Whitlock and Lund Family papers, 1857-1976

Overview of the Collection

Title
Whitlock and Lund Family papers
Dates
1857-1976 (inclusive)
Quantity
5.3 linear feet, (5 hollinger boxes, 1 small photo box, 1 letter box, 2 oversize boxes, 1 oversized folder)
Collection Number
2684
Summary
The Whitlock and Lund collection represents family, agriculture, and industry experience in Gallatin County, Montana, and the American West. The letters, photographs, news articles and other ephemera of the collection document the history of the area, and of Montana State University, which was called Montana State College at the time. The Lund family moved from Lyons, Illinois, (now Clinton, Illinois), to Three Forks, Montana, in 1910 after purchasing a ranch in the area. Bert Whitlock, who married Janelle Lund, became the Director of the Grain Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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
Languages
English

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Whitlock and Lund collection represents family, agriculture, and industry experience in Gallatin County, Montana, and the American West. The letters, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, news articles and other ephemera of the collection document the history of the area, and of Montana State University (then Montana State College). It chronicles family history from Virtus Lund; his children, Janelle, Helen, and Virtus Gage (Burt);, their spouses;, and their children. Janelle's husband Bert Whitlock was Director of the Grain Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; his papers document his achievements, agency policies, standards, and changes, and his domestic and international travel for research and collaboration. There is copious documentation of his travel to Japan and China in 1923-1924, of both recreational activities, and business related activities and reporting. The same is true for his trip to Europe in the 1930's. The family papers also include family genealogical research and specific data on the family ranch, located in the Milligan Canon Area, near Three Forks, Montana. Many of the letters and correspondence chronicle everyday life in the American West through the 1910's to 1970's. Included People: Hans Edwin Virtus Lund, Carrie Gage Lund, Janelle Lund Whitlock, Virtus Gage (Bud) Lund, Helen Lund Bowen, Bert Whitlock, Dave Whitlock, Buddy Lund Bowen, Edgar Whitlock, Dave Whitlock.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Lund Family, Virtus, Carrie, Janelle, Helen, and Gage (AKA "Bud"), moved from Lyons, Illinois, (now Clinton, Illinois), to Three Forks, Montana, in 1910 after purchasing a ranch in the area. Three Forks Montana was officially incorporated on February 23, 1911, and had originally been settled in 1808 and saw a resurgence of settlement beginning in 1867. The ranch, located in Milligan Canyon, just outside of Three Forks, Montana, was relatively successful as a cattle ranch, but not very successful at growing wheat.

The family moved to nearby Bozeman, Montana, in 1920 and opened the Lund Motor Company at 502 E. Main Street. The building still stands as of 2022. All of the Lund children attended Montana State College (now Montana State University) in the late 1910's. Between the years of 1925 and 1966, Gage (Bud) Lund worked for Standard Oil, which would become a part of the Chevron Corporation. Janelle Lund, who was accepted into the Masters of Science program at Montana State College, married Bert W. Whitlock in 1918. Bert Whitlock became the Director of the Grain Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His work required him to travel across the United States. He and his family also traveled by steamer to Japan and China between 1923 and 1924, and he traveled to Europe in the 1930s. Later, Janelle would travel to Europe by plane, her diary from the trip is included.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

This collection is open for research.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

This collection was processed November 2022. During processing, two items determined not to fit the collection development policy were returned to the donor.

