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Montana Territory Territorial Secretary records, 1865-1891

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana Territory. Territorial Secretary
Title
Montana Territory Territorial Secretary records
Dates
1865-1891 (inclusive)
Quantity
58.25 linear feet
7 volumes
1 folders, oversize
Collection Number
RS 160
Summary
This collection consists of records created by the Montana Territory Territorial Secretary. Materials include correspondence; financial records; oaths of office; treaties with the Bannack, Shoshone, and Sheepeater Indian tribes; reports of the insane asylum, the superintendent of schools, and various territorial agencies; and miscellany.
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

Most of this collection is open for research. Files containing patient information from the Territorial Insane Asylum are restricted. Patient records are confidential and privileged (M.C.A. 53-21-166) but may be used for research under the administrative rule adopted by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Contact the Research Center Archives for details.

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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Historical Note

Authorized by the Organic Act of The Territory of Montana, the Territorial Secretary was a presidential appointee whose duties included the transmittal of federal reports, and serving as Territorial Governor in the latter's absence. When Montana became a state in 1889, the Office of the Secretary of State replaced the Territorial Secretary.

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Content Description

This collection consists of materials from the Territorial Secretary's Office. Records include incoming correspondence (1866-1889) regarding incorporations, legislature, military affairs, and notary publics; outgoing correspondence to state businesses; a diary of the daily activities of the Secretary; and financial records including account books, ledgers and vouchers for expenses for Secretary and Governor's offices. The bulk of the collection consists of county business license records.

The collection also contains correspondence, reports, and petitions submitted to the Territorial Governor's Office legal documents, as well as some materials produced by the Governor. There also some records created by other territorial or federal government entities that were submitted to the Secretary's Office and pertain to the function of that office, such as correspondence from U.S. departments and reports submitted from the Territorial Prison and Insane Asylum.

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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 holders. For more information, contact the Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Montana Territory Territorial Secretary records, RS 160, [box and folder number]. Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by creating agency or office. In some instances, the creating agency could not be ascertained, so those materials were filed with other materials produced by the Secretary's Office. The county business license records are organized chronologically, then alphabetically by county.

Location of Collection

Acquisition Information

The materials in this collection were obtained via a series of transfers from the Secretary of State's office. Information about specific transfers is available upon request.

Processing Note

These materials were originally processed with Montana Secretary of State records, RS 250. In 2021, the Territorial Secretary records were separated from that collection and reprocessed as RS 160. County business license records were originally processed as RS 477. In 2022, licenses issues from 1868 to 1888 were integrated into RS 160 to facilitate better access.

Related Materials

Records produced by the Secretary of State, including business license information for defunct businesses, are available in RS 250.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Attorney General reports
    1 folders
    Dates: undated (circa 1860s)
    Container: Box 1, Folder 1
  • Description: Bureau of Indian Affairs disbursement list to indigenous tribes
    1 folders
    Dates: 1868-1881
    Container: Box 1, Folder 2
  • Description: Centennial Board of Montana
    1 folders
    Dates: 1873-1876
    Container: Box 1, Folder 3
  • Description: Commissioner of Deeds oaths of office
    2 folders
    Dates: 1865-1888
    Container: Box 1, Folder 4 - 5
  • Description: Commissioner of Deeds correspondence
    3 folders
    Dates: 1869-1889
    Container: Box 1, Folder 6 - 8
  • Description: County poll lists for 1864 general election
    4 folders
    Dates: 1864
    Container: Box 1, Folder 9 - 12
  • Description: County poll lists for 1864 general election
    3 folders
    Dates: 1864
    Container: Box 2, Folder 1 - 3
  • Description: Executive Office correspondence
    3 folders
    Dates: 1868-1889
    Container: Box 2, Folder 4 - 6
  • Description: Executive Office correspondence
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1871
    Container: Volume 3
  • Description: Executive Office correspondence
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1871
    Container: Volume 4
  • Description: Executive Office correspondence
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1871
    Container: Volume 5
  • Description: Executive Office correspondence
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1871
    Container: Volume 6
  • Description: Governor's Office pardon applications
    3 folders
    Dates: 1870-1889
    Container: Box 3, Folder 1 - 3
  • Description: Governor's Office reports
    1 folders
    Dates: 1884
    Container: Box 3, Folder 4
  • Description: Governor's Office and Secretary's Office expenses
    1 folders
    Dates: 1867-1879
    Container: Box 3, Folder 5
  • Description: Governor's Office proclamations
    1 folders
    Dates: 1864-1888
    Container: Box 3, Folder 6
  • Description: Governor's Office proclamations
    1 folders, oversize

