Hart Family Papers, 1835-1965 (Collection 751)

Hart Family Papers, 1835-1965

Collection 751
Bozeman, Montana
December 1997

HART FAMILY

Family and ranch papers, 1835-1965

6.8 linear feet

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Personal and professional papers created or collected by members of the Hart family were deposited in Special Collections by Harry Dean Hart in 1968.

Harry Hart and his brother, John Hart, emigrated to Manitoba, Canada from England in 1882. Two years later they moved to Montana and by 1886 the Hart brothers owned a horse ranch near Big Timber, The Eureka Horse Ranch. In 1909, Harry Hart married Anna Beckwith Smith of Geneva, New York. Anna, or "Nan," was a teacher at the Carnegie School for women and the granddaughter of Hamilton L. Smith, a Yale graduate and professor at Hobart College. Harry and Anna had their first and only child, Harry Robert Hart in 1910. Harry Hart, now the sole owner of the ranch, began to run cattle and extend the ranch holdings. In 1924, the Harts took in their first customers as the Dot Lazy S Dot Dude Ranch (The Dot S Dot). Harry Robert Hart, or "Bob," married in the 1940s. He and his wife, Barbara, had hoped to add to the family's assets further with the purchase of the American Fork Ranch in 1945. This project failed with Bob Hart's accidental death in 1947. Bob and Barbara had three children, Harry Dean Hart, Marjorie and Nancy Lee. With Barbara's help the Harts continued running the Dot S Dot until Anna Hart's death in 1964. Harry Robert Hart died in 1958.

The Hart Family Papers consist of correspondence, diaries, ranch records memorabilia and photographs. Materials have been divided into eight series according to document type. Correspondence contain letters written and received by: Anna Smith Hart's grandparents, Julia and Hamilton L. Smith; Harry and Anna Hart; and their son, Harry Robert Hart. Early letters pertain to Smith and Hart family matters and academic topics. Most of outgoing letters of the mid-twentieth century refer to ranch business. Biographical Materials refers to biographies written by Harry and Anna Hart and marriage and birth certificates. The ranch Diaries kept by the Harts are extensive and recount the daily events of life on their ranch. Journals from Anna's grandfather, Hamilton L. Smith, her mother, Caroline Towler Smith, and Harry Hart's brother, James, are also included in this series. Printed Materials refers to published documents created and collected by the Harts. Newsclippings have been arranged according to subject and give additional biographical information. This series also contains promotional brochures advertizing the Dot S Dot Dude Ranch. School Records, while limited, span nearly a century and a half and contain works from: Hamilton L. and Julia Smith and their educational careers at Yale and Hobart College; Anna Hart and her career at the Carnegie School; and both Harry Robert and Harry Dean Hart. Ranch Records is a broad series which contains legal, financial and operational records from the Eureka and Dot S Dot ranches. Within these records, is a set of Guest List giving a detailed account of who visited and worked for the ranch each season. Memorabilia includes an extensive collection of Dot S Dot Christmas cards which were mailed to clientele as well as others. The series containing photographs is considerable. Containing 966 individually numbered images, the majority of these photos are black and white, and focus on the dude ranching process. Negatives, postcards and slides have also been included in this series. Organized according to subject, the photographs begin with the Smith and Hart families and Dot S Dot photos follow. Photo albums have been placed at the beginning of the series.

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Series 1	Correspondence, 1835-1965, Box 1 Incoming and outgoing letters written or collected by the Hart family pertaining to their personal lives and ranch operations.
Series 2	Biographical Materials, 1891-ca. 1950, Box 1 Autobiographical writings which primarily discuss life on the ranch up to the early twentieth century and newsclippings regarding the Smith & Hart families.
Series 3	Diaries, 1867-1964, Boxes 2-7 Original and transcribed diaries of Hamilton L. Smith, James Hart, Caroline Towler Smith, and Anna Hart.
Series 4	Printed Materials, 1909-1965, Box 8 Published documents created and collected by the Hart family, including ranch promotional material and non-biographical newspaper clippings.
Series 5	School Records, 1835-1960, Box 9 Primary report cards and student papers of Anna Hart and other family members.
Series 6	Ranch Records, 1888-1964, Boxes 10-11 Legal, financial and operational records from the Eureka and Dot S Dot ranches.
Series 7	Memorabilia, ca. 1830s-1950s, Box 12 Christmas cards and other mementoes.
Series 8	Photographs, 1850-1963, Boxes 13-17 Personal portraits, ranch pictures, and promotional images pertaining to the Hart family or the Dot S Dot ranch.

