MTGMss281.xml Guide to the Linebarger Family Papers 1877-1945 Linebarger Family Papers Finding aid prepared by Teresa Hamann Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula

Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-2053 http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc library.archives@umontana.edu

The University of Montana--Missoula Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-2053 http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc library.archives@umontana.edu

Mss 281 Linebarger Family Linebarger Family papers 1877-1945 2.0 linear feet Materials are in English This collection includes a broad range of correspondence and informal financial records for early Montana settler David H. Linebarger; correspondence and laundry account records for his wife, Dora Linebarger; minimal correspondence and a document for their son, Walter L.Linebarger; a recipe and general notebook for Della Meyers; W.P.A. documents and correspondence regarding Elmer C. Linebarger's work as a farmer, commodities clerk, and finally as an employee of the War Department; and a wide range of photographs. Biographical Note

David H. Linebarger was born in December 1837, in Missouri. By at least 1877, he resided in Montana and was active in community and state politics as Treasurer of Jefferson County, Montana, and his later work with the Democratic Executive Committee from his home in Gilt Edge, Montana. Although listed as a day laborer in the 1900 Montana census, prior to and after that time, David H. Linebarger worked as a miner and speculated in a variety of mining operations in and around Gilt Edge, Montana.

By 1900 David H. Linebarger had been married to Dora Linebarger for some time. Dora Linebarger was born in April, 1868, in Missouri. At the time of the 1900 census, the Linebarger's had a daughter, Maud, born in August, 1891, and a son, Walter L., born in 1893. The couple had at least one more son, Elmer Clinton, who was born March 12, 1905. Dora Linebarger likely worked as a laundress to support herself and family as David A. Linebarger, thirty years her senior, grew infirm and then died. By 1920, Dora, Walter, and fourteen-year-old Elmer Linebarger all lived in Garfield County, Montana. Twenty-seven-year-old Walter Linebarger listed his occupation as farmer in the 1920 Montana census. Dora Linebarger died in the early months of 1945.

By the time of the Great Depression, Elmer C. Linebarger still lived in Garfield County and in 1935 received a federal crop loan for his mother's farm, as well as one for his own farm in 1936. In 1936 Elmer Linebarger took a job as the Commodity Clerk for the Garfield County Relief Office. He held this position at least until 1940. Elmer and his wife Pearl had a baby girl, Doloris Jean, on October 28, 1939. In late 1942 through a war service appointment, he became a Driver Firefighter in the Fort Peck District of Montana. According to family correspondence, Elmer Linebarger and his family were still in Fort Peck, Montana, in 1945.

This collection includes a broad range of correspondence and informal financial records for David H. Linebarger from 1877 through 1909; correspondence and laundry account records for Dora Linebarger from 1908 up to 1930; minimal correspondence, an autograph album and a document for Walter L. Linebarger; an autograph album belonging to Maud Linebarger; a recipe and general notebook for Della Meyers; W.P.A. documents and correspondence regarding Elmer C. Linebarger's work as a farmer, commodities clerk, and finally as an employee of the War Department with a time span from 1935 through 1945; and a wide range of photographs likely from at least 1875 through 1910, most of which are unlabeled.

The collection is divided into six series:

Series I: David H. Linebarger, 1870-1909, 0.6 linear ft.

Series II: Dora Linebarger, 1908-1930, 0.1 linear ft.

Series III: Walter L. Linebarger, 1907-1931, 3 folders

Series IV: Elmer C. Linebarger, 1936-1945, 0.2 linear ft.

Series V: Della Meyers, undated, 1 folder

Series VI: Photographs, 1875 - circa 1940, 1 linear ft.

Series VII: Maud Linebarger, 1907, 1 item

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.

[Name of document or photograph number], Linebarger Family Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Gift of Mrs. J.D. Heath, 1966.

The actions of the original processors are unknown. In 2000, the collection was reprocessed. In 2009 the two autograph albums were removed from the Archives' general albums collection and reunited with this collection.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Business records--Montana Family papers--Montana--Garfield County Family papers--Montana--Giltedge Photographs--Montana Recipes--Montana Agriculture--Montana--Garfield County Depressions--1929--Montana--Garfield County Fire fighters--Montana--Fort Peck Public welfare--Montana--Garfield County--Officials and employees Sewing Women--Employment--Montana--Garfield County Women--Employment--Montana--Giltedge Fort Peck (Mont.) Garfield County (Mont.)--Social conditions Giltedge (Mont.) United States. Work Projects Administration United States. War Dept. Linebarger, David H., b. 1837 Linebarger, Dora, 1868-1945 Linebarger, Elmer C. (Elmer Clinton), 1905-1967 Meyers, Della Linebarger, Maud, b. 1891 Meyers, Della Montana Photographs Agriculture Mines and Mineral Resources Women Series I David H. Linebarger 1870-1909 0.6 linear ft.

