Farmers & Merchants Bank Correspondence, 1907-1942

Summary

Creators:

Farmers & Merchants Bank (Sheyenne, N.D.)

Abstract:

This collection consists entirely of the incoming correspondence to Farmers & Merchants Bank of Sheyenne, North Dakota, between 1907 and 1942. The correspondence reveals the thoughts and feelings of the Swedish immigrant farmers the bank served throughout the northern Plains Subjects in the collection include: Agriculture of the Great Plains; Indians in North Dakota; 20th century agricultural history; divorce; real property; rental housing management; Swedish-Americans; World War I; and World War II.

Extent:

656 items in 5 boxes

Language:

English, with several letters in Swedish.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists entirely of the incoming correspondence to Farmers & Merchants Bank of Sheyenne, North Dakota. between 1907 and 1942. It is arranged alphabetically by author then by recipient. Prominent among the addressees are bank employees Henry Grinde, Joseph E. Johnson, John F. Swenson, Emil. B. Norin, and Alfred Garnaas. Though largely prosaic in their content, the correspondence reveals the thoughts and feelings of the Swedish immigrant farmers the bank served throughout the northern Plains, with correspondence from all over the United States and some from as far away as Sweden and Norway. The letters highlight salient historical events such as political turmoil in Europe during World War I, comparisons of agricultural conditions in the United States and Sweden, and the individual financial crises brought on by the Great Depression.

Subjects in the collection include: Agriculture of the Great Plains; Indians in North Dakota; 20th century agricultural history; divorce; real property; rental housing management; Swedish-Americans; World War I; and World War II.

Biographical / historical:

The Farmers & Merchants Bank of Sheyenne, North Dakota. was established on January 1, 1906. Although the bank worked primarily to secure loans, mortgages, seed purchases, and land for their largely agrarian, Swedish American clientele - many of whom had long since moved on from North Dakota - they also helped manage their customers' rental properties and other investments in Sheyenne. The bank received Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance during the Great Depression, on January 1, 1934. After nearly a century in business, the bank closed its doors permanently on October 26, 1990.

Acquisition information:

Purchased from Carmen D. Valentino Rare Books and Manuscripts, November 2004.

Arrangement:

Correspondence arranged alphabetically. There are three miscellaneous documents at the end of the collection.

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Other descriptive data:

Agriculture--Great Plains

• Subject in Carl Andersen letters (1907-1928) to Henry Grinde. 19 items. Box 1 (9).
• Subject in Wade Brown letters (1909-1910) to Joseph E. Johnson. 5 items. Box 1 (47).
• Subject in Amanda Dyer letters (1933-1935) to Emil Norin. 4 items. Box 2 (32).
• Subject in J.F. Egan letters (1923-1925) to Henry Grinde. 3 items. Box 2 (34).
• Subject in Elizabeth Hagan letters (1926) to “Gentlemen.” 4 items. Box 3 (1).
• Subject in George Haggerty letters (1924-1925) to Henry Grinde. 5 items. Box 3 (2)
• Subject in Severin M. Hendrickson letters (1918-1926) to Henry Grinde. 7 items. Box 3 (19).
• Subject in Ed McKelvey letters (1926-1929) to Henry Grinde. 13 items. Box 4 (15).
• Subject in Carey Walters letters (1914-1917) to John F. Swenson. 17 items. Box 5 (60).

Agriculture--United States--History--20th century

• Subject in Carl Andersen letters (1907-1928) to Henry Grinde. 19 items. Box 1 (9).
• Subject in Amanda Dyer letters (1933-1935) to Emil Norin. 4 items. Box 2 (32).
• Subject in J.F.Egan letters (1923-1925) to Henry Grinde. 3 items. Box 2 (34).
• Subject in Elizabeth Hagan letters (1926) to “Gentlemen.” 4 items. Box 3 (1).

Divorce

• Subject in Abbie McCue letters (1924-1926) to Henry Grinde. 16 items. Box 4 (9).

Indians of North America--North Dakota--History

• Subject in Carey Walters letters (1914-1917) to John F. Swenson. 17 items. Box 5 (60).

Real property

• Subject in C.W. Brolin letters (1926) to Henry Grinde. 2 items. Box 1 (44).
• Subject in Medora Cedarburg letters (1909-1910) to Joseph E. Johnson. 3 items. Box 2 (7).
• Subject in A.J. Clure letters (1909) to C.R. Wattles. 7 items. Box 2 (12).
• Subject in Elizabeth Hagan letters (1926) to “Gentlemen.” 4 items. Box 3 (1).
• Subject in George Haggerty letters (1924-1925) to Henry Grinde. 5 items. Box 3 (2)
• Subject in Abbie McCue letters ( (1924-1926) to Henry Grinde. 16 items. Box 4 (9).
• Subject in Ed McKelvey letters (1926-1929) to Henry Grinde. 13 items. Box 4 (15).
• Subject in L.B. Nottingham letters (1911-1912) to Joseph E. Johnson. 5 items. Box 4 (38).
• Subject in Mrs. M. Westad letters (1931-1935) to Emil Norin. 29 items. Box 5 (71).

Rental housing--United States--Management

• Subject in Elizabeth Hagan letters (1926) to “Gentlemen.” 4 items. Box 3 (1).
• Subject in W.O Landsverk letters (1914) to John F. Swenson. 3 items. Box 3(59).
• Subject in Mrs. M. Westad. letters (1931-1935) to Emil Norin. 29 items. Box 5 (71).

Swedish Americans

• Subject in Carl Andersen letters (1907-1928) to Henry Grinde. 19 items. Box 1 (9).
• Subject in Fritz Borjeson letters (1910-1912) to Joseph E. Johnson. 5 items. Box 1(40).
• Subject in Alfred Cedarlind letters (1910) to Joseph E. Johnson. 2 items. Box 2 (8).

World War, 1914-1918

• Subject in Carl Andersen letters (1907-1928) to Henry Grinde. 19 items. Box 1 (9).

World War, 1939-1945

• Subject in “Haskon” letters (1941-1942) to Alfred Garnaas. 3 items. Box 3 (13).

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Agriculture -- Great Plains.
Agriculture -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Depressions -- 1929.
Divorce.
Indians of North America -- North Dakota -- History -- Sources.
Real property -- North Dakota.
Letters (correspondence) -- Norway -- 20th century.
Letters (correspondence) -- Sweden -- 20th century.
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 20th century.

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Location of this collection:

Huntington Library, Manuscript Collections

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, CA 91108, US

Contact:

(626) 405-2191

reference@huntington.org

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