Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association records, 1940-1956
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Grain Terminal Association (Minn.)
- Title
- Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association records
- Dates
- 1940-1956 (inclusive)19401956
- Quantity
- 0.6 linear feet
- Collection Number
- MC 200
- Summary
- The Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association (FUGTA) was a cooperative grain marketing organization. Collection (1940-1956) contains correspondence, subject files, and miscellany kept during Harold M. Brown's years as a field agent for FUGTA.
- Repository
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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
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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.
Historical Note
The National Farmers Union (NFU) was organized in 19O2 at Point, Texas, to be a non-partisan body representing the interests of farmers in America. The organization worked to provide cooperative grain elevator facilities, relief to drought victims, price protection, farm coops, insurance services, lobbying, and educational programs for members. In 1926 NFU took over the properties of the Equity Cooperative Exchange, a terminal marketing coop founded in 1911 and managed by M.W. Thatcher. From this beginning the Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association (FUGTA), with main offices in St. Paul, Minnesota, grew to be one of the largest marketing cooperatives in the world, at one time handling ten percent of all wheat produced in the United States.
In 1938 the National Farmers Union insurance program became licensed in Montana. Harold M. Brown, who was serving as secretary-treasurer of the Montana Farmers Union, became the first state agent for the NFU insurance program. In August 1943 Brown began working as a field agent for FUGTA based in Great Falls, Montana, arranging grain accounts, hiring managers for elevators, setting up coops, etc. During his travels Brown also participated in the Patrons' Annual Meetings (PAMs) held by the various boards operating the elevators and coops. Brown was also active lobbying on issues of importance to grain producers such as the wheat referendum, taxes, freight rates, warehouse fees, boxcar shortages, etc.
Content Description
This collection contains correspondence, subject files, and miscellany kept by Harold M. Brown during his years as a field agent for FUGTA. The correspondence (1943-1956) to FUGTA officials T.C. Croll, E.B. Danworth, T.F. O'Neill, and M.W. Thatcher (general manager) is comprised of Brown's reports of his activities and contacts as he traveled in Montana and the instructions he received from his superiors. There is also correspondence with A.E. (Bert) Kathan, a member of the FUGTA board and a state senator from Brady, Montana. Subject files (1948-1955) include statistics on farm programs and grain production and materials on the line elevator organizations. Miscellany (1944-1952) includes FUGTA managers' school bulletins, eligibility statements for elevators, minutes of FUGTA annual meetings, a list of grain companies in Montana, etc.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Library & 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 & Archives. Helena, Montana.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into five series: General Correspondence; Photographs; Printed Material; Subject Files; and Miscellany.
Location of Collection
12:2-4Acquisition Information
Acquisition information available upon request.
Separated Materials
Photographs and printed material have been transferred, respectively, to the Photo Archives and Library. See inventory below for more information.
Related Materials
National records of the Grain Terminal Association are at the Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, Minn.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
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General Correspondence
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Description: T.C. CrollDates: 1945 December- 1956 AugustContainer: Box/Folder 1 / 1-3
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Description: E.B. DanforthDates: 1950-1953Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
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Description: A.E. Kathan (includes biographical sketch)Dates: 1940-1945Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
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Description: T.F. O'Neill (includes some correspondence between O'Neill and E.B. Danforth)Dates: 1943-1951, 1954Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
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Description: M.W. Thatcher (includes speeches and testimony by Thatcher)Dates: 1943 July- 1956 JuneContainer: Box/Folder 1 / 7-8
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Description: M.W. Thatcher (includes speeches by Thatcher; speech (1956) by Ezra Taft Benson at Glasgow)Dates: 1956 July - 1957 December, undatedContainer: Box/Folder 2 / 1
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Description: Miscellaneous (correspondents include Ralph Metcalf, D.W. Chapman, Rick of Farmers Union Grain & Supply Co., and Bob of Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association)Dates: 1944-1947, 1962, undatedContainer: Box/Folder 2 / 2
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Photographs
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Description: List of photographs separated to Photo ArchivesDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 2 / 3
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Printed Material
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Description: List of printed material separated to the LibraryDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 2 / 4
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Subject Files
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Description: "Farm Program" (includes production statistics, crop prices, etc.)Dates: 1909-1955Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
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Description: "Line Elevator" (re Patron's Association Meetings, Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association (FUGTA) earnings to line elevators, resolutions, lists of delegates to FUGTA meetings, etc.)Dates: 1948-1956Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
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Miscellany
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Description: Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association (FUGTA) managers' school bulletins; eligibility statements for elevators at Brady, Chinook, Inverness, Joplin, Rudyard; minutes of FUGTA annual meetings for 1947, 1948; sample contracts for elevators; list of grain companies in Montana in 1948Dates: 1944-1952Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Agriculture, Cooperative--Montana
- Agriculture--Societies, etc.--Montana
- Grain elevators--Montana
Personal Names
- Brown, Harold Marion, 1902-1985
Corporate Names
- Grain Terminal Association (Minn.) (creator)