This series includes personal and business correspondence, legal documents regarding mining claims and water rights, ephemera, and a quantity of pocket-sized notebooks used primarily as relatively informal records of income and expenses for various mining ventures. The correspondence and legal documents have been arranged chronologically as a group after which the pocket-sized notebooks are similarly ordered.

1/1 Letter from Isaac Butts discussing, among other topics, Butts' courtship of a Dora Graham 1890 1/1 Letter from Clark & Co. 1893 1/1 Letter from W.W. Woods 1893 1/1 Letter from J.H. Foss 1893 1/1 Letter to J.H. Foss 1893 1/1 Letter from E.I. Stagner 1894 1/1 Letter from J.P. Hanck 1895 1/1 Telegram from Conway, birth announcement 1889 1/1 Letter from National Association Of Democratic Clubs 1900 1/1 Bill for Democratic State Central Committee 1900 1/1 Letter from Democratic Central Committee 1900 1/1 Letter From Democratic Executive Committee 1900 1/1 Note of expenses undated 1/1 Two social invitations 1903 and undated 1/2 Report of Treasurer (D.A. Linebarger) of Jefferson County, Montana 1877 1/2 Misc. financial records, bills and receipts 1888-1905 1/3 Legal documents relating to mining claims 1884-1889 1/4 Legal documents pertaining to irrigation and water rights 1891 1/4 Mining claim assignment 1891 1/4 Loan collection records 1892 1/5 Clipping, legal notice regarding mine improvements 1885 1/6 Misc. lists of names & grocery lists undated 1/7 Ephemera including social invitations, dance cards, Western Federation Miner's membership card, a wedding announcement, and a Utah tourist pamphlet ca. 1903-1906 1/8 Pocket-size (1 1/2"X 4") notebook from IXL Bazaar (store) used for names, addresses, expenses, and probable investment figures 1884-1890 1/9 Notebook, 3"X 6" with grocery or grubstake lists, mining notes, and smaller notebook in back compartment 1886 and undated 1/10 First National Bank, Helena, Montana bankbook 1889 1/11 Pocket notebook listing expenses particularly grubstake costs 1889-1895 1/12 Time Book, mostly notes 1870-1886 1/13 Bank of Fergus County, Lewistown, Montana checkbook 1891 1/14 Pocket-size (1 1/2" X 4") calendar daybook from Fergus County Bank 1904 1/15 Kidder County State Bank, Steele, ND checkbook 1905 1/16 Notebook, 3" X 6", with grocery grubstake lists; records quantity of zinc mined; scribbled figuring on letter to D.A. Linebarger and family from N.E. Butts slipped into later pages of notebook 1897-1900 1/17 Notebook, 3" X 6", with miscellaneous expenses 1897 1/18 Notebook, 3" X 6", milk and other food expenses 1897 1/19 Notebook, 3" X 6", clothing and other expenses 1896 and 1897 1/20 Notebook, 3" X 5", boarding and food accounts 1897 1/21 Notebook, grubstake expenses and zinc mining record 1897 1/22 Notebook, boarding income 1897 1/23 Notebook, income and expense 1897 1/24 Notebook, grubstake expense undated 1/25 Notebook, grubstake expenses and zinc mining record 1901 1/26 Notebook, grubstake expenses undated 1/27 B.F. Avery & Sons Notebook, few notations 1888-1889 1/28 Pierce's Memorandum Account Book 1901 2/1 Notebook, miscellaneous financial notes 1903 2/2 Notebook, miscellaneous financial notes 1905 2/3 Notebook, miscellaneous egg & dairy income 1903-1907 2/4 Farmer's Rapid Calculator Notebook undated 2/5 Springfield Fire & Insurance Co. Calendar Notebook 1909 Series II Dora Linebarger 1908-1930 0.1 linear ft.

This series includes personal correspondence from a doctor and from Dora Linebarger's son and husband, a homestead patent from 1923, and sewing account books from 1908 through 1923. The group is arranged in chronological order.

2/6 Letter from Dr. J.J. Carroll undated 2/7 Letter from son Walter 1930 2/8 Letter from D.H. Linebarger 1910 2/9 Homestead patent to Dora Linebarger 1923 2/10 Laundry Account Book 1908-1910 2/11 Laundry Account Book and other notes 1910-1923 Series III Walter L. Linebarger 1907-1931 3 folders

This series includes one letter from 1926, one auto repair receipt from 1929, and one land sale contract from 1931 arranged in chronological order.

