Montana Historical SocietyArchives
MC
53
Sanders, Wilbur Fisk, 1834-1905
Wilbur Fisk Sanders
papers
1856-1905
2.4 linear foot of shelf
space (6 boxes)
Wilbur Fisk Sanders (1834-1905) was a
Bannack, Virginia City, and Helena, Montana, attorney, vigilante, and
Republican politician. Collection (1856-1930) includes biographical materials;
correspondence (1861-1905); diaries (1866-1867); legal documents; financial
records; speeches; historical writings; and miscellany, including scrapbooks.
There is a small subgroup of Harriet Peck Fenn Sanders' correspondence
(1874-1902) and diaries (1888, undated).
2:6-1
English
Wilbur Fisk Sanders was born May 2, 1834, at Leon, New York, the son
of a farmer. He received his basic education in local public schools, and in
1854, he moved to Akron, Ohio, to begin the pursuit of a legal career. He
joined the law firm of his uncle, Sidney Edgerton, and studied there until his
admittance to the Ohio Bar in 1856. Sanders practiced law in Ohio until the
outbreak of the Civil War. He volunteered for military service, aided in the
formation of Ohio volunteer units, and served as a staff officer until poor
health forced his resignation in August 1862. Sanders accompanied his uncle to
Bannack, Idaho Territory, where Edgerton was to serve as territorial chief
justice. Sanders chose to remain in the gold mining region, practicing law.
During the vigilante period, Sanders served as a prosecuting attorney for the
trial that produced the first vigilante execution, and he supported the
movement thereafter. Sanders was active as a Republican politician. He served
four terms in the territorial house (1872-1879), and was four times the
unsuccessful Republican candidate for territorial delegate (1864, 1867, 1880,
1886). He was chosen one of Montana's first senators in 1890, after a disputed
election. He served the short term (1890-1893), but failed to be re-elected in
1892, after another legislative dispute. Sanders' law practice, begun in
Bannack, was continued as he moved to Virginia City and Helena. Sanders served
many years as regional counsel for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Wilbur Fisk
Sanders died in Helena, July 7, 1905.
This collection consists largely of general correspondence, speeches,
and writings reflecting Montana territorial and early state politics, Montana's
pioneer history, and the vigilante movement. There is a small subgroup for
Harriet P. Sanders, wife of Wilbur F. Sanders.
Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in oversize folder in archives map case.
Some material housed in oversize box. See inventory below for more information.
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.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives,
Helena, Montana.
Collection open for research.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the
Montana Historical Society Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials
about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.
Sanders, Wilbur Fisk, 1834-1905
Frontier and
pioneer life-- Montana
Louisiana
Purchase
Railroad
travel
Vigilantes--Montana--Bannack
Vigilantes--Montana--Virginia City
Helena
(Mont.)--Commerce
Helena
(Mont.)--Politics and government
United
States--Politics and government
Montana
Pioneers
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection
Wilbur Fisk Sanders
Biographical Material
1 / 1
"Romance of the Life of a
Senator : stirring passages in the Western experiences of Col. Wilbur F.
Sanders of Montana ... the Wild and Wooly West in early days, Vigilantes and
their Methods, Difficulties attending the Settlement of a New Country" by James
S. Brisbin
1891
1 / 2-3
Clippings: obituaries and
tributes
1905-1906
1 / 4
Clippings: miscellaneous
biographical
1891-1934
General Correspondence
1 / 5
W.L. Holloway
October 1902
Incoming Correspondence
2 / 1
A (correspondents include
Adams Academy, Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company, R.T. Allen, American
Copyright League, A.R. Appleman, Rufe Arick, F.B. Arundell)
1874-1904
2 / 2
James S. Brisbin
1879
2 / 3
B (correspondents include
Charles S. Bagg, H.H. Bancroft, Jack Baronett, H.V. Banes, C.W. Bayliss,
Alexander H. Beattie, J.X. Beidler, Martin Beem, Levi Bennett, William Berkin,
Frederick Billings, H.B. Blackwell, J.E. Blaine, Henry N. Blake, J.V. Bogert,
Alex C. Botkin, Gus M. Bourquin, William S. Brackett, James H. Bradley, Wakeman
Bradley, W.P. Brainard, Theodore Brantly, P.H. Breslin, C.A. Broadwater, John
B. Brondel, J.V. Brower, S.S. Burdett, S. Bynum)
1862-1896,
undated
2 / 4
James E. Callaway
1872-1884
2 / 5
Thomas H. Carter
1890-1891
2 / 6
William Chumasero
1866
2 / 7
Helen P. Clarke; Horace Clark
1889, 1892
2 / 8
Daniel C. Corbin
1892
2 / 9
C (correspondents include
August Cameron, Fannie Campbell, Thompson Campbell, A.M.S. Carpenter, G.S.
