Richardson Family photograph collection
Content Description
This collection includes four photograph albums containing 743 photographic prints and 180 loose photographs. The Lulu Richardson Album (1880s to 1914) contains 74 photographs including her family’s time in Minnesota before coming to Montana to her time on the Richardson Brothers Ranch. Maggie Richardson Album (1907 to 1949) contains 350 photos that Maggie took documenting life on the early ranch, at her sister Alice’s in southern California, at her sister Martha’s in Heavener, Oklahoma, and with her teaching friends in Minnesota. At her death in 1933, the album was given to her niece Marge Richardson who added 120 family photographs beginning in 1935 through 1949. Margaret “Marge” Richardson Album (about 1924 to 1931) contains 141 photographs that cover her graduation from Antelope High School in 1928 and her freshman year at Montana State Normal School in Dillon in 1929. It includes students from her first year teaching school in Garden Grove School in California in 1931. The last album is the service album of Walter Richardson in Germany and France in 1947 with 58 photographs. There are also 180 loose photographs depicting: various members of the Richardson family in Montana, South Dakota, California, and Oklahoma; the different Richardson homesteads in Sheridan County, Montana; and views of Montana and South Dakota. Loose photographs are dated from 1880 to 1993. Seven real photo postcards with views of Plentywood, Montana by August Lindberg, also arrived with the Richardson photographs but were transferred to PC 001.
Dates
- Creation: 1880 - 1993
Language of Materials
Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research in the Photo Archives.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions applying to use or reproduction of this image (which may be protected by copyright law - Title 17 U.S. Code) are available from the Montana Historical Society Research Center. The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Photograph Archives collections and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Photograph Archives before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in its collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Biographical Note
The Richardson Brothers Ranch was among the earliest homesteads in what is now Sheridan County, Montana. Frederick “Fred” Richardson, Maggie Daisy Richardson, Robert “Bob” Richardson, and Weldon “Will” Richardson were the original four Richardson siblings to settle in the Antelope, Montana area, homesteading on 1,728 adjoining acres between 1902 and 1917 to form the ranch. The brothers all married and started families between 1908 and 1912. Fourteen children were born on the ranch from 1909 to 1925, several of those children would eventually marry and stay on the ranch as well. Fred became the first US Customs Agent in Sheridan and adjacent Daniels Counties. Bob was elected the first State Representative from Sheridan County. A complete story of the siblings and their children is presented in Six Generations of Richardsons: To and from the Big Muddy Valley by Gregory N Richardson.
Extent
180 Photographic Prints (2 boxes) : Black and white photographic prints and color photographic prints ; 8 x 10 in. and smaller
4 Photograph Albums (4 albums (containing 743 photographic prints)) : Black and white photographic prints ; 12 x 8 1/2 in. and smaller
Abstract
The Richardson Brothers Ranch was among the earliest homesteads in what is now Sheridan County, Montana. This collection includes four photograph albums containing 743 photographic prints and 180 loose photographs with views of life on the ranch, family portraits, vacation snaps, a military service album, and many other photographs from various Richardson family members from the 1880s to the 1990s.
Arrangement
This collection is divided into five series based on format and creator:
Series I: Loose Photographs, 1880-1993, 180 photographic prints.
Series II: Lulu Hedges Richardson Photograph Album, 1880-1912, 1 album (74 photographic prints).
Series III: Maggie Daisy Richardson and Margaret (Marge) Richardson Photograph Album, 1907-1949, 1 album (470 photographic prints).
Series IV: Margaret (Marge) Richardson Photograph Album, 1924-1931, 1 album (141 photographic prints)
Series V: Walter Richardson Photograph Album, 1947, 1 album (58 photographic prints).
Separated Materials
Seven real photo postcards with views of Plentywood, Montana were transferred to the Montana Postcard Collection, PC 001. Approximately, one linear foot of manuscript materials including correspondence, articles, and business records were tranferred to the Archives. Two copies of the book Six Generations of Richardsons: To and from the Big Muddy Valley were received with the collection and retained as reference copies, one available in the library and the other in Photo Archives.
- Title
- Guide to the Richardson Family Photograph Collection
- Author
- Kellyn Younggren
- Date
- 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
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