Peter V. Jackson Papers, 1867-1926

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Jackson, Peter V.
Title
Peter V. Jackson Papers
Dates
1867-1926
Quantity
4.5 linear feet
Collection Number
Collection 2566, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Peter V. Jackson Papers primarily consist of business and personal letters received by Jackson from 1867 through 1926 (bulk 1867-1898). The collection also includes extensive banking memoranda and statements, and small account booklets bearing primarily financial notations. Names of interest include Henry Augustus Ward, Walter Cooper, Achilles Lamme, Davis Willson, Earl of Dunraven, David Folsom, Charles W. Cook, and George W. Rea.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Peter V. Jackson was born on October 8, 1844, at Rochester, N. Y., the son of Joel and Julia A. (Southworth) Jackson. He grew up in Rochester and graduated from Rochester University in 1866. Soon after his graduation Jackson accepted a position as accountant and bookkeeper for the Midas Mining Company, a business founded by several Rochester businessmen to develop and exploit mineral deposits in the far west. Jackson came to Montana by the Missouri river in the spring of 1867 and assumed his duties at Midasburg, the company's headquarters west of present day Norris in Madison County, Montana. When the company suspended operations in 1869 Jackson was left in charge of the works, and becoming part owner of the property, continued in charge until 1871, when he became assistant superintendent for the Columbia Mining Company at Unionville for one season, retaining his interest in the Midas Company. After that he was engaged in assaying and dealing in gold and silver bullion at Sterling for nearly ten years. In 1877 Jackson began operations in ranching and stock raising, eventually owning several thousand acres of land. He was married in June, 1875, to Henrietta Fletcher, a native of Allegany County, N. Y. The Jacksons had eight children including: John T. Jackson, Peter V. Jackson Jr., M. W. and Emily M., who attended the Wesleyan University in Helena. Peter Jackson died on July 7, 1923.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The papers of Peter V. Jackson primarily consist of business and personal letters received by Jackson from 1867 through 1926 (bulk 1867-1898). The letters document Jackson's activities in operating his various business interests and range from extensive descriptions to brief notations regarding purchases, payments, or banking matters. Letters from Henry Augustus Ward (1834-1906) are particularly extensive. Ward was a Rochester N. Y. natural history professor and geologist who became well known as a supplier of specimens to museums and exhibitions around the world. In 1865 became part owner of the Montana mining claims and initially directed Jackson's activities in their management. Afterwards he corresponded with Jackson to facilitate the contracting of hunters to gather skins and skeletons for his museum and taxidermy services. Represented in the hunter's letters are those from the Earl of Dunraven, David Folsom, Charles W. Cook, and George W. Rea. There are also business letters from Bozeman business owners Walter Cooper, Achilles Lamme, and Davis Willson. The collection also includes extensive banking memoranda and statements, and small account booklets bearing primarily financial notations.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1 Letters, 1867-1926

Series 2 Financial papers

Series 3 Printed materials

Series 4 Memoranda books

Acquisition Information

Original letters, business records, and ephemera created or collected by Peter V. Jackson was purchased by Montana State University on December 2, 2012 from Steve Jackson of Norris, Montana.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2013 March 27

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Letters, 1867-1926Return to Top