Carpenter, Tim J. Carney, Citizens' Alliance, William H. Clagett, William A.
Clark, Robert Clark & Co. Publishers, J.B. Clough, Charles K. Cole, Dennis
Collins, W.T. Collins, E.H. Combs, Harry R. Comly, Robert A. Coolidge, Thomas
Couch, Milo Courtwright, Arthur J. Craven, Joseph Culbertson, W.E. Cullen)
1866-1903
2 / 10
D (correspondents include F.C.
Deimling, Louis DeLestry, William H. DeWitt, Fred DuBois, J.H. Durston)
1868-1899
2 / 11
Sidney Edgerton
1883, 1886
2 / 12
E (correspondents include W.T.
Ensign, W.P. Edgerton)
1874, 1895
2 / 13
James Fergus
1874-1892
2 / 14
James L. Fisk
1868
2 / 15
F (correspondents include Ann
C.T. Farrar, Stephen Field, S.G. Fisher, Mike Foley, D.E. Folsom, D.K.Ford)
1884-1896,
undated
2 / 16
James A. Garfield
1865
2 / 17
G (correspondents include
William Gallick, William B. Gain, James Gibson, Paris Gibson, W.S. Godbe,
Edward N. Goddard, O.F. Goddard, E.N. Gray, George Bird Grinnell, Joseph N.
Guidi)
1866-1901
2 / 18
Hezekiah Hosmer
1867
2 / 19
H (correspondents include
James Harkness, Thomas W. Harris, J.P. Haskell, H. George Heldt, W.B. Heyburn,
Harlow N. Higinbotham, J. Russell Hodge, Mary R. Hodge, H.R. Horr, O.O. Howard,
Neil Howie, G.S. Hoyt, James B. Hubbell, B.M. Hughes, J.J. Hull, A.J. Hunter,
William H. Hunt)
1866-1904
2 / 20
I-K (correspondents include
George W. Irvin, J.D. Jenks, W.W. Johnson, J.A. Kanouse, T.H. Kleinschmidt,
W.D. Knight, H. Knippenberg, Hiram Knowles)
1863-1896
2 / 21
L (correspondents include H.R.
Leonard, Thomas Lewers, M.M. Lockwood, John S. Lott)
1874-1901
2 / 22
Martin Maginnis
1874, 1879
2 / 23
James H. Mills
1869-1885
2 / 24
M (correspondents include
James K. McCammon, A.K. McClure, W.J. McCormick, Robert L. McCulloh, J.A.
MacKnight, H.N. Maguire, Thomas A. Marlow, S. Meredith, N. Merriman, Montana
State Land Board, Montana Bar Association, E.W. Moore, Thomas F. Morgan, Theo.
Muffley, John Mullan, L.E. Munson, James A. Murray, S.G. Murray)
1867-1904
2 / 25
Northern Pacific Railroad
Company
1884-1892
2 / 26
N (correspondents include T.L.
Napton, Edw. B. Nealley, A.B. Nettleton, W.H. Norton, John A. Nye)
1866-1890,
undated
2 / 27
Thomas F. Oakes
1882
2 / 28
C.C. O'Keefe
1874
2 / 29
John Owen
1868
2 / 30
O (correspondents include P.A.
Oliver, E.S. Otis)
1878, 1890
2 / 31
Thomas C. Power
1875, 1881
2 / 32
P (correspondents include M.C.
