Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Kohrs Family Papers, 1852-1952
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Kohrs family
- Title
- Kohrs Family Papers
- Dates
- 1852-1952 (inclusive)18521952
- Quantity
- 7 reels microfilm
- Collection Number
- Mss 073
- Summary
- The Kohrs family were ranchers in the Deer Lodge Valley, Montana. The collection consists of ranching records, financial records, correspondence, pedigrees, published and unpublished manuscripts, butcher shop records, investment records, legal records, maps, and photographs.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Ranches, of Deer Lodge Valley, Montana. Conrad Kohrs bought the John Grant ranch, nestled in the Deer Lodge Valley, in 1866. Conrad Kohrs, along with his wife Augusta, and his half-brother John Bielenberg, operated one of the largest cattle ranches in the nation at the turn of the twentieth century, grazing their cattle on ten million acres in four states and two Candian provinces. Their ranching business had several names through time, including the Pioneer Cattle Company and the Conrad Kohrs Company. Kohrs and Bielenberg opearated the ranch and many of their other joint investments as a partnership until 1908, when they incorporated as the Kohrs and Bielenberg Land and Livestock Company. They were also involved in mining and real estate.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of ranching records, financial records, correspondence, pedigrees, published and unpublished manuscripts, butcher shop records, investment records, legal records, and maps.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.
Preferred Citation
[Name of document or photograph number], Kohrs Family Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two subgroups and twenty-seven series:
Subgroup 1: Conrad Kohrs, 1861-1945
Series I: Correspondence, 1863-1919
Series II: Financial Records, 1861-1936
Series III: Legal Documents, 1866-1945
Series IV: Cattle Breeding Records, undated
Series V: Horse Breeding Records, undated
Series VI: Certificates and Invitations, 1870-1905
Series VII: Maps, undated
Series VIII: Clippings, undated
Series IX: Publications, undated
Series X: Miscellaneous and Photographs, 1866-1904
Subgroup 2: Related Businesses, 1852-1952
Series XI: Meat Markets, 1852-1882
Series XII: Illinois Mine, 1895-1896
Series XIII: Volcano Mining Company, 1893
Series XIV: Pioneer Placer Mine, 1887-1895
Series XV: Pioneer Gulch Mining Company, 1890-1914
Series XVI: Con and Peel, 1863-1869
Series XVII: Rock Creek Ditch Company, 1891-1919
Series XVIII: Pioneer Cattle Company, 1879-1920
Series XIX: Kohrs and Bielenberg Land and Livestock Company, 1908-1929
Series XX: Kohrs and Bielenberg Realty Company, 1906-1919
Series XXI: Conrad Kohrs Company, 1915-1952
Series XXII: Conrad Warren, undated
Series XXIII: Tom Hooban, 1867-1879
Series XXIV: Strang and Richardson Hardware, 1866-1868
Series XXV: Conrad Kohrs Estate, 1920-1925
Series XXVI: Augusta Kohrs Estate, 1948-1949
Series XXVII: John Bielenberg Estate, 1922-1924
Location of Originals
The original materials of this collection are located at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Deer Lodge, Montana.
Custodial History
Conrad K. and Nellie Warren gave the original records to the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in 1970-1988.
Acquisition Information
Microfilmed by the Mansfield Library's Instructional Materials Service, 1975.
Processing Note
The processor arranged the materials for microfilming in 1975. He noted that all unidentifiable records were filmed with the Conrad Kohrs segment of the collection. In researching the various activities of Kohrs, one may be able to determine that some of these records belong in one of the later series. In 2004, the finding aid was encoded with few changes.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Subgroup 1: Conrad Kohrs, 1861-1945Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Series I: Correspondence |
1863-1919 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 1/1-47 | Incoming |
1863-1919 |
| 1/48-622 | Outgoing, letterpress book |
1892-1922 |
| 1/623-921 | Outgoing, letterpress book |
1893-1902 |
| 1/922-1319, 2/1-68 | Outgoing, letterpress book |
1902-1915 |
| 2/69-88 | Miscellaneous |
1881-1919 |
Series II: Financial Records |
1861-1936 | |
| reel-fram | ||
| 2/90-208 | Day book |
1896-1899 |
| 2/209-374 | Day book |
1899-1906 |
| 2/375-478 | Day book |
1906-1910 |
| 2/479-593 | Day book |
1910-1913 |
| 2/594-654 | Journal |
1900-1906 |
| 2/655-801 | Journal |
1915-1936 |
| 2/802-851, 3/1-187 | Ledger |
1892-1901 |
| 3/188-258 | Ledger |
1915-1929 |
| 3/259-288 | Investments journal |
1913-1915 |
| 3/289-341 | Investments ledger |
1913-1915 |
| 3/342-344 | Capital stock, various companies |
undated |
| 3/345-386 | Miscellaneous |
1861-1923 |
Series III: Legal Documents |
1866-1945 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 3/388-394 | Agreements |
1909 |
| 3/395-397 | Certificate of tax sale |
1944-1945 |
| 3/398-421 | Court testimony, Hyslop vs. Kohrs and
Bielenberg |
undated |
| 3/422-457 | Deeds |
1866-1913 |
| 3/458-460 | Homestead certificates |
1883-1884 |
| 3/461-465 | Mortgages |
1880-1888 |
| 3/466-473 | Notice of Location of Claim |
1889-1897 |
| 3/474-475 | Receiver's Receipt |
1888 |
| 3/476-478 | Water rights |
1869-1882 |
Series IV: Cattle Breeding
Records |
undated | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 3/480-537 | Hereford breeding book |
undated |
| 3/538-587 | Shorthorn breeding book |
undated |
| 3/588-591 | Certificates of entry and transfer |
undated |
| 3/592-625 | Pedigree records |
undated |
| 3/626-646 | Registry certificates |
undated |
| 3/647-667 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 3/669-695 | Series V: Horse Breeding
Records |
undated |
| 3/696-703 | Series VI: Certificates and
Invitations |
1870-1905 |
| 3/704-707 | Series VII: Maps |
undated |
| 3/708-735 | Series VIII: Clippings |
undated |
| 3/736-856 | Series IX: Publications |
undated |
Series X: Miscellaneous and
Photographs
This series contains miscellaneous items and photographs.
