Wellington D. Rankin papers, 1904-2008

Personal and professional papers. 1909-1969 (bulk). This collection is organized into six subgroups relating to different aspects of Rankin's life: personal (1912-1966), family (1937-1969), politics (1914-1962), ranches (1925-1967), businesses (1911-1968), and law practice (1909-1966). These are further subdivided into secondary subgroups and series, as appropriate. See the arrangement note, below, as not all boxes containing materials from the same subgroup are physically grouped together.

Wellington D. Rankin's personal subgroup includes correspondence (1912-1966) with a wide range of family, friends, romantic partners, business colleagues, political associates and Christian Science practitioners; minor financial records (1911-1965); minor legal documents (1930-1957); subject files concerning his Missoula properties, a Butte electric franchise, and other topics; miscellany, including greeting cards; and clippings concerning Christian Science and other topics of interest to Rankin.

The Rankin family subgroup consist primarily of letters among family members Mary Rankin Bragg, Louise Replogle Rankin Galt, Grace Rankin Kinney, Edna Rankin McKinnon, and Jeannette Rankin. See note on separated materials, below, regarding Jeannette Rankin materials.

Wellington D. Rankin's political subgroup include records from his compaigns for various offices and service on the Republican National Committee. There is also a large body of more miscellaneous correspondence and subject files relating to various aspects of local and national politics, 1914-1962.

Rankin's ranches included the Avalanche, Birch Creek, A.B. Cook, Moss Agate, Stafford-Floweree, Miller Brothers, and "71" ranches. Records include correspondence (1925-1945, 1958-1965) with and about employees and about the purchase of various ranch properties; employment records including payrolls (1938-1959) and employment contracts (1937-1967); financial records; legal documents (1921-1969) consisting primarily of bills of sale and receipts for livestock, land, and equipment; subject files on timber harvesting, grazing, and various properties; and miscellany.

There are relatively minor subgroups for some of Rankin's various business ventures, including ABC News, the Brazier Brothers Company candy business, the Grand Hotel Company in Billings, the Helena Hotel Company, the Montana Ready-Mix Company cement plant in Missoula, the Pittsburgh Block Company, the Red Rock Producing Company, the Sherman Music Company, the Weiss Café/Mint Bar, and files concerning many of Rankin's mining investments including correspondence and assay reports, and annual reports on several mines.

In terms of quantity, the largest subgroup is Rankin's law practice records. Some of this material is restricted due to attorney-client privilege, including client correspondence, and portions of some case files; however, much is open to research. Open correspondence is mainly with other attorneys and public officials and mainly concerns routine legal matters such as the scheduling of cases for trial. Other topics include the building of Rankin's law library and equipping of his office. Case files (predominantly 1911-1925, but also some from the 1940s-1960s) cover the diversity of Rankin's practice and give a picture of his effectiveness as an attorney. In addition to the case files, the law office subgroup includes financial records of the law practice; legal documents, including Rankin's contracts with his clients; a subject file on the Montana Trial Lawyer's Association; and miscellany including jury lists (1926-1933) for Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Havre, and Missoula.

There are two very small subgroups for personal papers of Rankin's law partners Charles L. Zimmerman and Arthur P. Acher.