Page, James Parton, Phillips Exeter Academy, Pinkerton's National Detective
Agency, George M. Pinney, Martha Edgerton Plassmann, John Potts, Charles Price,
E.P. Purple)
1866-1899
2 / 33
R (correspondents include
Republican Party, Albert D. Richardson, H.P. Rolfe)
1865-1894
2 / 34
Harriet Sanders, Junius
Sanders, Wilbur E. Sanders, [unidentified Sanders]
1863-1904
2 / 35
Granville Stuart
1868-1891
2 / 36
S (correspondents include
George L. Sharp, John Sherman, A.J. Simmons, Caroline F. Smith, H.P.A. Smith,
Robert B. Smith, R.E. Smith, W.O. Speer, Nat Stein, George Steell, Ed Stone,
Walter D. Story, Robert E. Strahorn, Sutherlin Brothers)
1861-1904
2 / 37
T (correspondents include
Thomas Tate, B.H. Tatem, W.M. Teller, N.C. Thrall, E.S. Topping, Pen Townsley,
James Tufts, Daniel P. Tuttle, W.R. Turk)
1867-1899
2 / 38
United States Indian Service.
Crow Agency (George R. Milburn)
1890
2 / 39
United States Interior Department;
United States State Department; United States War Department
1866-1890
2 / 40
United States Office of Indian
Affairs (re Helena P. Clark assignment to Ponca Agency, Oklahoma)
1891
2 / 41
U-V (correspondents include
H.D. Upham, W.W. Van Orsdel)
1884, 1903
2 / 42
Decius S. Wade
1881, 1903
2 / 43
W (correspondents include B.F.
Wade, Charles S. Warren, E.B. Waterbury, H.R. Whitehill, Fred Whiteside, J.W.
Whitlatch, E.S. Wilkinson, J.J. Williams, Lester S. Willson, A.C. Witter, John
Wren, M.P. Wyman)
1861-1905
2 / 44
Unidentified cousin
1862
Outgoing Correspondence
3 / 1
Ira and Freedom Edgerton
Sanders
1862
3 / 1
James U. Sanders
1866-1903,
undated
3 / 2
"My dear sister"
1861-1863
3 / 3-8
Miscellaneous
1863-1904
3 / 9
Unidentified fragments
undated
1 / 1
Letterpress book [2:1-5]
1897-1900
Miscellaneous Correspondence
3 / 10
Neither by nor to Wilbur F.
Sanders
1861-1905
Court Papers
3 / 11
Charge to Grand Jury of
Madison County by Chief Justice Hezekiah L. Hosmer [typescript]
August 1866
3 / 12
Docket register, Madison
County district court [incomplete]
1864
3 / 13
Miscellaneous (includes
affidavit of George W. Mears; T.C. Power et al. vs. S. Russell et al.
affidavit; Barclay vs. Boulder City exhibit; Wilbur F. Sanders vs. Sol Star
judgement; sale for judgement;
1869, undated
3 / 14
Miscellaneous [typescripts]
(includes Burrell A. Townsend and J.B. Buker vs. Amos T. Laird motion; Hezekiah
L. Hosmer opinion re Legislative Assembly; papers re territorial capital
contest; Banner Ditch Co. vs. Spokane Ranch and Water Co. affidavit)
1866, 1874,
1886
Diaries
3 / 15
Diaries [typescript copies]
(re Virginia City, 1866; journey from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Virginia City,
Montana, 1867)
1866-1867
Financial Records
3 / 16
Cancelled checks
1866-1877
3 / 17
Miscellaneous (includes stock
certificates for Excelsior Coal Mining and Manufacturing Company and Gregory
Mining Company, list of purchases, cattle account, bill of sale, stagecoach
receipt)
1864-1884
Legal Documents
3 / 18
Affidavits (re reimbursement
of H.R. Horr for homestead property at Yellowstone National Park; property
ownership of John N. Helms)
1890
3 / 19
Agreement: Daniel C. Corbin
(re Rumley Mining Company)
1876
3 / 20
Testimony of W.F. Sanders (re
fitness of Judge Everton J. Conger)
1883
3 / 21
Mining claim certificates;
business license
1864-1865,
1890
Legislative Files
3 / 22
S.B. 879 (re Butte Post
Office)
1891
Printed Materials
3 / 23
"Calendar, Second Judicial
District Court of the Territory of Montana in and for the County of Deer Lodge"
May 1886
3 / 24
Montana Bar Association
committee reports
1887, 1889