Acquisition Information

The records for the Whitlock and Lund Family Papers consists of accession 2684, donated by Cathy Whitlock in December of 2021.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Bud Lund
Papers and letters chronicling the life of Gage (Bud) Lund and his family. There are papers that document his career at Standard Oil including company magazines, Letters Between Bud and his family, as well as some memorial items for members of his family. Memorial items include a photograph, death certificate and obituary for Alice Moody Lund (his first wife) and the funeral program for Bert Whitlock (his brother-in-law). The file also contains a news article about a 1960 plane crash which resulted in the death of Buddy Lund Bowen. There are also a small number of photographs of Bud and his family in a sub folder. Items that were preserved together have been grouped together, but otherwise the items were grouped together by the archivist
1923-2010
1 2 Helen Lund Bowen Papers
Newspaper articles relating to life events of Hellen Lund Bowen, copied pages from the Montanan 1921, and photographs
1921-1923
1 3 Lund Family
Photographs and notes about the Lund family
1 4 Lund Family in Montana
Documents connected to the Lund Family History, particularly their relocation to their Ranch in Three Forks Montana. The folder includes genealogical data compiled by family members, photographs of the family, landscape sketches by Virtus Lund, geographic location information for the ranch, census records for the family and obituaries and the death certificate for Virtus Lund.
1971
1 5 Milligan Canon Area History
Copied pages from Headwaters Heritage History in 2004 by the Three Forks Historical Society. Pages 243-304
2004-2004
1 6 Janelle Lund Whitlock: Vital Records, Genealogy, Poetry, Letters
Papers and letters chronicling the life of Janelle Lund Whitlock. Vital Records include her Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Last Will and Testament, Insurance Card, and Cremation receipt. The receipt for the cemetery plot for Bert Whitlock (her husband) is also included. Additionally, newspaper clippings recording her marriage to Bert Whitlock, and for the marriage of her sister Ella Lund to Howard Warner. There are family accounts of the family history, both typed and hand written.
1894-1979
1 7 Janelle Lund Whitlock: MSU Alumni
Papers associated with Janelle Lund Whitlock's time at Montana State College, the 50th anniversary reunion of her graduating class, and Montana State University Alumni Association membership documents. Included are letters from classmates reflecting on their school experience, Photographs from the 1967 reunion of the class of 1917, Janelle's 1917 acceptance letter for the Masters of Science Degree program.
1917-1979
1 8 Bert and Janelle Whitlock Photos
Individual and family photographs for Bert and Janelle Whitlock. Also contains photographs of some of their residences.
1912-1962
2 1 Diary: Janelle Lund Whitlock, 1910 1910-1910
2 2 Diary: Janelle Lund Whitlock, 1912 1912-1912
2 3 Diary: Janelle Lund Whitlock, 1924, Trip to Japan and China 1923-1924
2 4 Diary: Janelle Lund Whitlock, 1960's, Trip to Europe
2 5 Adress Book and Wallet, Janelle Lund Whitlock
2 6-8 Whitlock Scrapbook
Family scrapbook. One additional item in OS Folder
1918-1960
folder-os
1 Whitlock Scrapbook 1918-1960
Box Folder
3 1 Letters: Carrie Lund To Janelle Lund Whitlock (Bozeman)
Correspondence between Carrie Lund and Janelle Lund Whitlock. Original organization retained
1917-1926
3 2 Letters: May Whitlock
Letters from May Whitlock of Wichita Kansas to family between the years of 1926 and 1945
1926-1945
3 3 Letters: Virtus Lund to Janelle Lund Whitlock
Letters from Virtus Lund to his daughter Janelle Lund Whitlock
1920-1921
3 4 Scrapbook: Oriental Trip, B. W. Whitlock, 1923-1924 Volume 1 1923-1972
3 5 Original Report of B. W. Whitlock's Trip to Japan and China on Grain Storage, Etc., Original Drawings and Photos 1924-1924
3 6 Bert Whitlock Trip to D.C. and Europe
Handwritten account of trip events formatted as letters to his family.
1931-1931
3 7 Bert Whitlock Trip to Europe, 1931
Continued Handwritten account of Bert Whitlock's trip to Europe.
1931-1931
4 1 Letters: Bert Whitlock and Janelle Lund 1914-1921
Organization by archivist. Correspondence between Bert Whitlock and Janelle Lund, mostly between 1917 and 1918. letters include one from Bert to Janelle about being exempted from the war, and there is one from Bud Lund to Janelle in 1921 regarding the birth of Janelle's son
1914-1921
4 2 Wedding: Janelle Lund and Bert Whitlock
Newspaper articles relating to the wedding of Janelle Lund and Bert Whitloc, Wedding Announcements and other items.
