Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Fannie Davis autograph book, 1881-1886
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Ennis, Fannie Louise Davis, 1867-1955
- Title
- Fannie Davis autograph book
- Dates
- 1881-1886 (inclusive)18811886
- Quantity
- 1 volume
- Collection Number
- 2708
- Summary
- Montana pioneer born in Virginia City, Montana Territory. Autograph book spanning years as a schoolgirl in Virginia City and college years at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.
- Repository
-
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Fannie Louise Davis kept this autograph book from about 1881 to 1886, spanning her days as a young schoolgirl in Virginia City, Montana, and her college years at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. She and her circle of friends were among the first generation of pioneer children born and raised in Montana Territory. Contains autographs and sentiments from about thirty of her friends and classmates in and around Virginia City, many of who were born to the first settlers in the area. The album contains 50 pages filled with signatures and sentiments of friendship, all in ink and legibly.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Fannie Davis was born in Virginia City, Montana Territory, in 1867. She was the oldest of six children born to Nathaniel and Jeanette Davis, who moved to Montana from Colorado in 1862 to mine gold. Nathaniel moved his family to Virginia City afterwards where he opened the city's first mercantile establishment and became the Madison County clerk and recorder. Fannie left Virginia City in 1887 for Galesburg, Illinois, where she attended Knox College and studied music at the Knox Conservataory.
After returning to Montana, Fannie married William J. Ennis on September 29, 1892 in Virginia City. The couple had at least one child, Louise. Fannie twice served as president of Society of Montana Pioneers, reflecting her lifelong interest in the stories of Montana's pioneering families. She died on June 9, 1955.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Montana
- Girls--Montana--Virginia City
- Pioneers--Montana
- Social life and customs
Personal Names
- Ennis, Fannie Louise Davis, 1867-1955
Geographical Names
- Montana
- Montana--History
- Virginia City (Mont.)--History
- Virginia City (Mont.)--Social life and customs
Form or Genre Terms
- Albums (Books)
- Autograph albums
Jodi Allison-Bunnell
2022
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