2/12 Letter written to E.C. Linebarger 1926 2/12 Auto repair receipt 1929 2/13 Land sale contract 1931 2/14 Autograph album 1907 Series IV Elmer C. Linebarger 1936-1945 0.2 linear ft.

This series includes farm relief correspondence from 1935 and 1936, extensive correspondence and directives from the WPA of Montana, the Montana Relief Commission, and other organizations involved in distribution of goods to needy families during the Great Depression, Linebarger's appointment as a Department of Defense civilian employee in 1942, and a small amount of miscellaneous materials such as a family letter, birth information, and news clippings.

This series is arranged in chronological order.

2/15 Farm Relief Correspondence 1936 2/16 WPA Commodity Distribution Relief Correspondence to Elmer C. Linebarger, Commodity Clerk, Jordan, Montana 1936 2/17 Correspondence received from WPA of Montana, Montana Relief Commission and other organizations regarding relief commodities 1937 2/18 Correspondence received from WPA of Montana, Montana Relief Commission and other organizations regarding relief commodities 1938 2/19 Commodity container sale receipt 1939 2/20 I.D. Card for Surplus Commodities, WPA Employee Identification Card, one bid for commodity container 1940 2/21 Commodity distribution correspondence undated 2/22 USDA Crop Allotment 1941 2/23 War Department Report of Field Personnel Action 1942 2/24 War Department Household Goods Receipt, Garfield County Property Tax Receipt and Garfield County Tax Receipt 1942 2/25 Letter to "Elmer and all" from a cousin Dona 1945 2/26 News clippings, articles, and a "Care of Baby" pamphlet with announcement of birth of daughter to Elmer Clinton and Pearl Eileen Linebarger October 28, 1939 Series V Della Meyers undated 1 folder

This series includes a single notebook with recipes and miscellaneous notes.

2/27 Notebook undated Series VII Maud Linebarger 1907 1 folder 2/28 Autograph album 1907 Series VI Photographs 1875-circa 1940 1 linear ft.

This series includes family photographs as well as individual portrait photos covering a span of time from approximately 1875 to as late as the 1940s. Most photos are not labeled with the names of the subjects, and only one is dated.