Miscellaneous items include threshing reports, an autograph book from Montana's
1889 constitutional convention, and a stock pool talley book. Photographs
include images on mining, ranching, the Kohrs home, and Deer Lodge, Montana. A
number of the images are by L.A. Huffman of Miles City, Montana.
|
1866-1904 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 3/857-865 | Threshing reports for Deer Lodge Valley |
1866-1872 |
| 3/866-905 | Autograph book, 1889 Constitutional
Convention |
1889 |
| 3/906-919 | Stock pool talley book |
1899-1904 |
| photo binder | 76-79: Old man with a beard panning gold from a creek, pick
and shovel in background |
undated |
| photo binder | 76-80: The XIT cattle roundup wagon and 165 head of saddle
ponies, breaking camp on Burns Creek, Montana |
ca. 1880s |
| photo binder | 76-81: Kohrs ranch cowboys on Thirteen Mile Creek,
Montana |
ca. 1880s |
| photo binder | 76-82: Roundup on the move, 4:30 AM
L.A. Huffman
|
undated |
| photo binder | 76-83: Interior, Conrad Kohrs house, [Helena or Deer Lodge?],
Montana. Furnishings include electric light fixtures, oriental carpets, and
European and American furniture |
ca. 1910 |
| photo binder | 76-84: Cowboys, horses, picket line, and cattle, [presumably
on the Conrad Kohrs ranch near Deer Lodge, Montana] |
ca. 1890s |
| photo binder | 76-85: Fourteen Ox ox-train stopped in front of a blacksmith
shop [Deer Lodge, Montana?] |
ca. 1890s |
| photo binder | 76-86: Interior of the Kohrs home, near Deer Lodge,
Montana |
ca. 1900 |
| photo binder | 76-87: Exterior of the Kohrs ranch house, near Deer Lodge,
Montana |
ca. 1940 |
| photo binder | 76-88: Range steers shipped by Pioneer Cattle Company,
Saugus, Montana, sold by Rosenbaum Brothers & Co. on the Chicago
market |
1912 |
| photo binder | 76-89: Roundup encampment on the range near Deer Lodge,
Montana |
ca. 1890s |
| photo binder | 76-90: Men and horse gathered around a chuckwagon on the
Kohrs ranch near Deer Lodge, Montana |
ca. 1900 |
| photo binder | 76-91: The roundup breaking camp, Miles City,
Montana
L.A. Huffman
|
1904 |
| photo binder | 76-92: Cowboys and a large herd of cattle on the Kohrs ranch
near Deer Lodge, Montana |
ca. 1900 |
| photo binder | 76-93: Horses stranded in river, "Hot noon beside the roundup
camp"
L.A. Huffman
|
undated |
| photo binder | 76-94: Cowboys and grazing cattle, "Evening at the
Roundup"
L.A. Huffman
|
undated |
| photo binder | 76-95: Cattle on the range, "Throwing rangers to the roundup
Big Dry--Northern Montana"
L.A. Huffman
|
undated |
| photo binder | 76-96: Interior of the dining room at the Kohrs ranch house,
near Deer Lodge, Montana |
ca. 1900 |
| photo binder | 76-97: Parade honoring pioneers, Deer Lodge,
Montana |
ca. 1900 |
| photo binder | 76-98: :eddlers wagon drawn by two horses across the prairie;
open drawer and shelves reveal boots, shirts, and pants; shadows of two men in
foreground |
undated |
| photo binder | 76-99: Hydraulic gold mining [near Deer Lodge,
Montana?] |
ca. 1890 |
Subgroup 2: Related Businesses, 1852-1952Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Series XI: Meat Markets |
1852-1882 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 4/2-98 | Memo books |
1879-1882 |
| 4/99-329 | Cash book |
1852-1864 |
| 4/330-513 | Ledger |
1862-1864 |
| 4/514-524 | A.H. Meyers |
1857-1863 |
| 4/525-528 | H.F. Crawford |
1862-1863 |
Series XII: Series XII: Illinois
Mine |
1895-1896 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 4/529-536 | Financial records |
1895-1896 |
Series XIII: Volcano Mining
Company |
1893 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 4/537-546 | Financial records |
