1920-1949
1.2 linear feet of shelf space
This collection consists of business and personal papers of
William Seltz, a Missoula County, Montana, farmer and apple grower. There is a major
subgroup (1920-1934) for the Missoula Orchards Company, for which Seltz was an officer,
director, and farm manager.
13:2-4
English
Biographical Note:
William Frederick Seltz was born on September 12, 1875, in Wacona, Minnesota, one of eight
children. William graduated from the University of Minnesota's agricultural school. After
graduation he moved to Washburn, North Dakota.
In January 1910, he incorporated the Missoula Orchards Company, along with William L.
Nuessle, John Wittmayer, and others of North Dakota, and Albert Besancon and T.T. Black of
Missoula. The company was established to deal in real estate, to acquire and develop water
rights, to build irrigation systems, and to raise fruit, produce, and livestock. The company
bought the old O'Keefe ranch at the base of Evaro Hill west of Missoula; Seltz moved to
Montana to manage the property. During the 1920s the company became a major shipper of
Macintosh apples to New York City. The farm also raised wheat and hogs. Due to poor weather
conditions and the general depression in the early 1930s, the company fell onto economic
hard times. Faced with the foreclosure of its mortgage and possible bankruptcy, the company
accepted a take-over offer by the New World Life Insurance Company and voluntarily dissolved
the corporation in March 1934.
William Seltz retained a small portion of the farm and continued to raise wheat and
livestock there until 1947, when he sold the farm and moved to Missoula.
Seltz married Iva Esther Kuney and helped raise her three sons Lawrence, Charles, and
Joseph. William F. Seltz died June 2, 1951.
This collection consists of two subgroups.
The Missoula Orchards Company Subgroup includes business correspondence (1920-1934) with
company president William L. Nuessle, and with various fruit dealers, lumber companies, and
others concerning the packing, shipping, and marketing of Macintosh apples. In addition the
subgroup contains invoices (1920-1934), payrolls (1926-1927, 1930-1934) and other financial
records; legal documents; a subject file (1933-1934) concerning the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration's wheat and corn programs; and miscellany.
The William Frederick Seltz Subgroup (1939-1949) includes personal correspondence,
financial records, and other materials concerning his operation of the farm after the
dissolution of the company, and concerning his move in to Missoula after retirement.
Arranged by subgroup and series.
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical
Society. The Society 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.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Seltz, William Frederick,
1875-1951
Missoula County (Mont.)--Agriculture
Depressions--1929--Montana
Genealogy--Montana
Apple growers--Montana
Apples--Marketing--Montana
Orchards--Montana
Montana
Agriculture
Detailed Description of the Collection
Missoula Orchards Company
General Correspondence
1 / 1
A-E (includes American Sales Agencies Company, T.T.
Black, J.E. Davis, C.H. deMontemar, Erie Railroad Company)
1922-1931
1 / 2
Frost and McNab, Inc. (re consignment of apples)
1926-1927
1 / 3
G (includes John W. Graham and Company, F.L.
Guggisberg)
1923-1926
1 / 4
E.W.J. Hearty, Inc., apple exporters and commission
merchants
1927
1 / 5
P. Willis Holden / Smith and Holden / P.W. Holden
Company, Inc., commission merchants
1926, undated
1 / 6
H-J (includes F.C. Harrington, Judith Milling
Company, J.C. Leib)
1922-1927
1 / 7
Montana state agencies (includes Dept. of
Agriculture, Labor and Industry; Cooperative Extension Work; Industrial Accident
Board)
1923-1934
1 / 8
M (includes J.J. Marischal and Company, James
Measom, Missoula Mercantile Company)
1921-1931
1 / 9-11
W.L. Nuessle (re company business, general economic
conditions, personal affairs)
1922-1934
1 / 12
N-W (includes New World Life Insurance Company,
Northern Cold Storage and Warehouse Company, Northern Pacific Railway Company, Fred
T. Parker, Rural Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Missoula, Vermont Loan and Trust
Company, Frederick D. Whisler)
1923-1934
1 / 13
H.G. Weiss (re loan)
1922-1932
1 / 14
Western Lumber Company (re apple boxes)
1922-1923
1 / 15
Victor L. Zorn Company, Inc., fruit brokers
1923-1927
Financial Records
1 / 16
Apple sales: Independent Fruit Auction Company and
Victor L. Zorn Company, Inc.
