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Alexander Mckay papers, 1857-1925

Overview of the Collection

Creator
McKay, Alexander, 1832-1922
Title
Alexander Mckay papers
Dates
1857-1925 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.5 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 112 (collection)
Summary
Alexander McKay (1832-1922), a Scottish immigrant, was a miner and businessman in Virginia City, Montana. Records (1857-1922) include correspondence, financial records, legal documents, and court papers for McKay's business interests including flour mills and mining claims. There are subgroups for Elling, Baker McKay (1887-1911); Mill Creek Mills (1878-1898); Caroline Hanson McKay (1877-1911); and Mary McKay Herhold Bothwell Swanze (1876-1925).
Repository
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

Collection open for research.

Languages
English, German
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

Alexander McKay was an early miner and pioneer in the Alder Gulch, Montana, area. He was born on May 15, 1832, in Glasgow, Scotland, and immigrated to the United States in 1854. The McKays spent their first years in this country in the South. In the late 1850s they moved to the Denver area following mining opportunities. They then moved to Bannack, in what was to become Montana Territory, with the first gold rush in 1862. In July of 1863, with the gold discoveries in Alder Gulch, McKay moved from Bannack to Virginia City. The following year, he moved on to Bivens Gulch where he purchased numerous mining claims with his Alder Gulch earnings. His Biven's Gulch claim employed up to 15 men at its height. He invested his mining fortune in farm lands in the Madison Valley, settling his family in Virginia City. The family did well in Virginia City. Alexander McKay participated as a life long Republican in local politics and economic development. In 1889 Mr. and Mrs. McKay moved to the Old Sarge Hall grist mill, near Sheridan, Montana. They remained at that site until their deaths.

In 1860 Alex McKay was married to Caroline Hanson in Kansas. Their first child, Flora, was born in 1861 near Denver, Colorado. In 1863, their second child Mary, was born in Virginia City. Flora and Mary attended Virginia City grade schools, then attended Iowa State College, where Flora received a degree of medicine and Mary a degree in music and art. Flora married Dr. C.A. McNulty in 1884. She later recieved a doctor of science degree from the Women's Medical College of Chicago, and a Master of Arts from Iowa College in 1893. Both Mary and Flora spent most of their lives in the Virginia City-Sheridan area and were very active in local social and religious organizations. Upon the death of their father, they helped Caroline McKay manage the family estate.

Alex McKay died in 1922. Caroline Hansen McKay died in 1917. Flora McKay McNulty and Mary McKay [Herhold, Bothwell] Swayze died within weeks of each other in 1945.

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Content Description

This collection contains biographical materials (undated) McKay and Hansen family geneaology; incoming correspondence (1875-1919) concerning mining and realestate business dealings; outgoing correspondence (1887, 1901, 1908); court papers (1857-1922) court cases dealing mostly with mining properties and water rights; financial records (1865-1919) dealing with daily expenses and various financial enterprises including Mill Creek Mill, mining and realestate; legal documents (1872-1912) primarily regarding mining claims and deeds; and miscellaneous certificates and programs, and clippings.

The Elling, Baker and McKay subgroup relates to mining holdings controlled jointedly by Henry Elling, William Baker and Alex McKay. The records include financial records (1887-1911) mainly assay, banking and tax records.

The Mill Creek Mills subgroup contains financial records (1887-1898) including ledgers; financial statements on grain milled, daily expenses and account activities; receipts and miscellaneous work forms.

The Caroline Hanson McKay subgroup consists of incoming correspondence (1877-1910) divided equally between family issues and mining and realestate business; legal documents (1860-1911) primarily related to family estates and land holdings; and calling cards.

The Mary McKay Herhold Bothwell Swanze subgroup consists of incoming correspondence (1876-1910) mainly from McKay family; financial records (1897, 1925) includes deposit clips an receipts; legal documents (1897, 1905) regarding mining leases and patents; and calling cards and miscellaneous notes. [For materials on Flora McKay McNulty see MC 261.]

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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. Some material housed in Archives Map Case. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

5:8-3

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Photographs transferred to Photo Archives. See inventory below for more information.