Personal and professional letters, mostly addressed to Jackson from family members and business associates in New York, especially the Rochester area, and various locations in Montana. The few letters from Jackson are primarily business related. Especially prominent are letters from Henry Augustus Ward written from New York and elsewhere either directing the affairs of the mining concerns Jackson was managing or requesting additional specimens for his natural science taxidermy business. Other letters are from Jackson's relatives who also settled in Montana and may have assisted him in managing mining properties. Several brief notes from Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl, are also in this series.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
1867
1/2
January 1868
1/3
February 1868
1/4
March 1868
1/5
April 1868
1/6
May 1868
1/7
June 1868
1/8
July 1868
1/9
August 1868
1/10
September 1868
1/11
October 1868
1/12
November 1868
1/13
December 1868
1/14
1868
1/15
January 1869
1/16
February 1869
1/17
March 1869
1/18
April 1869
1/19
May 1869
1/20
June 1869
1/21
July 1869
1/22
August 1869
1/23
September 1869
1/24
October 1869
1/25
November 1869
1/26
December 1869
1/27
January 1870
1/28
February 1870
1/29
March 1870
1/30
April 1870
1/31
May 1870
1/32
June 1870
1/33
July 1870
1/34
August 1870
1/35
September 1870
1/36
October 1870
1/37
November 1870
1/38
December 1870
2/1
January 1871
2/2
February 1871
2/3
March 1871
2/4
April 1871
2/5
May 1871
2/6
June 1871
2/7
July 1871
2/8
August 1871
2/9
September 1871
2/10
October 1871
2/11
November 1871
2/12
December 1871
2/13
January 1872
2/14
February 1872
2/15
March 1872
2/16
April 1872
2/17
May 1872
2/18
June 1872
2/19
July 1872
2/20
August 1872
2/21
September 1872
2/22
October 1872
2/23
November 1872
2/24
December 1872
2/25
January 1873
2/26
February 1873
2/27
March 1873
2/28
April 1873
2/29
May 1873
2/30
June 1873
2/31
July 1873
2/32
August 1873
2/33
September 1873
2/34
October 1873
2/35
November 1873
2/36
December 1873
3/1
1873
3/2
January 1874
3/3
February 1874
3/4
March 1874
3/5
April 1874
3/6
May 1874
3/7
June 1874
3/8
July 1874
3/9
August 1874
3/10
September 1874
3/11
October 1874
3/12
November 1874
3/13
December 1874
3/14
January 1875
3/15
February 1875
3/16
March 1875
3/17
April 1875
3/18
May 1875
3/19
June 1875
3/20
July 1875
3/21
August 1875
3/22
September 1875
3/23
October 1875
3/24
November 1875
3/25
December 1875
4/1
January 1876
4/2
February 1876
4/3
March 1876
4/4
April 1876
4/5
May 1876
4/6
June 1876
4/7
July 1876
4/8
August 1876
4/9
September 1876
4/10
October 1876
4/11
November 1876
4/12
December 1876
4/13
1876
4/14
January 1877
4/15
February 1877
4/16
March 1877
4/17
April 1877
4/18
May 1877
4/19
June 1877
4/20
July 1877
4/21
August 1877
4/22
September 1877
4/23
October 1877
4/24
November 1877
4/25
December 1877
5/1
January 1878
5/2
February 1878
5/3
March 1878
5/4
April 1878
5/5
May 1878
5/6
June 1878
5/7
July 1878
5/8
August 1878
5/9
September 1878
5/10
October 1878
5/11
November 1878
5/12
December 1878
5/13
January 1879
5/14
March 1879
5/15
April 1879
5/16
May 1879
5/17
June 1879
5/18
July 1879
5/19
September 1879
5/20
October 1879
5/21
November 1879
5/22
December 1879
5/23
January 1880
5/24
February 1880
5/25
March 1880
5/26
April 1880
5/27
May 1880
5/28
June 1880
5/29
July 1880
5/30
August 1880
5/31
October 1880
5/32
November 1880
5/33
December 1880
5/34
1880
6/1
January-February 1881
6/2
March-April 1881
6/3
May-June 1881
6/4
July-August 1881
6/5
September-October 1881
6/6
November-December 1881
6/7
January 1882
6/8
February 1882
6/9
March 1882
6/10
April 1882
6/11
May 1882
6/12
June 1882
6/13
July 1882
6/14
August 1882
6/15
September 1882
6/16
October 1882
6/17
November 1882
6/18
December 1882
6/19
1882
6/20
February 1883
6/21
March 1882
6/22
April 1883
6/23
May 1883
6/24
July 1883
6/25
August 1883
6/26
September 1883
6/27
October 1883
6/28
November 1883
6/29
December 1883
6/30
1883
6/31
January 1884
6/32
February 1884
6/33
March 1884
6/34
April 1884
6/35
May 1884
6/36
June 1884
6/37
July 1884
6/38
August 1884
6/39
September 1884
6/40
October 1884
6/41
November 1884
6/42
December 1884
6/43
1885
6/44
1886
6/45
January 1887
6/46
February 1887
6/47
March 1887
6/48
April 1887
6/49
May 1887
6/50
June 1887
6/51
July 1887
6/52
August 1887
6/53
October 1887
6/54
November 1887
6/55
December 1887
7/1
January-February 1888
7/2
March-April 1888
7/3
May-June 1888
7/4
July-August 1888
7/5
September-October 1888
7/6
November-December 1888
7/7
January-March 1889
7/8
April-July 1889
7/9
August-December 1889
7/10
January-June 1890
7/11
July-December 1890
7/12
January-February 1891
7/13
March-April 1891
7/14
May-June 1891
7/15
July-August 1891
7/16
September-October 1891
7/17
November-December 1891
7/18
January-June 1892
7/19
July-September 1892
7/20
October-December 1892
7/21
January-February 1893
7/22
March-April 1893
7/23
May-June 1893
7/24
July-August 1893
7/25
September-October 1893
7/26
November-December 1893
8/1
January 1894
8/2
February 1894
8/3
March 1894
8/4
April 1894
8/5
May 1894
8/6
June 1894
8/7
July 1894
8/8
August 1894
8/9
September 1894
8/10
October 1894
8/11
November 1894
8/12
December 1894
8/13
1894
8/14
January-February 1895
8/15
March-April 1895
8/16
May-June 1895
8/17
July-August 1895
8/18
September-October 1895
8/19
November-December 1895
8/20
January 1896
8/21
February-March 1896
8/22
April-June 1896
8/23
July-December 1896
9/1
January 1897
9/2
February 1897
9/3
March 1897
9/4
April 1897
9/5
May 1897
9/6
June 1897
9/7
July 1897
9/8
August 1897
9/9
September 1897
9/10
October 1897
9/11
November 1897
9/12
December 1897
9/13
1897
9/14
January 1898
9/15
February 1898
9/16
March 1898
9/17
April 1898
9/18
May 1898
9/19
June 1898
9/20
July 1898
9/21
August 1898
10/1
1903
10/2
1904
10/3
1908
10/4
1923
10/5
1924
10/6
1925
10/7
1926