1925-1926
1 / 17
Bank deposits and checks
1923-1931
1 / 18
Freight bills (includes Erie Railroad Company,
Northern Pacific Railway Company)
1921-1930
1 / 19
Insurance policies
1924-1925
1 / 20
Invoices: A-B (includes Amalgamated Sugar Company,
American Railway Express, Arcade Grocery Company, H.O. Bell Company, Blackfoot
Forest Protective Association)
1921-1934
1 / 21
Invoices: C-E (includes Clawson Lumber Company,
Cosner Hardware Company, John R. Daily Company, Deschamps Implement Company)
1920-1932
1 / 22
Invoices: Thomas F. Farley Company, grocers
1920-1930
2 / 1
Invoices: F-L (includes Farm Bureau Gasoline
Association, Farmers Society of Equity, Frost and McNab, Inc., Grattin Implement
Company, LaChambre Harness Shop)
1920-1934
2 / 2
Invoices: Missoula Lime and Sulphur Company / Fred
T. Parker
1921-1931
2 / 3
Invoices: Missoula Mercantile Company
1920-1932
2 / 4
Invoices: M-P (includes Missoula Drug Company,
Montana Industrial Accident Board, Polley's Lumber Company)
1921-1934
2 / 5
Invoices: R-W (includes Ravalli Flour and Cereal
Mills, Reinhard Hardware Company, Union Terminal Cold Storage Company, Western
Lumber Company)
1920-1934
2 / 6
Payroll
1926-1934
2 / 7
Property taxes: First National Bank of Missoula (re
land acquired from Missoula Orchards Company)
1930-1931
RESTRICTED
2 / 8
Property taxes: Missoula Orchards Company
1920-1932
RESTRICTED
2 / 9
Wheat shipments via Missoula Mercantile Company
1922-1934
2 / 10
Miscellaneous (includes notes on grain and fruit
crops, livestock, freight shipments, etc.)
undated
Legal Documents
2 / 11
Sales contracts
1925-1934
Subject Files
2 / 12
United States Agricultural Adjustment
Administration (AAA) corn-hog program
1934-1935
2 / 13
United States Agricultural Adjustment
Administration (AAA) wheat program
1933-1934
Miscellany
2 / 14
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association registry
certificate for Bar SC Boy
1930
2 / 15
Fruit, grain, potato, and milk inspection
certificates
1921-1932
William Frederick Seltz
General Correspondence
2 / 16
B-C (includes Builders Insulating Company, George
A. Cates)
1946
2 / 17
M (includes H. E. Marshall, Missoula Electric
Cooperative, Inc. Missoula Mercantile Company, Montana Industrial Accident Board,
Montana Recorder of Marks and Brands)
1940-1948
2 / 18
New World Life Insurance Company (re crop
mortgages)
1939-1946
2 / 19
N-P (includes Northwestern National Life Insurance
Company, H.H. Ottman Company, Eli M. Paulson)
1939-1947
2 / 20
John Seltz, Carl Seltz [brothers]
1922-1923, 1947
2 / 21
S-U (includes State Farm Mutual Automobile
Insurance Company, United States Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation)
1939-1947
Court Papers
2 / 22
Affidavits of William F. Seltz (re "T" brand and re
military deferment for step-son Lawrence Wesley Kuney)
1940-1941
Financial Records
3 / 1
Automobile license fees
1941-1947
3 / 2
Gasoline tax refund
1940-1941
RESTRICTED
3 / 3
Income tax return
1946
RESTRICTED
3 / 4
Insurance policies and premiums
1926-1949
3 / 5
Invoices: B-W (includes H.O. Bell Company,
Blackfoot Forest Protective Association, Estes Maytag Store, The Folsom Company,
Missoula Mercantile Company, Montana Industrial Accident Board, T.L. Sorensen Locker
Company)
1926-1948
3 / 6
Payroll
1940-1947
3 / 7
Promissory notes and loans
1937-1942
3 / 8
Property taxes: Hugh and Kathleen Gardner (re house
at 441 Rollins, Missoula)
1947
RESTRICTED
3 / 9
Property taxes: New World Life Insurance Company
(re land acquired from Missoula Orchards Company)
1940-1945
RESTRICTED
3 / 10
Property taxes: J.H. Ray (re land acquired from
Missoula Orchards Company)
1939-1946
RESTRICTED
3 / 11
Property taxes: William F. Seltz
1921-1950
RESTRICTED
3 / 12
Wheat shipments via Missoula Mercantile Company
1940-1946
3 / 13
Miscellaneous (includes bank deposits, expenses,
etc.)
1941-1946
Legal Documents
3 / 14
Miscellaneous (includes bills of sale, mortgage,
contracts)
1941-1948
Subject Files
3 / 15
United States Agricultural Adjustment
Administration (AAA) acreage allotments
1939-1942
Miscellany
3 / 16
Grain inspection certificates
1942-1944
3 / 17
Missoula County Benefit Society death notice cards:
A-Z
1946-1949
3 / 18
Montana Industrial Accident Board schedules of
rates and classifications
1944-1947