Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 932, MtBC, us
Strode family
Strode Family Papers
1896-1969
1.5 linear feet
The Stone Family Papers consists of : family papers,
manuscripts, Stirrup Ranch records, and legal documents collected or created by Eva I.
Melvin. The contents of these materials pertain to Thomas P. Strode, Eva I. Melvin, the
Stirrup Ranch, Whitlash, Montana, homesteading, and ranch and country living in Montana
after the turn to the 20th century.
Collection materials are in English
Biographical Note
Eva I. Strode Melvin, born in Havre, Montana on September 20, 1896 to Thomas P. and Edla
Julia Johnson Strode. She was raised on the Stirrup Ranch near Whitlash, Montana. She
married Fred O. Melvin, and resided in Great Falls, Montana raising one child, George. Eva's
father, Thomas P. Strode (1862--1943) was born in Louisburg, Mason County, Kentucky. He
headed west after the age of 15, did various jobs until he settled in the Upper Sun Valley
to raising horses. In late 1887, he moved his livestock to the Sweet Grass Hills region.
Strode settled on Sage Creek and later on Bear Gulch, establishing the Stirrup Ranch.
The collection is organized into four series: Literary Productions, Maps and Charts, Legal
Documents, and Financial Documents. The contents of these materials pertain to Thomas P.
Strode, Eva I. Melvin, the Stirrup Ranch, Whitlash, Montana, homesteading, and ranch and
country living in Montana after the turn to the 20th century.
Series 1 Literary Productions
Series 2 Maps and Charts
Series 3 Legal Documents
Series 4 Financial Documents
This collection is open for research.
Family papers, manuscripts, Stirrup Ranch records, and legal documents collected or created
by Eva I. Melvin were deposited in Special Collections by Eva I. Melvin, of Great Falls,
Montana in 1971--1972.
This collection was processed 2009 May 5
Moore, Harrison C.
Strode, Thomas P.,
1862-1943-Estate
Melvin, Eva I. Strode, b.
1896
Strode, Thomas P.,
1862-1943
Stroud family
Stirrup Ranch
(Mont.)
Sweet Grass Hills
(Mont.)
Whitlash (Mont.)
Frontier and pioneer life-Montana-Liberty
County
Ranches-Montana-Liberty County
Real property-Montana-Liberty County
Estate records-Montana-Liberty
County
Family papers-Montana-Liberty
County
Maps-Montana-Liberty County
Home and
Family
Pioneers
Ranching
Montana
Maps
Series 1
Literary Productions
Manuscripts and essays pertaining to life in the Sweet Grass Hills and the north
central region of Montana. All items are written by Eva Strode Melvin, expect letters in
Box 1, Folder 27. Topics covered by the essays include family members' histories,
nursing, automobiles, ranch life, and murder and death on the prairie. Box 1, Folder 26
includes photocopies of clippings from the Shelby Promoter. These newspaper articles
cover a wide range of topics such as but not limited to: homesteading, crime, George
Jackson, Harrison C. Moore, and Long George Francis.
1/1
Thomas P. Strode biography and family
history
1/2
Strode genealogy
1/3
Edla Julia Johnson Strode biography and family
history
1/4
Eva I. Strode Melvin's autobiography and opinions of
the
1920s
1/5
Eva I. Strode Melvin's autobiography and opinions of
the
1930s
1/6
Nursing and medical ethics
1918-1921
1/7
Murder of Mrs. Annie (Mary) Armstrong and Joe
Morgan
1/8
Life around Hill, Montana
1/9
Automobiles and Montana living
1/10
Christmas celebrations
1/11
One day in Eva's life
1904 April 16
1/12
Ranch chores
1/13
Dances and romances
1/14
Tail flies: truisms of modern thinking
1/15
The West
1/16
Politics of the
1970s
1/17
Family and homes
1/18
The First Commandments
1/19
The wise learn young, fools too late
1/20
Thanksgiving and dark fruit cake
1/21
Old crimes and hanky-panky
1/22
Inauguration Day
1969
1/23
Church-State relations
1/24
Forgotten man
1/25
Harrison C. Moore
1/26
Shelby Promotor newspaper articles
1969
1/27
Correspondence between various members of the Strode
family and associates
Series 2
Maps and Charts
Maps of the property owned by the Strode family members and Harrison C. Moore. Oversize
materials are in Box 5, Folder 1. Folders from which oversize materials have been
removed are marked with an asterisk (*).