1893 |
Series XIV: Pioneer Placer Mine |
1887-1895 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 4/547-605 | Ledger |
1887-1895 |
Series XV: Pioneer Gulch Mining
Company |
1890-1914 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 4/606-620 | Ledger |
1914 |
| 4/621-675 | Ledger and payroll |
1890-1913 |
| 4/676-717 | Payroll |
1902-1904 |
Series XV: Con and Peel |
1863-1869 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 4/718-855 | Day book |
1863-1864 |
| 4/856-925, 5/1-183 | Ledger |
1864 |
| 5/184-266 | Ledger |
1868-1869 |
Series XVII: Rock Creek Ditch
Company |
1891-1919 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 5/267-315 | Minutes |
1887-1919 |
| 5/316-317 | Capital stock |
undated |
| 5/318-320 | Stock transfer book |
1887 |
| 5/321-340 | Ledger |
1891-1892 |
Series XVIII: Pioneer Cattle
Company |
1879-1920 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 5/341-393 | Journal |
1887-1920 |
| 5/394-440 | Journal |
1896-1902 |
| 5/441-527 | Ledger |
1887-1890 |
| 5/528-619 | Ledger |
1891-1901 |
| 5/620-623 | Cash book |
1887-1890 |
| 5/624-639 | Inventory record |
1879-1892 |
| 5/640-642 | Inventory |
1920 |
| 5/643-647 | Labor account |
1920 |
| 5/648-722, 6/1-141 | Day book |
1887-1892 |
| 6/142-151 | Day book |
1891-1892 |
| 6/152-203 | Day book |
1900-1902 |
| 6/204-213 | Miscelleneous |
undated |
Series XIX: Kohrs and Bielenberg Land and
Livestock Company |
1908-1929 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 6/214-276 | Minutes |
1908-1929 |
| 6/277-291 | Capital stock |
undated |
| 6/292-313 | Check register |
1916-1922 |
| 6/314-347 | Legal documents |
undated |
Series XX: Kohrs and Bielenberg Realty
Company |
1906-1919 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 6/331-347 | Minutes |
1906-1919 |
Series XXI: Conrad Kohrs Company |
1915-1952 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 6/348-578 | Journal |
1915-1936 |
| 6/579-707 | Ledger |
1915-1930 |
| 6/708-722 | Trial balance |
1916-1933 |
| 6/723-873 | Audit report |
1936-1952 |
Series XXII: Conrad Warren |
undated | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 6/874-880 | Correspondence |
undated |
| 6/881-893, 7/1-22 | Clippings |
undated |
Series XXIII: Tom Hooban |
1867-1879 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 7/23-194 | Memo books |
undated |
| 7/195-197 | Correspondence |
1876-1877 |
| 7/198-214 | Financial records |
1867-1879 |
Series XXIV: Strang and Richardson
Hardware |
1866-1868 | |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 7/215-298 | Ledger |
1867-1868 |
| 7/299-360 | Day book |
1866-1868 |
| Reel/Frame | ||
| 7/361-490 | Series XXV: Conrad Kohrs Estate |
1920-1925 |
| 7/491-575 | Series XXVI: Augusta Kohrs Estate |
1948-1949 |
| 7/576-729 | Series XXVII: John Bielenberg
Estate |
1922-1924 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Butchers--Montana--Deer Lodge Valley
- German Americans--Montana --Deer Lodge Valley
- Ranches--Montana--Deer Lodge Valley
- Ranching--Montana--Deer Lodge Valley
Family Names
- Kohrs family
Form or Genre Terms
- Business records -- Montana--Deer Lodge Valley
- Family papers--Montana --Deer Lodge Valley
- Financial records -- Montana--Deer Lodge Valley
- Legal documents--Montana --Deer Lodge Valley
- Maps--Montana--Deer Lodge Valley
Occupations
- Ranchers--Montana -- Deer Lodge Valley
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Bielenberg, John, 1846-1922
- Kohrs, Augusta, 1849-1945
- Kohrs, Conrad, 1835-1920
Finding aid prepared by Dale L.
Johnson (1975) and Jodi Allison-Bunnell (2004)
2004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