Series 1
Box 1, files 1-17
Correspondence, 1835-1965

Correspondence refers to incoming and outgoing letters written or collected by the Hart family. Both sets of letters have been arranged chronologically by decade. The earliest letters were created or collected by Anna Hart's grandparents, Julia and Hamilton L. Smith and include letters from Edwin L. Stanton, son of President Lincoln's secretary of war. Letters from the turn-of-the-century onwards relate to the Hart family in Montana. The Harts befriended and kept in touch with many of their visitors, including author E.B. White. Many of the outgoing and later letters refer to ranch business. The purchase of the American Fork Ranch generated most of the 1940s correspondence.

Box 1

1. Incoming Letters: 1830s

2. 1840s

3. 1850s

4. 1860s

5. 1870s

6. 1880s

7. 1890s

8. 1900s

9. 1910s

10. 1920s

11. 1930s

12. 1940s

13. 1950s

14. 1960s

15. Outgoing Letters: 1940s

16. 1950s

17. 1960s

[Contents]

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Series 2
Box 1, files 18-25
Biographical Materials, 1891-1950s

Documents have been separated according to document type and arranged alphabetically. Harry and Anna's autobiographical writings primarily discuss life on the ranch up to the early twentieth century. Newsclippings regarding the Smith & Hart families and their friends have been arranged in the Printed Materials Series and have been labeled for easy access.

Box 1

18. Genealogy Lists

19. Anna Hart's Family Histories & Accounts

20. Harry Hart's Biography

21. Harry & Anna Hart's Marriage Service and Record Book

22. Harry Robert Hart's Birth & Baptismal Certificates

23. Hobart College's Printed Memorial to Julia Buttles Smith

24. Dot S Dot Ranch History

25. Misc. Writings

[Contents]

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Series 3
Boxes 2-8
Diaries, 1867-1964

Diaries have been arranged chronologically. Extended family member's journals are found at the beginning of the series. Harry and Anna Hart kept a daily record of the major events on the ranch. Entries are often brief but give a straightforward accounting. At times difficult to read, a typed copy of many of the diaries follows the originals in Boxes 5, 6 & 7.

Box 2

1. Hamilton L. Smith: Diary, 1867

2. James Hart: Diary & Literary Book, 1900

3. Caroline Towler Smith: Vacation Diary, 1903

4. Ranch Diary, 1912-14

5. Ranch Diary, 1915-19

6. Ranch Diary, 1920-24

7. Ranch Diary, 1925-29

8. Ranch Diary, 1930

9. Ranch Diary, 1931-35

Box 3

1. Ranch Diary, 1935

2. Ranch Diary, 1936-40

3. Ranch Diary, 1941-44

4. Harry Hart Diary, 1945

5. Harry Hart Diary, 1946

6. Ranch Diary, 1950-54

7. Anna Hart Diary, 1955

8. Anna Hart Diary, 1955-57

Box 4

1. Anna Hart Diary, 1958

2. Anna Hart Diary, 1959

3. Anna Hart Diary, 1960

4. Anna Hart Diary, 1961

5. Anna Hart Diary, 1962

Box 5

1. Anna Hart Diary, 1963

2. Anna Hart Diary, 1964

3. Typed Copies of Ranch & Hart Diaries: 1912

4. 1913

5. 1914

6. 1915

7. 1916

8. 1917

9. 1918

10. 1920

11. 1921

Box 6

1. 1922

2. 1923

3. 1924

4. 1925

5. 1926

6. 1927

7. 1928

8. 1929

9. 1930

10. 1931

11. 1932

12. 1933

13. 1934

14. 1935

Box 7

1. 1941

2. 1942

3. 1943

4. 1944

5. 1950

6. 1951

7. 1952

8. 1953

9. 1954

10. 1955

11. 1956

12. 1957

[Contents]

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Series 4
Box 8, files 1-12
Printed Materials, 1909-1965

Printed materials refers to published documents created and collected by the Hart family. Newspaper clippings have been separated according to subject and arranged alphabetically. The file of "Promotional Materials" contains printed materials created by the Harts for advertizing purposes.

