Neill Family papers
Scope and Contents
Collection consists of personal and business papers of John S.M. Neill, his wife Margaret G. Neill, and son George G.E. Neill. There are several business subgroups. The John S.M. Neill Subgroup consists of eight series: Incoming Correspondence and Outgoing Correspondence (1891-1912), both arranged chronologically; Miscellaneous Correspondence (1900, 1908), arranged chronologically; Financial Records (1889-1912), including a ledger, a journal, tax records, and other materials; Legal Documents (1886-1906), including documents of the Capital City Improvement Company and miscellaneous deeds and leases; Subject Files (1889-1912) concerning various real estate and mining properties, the Democratic Party, and the State Capitol site and building; Miscellany, including Helena real estate lot books, a personal memo book, and drawings for the State Fair Grounds Boulevard and other properties; and two scrapbooks of Clippings (1889-1890) concerning Helena real estate and politics. The John S.M. Neill Estate Subgroup consists of real estate assessment lists (1912) and a petition (1912) by the Collins Land Company to the City of Helena. The Margaret G. Neill Subgroup consists of eight series: General Correspondence (1905-1943) arranged chronologically; Court Papers consisting of a case (1939-1941) against Jacob P. Nordby; minor Financial Records (1895-1941); Legal Documents (1912, 1914); Speeches concerning her Red Cross work; Subject Files (1909-1928) concerning the World War I Liberty Loan drive and Helena real estate; Miscellany, including a minute book (1895-1898) for the First Presbyterian Church Helping Hand Society, and a financial journal (1914-1919) for the Presbyterian Church Ladies Aid Society; and Clippings (1918) concerning Red Cross war work. The George G.E. Neill Subgroup contains nine series: Incoming Correspondence and Outgoing Correspondence (1911-1960) arranged chronologically; Miscellaneous Correspondence (1911-1952, undated); Court Papers (1919-1949); minor Financial Records (1908-1953); Legal Documents (1913-1940); Subject Files (1908-1922) concerning the Barnes-King Development Company and the State Fair Grounds; Miscellany, including drawings for various buildings, a list of patented mining claims in the Helena Mining District, and a list of property ownership in the vicinity of Holter Dam; and Clippings about the Gallatin County Development Association and Democratic politics. There are small personal subgroups for Elisha S. Clark and for George Evans. The Elisha S. Clark Subgroup consists of invoices, including his estate (1887-1896). The George Evans Subgroup consists of legal documents (1888-1892) from the Harriet B. Miles estate. The Independent Investment Company Subgroup records include: Incoming Correspondence (1914, 1918); minor Financial Records (1904-1928); Legal Documents (1904-1928), including an abstract of title for the Independent building; and a minute book (1906-1916). The Independent Publishing Company Subgroup records include: General Correspondence (1904-1926); Court Papers regarding a case (1899) involving Fred Whiteside; minor Financial Records (1906-1934); Legal Documents (1901-1917); a Subject File (1892-1907) concerning the state printing contract; and Miscellany (1913-1926, undated), including Cass Gilbert drawings for planned additions to the Independent's building. The Lewis and Clarke County Democratic Central Committee Subgroup consists of two poll books (undated) listing registered Democrats in each ward of Helena and each community in the county. Records in the Madison River Improvement Company Subgroup include General Correspondence (1910-1950); Financial Records consisting of tax records (1919-1937); and Miscellany (1909-1937, undated), including a deed (1920) for land along the Madison River and sketch maps. The Montana Outdoor Advertising Company Subgroup includes General Correspondence (1927-1961); Financial Records consisting of summaries (1952-1958); and Miscellany (1929, 1957), including lists of billboard locations and a charter for the Outdoor Advertising Association of Montana. Records in the Montana Properties Company Subgroup include General Correspondence (1917-1947); Court Papers (1939-1941) regarding a suit by the City of Helena; and Legal Documents consisting of deeds (1921, 1925). The Montana Rapid Transit Company Subgroup records include General Correspondence (1908-1921); Employment Records consisting of payrolls (1909); Financial Records, including financial summaries (1910), a ledger (1909-1922), transcripts of books (1909-1913), trial balances (1909-1921), and tax records (1909-1925); Legal Documents (1908-1940); Organizational Records, including record books (1909-1924), annual statements (1910-1922), and other materials; Printed Materials consisting of a brochure (circa 1909) about the company; and Miscellany, including drawings of the planned route of the railroad through Helena and East Helena.