Series 2:  Financial PapersReturn to Top

Ledger sheets, bank statements and other material dealing specifically with Jackson's financial concerns. Although many financially-related letters can be found throughout the collection, this series consists entirely of statements that do not have substantive cover letters or narratives associated with them. Some of the material has been storted according to the banking firm involved, such as Hussey-Dahler and Henry Elling, but those items that are not clearly identified with any particular business vendor have been gathered in miscellaneous folders.

Container(s) Description
Box/Folder
10/8
Hussey-Dahler
10/9
Hall and Isdell
10/10
Promissory Notes
10/11
Henry Elling
10/12
Government
10/13
C.H. Peck
10/14
Miscellaneous Financial
10/15
Miscellaneous Financial
10/16
Miscellaneous Financial
10/17
Miscellaneous Financial

Series 3:  Printed materialReturn to Top

Advertising material, newspaper clippings, and other printed matter that did not accompany any particular letter in series one. Material includes: printed broadside reports on United States mining policy statutes: form letters from merchants, attorneys, and magazine publishers; items such as business cards, blank order forms, and invitations.

Container(s) Description
Box/Folder
10/18
Printed material
10/19
Printed material

Series 4:  Memoranda booksReturn to Top

Small leather bound booklets, some of which were originally intended for diary entries, kept by Jackson as informal account notations, errands lists, or other brief notations. None of the booklets presents information in a strictly chronological format, and in some cases, the notations concern legal testimony for court cases brought by or answered by Jackson. The financial notes are widely scattered and do not seem to pertain to any particular accounts.

Container(s) Description
Box
11
Memoranda books

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Frontier and pioneer life
  • Frontier and pioneer life -- Montana
  • Mines and mineral resources
  • Mines and mineral resources -- Montana -- Madison County
  • Naturalists
  • Naturalists -- United States
  • Zoological specimens -- Collection and preservation
  • Zoological specimens -- Collection and preservation

Personal Names

  • Cook, Charles W., 1839-1927
  • Cook, Charles W., 1839-1927 -- Correspondence
  • Cooper, Walter -- Correspondence
  • Dunraven, Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, Earl of, 1841-1926 -- Correspondence
  • Dunraven, Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, Earl of, 1841-1926
  • Folsom, David E.
  • Folsom, David E. -- Correspondence
  • Lamme, Achilles
  • Lamme, Achilles -- Correspondence
  • Rea, George W. -- Correspondence
  • Ward, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1834-1906
  • Ward, Henry A. (Henry Augustus), 1834-1906 -- Correspondence
  • Willson, Davis, 1841-1915
  • Willson, Davis, 1841-1915 -- Correspondence

Geographical Names

  • Madison County (Mont.)
  • Montana
  • Montana -- Madison County
  • New York (State) -- Rochester
  • Rochester (N.Y.)
  • United States

Form or Genre Terms

  • Records and correspondence