Box 8

1. Newsclippings Re: Dot S Dot Ranch

2. Newsclippings Re: Extended Family & Friends

3. Newsclippings Re: Extended Family & Friends cont.

4. Newsclippings Re: Harry Hart

5. Newsclippings Re: Anna Smith Hart

6. Newsclippings Re: Mr. & Mrs. Harry Hart

7. Newsclippings Re: Robert Hart

8. Newsclippings Re: Misc.

9. Promotional Materials: Dot S Dot Ranch

10. Pamphlet: "Modern Beef Cattle Breeding & Ranching Methods" (ca. 1946)

11. Dude Rancher Magazine: 1939, 1944, 1950, 1952 & 1958

12. Playground of the Rockies (June/July 1965)

[Contents]

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Series 5
Box 9
School Records, 1835-1960s

School Records have been separated according to creator and have been arranged alphabetically. Early nineteenth century documents were created by Anna Hart's grandparents. The mid-twentieth century records belonged to her grandson.

Box 9

1. Harry Dean Hart: High School Misc., 1960s

2. Harry Robert Hart: School Certificates and Records, 1920s

3. Anna Smith (Hart): School Book, 1893

4. Anna Smith: Carnegie School Misc., early 1900s

5. Hamilton L. Smith: Yale College Student Catalogue & Commencement Booklet, 1830s

6. Hamilton L. Smith: Hobart College--Professional Publications, 1880s

7. Hamilton L. Smith: Hobart College Pamphlets

8. Julia Buttles (Smith): Essays, 1835

[Contents]

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Series 6
Boxes 10-11
Ranch Records, 1888-1964

Ranch Records is a broad series which contains legal, financial and operational records from the Eureka and Dot S Dot ranches. Legal and financial documents have been separated according to function and have been arranged alphabetically in Box 10. Box 11 contains the general operational records of the ranch. The Guest Lists give a detailed accounting of who visited and worked the ranch each season.

Box 10

1. Check Registers: 1935-6 & 1941 and Canceled Checks (incomplete)

2. Cattle & Horse Sales

3. General Ledger, 1915-35

4. Insurance

5. Inventories of Prospective Purchases & 1951 Depreciation Schedule

6. Investments

7. Jarret, Buz: Sheriff's Record of Mileage & Cost, 1944-48

8. Leases & Deeds

9. Livestock Accounts, 1948 & 1959

10. Mining Claim

11. Mortgage

12. Property Assessment Lists

13. Receipts

14. Record of Brucellosis Test, 1960

15. Taxes (County), 1941-44 & 1955 & 1963

16. Taxes (Federal): Anna Hart, 1956, 1960-63

17. Water Issues

18. Wills: Smith & Hart

19. World War II: Thrift Card & Ration Book

Box 11

1. Appointment Book, 1956

2. Christmas Card Lists, 1944-57

3. Dot S Dot Guests, 1928-51

4. Dot S Dot Guests (typed copy), 1929-60

5. Dot S Dot Guest Signature Book, 1953-1964

6. Dude Rancher's Roundup Attendance List, 1943

7. Horse Breeding Record, 1888-1906

[Contents]

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Series 7
Box 12
Memorabilia, 1830s-1950s

Memorabilia refers to materials created and/or collected by the Hart family, and have been separated according to document type and are in alphabetical order. The Harts kept in touch with their visitors annually through their Christmas cards. The Queen's Royal pamphlet shows where Harry and Anna Hart spent their honeymoon.

Box 12

1. American Fork Ranch Christmas Cards, 1950s

2. Dot S Dot Christmas Calendars

3. Dot S Dot Christmas Cards

4. Dot S Dot Christmas Cards cont.

5. Drafts of Dot S Dot 1931 Christmas Card

6. Anna Hart: Membership Cards

7. Anna Hart: Memorial Book

8. Harry Hart: Membership, Stock Certificates, & Notes to Nan

9. Harry Dean Hart: Camp and Club Certificates

10. Misc. Memorabilia

11. Pamphlet: Queen's Royal, Niagara, Canada, 1909

12. Misc. Sketches of Dot S Dot

13. Hamilton L. Smith: Misc. Sketches & Writings

14. Hamilton L. Smith: Wallet with Notes & Mementoes

15. Dot S Dot Stationary & Envelopes

Small Box of Memorabilia including: 1- Une Piastre, Vietnam, 3- Un Peso, Columbia, 2- Silver Certificates, U.S.A., 1- Dot S Dot Book Plate, 1- Bishop Choi Book Mark, 2- Small Buttons, 1- Pin, 1- Curtain tie, 1- Pocket Watch

