Archives West Finding Aid

The Ben Hur Mining Company was organized on April 9, 1907. Under the Articles of Incorporation, which were filed on April 25, the term of existence of the company was 20 years. The property, discovered by Frank Bell, was located three miles north of Saltese in St. Regis, an unorganized mining district in Mineral County, Montana. It consisted of five full quartz lode mining claims and an undivided one half interest in two others, as well as a mill site and water rights. The claims included Bell #1, Bell #2, Eureka, Atlas, Ben Hur, Woodburn, Highland Chief, Highland Chief Fraction, and Ben Hur Fraction. Adjacent to this property was the Day brothers' Bryan Claim.

The original board of directors consisted of George Trask, president, F.F. Johnson, John P. Sheehy, Frank Bell, and Richard Daxon. George Keep served as president from 1908-1911 when he was succeeded by D.S. Dickson. In 1920, F.J. Davey became president.

Money for development work was raised by stock assessments. When this failed to produce the needed funds money was borrowed from Jerome Day. He invested between $8,000 and $10,000 in the company, and, in order to protect his investment, attorney John Wourms advised the formation of a new company after the charter for Ben Hur lapsed. This new company could then wind up the affairs of Ben Hur.

At the time of dissolution, April 13, 1927, the directors were F.J. Davey, Peter Peterson, Charles A. Keeting, Frank Haun, and Eugene Keesey. In 1937 the surviving directors, Davey, Keesey, and Haun, wished to be relieved of their trust and organized the Woodburn Mining Company for the purpose of transferring the title of the property from Ben Hur to Woodburn.