McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.) Records, 1903-1968 Overview of the Collection Creator McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.) Title McGowan Commerical Company (Plains, Mont.) Records Dates 1903-1968 (inclusive) 1903 1968 Quantity 26.5 linear feet, (6 boxes, 93 oversize volumes, and 15 photographs) Collection Number Mss 047 Summary This collection contains correspondence, financial, legal, promotional, personal, and photographic records relating to the McGowan Commercial Company of Plains, Montana, a general store that supplied many of the material goods in this small western Montana town and surrounding areas. 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 Fax: 406-243-4067 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 Sponsor English Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Historical Note Colonel James A. McGowan was born in Malone, New York,on March 5, 1852. He graduated from Wesleyan Seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1868. He then worked for three years in a lumber office and then as a railroad contractor and mercantile manager for 11 years before settling in (Wild Horse) Plains, Montana, in May of 1882. He was one of the founders of the city and brought the first farming equipment into that valley where he was the first farmer. Plains was at the time a boom town as the outfitting center for the Coeur d'alene mining district. http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 1
In 1884 he went into partnership with Neptune Lynch, on whose ranch the city was founded. McGowan quickly assumed control of the mercantile business partnership and expanded his influence to control the entire community. He had great ambitions for the town. By the time of his death in 1911, McGowan controlled the general mercantile (McGowan Commercial Company) a butcher shop, a blacksmith shop, a livery stable, a hotel, the Plains News Letter (now the Plainsman), the electric light and heating plant, the Plains water company and was founder and president of The First National Bank of Plains. He also owned the largest grain farm in the valley, upon which as many as 25 worker were employed. A staunch Republican and great supporter of the Progressive Movement, McGowan served as State Stock Commissioner and as United States Commissioner. He was also an active member of the Masons. McGowan married Delia Farmer, the daughter of James and Sarah Farmer. He died in Los Angeles, where he had gone to improve his health, on April 1, 1911. His death was widely mourned across western Montana. The McGowan Commercial Company sold a full variety of items for mining, agriculture, and living. From 1902 to 1932, Clifford H. Rittenour was employed at the store, first as manager, then as President of McGowan Commercial Company. He attended the University of Montana in Missoula. Content Description This collection contains correspondence, financial, legal, promotional, personal, and photographic records relating to the McGowan Commercial Company of Plains, Montana. Financial records comprise the majority of collection items. These materials provide insights into the challenges and successes of operating a rural general merchandising business as well as the early economic history of Plains, Montana. Use of the Collection 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], McGowan Commercial Company Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula. Administrative Information Arrangement The collection is arranged in six series: Series I: Correspondence, 2 folders, 1904-1926 Series II: Financial, 2.5 linear feet and 93 oversize volumes, 1903-1968 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 2
Series III: Legal, 1 folder, 1911 Series IV: Clippings, 1 folder, 1932 Series V: Personal, 2 folders, 1895-1901 Series VI: Photographs, 15 photographs, 1898- circa 1960 Series VII: Promotional Calendars, 4 items, 1920-1930 Acquisition Information Gift of Francis Bates, 1972; gift of Tevis Hoblitt, 1974; calendars were a gift of Special Collections, Montana State University - Bozeman, 2009. Processing Note The collection was originally processed in two parts: LC 47 (which arrived in 1972) and SC 260 (which arrived in 1974), with photographs remaining unprocessed. In 2004, these three parts were brought together as one collection, arranged, and described. In 2009 four promotional calendars were received from MSU-Bozeman and an additional series, Series VII, was created. Detailed Description of the Collection Series I: Correspondence, 1904-1926 2 folders This series includes two folders