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Thomas Conrad papers, 1857-1899

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Conrad, Thomas, 1821-1880
Title
Thomas Conrad papers
Dates
1857-1899 (inclusive)
Quantity
.6 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 30
Summary
Thomas Conrad was a pioneer Montana merchant. This collection (1857-1899) consists of biographical and genealogical materials; outgoing correspondence to his wife Mary Ivory Conrad; legal documents; limited financial records; and memorabilia. Also included is a subgroup of incoming correspondence to Mrs. Conrad from her brothers during the Civil War. Much of collection documents pioneer life and conditions in Virginia City, Montana Territory.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives
Montana Historical Society, Library and Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 406-444-2681
Fax: 406-444-5297
mthslibrary@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

Thomas Conrad (1821-1880) and his partner, Albert G. ("China") Clarke, opened a general hardware and merchandise store in Virginia City, Idaho Territory, in July 1864. The store was stocked with merchandise the partners had brought with them from Missouri. Conrad may have served as mayor of Virginia City for a short time. Clarke was occupied with his cattle and mining interests, leaving Conrad responsible for the store. In February 1865, the firm of Clarke and Conrad moved to Helena, eventually becoming one of the leading mercantile concerns in the city. Successive changes in the partnership were reflected in the alterations in the firm's name: in 1869, it was known as Clarke, Conrad and Miller; shortly thereafter, the company was called Clarke, Conrad and Curtin. During Conrad's stay in Montana, his wife, Mary Ivory Conrad, and daughter, Martha (Mattie), remained in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Conrad himself returned there in 1876. During a brief visit back to Helena in May 1880, he became ill, returned to St. Joseph, and died there in September 1880 at the age of fifty-nine.

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Content Description

Papers. 1857-1899. .6 linear foot. The collection contains biographical and genealogical material, Thomas's letters to his family in Missouri (1857-1880), legal documents, financial records, and writings. In addition, there is a Mary Ivory Conrad Subgroup containing incoming correspondence from her brothers during the Civil War. Pioneer life in Montana Territory is detailed by Thomas Conrad's descriptions of Virginia City and Helena.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

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.

Preferred Citation

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

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by subgroup and series

Location of Collection

1:3-4

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Photographs separated to Photo Archives. Artifacts separated to Museum. See lists of separated material in collection.

Related Materials

Portions same as MF 312.

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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

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Frontier and pioneer life--Montana--Helena
  • Meat industry and trade--Montana
  • Retail trade--Montana--Helena
  • Vigilantes--Montana--Virginia City

Personal Names

  • Conrad, Thomas, 1821-1880 (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Helena (Mont.)--Commerce
  • United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
  • Virginia City (Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by MHS Staff
2005

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

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