3 / 26
"Montana's Battle Cry" (poem
re W.F. Sanders); Montana Equal Suffrage Association convention program;
"Program of the Twenty-First Annual Re-Union of the Sherman Brigade")
1886-1896
Reports
3 / 27
"Report of the Special
Committee of the U.S. Senate on the Irrigation and Reclamation of Arid Lands,"
testimony of W.F. Sanders
1890
Speeches
4 / 1
Miscellaneous (re Vigilante
prosecution of George Ives; Union meeting, Virginia City; "valedictory
address"; "The Annullment Question"; campaign speech for Congress; Republican
Convention; Masonic assembly; in memoriam H.P.A. Smith; territorial government;
achievements of labor; dedication of Central School, Helena)
1863-1876
4 / 2
Miscellaneous (re acquisition
of Louisiana; reward for arrest of Indian; reception for Henry Villard;
Republican Convention; Montana Bar Association meeting; Grand Army of the
Republic meetings; eulogy for Thomas Jefferson Lowry; Fourth of July
celebration; dedication of Lewis and Clark County courthouse; Pioneers meeting)
1880-1889
4 / 3
Miscellaneous (re U.S. Senate
speeches; Fourth of July; University of Montana; Republican Party; silver
issue; politics; William McKinley memorial)
1890--1904
4 / 4
Miscellaneous (re Republican
Party; publishing monopolies; need for railroads; Westward migration; Robert
Burns anniversary; Justice Field; Pioneers)
undated
Writings
4 / 5
Biographical sketch of Sidney
Edgerton
undated
4 / 6
History of Louisiana Purchase
undated
4 / 7-8
History of early Montana,
1860s [incomplete: portions of various versions and fragments, handwritten
& typescript]
undated
4 / 9
"Sketches of Early Settlers in
Montana" [2 typescript copies]
undated
5 / 1
"Trial and Execution of George
Ives" [1 handwritten, 3 typescript versions]
undated
5 / 2-3
Historical writings
(miscellaneous, mostly re Bannack and Virginia City in 1860s)
undated
5 / 4-5
Political writings
(miscellaneous)
undated
5 / 6
Miscellaneous
undated
Clippings
5 / 7-8
Miscellaneous (re politics,
mining, vigilantes, legal cases, publishing of Montana Codes, speeches, etc.)
1865-1901
Miscellany
5 / 9
Autograph book (members of
Montana Legislative Assembly)
1905
5 / 10
List of members of Montana
Legislative Assembly
1873, 1874
5 / 11
Ohio Militia general orders;
list of field and staff officers
1861
6 / 1
Passes, programs, invitation,
etc.
1877-1892,
undated
6 / 2
Petition to Ullyses S. Grant
re Sanders for Governor
1869
6 / 3
Republican State Convention
(testimony of W.F. Sanders)
February 1900
6 / 4
Republican State Convention
[typescript copy of proceedings]
1864-1865
6 / 5-6
Scrapbooks
1876-1887
1890-1891
6 / 7
Society of Montana Pioneers
minutes [typed extract]
1899
6 / 8
U.S. Senate. Special Committee
on Irrigation and Reclamation or Arid Lands [typescript of testimony of W.F.
Sanders]
1889
6 / 9
Virginia City Bar Association
(resolution re W.F. Sanders)
1866
6 / 10
Virginia City Masonic Lodge
(extract from minutes appointing W.F. Sanders delegate to centennial
celebration of Lodge #1, Marietta, Ohio)
1876
6 / 11
Miscellaneous
undated
Harriet Peck Fenn Sanders
Incoming Correspondence
6 / 12
Miscellaneous (correspondents
include Susan B. Anthony, Mary Harrison [wife of Pres. Benjamin Harrison],
Wilbur Fisk Sanders)
1874-1902,
undated
Diaries
6 / 13
"Diary of a Journey across the
Plains in 1863 and Reminiscences of Early Life in Montana" [typescript]
undated
6 / 14
Diary of journey from Virginia
City to St. Louis, Missouri [typescript]
1866
6 / 16
Diary (includes "Tourists
History of Italy")
1888
1
Society of Montana Pioneers
membership certificate [Map Case]
1889