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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

  • Alexander Mckay

    • Biographical Materials

    • Incoming Correspondence

      • Description: A-B (includes Theodore Adams, John B. Allibaugh, A.H. Anderson, W.P. Armstrong, P.W. Baker, Thomas T. Baker, A.H. Barret, The Beall Improvements Company, Alden J Bennett, Charles Bergstrom, Henry N. Blake, George W. Boehmer, John Brosovitch, Henry Brundy #, S.R. Buford & Co., Clara Burtch, Ford Burtch)
        Dates: 1878-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: William Andrew Clark [attorney in Virginia City]
        Dates: 1900-1915
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: C (includes Edmund J. Callaway, J.S. Callaway, Llewellan Callaway, Alex Campbell, Jack Caro, H.B. Cheney, N.P. Christiansen, William Alexander Clark, Horace Clark, Collins Land Co., Frank Collogan, Philip Conrey, George. W. Cruger)
        Dates: 1878-1905
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: D (includes C.L. Dahler, John F. Davies, N.P. Davies #, J.L. Dennek, Donovan Commission Company, Downie-Wright Manufacturing Company)
        Dates: 1868-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Henry Elling
        Dates: 1874-1919
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: E-G (includes Caleb Eldred, Z.H. Evans, James Feber, B.J. Fine, Henry Fishback, C.M. Fitch, Samuel Fletcher, William Foreman, T. Foster, C.H. Gage, W.H. Godfrey, Julius Greis Co., P.J. Griffin)
        Dates: 1878-1913
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Sarge Hall
        Dates: 1876-1887
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Richard Herhold
        Dates: 1888-1897
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: H (including Hall & Bennett, George Halse, F.O. Handrich, William L. Hargrave, Charles Herman, R. Hick, George Hill, Edward Howell, H.S. Howell)
        Dates: 1879-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: I-J (includes James Inglis, A.G. Jensen and Bros., James Jobb, Alex Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Johnson Hardware Co., Charles Johnson, M.D. Johnson, Barclay Jones, Thomas Lewis, Linden Brothers, S. Lowman)
        Dates: 1878-1905
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: McKay family: Flora and Mary
        Dates: 1875-1917
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12-13
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: M-N (includes Montana College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Montana Grain and Brokerage Company, Montana State Library (Montana Historical Society), W.S. McColley, J.H. McDonald, J.F. McDonnell, John Melville, Charles Miller, J.A. Monaghan, Peter Moran, Walter Morris, Wiley Mountjoy, Edwin Norris, H.F. Noyd, James M. Nye, C.A. Nyhart)
        Dates: 1880-1902
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: O (includes A.H. Odell, Omaha-Texas Oil Company, Newton Orr)
        Dates: 1892-1900
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Charles Pietsch
        Dates: 1880-1888
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: P (includes The Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company, Elmer Page, James M. Page, R.W. Page, Thomas H. Parsons, R.F. Pearce, Dion Pennington, The People's Power League of Montana, J.B. Percy, George Perkins, John C. Peterson, William Pfouts, William Pigott, George H. Potter, L.J. Price, J.D. Pritchett, L.M Pritchett)
        Dates: 1877-1914
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: R (includes C.W. Rank & Co., Harry Redfield, E.W. Reed, The Republican County Central Committee, John Rosenberger, William Rothwell)
        Dates: 1899-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 18
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Robert G. Smith (Montana governor)
        Dates: 1897
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 19
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: S (includes W.F. Sanders, Dan F. Sandidge, J.B. Seeley, P.H. Shewmaker, W.T. Shirley & Co., Harry Siegel, Alex Simpson, H.H. Sinnott, Society of Montana Pioneers, George Shoemaker, J.W. Sommers, Axel Stejer, Charles Stewart, William Stewart, M. Stone, Frank Sworty)
        Dates: 1899-1919
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 20
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Society of Montana Pioneers Certificate [Map Case-See MC 95-112 folder]
        Dates: 1931
        Container: Oversize Folder MC 95-112
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: T (includes Q.S. Talcott, Thomas Taylor, Ellen Thiernan, Owen Thomas, Thuet Brothers, Abe Thurgood, Henry Thurston, J.L. Thurston, Twin Bridge Lumber Company)
        Dates: 1872-1903
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 21
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: U (includes United States Assay Office (Helena), C.L. Utley, George S. Utley, Maytie Utley)
        Dates: 1895-1904
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 22
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Frank S. Watters
        Dates: 1902-1903
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 23
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: W (includes William Walker, R.B. Wampler, Watson & Bartlett, John Weingart, Mark Welch, Orrin Welch, G.B. Wheat, R.A. White, A.J. Wilcomb, F.H. Wilcomb, Bill Wilson, C.W. Winslow, Word & Word)
        Dates: 1878-1905
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 24
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence
      • Description: Unidentified [1887 letter is in German]
        Dates: 1887, 1894
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 25
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Incoming Correspondence

    • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Court Papers

      • Description: Fred Ellinghouse, et. al. vs Alex McKay
        Dates: 1905, 1908
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Court Papers
      • Description: Alex McKay vs Mani Mesch [handwritten copy of complaint and notes]
        Dates: 1920
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Court Papers
      • Description: Alex McKay vs Sargent Hall
        Dates: 1881-1898
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 3
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Court Papers
      • Description: Alex McKay vs William McDougall
        Dates: 1893-1897
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 4
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Court Papers
      • Description: C.W. McKinney Estate vs Alex McKay
        Dates: 1874-1875
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Court Papers
      • Description: Miscellany (includes Alex McKay Estate probate, 1922)
        Dates: 1857-1922
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Court Papers

    • Financial Records

      • Description: Account book [re Mill Creek Mill]
        Dates: 1889-1903
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Account book [re Stoddard & McKay]
        Dates: 1864
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Agreement [re ore reduction costs]
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Assay records
        Dates: 1874-1902
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Bank books (Henry Elling Banker) [third volume also includes records of mining claims held by the McKay/ McNulty family]
        Dates: 1876-1889
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Bank books (Hall & Bennett Bankers)
        Dates: 1889-1903
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Bank statements (includes deposits and interest)
        Dates: 1876-1903
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 13
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Bills and invoices: A-C
        Dates: 1877-1901
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 14
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Bills and invoices: D-L
        Dates: 1874-1909
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 15
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Bills and invoices: M-Y
        Dates: 1875-1910
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 16
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Cancelled checks (Hall & Bennett Bankers)
        Dates: 1890-1904
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 17
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Cancelled checks (Hall, Harrington & Co. Bankers)
        Dates: 1887
        Container: Box/Folder 2 / 18
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Cancelled checks (Henry Elling Banker)
        Dates: 1875-1892
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Day book (includes daily expenses) [information on leases and mining deeds are interspersed throughout]
        Dates: 1873-1875, 1917-1919
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Loans (includes interest paid on loans made by Alex McKay)
        Dates: 1865-1897
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Meat book (includes employee name and kind of meat purchased) [volume is in poor condition. Child has used as scrapbook]
        Dates: circa 1869
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 4
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Memo books (includes scattered lists of food supplies purchased, recipes, and mining claim activity) [6]
        Dates: 1869-1909
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 5
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Memorandum of Gold Deposits (re gold and silver bullion deposits and sales through Kountz Brothers, New York)
        Dates: 1877-1896
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 6
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Receipts
        Dates: 1864-1912
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 7
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Tax assessment lists
        Dates: 1894-1917
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 8
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Tax receipts (includes local, state and federal)
        Dates: 1876-1909
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 9
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Tax receipts (includes Illinois property taxes)
        Dates: 1882-1898
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 10
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Time books (includes "Hoffacker Gulch" time book that lists meat and other food costs for 1877, 1880) [3]
        Dates: 1871-1874
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 11
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records
      • Description: Miscellaneous (includes lists of expenses and gold and silver credits from unidentified mining jobs)
        Dates: 1865-1868, 1877-1893
        Container: Box/Folder 3 / 12
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Financial Records

    • Legal Documents

    • Miscellaneous

      • Description: Miscellany (includes certificates, programs, pamphlets and general memorabilia)
        Dates: 1869-1888, undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Miscellaneous

    • Clippings

      • Description: Includes W.W. Morris obituary, Anti-Chinese movement meetings, mining techniques
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 4 / 8
        Location: Alexander Mckay / Clippings

  • Elling, Baker And Mckay

  • Mill Creek Mills

  • Caroline Hanson Mckay

  • Mary Mckay Herhold Bothwell Swayze

  • Transfers To Other Programs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Assaying
  • Flour-mills
  • Friendly societies
  • Gold mines and mining
  • Grain--milling
  • Land companies
  • Library science--Societies, Etc.
  • Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Madison County
  • Mining claims
  • Scottish Americans
  • Service organizations
  • Women--Societies and clubs

Personal Names

  • McKay, Alexander, 1832-1922 (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Bannack (Mont.)
  • Sheridan (Mont.)
  • St. Paul's Church (Virginia City, Mont.)
  • Virginia City (Mont.)--Religious life and customs
  • Virginia City (Mont.)--Social life and customs

Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004

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

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