[Contents]

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Series 8
Boxes 13-17
Photographs

Family photographs and ranch images pertaining to individual Hart family members, extended Hart family and friends, the operation of the Dot S Dot ranch, ranch guests, ranch promotion and advertising, and scenic views. Photographs are primarily black and white, have been arranged according to broad subject categories and, therefore, some overlap has been unavoidable. Photographs have been individually numbered [1-966]. The Photo Albums in Box 13 depict life on the Dot S Dot and were probably used for promotional purposes. Negatives, postcards and slides follow the photographic prints. Negatives which have no corresponding prints are numbered 875 through 966 and have not been arranged according to subject. Negatives which have corresponding prints have been placed in the final folders of Box 17 and bear the same image number as their prints. Postcards are generally black and white photo-postcards. A few show the secondary schools where Anna Smith (Hart) and Hamilton L. Smith taught. Some show friends. Most were produced for the Dot S Dot for business purposes. The slides are color and primarily display the scenery surrounding the Hart's property.

Box 13

1. Family Photo Album, ca. 1909-20

2. Family Photo Album, ca. 1920-30

3. Family/Ranch Photo Album, 1931-35

4. Ranch Photo Album, ca. 1928

5. Ranch Photo Album, ca. 1928

6. Ranch Photo Album, ca. 1930

7. Ranch Photo Album, ca. 1930s

Box 14

1. Photographs: Anna (Nan) Hart, ca. 1890-1961 [1-36]

2. Barbara Hart & Children, ca. 1940-1963 [37-59]

3. Harry Hart, 1893-1957 [60-100]

4. Harry Hart, [101-148]

5. Harry Dean Hart, ca. 1947-1963 [149-167]

6. Harry Robert Hart (Bob), ca. 1915-ca. 1945 [168-200]

7. Harry Robert Hart, [201-232]

8. James Hart, ca. 1850s [233]

9. John W. Hart, ca. 1871- ca. 1953 [234-252]

10. Hart Family, 1908-1955 [253-272]

Box 15

1. Photographs: Extended Family & Friends, ca. 1890-1950s [273-307]

2. Extended Family & Friends [308-316]

3. Extended Family & Friends [317-338]

4. Horses, ca. 1920s [339-344]

5. Hamilton L. Smith, ca. 1890 [345-350]

6. Dot S Dot Ranch, 1907-1960 [351-400]

7. Dot S Dot Ranch, [401-436]

8. Dot S Dot, Winter 1949-50 [437-460]

9. Dot S Dot [461-486]

10. Dot S Dot Guests, 1911-1932 [487-534]

11. Dot S Dot Guests, 1933-1938 [535-578]

12. Dot S Dot Guests, 1939-1942 [579-613]

13. Dot S Dot Guests, 1943-1949 [614-628]

Box 16

1. Dot S Dot Guests [629-671]

2. Dot S Dot Guests [672-701]

3. Dot S Dot Promotional Events & Pictures [702-725]

4. Dot S Dot Promotional Events & Pictures [726-755]

5. Dot S Dot Promotional Events & Pictures [756-788]

6. Dot S Dot Publicity Party in Minneapolis, ca. 1940 [789-802]

7. Silver Tip Ranch, ca. 1945 [803-821]

8. Valhalla, 1912-1933 [822-832]

9. Crazy Mountains & Misc. Scenic Pictures, ca. 1930s [833-864]

10. Unidentified People & Misc., ca. 1900-1950 [865-874]

11. Negatives without prints [875-897]

12. Negatives without prints [898-915]

13. Negatives without prints [916-935]

14. Negatives without prints [936-956]

Box 17

1. Negatives without Prints [957-966]

2. Postcards: Carnegie School & Hobart College, ca. 1900 [1-7]

Friends [8-13]

Montana Scenic Postcards, 1930s [14-30]

3. Postcards: Ranch Promotional Postcards, [31-55]

4. Slides: Harry Hart, Ranch, Livestock & Scenery [1-17]

5. Print negatives 37, 40, 44, 73, 77, 77a, 100, 182, 194, 200, 213, 260, 601, 604, 605, 606, 609, 610, 625

6. Print negatives 734, 743, 746, 749, 759, 763, 764, 778, 780, 785, 805, 811, 812, 818, 821, 862

[Contents]

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