William A. Mentrum arrived in Gregory, Montana, on June 16, 1879. In 1883, he moved to Missoula, Montana, and worked for Eddy, Hammond Company, which became the Missoula Mercantile Company. He took over control of liquor sales and in 1885 was made manager for wholesale liquor, cigars, and cigarettes. In 1892, Mentrum decided to go into business for himself and opened the W. A. Mentrum Liquor and Bottling Company, located near Missoula's Northern Pacific Railroad depot. The company reorganized throughout the years and later included George Briggs as part owner.
The collection includes financial records, including day books, a cash book, sales books, and daily ledgers, from 1891 to 1905.
The collection is divided into two series:
Series I: Financial Records, Liquor Sales, 18 volumes, 1891-1905
Series II: Financial Records, Furniture Sales, 1 volume, 1888-1889
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.
Mentrum-Briggs Company Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.
Gift of R. H. Robinson, 1993. A Sales Book dated 1904-1905 was acquired and added to the collection in 2024.
The actions of the original processors are unknown. In 1998, the collection was re-described. At that time some minor damage from dampness was noted.
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.
This series contains day books, a cash book, sales books, and daily ledgers from the Mentrum-Briggs Company. Also included is correspondence and varied business forms utilized by the company. The day books contain the date, purchaser, itemized description of purchase, and total. The main items purchased were whisky, kegs, cigarettes, cigars, beer, brandy, rum, gin, and scotch. Non-perishable items purchased from the company were bar bottles, Bicycle playing cards, and poker chips.
The daily cash book consists of the customer name and number, whether the sale was cash or charge and an itemized list of purchases of the client. The book also includes a running total of credits to the company.
The daily sales books contain the purchaser, description of purchase, quantity, total, and balance of all totals tabulated at the bottom of each page.
The daily ledgers are categorized by the names of individual clients, including companies. The ledgers contain the date, items purchased, price, the amount owed, the dates of payments, and an account of any added on interest.
The series is arranged chronologically.
This series consist of a sales book, possibly from the Missoula Mercantile. It illustrates the date, the article of furniture sold, the cost per item, the sales price and the profit gained from each sale.
The series is arranged chronologically.