1918-1918
4 3-6 Letters: Bert Whitlock and Janelle Lund (Folders 1-4)
Original organization retained. Letters between Bert Whitlock and Jenelle Lund Whitlock between the period of 1928 and 1961. Most letters were posted by Bert during travel for work. Major American cities include Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Portland, and Vancouver. He also sent international letters from London, Dublin (Baile Atha Cliath), Edinburgh, Berlin, and Switzerland. Most letters include original envelopes and stamps. The folders also contain a War Ration Book from 1942 with some remaining ration stamps and a Western Telegraph letter from 1931.
1928-1961
4 7 Accomplishments: Bert W. Whitlock and Janelle Lund Whitlock
Membership documents, newspaper clippings and letters of praise relating to the lives of Bert W. Whitlock and Janelle Lund Whitlock
1916-1972
5 1-4 Bert Whitlock Work Letters, etc. (1-4)
Papers and correspondence of Bert Whitlock regarding his work at the United States Department of Agriculture. 2 additional items in OS Folder 1.
1914-1960
folder-os
1 Bert Whitlock Work Letters, etc. (1-4) 1914-1960
Box Folder
5 5 Grain Inspection Manual, 1952
United States Department of Agriculture Grain Inspection Manual, Revised effective December 1, 1952. Covering the Sampling, Inspection, Grading, and Certification of Grain under the United States Grain Standards Act As Amended. Property of Bert Whitlock.
1952-1952
5 6 Bert Whitlock Work Papers
papers and newspaper clippings from Bert Whitlock's work
1956-1960
5 7 Bert Whitlock Retirement Papers
Papers associated with Bert Whitlock's retirement, and other assorted items. Cards and newspaper clippings relating to his work and retirement, and also a photograph, Obituary for Carl R. Richardson, and Church Confirmation card for Bert Whitlock.
1938-1976
5 8 Letters to Bert W. Whitlock Presented at his Retirement Reception
Letters from well-wishers written to Bert Whitlock regarding his retirement in 1960.
1960-1960
6 Photos and Postcards from China, 1923-1924
Photographs taken by Bert and Janelle Whitlock on their trip to China, and postcards purchased on the trip.
1923-1924
folder-os
1 Lund Family Ranch
Oversized materials relating to the location of the Lund Family Ranch in Montana. There is a Geological survey map indicating the geographic location of the Lund Family Ranch, Deeds for the ranch location, and documentation from the Rocky Mountain Title company at the request of David Whitlock.
Box
7 Scrapbook: Bert's Trip to England, 1932
Includes Photographs, Postcards, Passenger Lists, Menus. the last page contains various photographs and postcards that may have fallen out of other scrapbooks.
1915-1932
box-os
8 1915 Montana State Collete Agriculture and Mechanic Arts Year Book, The Montanan, Bert Whitlock
Yearbook for the Montana State College, published by the "class of 1915 in their Junior Year." Black and white photos depict students, faculty, campus buildings, and sports and activities. Clubs and Sports team pages include activity phots and member names with their graduating years. It also includes a calendar of activities, sample course structures, and advertisements from local businesses.
1913-1914
8 Royal Purple, Yearbook for Kansas State Agricultural College
Yearbook belonging to Bert Whitlock for the Kansas State Agricultural College, Now Kansas State University. Included are: College and Faculty, Events of the Current Year, Classes, Organizations, Athletics, and Humor. An inserted note indicates that Bert Whitlock drew the cartoons in this volume
1912-1913
8 Scrapbook: Bert W. Whitlock Family
Family and travel photographs. Snoqualmie pass.
circa 1928-1929
8 Scrapbook: Our trip to the Orient, Compiled by Mother Whitlock, 1927-1928, Edgar 3 years old
documenting a family/work trip to Japan and China, via steamer travel.
1923-1924
8 Scrapbook: Bert Whitlock's Family 1920--
family and travel photographs. American west, including Grand Canyon.
circa 1920-1928
8 Scrapbook: Older Lunds and Whitlocks
modern collection and documentation of historic family photographs
circa 1857-1924

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Frontier and pioneer life--Montana
  • Ranches--Montana--Gallatin County
  • Ranching--Montana

Corporate Names

  • United States. Department of Agriculture.--Officials and employees

Family Names

  • Lund family
  • Whitlock family

Geographical Names

  • China--Description and travel
  • Gallatin County (Mont.)--History
  • Japan--Description and travel
  • Montana--History--19th century

Form or Genre Terms

  • Albums (Books)
  • Correspondence
  • Diaries
  • Photographs
  • Scrapbooks