Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Esther Combes Vance Papers, 1904-1977
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Vance, Esther Combes, 1903-1983
- Title
- Esther Combes Vance Papers
- Dates
-
1904-1977 (inclusive)19041977
- Quantity
- 1 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 153
- Summary
- Esther Vance was a pioneer woman airplane pilot. Collection (1904-1977) includes correspondence, diaries, and scrapbooks about her flying career; the Ninety Nine Club, an organization of women pilots; and the career of her husband Earl Vance, a civilian and military pilot.
- 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 - Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Esther Combes Vance was the first woman licensed to fly airplanes in Montana, and the twenty-second in the nation. She was born August 19, 1903, in Clinton, Indiana, the daughter of William and Dicy Pastre Combes. The family moved to Sidney, Montana, and in 1921 Esther graduated from Sidney High School. Four years later she received degrees in both physical education and teaching from the University of Washington. In August 1925 she married Earl Vance, owner of a commercial flying business in Sidney. In 1928 Esther Vance became licensed first as a private pilot and then as a limited commercial pilot. She served as business manager and treasurer for Vance Air Service in Great Falls until the business was destroyed by fire in 1931. From then until Earl's death in 1944, she assisted him in a variety of jobs. After his death she moved to Missoula, Montana, where she worked in the registrar's office at the University of Montana until her retirement. Earl Vance was born January 13, 1896, in Washington, Indiana, the son of William and Jennie Jacobs Vance. He studied at Aberdeen Business School, graduating in 1916. In 1917 Vance entered the army, enrolling in Flight Training School. He was discharged in 1919 with the rank of second lieutenant. From 1919 until 1939 he was engaged in a variety of flying occupations, including barnstorming, running his own flying service, working as a commercial pilot for National Park Airways, and doing aerial mapping for the U.S. government. In 1940 he was recalled to active service as a captain and training officer. During World War II he served as base commander at Walla Walla, Washington; Topeka, Kansas; and Alexandria, Louisiana, earning the ranks of major and colonel. From 1943 to 1944 he was in charge of the Second Air Force's search and rescue section. Earl Vance died of a heart attack at the age of 48 on February 17, 1944, at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Papers. 1904-1977. 1 linear foot. This collection consists of three subgroups. The Esther Combes Vance subgroup contains correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, and printed material about her flying career, and about the Ninety Nines, Inc., an organization of women pilots. The Earl Vance subgroup contains scrapbooks and miscellany about his flying and military careers. The Vance Air Service subgroup contains financial records, organizational records, and promotional brochures.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Esther Combes Vance Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
General Correspondence
|
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 1 | Miscellaneous
(correspondents include Michael Kennedy; The Ninety Nines, Inc.; Montana
Aeronautics Commission; Van Air Service; Gene M. Gressley, University of
Wyoming; Inis Stephenson; Frank W. Wiley; J.K. Ralston; Peggy Vergers)
|
1964-1977 |
Diaries
|
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 2 | Diaries |
1926-1930, 1933-1968 |
1 / 3 | Typed excerpts from
diaries |
1925-1968 |
Photographs
|
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 4 | List of
photographs transferred to the Photo Archives |
|
Printed
Material |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 5 | Directory of
Licenced Pilots and supplements |
1928 |
1 / 6 | Betsy Ross
Corps News |
1932 |
1 / 7 | The Ninety
Niner |
1932-1933 |
1 / 8 | Women and
Aviation, newsletter of Curtiss Flying Service |
1929-1930 |
Miscellany
|
||
Box/Folder | ||
1 / 9 | List of
artifacts transferred to the Museum |
|
1 / 10 | Notes on
Frank Wiley's Montana and the Air |
n.d. |
1 / 11 | Notes on
women pilots |
n.d. |
1 / 12 | School
records and certificates [OVERSIZE material in map case] |
1917-1966 |
1 / 13-14 |
Scrapbooks |
1904-1942 |
Clippings |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 1-2 |
Scrapbooks |
1926-1945 |
2 / 3 |
"Women's Activities," Popular Aviation |
1931-1932 |
2 / 4 |
Miscellaneous "Local Couple Are Recently Married"; "Pioneer Pilot Resides
Here"; "Aerial Odyssey"; "Our Charter Members"; "Ninety-Nine History Books"
|
1925-1978 |
Earl Vance Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Biographical Materials |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 5 | Biographical notes on Earl Vance, by Esther Vance
|
n.d. |
Miscellany |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 6 | Scrapbook of military records |
1917-1944 |
2 / 7 | Scrapbook on flying career |
1914-1944 |
Clippings |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 8 | Miscellaneous "Earl Vance gave many their first taste
of aviation" |
1966-1973 |
Vance Air Service Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Financial Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 9 | Financial summaries |
1926-1930 |
Organizational Records |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 10 | Certificate of incorporation; stock certificates; lists
of stockholders; report to stockholders |
1927-1930 |
Miscellany |
||
Box/Folder | ||
2 / 11 |
Promotional brochures |
n.d. |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Women Air Pilots--Montana
Personal Names
- Air Pilots--Montana
Corporate Names
- Ninety-Nines (Organization)