Dates
- Creation: 1886-1964
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Collection open for research.
Conditions Governing 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.
Biographical / Historical
John Neill was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on March 25, 1860, the son of the Reverend Edward D. Neill and Nancy Hall Neill. When John was nine, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed his father consul to Ireland and the family moved to Dublin. After three years in Ireland, the family returned to Minneapolis, Minnesota. John graduated from Delaware College in 1881 and studied law at Columbian College in Washington, D.C. In 1883 he moved to Helena, Montana, where he became involved in real estate development. As a reward for his active work in re-electing President Grover Cleveland in 1892, Neill was appointed Surveyor General of Montana in 1895. In 1898, he became treasurer and manager of the Helena Independent newspaper and five years later purchased the paper. In 1909 Neill became a partner in the Montana Rapid Transit Company's ill-fated attempt to build an inter-urban railroad between Helena and Butte. In addition to his business and political activities, Neill was actively involved in numerous projects for Helena civic betterment, including attempts to expand the Mount Helena Park to include the forest land to the west, a plan to create the State Fairgrounds Boulevard along the current route of Henderson Avenue, development of Wesleyan University, and also work for the Democratic Party. In 1883 John Neill married Margaret G. Evans. The couple had one son, George G.E. Neill. John Neill died in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on March 22, 1912. Margaret G. Evans was born March 3, 1862, in Newark, Delaware, the daughter of George Gillespie Evans and Mary Black Evans. After the birth of her son George in 1884, she moved to Helena to join her husband. She became active in the civic life of Helena, serving as the first Democratic National Committeewoman from Montana, spearheading Helena's Red Cross drive during World War I, and working with several Presbyterian Church women's groups. After her husband's death, she became active in developing many of the real estate interests that she had inherited. She died March 6, 1951, in Helena. George G.E. Neill was born in Newark, Delaware, on October 30, 1884, and came to Helena with his mother shortly afterwards. He graduated from Princeton University in 1907. Many of the friendships he formed there continued throughout his life through his active participation in the Princeton alumni association. In 1908 he began working as bookkeeper for the Helena Independent and was promoted to treasurer two years later. After his father's death in 1912, George gave up management of the newspaper and became more active in real estate promotion. He was a partner with Lewis Penwell in the Capital Investment Company. In 1920 he was appointed Receiver of the Helena Land Office and served until 1923. He later formed the Montana Outdoor Advertising Company and the Montana Properties Company. George Neill was married in March 1952 to Martha Morrison who had a son, John Morrison, and a daughter, Mary Morrison Nolte. George G.E. Neill died in Helena on June 3, 1964.
Extent
8 linear feet
Abstract
John Neill was a Helena, Montana, real estate man. Records (circa 1889-1930) concern his family real estate business and other investments and civic involvements. There are subgroups for John, his wife Margaret Neill, son George G.E. Neill, and for the Independent Investment Company, Independent Publishing Company, Lewis and Clark County Democratic Central Committee, Madison River Improvement Company, Montana Outdoor Advertising Company, Montana Properties Company, and Montana Rapid Transit Company.
Arrangement
Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in Oversize Boxes, Manuscript Volumes, and Archives Map Case. See inventory below for more information.
Physical Location
13:1-7
Physical Location
5:8-5 (oversize box)
Physical Location
147:3-1 (volumes)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information available upon request.
Separated Materials
Photographs, maps and artifacts transferred to the Photograph Archives, Library Map Collection, and Museum respectively. See box 15 folder 11 for listing of items transferred.
- Title
- Guide to the Neill Family papers 1886-1964
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
- Date
- 2004
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)
mhslibrary@mt.gov