Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Oscar O. Mueller Research Collection : Central Montana History, 1864-1965
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Mueller, Oscar O., 1877-1964
- Title
- Oscar O. Mueller Research Collection : Central Montana History
- Dates
- 1864-1965 (inclusive)18641965
- Quantity
- .5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 93 (collection)
- Summary
- Oscar Mueller (1877-1964) was a Lewistown, Montana, attorney and amateur historian. Collection consists of primary and secondary research materials on Central Montana history, including papers of James Fergus, concerning ranching; and Mueller's correspondence, writings, research notes, and subject files on the Judith Basin.
- 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
-
Collection open for research.
- 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
Oscar 0. Mueller was born March 29, 1877, near Van Meter, Iowa. In 1903 he graduated from the Iowa Normal School, and soon afterwards became principal of schools at Staceyville, Iowa. He remained in that position for two years and then entered the University of Iowa Law School. In 1908, shortly after graduation, Mueller moved to Lewistown, Montana. The following year he was hired as Fergus County Assistant Attorney. Mueller filled this post until 1910. He also served Lewistown as both mayor and city attorney. Oscar Mueller was an amateur archaeologist and historian. He conducted fossil studies in central Montana, which resulted in having two species of prehistoric plants named after him. He also researched and wrote articles on the history of the Judith Basin area, publishing his work in Montana The Magazine of Western History, the Great Falls Tribune, and the Lewistown Daily News. Oscar 0. Mueller was active in the Masons, the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club. In 1915 he married Josephine Cook. They had two sons. Oscar Mueller died on January 3, 1964, at age 86.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists two subgroups, Research Materials and James Fergus Family. The Research Materials subgroups consists of both primary and secondary research materials on the history of central Montana, including Oscar Mueller's correspondence, writings, research notes, and subject files on the Judith Basin. Included also are writings by Mueller's son George D. Mueller, his wife Josephine Cook Mueller, and by W.E. "Limestone" Wilson. The James Fergus Family subgroup includes James Fergus family materials collected by Oscar Mueller during his research.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
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 owners. For more information contact an archivist.
Preferred Citation
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Research MaterialsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
General Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Miscellaneous (correspondents include Bess Streeter
Aldrich, E.A. Brininstool, Merrill Burlingame, David Hilger, Daniel A. Fulton, Will
James, Luther S. "Yellowstone" Kelly, National Park Service, William Moelchert,
Montana Historical Society, C.B. Power, Helena Huntington Smith, Mari Sandoz, Mrs.
Granville Stuart, Donald H. Welsh enclosing copy of full text of "Rare Beads Found
in Central Montana") |
1927-1960 |
Photographs |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 2 | List of photographs transferred to Photo Archives |
|
Research Files |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 3 | Cornelius Hedges (typed excerpt from diary) |
1849 |
| 1 / 4 | Judith Basin (excerpts from Rocky Mountain
Husbandman) |
1875-1884 |
| 1 / 5 | Charles M. Russell |
1926-1963, undated |
| 1 / 6 | Dolly Shafer (Western artist) |
1962 |
| 1 / 7 | Granville Stuart (typed excerpts from letterpress
book) |
1884 |
| 1 / 8 | T.C. Power and Brother (typed excerpts from Fort
Clagett journal) |
1868-1873 |
| 1 / 9 | Miscellaneous excerpts from printed sources |
1888-1932 |
Writings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 10 | "Anecdotes connected with discovery of Yellowstone
Park area" |
undated |
| 1 / 11 | "The Central Montana Vigilante Raids of 1884" (2
versions) |
1951 |
| 1 / 12 | "Nez Perce Cow Island Fight" |
1958 |
| 1 / 13 | "Explanatory Statement to Map" (re: Territorial map
by W. W. Delacy, 1870) |
undated |
Miscellany |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 14 | Bar Association of Fergus County: annual meeting
program |
1913 |
| 1 / 15 | "Historical spots at the Mouth of the Judith
River," by George Mueller |
undated |
| 1 / 16 | "Charles W. Cook" by Josephine Cook Mueller |
circa 1965 |
| 1 / 17 | "A Buffalo Hunt in the 80's", by W.E. "Limestone"
Wilson |
undated |
| 1 / 18 | "Hoboing in the West in the 80's", by W.E.
"Limestone" Wilson |
undated |
| 1 / 19 | Sketches of rocks and trinkets found at Wibaux |
undated |
James Fergus Family Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Biographical Materials |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 20 | James Fergus autobiographical sketches (originals
and typed copies) |
undated |
Incoming Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 21 | To Andrew Fergus (correspondents include H.P.
Brooks; Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway; James Fergus; Pamelia Dillin
Fergus; Luela Gilpatrick; R.S. Hamilton) |
1881-1885, undated |
| 1 / 22 | To James Fergus (correspondents include E. Beach,
James Dillin, S.W. Farnham, C.E. Downes, Andrew Fergus, William Fergus, S.C.
Gilpatrick, Luela Gilpatrick, Nicholas Hilger, Albert Rounce [?], W.F. Sanders,
George Stephens, C.A. Tuttle, Pearl Zile) |
1857-1905, undated |
| 1 / 23 | To Pamelia Fergus (correspondents include Hiram
Dillin, Mary A. Hamilton, Lillie Maury) |
1881, undated |
Outgoing Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 24 | To Pamelia Fergus, Will Fergus, Cornelius Hedges,
Laura E. Howey, William McFarland, J.R. Monroe, Mr. Parrot, T.C. Power, Mr.
Rochester, Louis Rotwitt, W.F. Sanders, George Stephens, unidentified fragments) |
1883-1891, undated |
Diaries |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 25 | Andrew Fergus (typescript copy) |
1884 |
Financial Records |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 26 | James Fergus bills and statements |
1880-1881 |
| 1 / 27 | James Fergus miscellaneous (includes accounts,
roundup expenses, property valuations) |
1872-1900 |
Legal Documents |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 28 | James Fergus miscellaneous (includes certificate of
election to Constitutional Convention, bill of sale, contracts) |
1858-1900 |
Speeches and Writings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 29 | James Fergus speeches before Territorial
Legislature: House |
1879 |
| 1 / 30 | James Fergus speeches before Territorial
Legislature: Council |
1885 |
| 1 / 31 | James Fergus Fourth of July speech, Maiden, Montana |
1884 |
| 1 / 32 | James Fergus letters to the editor (re Maccasin and
Cone Butte roundup; Little Falls, Minnisota history; Moline, Illinois history; vigilantes;
future of stock raising; "Progress of Civilization"; election) |
undated |
| 1 / 33 | James Fergus miscellaneous (mostly fragments) |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Bison, American
- History--Research
- Hunting--Montana
- Vigilance committees--Montana
Geographical Names
- Fergus County (Mont.)--History
- Judith Basin County (Mont.)--History
Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