of general correspondence regarding McGowan Commercial Company store operations. These materials provide some insights into rural business practices and the early twentieth-century economy of Plains, Montana. Box/Folder 5/1 1904-1907 1/1 1924-1926 Series II: Financial, 1903-1968 2.5 linear feet and 93 oversize volumes This series contains financial records from the McGowan Commercial Company including transaction invoices, account journals, expense records, daily transaction journals, check registers, and payroll records. The documents provide insights into the challenges and successes of operating a rural general merchandising business as well as the economic history of Plains, Montana. http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 3
Subseries 1: Invoices 2.0 linear feet 1936-1967 Box/Folder 1/2 A 1936-1937 1/3 B 1936-1937 1/4 C 1936-1937 1/5 D 1936-1937 1/6 E 1936-1937 1/7 F 1936-1937 1/8 G 1936-1937 1/9 H 1936-1937 1/10 I-J 1936-1937 1/11 K-L 1936-1937 1/12 M 1936-1937 1/13 N-O 1936-1937 1/14 P-Q 1936-1937 1/15 R 1936-1937 1/16 S 1936-1937 1/17 T-V 1936-1937 1/18 W-Z 1936-1937 1/19 A 1950 1/20 B 1950 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 4
1/21 C 1950 2/1 D 1950 2/2 E-F 1950 2/3 G 1950 2/4 H-J 1950 2/5 K-L 1950 2/6 M 1950 2/7 N-O 1950 2/8 P-Q 1950 2/9 R-S 1950 2/10 T-V 1950 2/11 W-Z 1950 2/12 A 1958 2/13 B 1958 2/14 C 1958 3/1 D 1958 3/2 E-F 1958 3/3 G 1958 3/4 H-J 1958 3/5 K-L 1958 3/6 M 1958 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 5
3/7 N-O 1958 3/8 P-Q 1958 3/9 R 1958 3/10 S 1958 3/11 T-V 1958 3/12 W-Z 1958 3/13 A 1966-1967 4/1 B 1966-1967 4/2 C-D 1966-1967 4/3 E-H 1966-1967 4/4 I 1966-1967 4/5 J-M 1966-1967 4/6 N-P 1966-1967 4/7 R-Z 1966-1967 Subseries 2: Journal 34 oversize volumes 1908-1966 Volume 1 October 1908 - September 1909 2 September 1909 - June 1910 3 July 1910 - March 1911 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 6
4 November 1911 - July 1912 5 July 1912 - March 1913 6 March - September 1913 7 September 1913 - April 1914 8 May - November 1914 9 November 1914 - July 1915 10 July 1915 - February 1916 11 February - September 1916 12 September 1916 - April 1917 13 April - October 1917 14 October 1917 - May 1918 15 May - November 1918 16 November 1918 - May 1919 17 May - October 1919 18 October 1919 - May 1920 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 7
19 May - October 1920 20 October 1920 - April 1921 21 April - October 1921 22 October 1921 - April 1922 23 May - October 1922 24 October 1922 - April 1923 25 April - September 1923 26 September 1923 - March 1924 27 March 1924 - August 1927 28 September 1927 - October 1932 29 January 1933 - June 1939 30 July 1939 - December 1947 31 January 1948 - November 1953 32 December 1953 - October 1960 33 November 1960 - August 1963 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 8
34 August 1963 - July 1966 Subseries 3: General 2 folders and 4 oversize volumes 1903-1967 Box/Folder 4/8 Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet 1903-1911 4/9 Record of Sales 1906-1915 Volume 35 General Ledger 1929-1939 36 General Ledger 1940-1951 37 General Ledger 1952-1959 38 General Ledger 1960-1967 Subseries 4: Expense 3 oversize volumes 1940-1961 Volume 39 1940-1941 40 1950-1956 41 1957-1961 Subseries 5: Customer 10 oversize volumes 1910-1914, 1958-1960 Volume 42 1910-1914 43 January - April 1958 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 9
44 May - August 1958 45 September - December 1958 46 January - April 1959 47 May - August 1959 48 September - December 1959 49 January - April 1960 50 May - August 1960 51 September - November 1960 Subseries 6: Cash 20 oversize volumes 1919-1968 Volume 52 April 1919 - April 1922 53 April 1922 - January 1925 54 January 1932 - July 1934 55 November 1936 - January 1939 56 February 1939 - June 1941 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 10
57 July 1941 - October 1943 58 November 1943 - March 1946 59 March 1946 - April 1948 60 April 1948 - May 1950 61 May 1950 - April 1952 62 May 1952 - December 1954 63 December 1954 - April 1957 64 May 1957 - November 1959 65 November 1959 - December 1960 66 January 1961 - March 1962 67 March - May 1962 68 May 1963 - July 1964 69 July 1964 - September 1965 70 September 1965 - December 1966 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 11
71 December 1966 - February 1968 Subseries 7: Invoice Registers 14 oversize volumes 1903-1968 Volume 72 January 1903 - December 1908 73 December 1908 - March, 1913 74 November 1916 - May 1919 75 July 1919 - January 1922 76 January 1922 - January 1924 77 January 1924 - April 1926 78 April 1926 - January 1929 79 January 1929 - December 1931 80 November 1935 - May 1942 81 May 1942 - October 1950 82 October 1950 - May 1959 83 June 1959 - May 1962 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 12