    Declaring an extra legislative session

    Dates: 1864-1888
    Container: Oversize Folder 1
  • Description: Governor's Office account book
    1 folders
    Dates: 1883-1891
    Container: Box 3, Folder 7
  • Description: Governor's Office appointments
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1881-1887
    Container: Volume 2
  • Description: Governor's messages to the Legislature
    1 folders
    Dates: 1873
    Container: Box 3, Folder 8
  • Description: Petitions submitted to the Governor's Office
    2 folders

    Extra legislative session; Railroad subsidy

    Dates: 1872
    Container: Box 7, Folder 28 - 29
  • Description: Jefferson County abstract of votes
    1 folders
    Dates: 1883
    Container: Box 3, Folder 9
  • Description: Legislative Apportionment Board
    1 folders
    Dates: 1880-1882
    Container: Box 3, Folder 10
  • Description: Legislative Assembly correspondence
    3 folders
    Dates: 1867-1881
    Container: Box 3, Folder 11 - 13
  • Description: Legislative bills
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1883-1891
    Container: Volume 7
  • Description: Legislature expenses
    4 folders
    Dates: 1866-1887
    Container: Box 3, Folder 14 - 17
  • Description: Lewis and Clark County mechanics' liens
    2 folders
    Dates: 1866-1868
    Container: Box 3, Folder 18 - 19
  • Description: Madison County Justice Court transcripts
    2 folders
    Dates: 1863-1868
    Container: Box 3, Folder 20 - 21
  • Description: Military affairs correspondence
    2 folders
    Dates: 1867-1873
    Container: Box 3, Folder 22 - 23
  • Description: Missoula County
    1 folders

    Poll book and oaths of office

    Dates: 1865; 1888
    Container: Box 3, Folder 24
  • Description: Montana Militia muster rolls
    1 folders
    Dates: 1877
    Container: Box 3, Folder 25
  • Description: Montana Militia muster rolls
    1 folders, oversize
    Dates: 1877
    Container: Oversize Folder 1
  • Description: Montana Territory treaties with Bannock, Shoshone, and Sheepeater Tribes
    1 folders
    Dates: 1868
    Container: Box 3, Folder 26
  • Description: Nez Perce Campaign correspondence
    1 folders
    Dates: 1877-1878
    Container: Box 3, Folder 27
  • Description: Notary publics
    1 folders
    Dates: 1868-1876
    Container: Box 3, Folder 28
  • Description: Notary public confirmations
    1 folders
    Dates: 1885
    Container: Box 3, Folder 29
  • Description: Notary public commissions correspondence
    2 folders
    Dates: 1878-1887
    Container: Box 3, Folder 30 - 31
  • Description: Notary public commissions correspondence
    12 folders
    Dates: 1888-1889
    Container: Box 4, Folder 1 - 12
  • Description: Notary public bonds
    1 folders
    Dates: 1883
    Container: Box 4, Folder 13
  • Description: Notary public oaths of office
    12 folders
    Dates: 1872-1882
    Container: Box 4, Folder 14 - 25
  • Description: Notary public oaths of office
    2 folders
    Dates: 1883-1885
    Container: Box 5, Folder 1 - 2
  • Description: Park County County Commissioners
    1 folders
    Dates: 1888
    Container: Box 5, Folder 3
  • Description: Secretary's Office diary
    1 folders
    Dates: 1877-1885
    Container: Box 5, Folder 4
  • Description: Secretary's Office cash book
    1 volumes
    Dates: 1867-1889
    Container: Volume 1
  • Description: Secretary's Office account book
    1 folders
    Dates: 1883-1891
    Container: Box 5, Folder 5
  • Description: Secretary's Office patent transfer
    1 folders
    Dates: 1865
    Container: Box 5, Folder 6
  • Description: Secretary's Office correspondence
    23 folders
    Dates: 1864-1885
    Container: Box 5, Folder 7 - 29
  • Description: Secretary's Office correspondence
    25 folders

