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John Marvin Blake papers, 1845-1933

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Blake, John Marvin, 1840-1927
Title
John Marvin Blake papers
Dates
1845-1933 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.5 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 100 (collection)
Summary
John Blake (1840-1927) was a Helena, Montana, pioneer, dentist, and livestock investor in the Townsend and Judith Basin, Montana, areas. He also built the Blake Block (103-105 Broadway) which served as the Territorial capitol when the government moved to Helena in 1875. The collection consists of incoming correspondence (1861-1925) to John Blake, and miscellaneous correspondence (1868-1933) for other members of the Blake family and non-family members. Also included are financial and legal records (1869-1930) and Blake family genealogical materials (1845-1874)
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
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

Dr. John Marvin Blake was born in Hope Center, New York, in July 1840. He grew up in Evansville, Wisconsin, but journeyed to Montana seeking adventure in 1864. Blake lived in Helena until the early 1870s, when he returned East to study dentistry. Dr. Blake was again in Helena by 1874, and set up one of the first dental practices in the area. Blake was also interested in livestock and owned a ranch near Townsend. Dr. Blake was married for a short time. He and his wife, Lizzie, had two daughters: Caroline who died as a baby and Nellie. The marriage ended in divorce in 1882. Blake never remarried. Blake lived most of his life in Helena. He built the Blake Block in the downtown area which housed numerous offices and shops and served in 1875 as the headquarters for the territorial government of Montana. Blake declared bankruptcy twice in his lifetime, once in 1905 and again in 1913. John Marvin Blake died in 1927 at the age of 87.

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Content Description

This collection consists primarily of incoming and outgoing correspondence. There is also a small amount of miscellaneous correspondence written to and from individuals other than Blake. In addition, there are financial and legal materials concerning Blake's ranching interests, dental practice, and other business activities.

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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 series.