84 May 1962 - February 1965 85 March 1965 - March 1968 Subseries 8: Check Registers 7 oversize volumes 1913-1962 Volume 86 October 1913 - July 1923 87 August 1923 - July 1929 88 July 1929 - February 1936 89 February 1936 - June 1943 90 June 1943 - April 1950 91 April 1950 - August 1956 92 August 1956 - December 1962 Subseries 9: Trial Balance 2 volumes (1 oversize) 1919-1953 Box-volume 4/93 1919-1930 Volume 94 1942-1953 Subseries 10: Bills Receivable and Payable 1904-1941 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 13
2 volumes Box-volume 6/95 1904-1920 6/96 1933-1941 Subseries 11: Payroll Summary 1 volume 1960-1963 Box-volume 5/97 1960-1963 Series III: Legal, 1911 1 folder This series contains a contract from 1911. Box/Folder 6/3 Contract 1911 Series IV: Clippings, 1932 1 folder This series contains an article presenting a brief history of McGowan Commercial Company. The article was published in the November 1932 edition of The Plainsman, a local newspaper. Box/Folder 6/4 Brief history of McGowan Commercial Company 1932 Series V: Personal, 1895-1901 2 folders This series contains some records and memorabilia from James A. McGowan and Clifford H. Rittenour. Materials include an unsigned, undated draft copy of James A. McGowan's will. Clifford H. Rittenour was a manager of McGowan Commercial Company and became President after James McGowan's http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 14
death. These items include records and memorabilia from Rittenour's student days at the University of Montana, Missoula. Box/Folder 6/5 Records and memorabilia 1895-1901 and undated Series VI: Photographs, 1898 - circa 1960 15 photographs This series includes fifteen photographs. Most of the photographs depict Plains, Montana, particularly the McGowan Mercantile Company store and hotel. Also included are five photographs documenting the procession to James A. McGowan's funeral, two photographs of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford H. Rittenour's 60th anniversary, an circa 1950s store anniversary, and images of the 1898 and 1901 football teams at the University of Montana. 74-47: Main Street, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt 74-48: McGowan Hotel, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt 74-49: Main Street, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt 74-50: McGowan Commercial Company and Hotel, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt 74-51: Main Street, Plains, Montana Tevis Hoblitt circa 1900 circa 1900 circa 1900 circa 1900 circa 1900 Box/Folder 6/6 47(VI):1: Funeral of James A. McGowan 1911 6/6 47(VI):2: Funeral of James A. McGowan 1911 6/6 47(VI):3: Funeral of James A. McGowan 1911 6/6 47(VI):4: Funeral of James A. McGowan 1911 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 15
6/6 47(VI):5: Funeral of James A. McGowan 1911 6/6 47(VI):6: Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Rittenour 60th Anniversary Celebration 6/6 47(VI):7: Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Rittenour 60th Anniversary Celebration 6/6 47(VI):8: Anniversary Sale, McGowan Commercial Company, cake circa 1960 circa 1960 circa 1950 6/6 47(VI):9: University of Montana football team, champions 1898 6/6 47(VI):10: University of Montana football team 1901 Series VII: Promotional calendars, 1920-1930 4 items This series includes four promotional calendars distributed by McGowan Commercial Company between 1920 and 1930. Each calendar has a large photograph including one of the Clark Fork River near Plains, Montana, a Herman Schnitzmeyer photo of buffalo, hunters with their deer, and Nick Lascu's sheep ranch near Plains.The calendars were transferred from Special Collections at Montana State University-Bozeman in September, 2009. Description Dates OS 7: Calendar 1920 OS 7: Calendar 1928 OS 7: Calendar 1930 OS 7: Calendar undated Names and Subjects Subject Terms : General stores--montana--plains Geographical Names : Plains (Mont.) Form or Genre Terms : Business records--montana--plains Photographs--Montana--Plains http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 16
Other Creators : Personal Names : McGowan, James A., 1852-1911 Rittenour, Clifford H. Finding aid prepared by Jodi Allison-Bunnell and Jack Rowan 2004 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/cc-attr.shtml http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv69087 17