    Related to incorporations, document authentication and statute requests

    Dates: 1886-1889
    Container: Box 6, Folder 1 - 25
  • Description: Secretary's Office correspondence
    2 folders
    Dates: 1888-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 1 - 2
  • Description: Secretary's Office vouchers and voucher payments
    1 folders
    Dates: 1873-1885
    Container: Box 7, Folder 3
  • Description: Secretary's Office miscellaneous financial records
    1 folders
    Dates: 1872-1882
    Container: Box 7, Folder 4
  • Description: Secretary's Office disbursing account
    1 folders
    Dates: 1871-1885
    Container: Box 7, Folder 5
  • Description: Secretary's Office expense estimates and claims
    1 folders
    Dates: 1866-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 6
  • Description: Secretary's Office territorial and county appointments
    1 folders
    Dates: 1866-1873
    Container: Box 7, Folder 7
  • Description: Secretary's Office contracts
    2 folders

    Related to school textbooks and printing of state documents

    Dates: 1869-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 8 - 9
  • Description: Secretary's Office memoranda
    1 folders
    Dates: 1868
    Container: Box 7, Folder 10
  • Description: Secretary's Office inventory of holdings
    1 folders
    Dates: 1877-1883
    Container: Box 7, Folder 11
  • Description: Secretary's Office statistics
    1 folders

    Related to agriculture

    Dates: 1876-1877
    Container: Box 7, Folder 12
  • Description: Township descriptions and certifications
    1 folders
    Dates: 1881-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 30
  • Description: 7th Infantry Regiment rosters
    1 folders
    Dates: 1872
    Container: Box 7, Folder 13
  • Description: Sisters of Charity, St. John's Hospital, Helena
    1 folders
    Dates: 1874
    Container: Box 7, Folder 14
  • Description: Stock Commissioners
    1 folders
    Dates: 1885-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 15
  • Description: Superintendent of Schools reports
    1 folders
    Dates: 1876
    Container: Box 7, Folder 16
  • Description: Insane Asylum (Hospital for the Insane) reports
    1 folders
    Dates: 1881; 1885
    Container: Box 7, Folder 17
  • Description: Territorial Asylum for the Insane commitment orders
    2 folders

    RESTRICTED: Due to the presence of patient information.

    Dates: 1874-1876
    Container: Box 8, Folder 1 - 2
  • Description: Territorial Asylum for the Insane
    1 folders

    Commitment papers; Transfers from Territorial Prison in Deer Lodge

    Dates: 1883-1884
    Container: Box 7, Folder 18
  • Description: Territorial Penitentiary construction / inspection
    2 folders
    Dates: 1868-1886
    Container: Box 7, Folder 19 - 20
  • Description: Territorial agency reports
    1 folders
    Dates: 1872-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 21
  • Description: United States Interior Department correspondence
    1 folders
    Dates: 1885-1886
    Container: Box 7, Folder 22
  • Description: United States Territorial Prison (Deer Lodge) correspondence
    1 folders
    Dates: 1883-1884
    Container: Box 7, Folder 23
  • Description: United States Treasury correspondence
    4 folders
    Dates: 1868-1889
    Container: Box 7, Folder 24 - 27
  • Description: County Business license records
    Dates: 1865-1888
    Container: Box 8 - 60

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Capitols--Montana--Helena--1890-1900
  • Indians of North America--Treaties
  • Liquor laws--Montana
  • Military Bases--Montana
  • Nez Perce Indians--Wars, 1877
  • Political corruption--Montana
  • Prisons--Montana
  • Scales (Weighing instruments)--Calibration
  • Taxation--Montana

Corporate Names

  • Montana Territory. Governor
  • Montana Territory. Territorial Secretary
  • Montana Territory. Territorial Treasurer

Geographical Names

  • Dakota Territory

Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004; updated 2021

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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