Location of Collection

5:6-6

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

  • Incoming Correspondence

    • Description: Mary Blake Adams [sister and husband Lo]
      Dates: 1870-1878, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: A (correspondents include George M. Argue; S.C. Ashby; E.P. Axtell)
      Dates: 1871-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: E.W. Beebe
      Dates: 1870-1886, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Phrone Blake Benton [sister]
      Dates: 1870-1880
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Caroline Blake [mother]
      Dates: 1871-1873, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Elizabeth [Lizzie] Blake [wife] and daughter Nellie
      Dates: 1874-1882, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Horace Grealey Blake [brothers] Josiah Blake
      Dates: 1870-1871 1884
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: James H. Blake [brother] Diamond City
      Dates: 1870-1881, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: B-C (correspondents include Chauncey Barbour; Benjamin P. Barker; W.S. Barrett; Beaverhead County, Montana; M.F. Bishop; Frank A. Bowen; J.L. Brown; D. Butterfield; Bedford Montana; E.A. Carleton; Robert Carr; N.K. Cartwright; Celluloid Manufacturing Company; Chicago Refining Company; The Chicago Water Motor Company; Lootie Clark; W.A. Clark; Cornish,Curtis and Greene Manufacturing Company; Craven Brothers)
      Dates: 1874-1893, 1915
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: D-F (correspondents include Deering-Hauberg Company; Henry DesCombes; The Detroit Motor Company; John Dickinson; H.C. Dodge; Douglas and Perrine; S.H. Dyer; John Eddy; Sam Elwell; L.E. Emma; Leonhard Fertig; First National Bank; William Fisher; A.J. Fisk; Alice R. Fisk; J.O. Flower; E.L. Foucar; Frank H. Fowles; W. Fox; Leander W. Frarie; Nick Fretz)
      Dates: 1870-1888 1919,1922
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: H-I (correspondents include James Gaylord; A. Goodrich; Cornelius Hackshaw; C.S. Halsey; N.H. Hart; Helena Hot Springs Company; G.W. Heller; Diamond City; H.H. Houghton; The International Tooth Crown Company)
      Dates: 1870-1889 1906
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: J-L (correspondents include Jefferson County Treasurers Office; Jefferson County Office of Clerk and Recorder; Johnson and Lund; Anna Johnson; John H. Johnson; L.G. Johnson; R.A. Johnson; Johnston Brothers; W.T. Keener; C.S. Kelly; N.G. Kendall; Jay Kimbell; Benjamin Kimber; Kinsley and Turner; L.C. Larson; Sister M. Lawrence; Lee and Walker; J.E. Low; W. Lindgren; Hal W. Lombard)
      Dates: 1869-1888, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: M-N (correspondents include C.H. Manning; J.H. Mantle; L.L. Maples; L. Mayn; Frank N. McFarland; M.P. McKoon; George W. Melotte; Mills Brothers Publishers; G.N. Mires; Montana National Bank; Morgan and Wright; T.M. Morgan; Louisa Morrison; Philip J. Moula; Murphy, Neel and Company; The National Live-Stock Journal; Arthur Nerth; Neverslip Horse-Shoe Company; G.E. Norem; H.M.F. Nye)
      Dates: 1870-1886 1917
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Hattie Blake Owen [sister] "Podge" [and W.H. Owen and daughter Nellie]
      Dates: 1868-1884, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: O-S (correspondents include D.F. Ordew; D. Parker; H.M. Parks; Maria L. Pauley; J.G. Pickering; Joel W. Ramsdell; Mary Rauisford; George E. Roberts; D.M. Rowley; Scott House; Court Sheriff; H.N. Small; A.S. Smith; William Smyth; Fred Spencer; A.G. Steiner; C.E. Stone; L. Strickland; I. Stuart; L.V. Styles; W.J. Sweeney)
      Dates: 1869-1886 1906
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: George and Harvey Thomas
      Dates: 1868-1871
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: George H. Tong
      Dates: 1877-1886
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: T-V (correspondents include R.H. Thomas; William H. Todd; Joseph K. Toole; The Town of Lake Eye; Tuerk Hydraulic Power Company; Will N. Turley; Treasury Department; The United States Assay Office; Vawter and Wickes; D. Vinson)
      Dates: 1873-1885 1898
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 18
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Samuel S. White Dental Depot / S.S. White Dental Manufacturing Company
      Dates: 1869-1886
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 19
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Thomas Wilson
      Dates: 1869
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 20
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: W-Z (correspondents include Daniel J. Wait; Mrs. William Wallace; George Welch; S. Willey; J. Henry Wuino; P.W. Woodward; Hank Young; F.M. Zinglar)
      Dates: 1869 1875-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 21
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Unidentified
      Dates: 1869-1880, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 22
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: [Scattered: mostly regarding bills, on regarding his divorce
      Dates: 1871-1899, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 23
      Location: Incoming Correspondence

  • Miscellaneous Correspondence

  • Court Papers

    • Description: Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1882-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
      Location: Court Papers

  • Diaries

    • Description: Unknown
      Dates: 1870
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
      Location: Diaries

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Account Journal, Unknown
      Dates: 1903-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Accounts
      Dates: 1882-1889, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Dental Practice Account Books
      Dates: 1874-1930
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Hattie Owen Devereux
      Dates: 1915-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Insurance
      Dates: 1889-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoices
      Dates: 1870-1916, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Notes
      Dates: 1873-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 13
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Account Books, etc.
      Dates: 1884-1913, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 14
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Receipts
      Dates: 1869-1917, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Taxes
      Dates: 1870-1922
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Time Book
      Dates: 1869-1871
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1870-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Licenses
      Dates: 1877-1886
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1872-1922
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 6
      Location: Financial Records

  • Photographs

    • Description: List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 7
      Location: Photographs

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Genealogical Material
      Dates: 1845-1874, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 8
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Medical Notebooks
      Dates: 1870-1909, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 9
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Invitations, cards, act. plats, etc.
      Dates: 1887-1907, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 10
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1844, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 11
      Location: Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Cattle raising--Montana
  • Dentistry
  • Genealogy

Geographical Names

  • Blake Block (Helena, Mont.)
  • Helena (Mont.)--Commerce

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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