2/1
Stirrup Ranch map by township and range, and Harrison
C. Moore's ranch map*
Series 3
Legal Documents
Deeds, wills, and other legal documents related to Thomas P. Strode, other Strode
family members, and Strode's friends and associates. Also contained here are various
legal documents related to the operation of the Stirrup Ranch, including water rights
and grazing leases. Oversize materials are in Box 5, Folder 2. Folders from which
oversize materials have been removed are marked with an asterisk (*).
2/2
Thomas P. Strode's will and court petitions related to
the estate
2/3
Whitlash, Montana incorporation and related
papers
2/4
Various legal documents of Strode family members and
friends
2/5
Land deeds and desert claims transferred to or from
T.P. Strode and/or his wife
1904-1915
2/6
Land deeds and desert claims transferred to or from
T.P. Strode and/or his wife
1916-1919
2/7
Land deeds and desert claims transferred to or from
T.P. Strode and/or his wife
1920-1938
2/8
Land deeds and desert claims transferred to or from
T.P. Strode and/or his wife
1939-1941
2/9
Oil and gas leases for property owned by T.P. Strode
and correspondence related to the leases
1917-1926
2/10
Oil and gas leases for property owned by T.P. Strode
and correspondence related to the leases
1927-1932
2/11
Deeds for railroad land purchased by T.P.
Strode
2/12
Water rights' documents
1899-1906
2/13
Grazing leases and fees paid
Series 4
Financial Documents
Ledgers, bank statements, loans, bills, receipts, and correspondence related to Thomas
P. Strode, his estate, and the Stirrup Ranch. The ranch financial documents include
official breed pedigrees, bills of sale, and registered brands. There is a tally book
used for a shopping list in Box 3, Folder 1; a ledger for the Stirrup Ranch covering
1899-1939 in Box 3, Folder 2; and cattle bills of sale from 1906-1943 in Box 3, Folders
5-8. Oversize materials are in Box 5, Folder 3. Folders from which oversize materials
have been removed are marked with an asterisk (*).
2/14
T.P. Strode Estate financial materials
1943
2/15
T.P. Strode Estate financial materials
1944
2/16
T.P. Strode Estate financial materials
1945
2/17
T.P. Strode Estate financial materials
1946-1947
2/18
Federal tax returns and related
correspondence
1926-1943
2/19
Montana tax returns and related
correspondence
2/20
Property tax bill, Liberty County, Montana
1935
1936
1939
2/21
Property tax bill, Liberty County, Montana
1940-1941
3/1
Miscellaneous financial papers of T.P.
Strode
1913-1943
3/2
Ledger
1899-1939
3/3
Brand and mark registrations
1904-1943
3/4
Horse bills of sale, livestock pedigrees, and feeding
livestock correspondence*
3/5
Cattle bills of sale, receipts, and related
correspondence
1906
1909
3/6
Cattle bills of sale, receipts, and related
correspondence
1915-1926
3/7
Cattle bills of sale, receipts, and related
correspondence
1931-1939
3/8
Cattle bills of sale, receipts, and related
correspondence
1940-1943
3/9
Mortgages, loans, notes, and payments
1901-1929 *
3/10
Mortgages, loans, notes, and payments
1930-1942
3/11
Windmills
3/12
Rangeland improvements
4/1
Bank statements
1923-1927
4/2
Bank statements
1928-1929
4/3
Bank statements
1930-1931
4/4
Bank statements
1932-1934
4/5
Bank statements
1935-1937
4/6
Bank statements
1938-1940
4/7
Bank statements, and check register
1941-1943
4/8
Canceled checks
1896-1942
5/1
Maps (Oversize)
5/2
Land deeds (Oversize)
5/3
Mortgage deed and livestock pedigrees
(Oversize)