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Granville Stuart writings, circa 1857-1917

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1534 Series 4

Scope and Contents

This series contains Granville Stuart's writings, circa 1857-1915. Most of the writings are historical sketches or experiences that happened to Stuart throughout his career and travels. The majority of the writings deal with the cattle industry, expeditions and trips (such as navigating down the Missouri River), Native Americans, and pioneers. He also included weather records and reminiscences about his life. Stuart wrote most of these while living in Montana.

Dates

  • circa 1857-1917

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from Granville Stuart papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Granville Stuart (1834-1918) was a prominent rancher and historian in Montana.

Granville Stuart was born August 27, 1834, near Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia, to Robert Stuart and Nancy Currence Hall. He was the second of five children. Stuart left Iowa in 1852 with his brother James to seek a fortune in the gold fields of California. They traveled with their father, Robert Stuart, from the American Valley (Quincy) to Bidwell Bar, then on through Morris Ravine near Cherokee, finally arriving at Sam Neal's ranch near present-day Durham. He and his brother moved up the mountain to Dogtown trying their luck in several different mining ventures. After prospecting all over northern California, Stuart eventually ended up in Montana, becoming the state's largest cattle owner in the 1880s. A horrible freezing winter later killed his entire herd. In 1862, Stuart married Awbonnie Tookanka, and had eight children with her before her death in 1888. On June 8, 1890, he married Allis Isabelle Brown. Stuart became the state librarian for Montana and wrote several books describing his Western experiences before he died on October 2, 1918, in Butte, Montana.

Extent

4 boxes

Language of Materials

English