3/1 281(VI):1 [Unidentified infant in christening gown] [undated] 3/2 281(VI):2 [Father, mother, child] [undated] 3/3 281(VI):3 [Unidentified woman] [undated] 3/4 281(VI):4 [Unidentified woman, photo mount from Plank, Canastota, New York] [undated] 3/5 281(VI):5 [Unidentified woman, photo mount from G.W. Fox, Sioux Falls, South Dakota] [undated] 3/6 281(VI):6 [Two boys, unidentified, photograph mount from W.H. Culver, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 3/7 281(VI):7 [Unidentified man, photo mount from W. H. Culver, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 3/8 281(VI):8 [Unidentified man & woman, circa late 1800s] [undated] 3/9 281(VI):9 [Unidentified woman, photo mount from W.H. Culver, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 3/10 281(VI):10 [Unidentified woman] [undated] 3/11 281(VI):11 [Unidentified man & woman, wedding portrait, photograph mount from Raitt, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 3/12 281(VI):12 Full length photo, Miss Florence Hovis undated 3/13 281(VI):13 [Unidentified woman, likely wearing a candy striper or nurse trainee uniform] [undated] 3/14 281(VI):14 [Unidentified older man, blurred focus] [undated] 3/15 281(VI):15 [Unidentified husband and wife, formal photo] [undated] 3/16 281(VI):16 [Unidentified infant in pram] [undated] 3/17 281(VI):17 [Same unidentified infant in pram with young girl alongside] [undated] 3/18 281(VI):18 [Unidentified boys, probably brothers] [undated] 3/19 281(VI):19 [Unidentified adults, one man, three women, formal photo] [undated] 3/20 281(VI):20 [Unidentified infant in christening gown] [undated] 3/21 281(VI):21 [Presumed but unidentified parents, son, and 3 daughters posed outdoors in front of house] [undated] 3/22 281(VI):22 [Unidentified man (possibly Julian from inscription), photograph mount from Manhattan photograph Co., New York City] [undated] 3/23 281(VI):23 [Unidentified woman, head shot in profile] [undated] 3/24 281(VI):24 [Young girl, named Filarene Havis, per note on back] [undated] 3/25 281(VI):25 [Young man in military uniform, named Bob per inscription] [undated] 3/26 281(VI):26 Unidentified woman with infant and two young girls in front of house/cabin in forest] [undated] 3/27 281(VI):27 [Unidentified man and woman, head shots, formal photograph] [undated] 3/28 281(VI):28 [Unidentified older man, formal photograph] [undated] 3/29 281(VI):29 Scenic photographof old bridge, labeled Indian Creek, Montana undated 3/30 281(VI):30 [Unidentified man and woman, formal photograph, photograph mount from Tippett, Billings, Montana] [undated] 3/31 281(VI):31 [Two unidentified men and two women, formal posed photograph with studio backdrop, women wearing long dresses] [undated] 3/32 281(VI):32 [Unidentified man and woman, formal photograph, photograph mount from Coulter, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 3/33 281(VI):33 [Unidentified man in front of rustic cabin/house, photograph overexposed] [undated] 3/34 281(VI):34 [Two unidentified men and two woman, formal posed photograph, women wearing long skirts, photograph mount from Coulter Studio, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 3/35 281(VI):35 [Glass-mounted photograph of unidentified girl and boy] [undated] 3/36 281(VI):36 [Unidentified man, three women, girl, and boy posed in various spots in front of two-story frame house] [undated] 3/37 281(VI):37 [Family photo, 4 unidentified men, 4 women, 2 boys, and 1 African American woman] [undated] 3/38 281(VI):38 [Family photo, unidentified man, woman, young woman, female toddler, and 2 boys] [undated] 3/39 281(VI):39 [Negative, unidentified man standing in front of rough wood door] [undated] 3/40 281(VI):40 Martha Johnson undated 3/41 281(VI):41 [Unidentified baby in christening gown] [undated] 3/42 281(VI):42 [Unidentified woman] [undated] 3/43 281(VI):43 [Unidentified man and woman, photograph marked from O.C. Bundy Studio] [undated] 3/44 281(VI):44 [Unidentified young woman] [undated] 4/1 281(VI):45 [Three unidentified men] [undated] 4/2 281(VI):46 [Partial photo/postcard of woman in fancy hat] [undated] 4/3 281(VI):47 Hazel Belle Sullivan undated 4/4 281(VI):48 [Unidentified woman, small formal photograph in frame] [undated] 4/5 281(VI):49 [Unidentified man, small formal photograph in frame] [undated] 4/6 281(VI):50 [Unidentified boy, small formal photograph in frame] [undated] 4/7 281(VI):51 Matty Whitner, toddler undated 4/8 281(VI):52 Maggie Whitner, baby undated 4/9 281(VI):53 [Unidentified but notably well-dressed older man] [undated] 4/10 281(VI):54 [Unidentified baby] [undated] 4/11 281(VI):55 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/12 281(VI):56 [Grandmother Linebarger and unidentified baby] [undated] 4/13 281(VI):57 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/14 281(VI):58 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/15 281(VI):59 [Postcard/photograph of unidentified man and two unidentified women in car, (addressed to Dora Linebarger)] [undated] 4/16 281(VI):60 [Unidentified young woman] [undated] 4/17 281(VI):61 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/18 281(VI):62 [Family photograph #1, unidentified man (father?)] [undated] 4/19 281(VI):63 [Family photograph #2, unidentified woman (mother?)] [undated] 4/20 281(VI):64 Family photograph #3, Martha Johnson, girl undated 4/21 281(VI):65 [Family photograph #4, Jacob, boy] [undated] 4/22 281(VI):66 [Family photograph #5, unidentified girl] [undated] 4/23 281(VI):67 [Family photograph #6, Mary Jane, girl] [undated] 4/24 281(VI):68 [Family photograph #7, Cora Graham, girl] [undated] 4/25 281(VI):69 [Family photograph #8, Charly Graham, boy] [undated] 4/26 281(VI):70 [Family photograph #9, woman] [undated] 4/27 281(VI):71 [Family photograph #10, small boy] [undated] 4/28 281(VI):72 [Family photograph #11, Jebbie Johnson, small boy] [undated] 4/29 281(VI):73 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/30 281(VI):74 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/31 281(VI):75 [Unidentified woman, full-length photo, long dress, W H. Culver Studio, Lewistown, Montana] [undated] 4/32 281(VI):76 [Unidentified woman] [undated] 4/33 281(VI):77 Mary Linebarger undated 4/34 281(VI):78 [Unidentified man] [Sept. 8, 1875] 4/35 281(VI):79 [Unidentified woman] [undated] 4/36 281(VI):80 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/37 281(VI):81 [Unidentified woman] [undated] 4/38 281(VI):82 [Unidentified man] [undated] 4/39 281(VI):83 Rosey Linebarger with baby undated 4/40 281(VI):84 Sarah A. Graham undated 4/41 281(VI):85 [Two unidentified woman wearing long dresses, outdoors by tree] [undated] 4/42 281(VI):86 [Unidentified young man] [undated] 4/43 281(VI):87 [Unidentified girl, photo from M.A. Eckert, Artist, Helena, Montana] [undated] 4/44 281(VI):88 [Unidentified woman] [undated]