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Record Type
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Area of Coverage
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Links and Off-line Record Details
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Brief Bio Details
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Yellowstone County YGF
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Past Speeches
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Speakers who present materials and topics of interest to the YGF at
their monthly meetings have their articles stored
in this archive.
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The articles start with the June 20, 2000 meeting, and continue to the
present; where available for publication.
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Meetings
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Meeting Schedules
for the YGF are published on this site.
(All are held at the LDS Church – 6th St West & Avenue
D, Cultural Hall) Meetings start 7:00 pm with a social at 6:30 pm.
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The meetings are open to all persons without prior notice of attendance.
The subjects for the speeches are published here, and in the GenBug.
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Area
Resources
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Billings’ area
information regarding activities in the local area and throughout Montana is actively
maintained at the Billings About Site. Numerous links to various
events, including: accommodations, arts, entertainment,
attractions, genealogy, health, restaurants and the like are included.
(Note: This About Site link is not maintained by the YGF)
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The genealogy
site provides links to Billings and Montana resources, including direct connections to
locations for such things as: How to Do Research at the LDS Family
History Center
in Salt Lake City,
Genealogy Events, Calendar Listings and Postings of Meetings, and similar
topics.
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M26 Dragon
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The M26 Dragon first
saw action on the Italian Front of 1943, and was later extensively used in
the inland advancement of the Allies following the Invasion at Normandy. In all
kinds of weather, in the middle of the night, or under a barrage of enemy
fire, the repair crews continually fulfilled their duty to recover and
repair damaged tanks.
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Billings was selected as one of the assembly sites during WWII,
and the facilities at the Fairgrounds were adapted to facilitate
construction. About 100 Dragons were assembled in the Exhibition
Building and tested on Alkali Creek Road
in Billings.
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Journals
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The GenRoom holds numerous genealogy journals
of various types. Review the listing.
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These are available for viewing at the GenRoom. They are located on
special shelves for easy access.
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Atkinson Journal Extract (1825)
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Atkinson & O’Fallon Journal
Extract of 1825 Indian Battles.
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Brigadier General Henry Atkinson (US
Army) and Major Benjamin O’Fallon (Indian Affairs Agent) were commissioned by
Congress to establish a treaty with Indian Tribes beyond the Mississippi
River and to give peace to the Ricara Tribe located on the Missouri River
about 200 miles south of the Yellowstone River confluence.
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Book Titles
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Over a thousand research books from around the world, plus numerous
documents and books from the local areas, form a large database within the YGF Library room
located on the 2nd floor, within in the Parmly Billings Library.
They are available for free research at any time the public library is
open. None of the books or documents may be borrowed, although copies of
selected materials can be copied on the library's copy machines in the
adjacent rooms.
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The listings
of the research books are identified in a separate link to an Excel
spreadsheet. It is recommended that this listing be printed out, and
examined for applicability, before going to the GenRoom for research. It
will expedite your research.
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CD ROM’s
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YGF Member, Rick Hutchinson,
has 97 genealogy CD’s available for loan. They consist of vital records, census
records, military records and much-much more.
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The CD’s are available to YGF Members only. Refer to the
listing.
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GenRoom Listings
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The Gen-Room is a research
library sponsored by the YGF, and is located on the 2nd floor of
the Parmly Billings Library. It is open whenever the library is open. The
room is unattended, but locked, excepting for special times when training
classes and support functions are provided to visitors, usually upon
request. The access key is obtainable from the Librarian's desk on the 2nd
floor.
This is a “MUST READ” document for those visiting the GenRoom to search
for ancestors.
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The library contains over 1400 volumes. The titles and authors can be
search on the indexing list.
Additional lists for the Montana Room. Periodicals, Obituaries,
Marriages, Cemeteries, Births, Census, City Directories, Church and
locality records are noted.
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Germans from Russia
Listings
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Germans from Russia
who settled in Yellowstone
County has been
compiled.
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The compiled listing is
available at Yellowstone
County-Germans from Russia.
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Homesteader’s
Certificates
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Example of a
Pre-Exemption Certificate for Homesteaders, established in 1841. The
full document is on the site.
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Whereas _______________ of
________________, _____________ has deposited in the General Land Office of
the United States a certificate of the Register of the Land Office at
______________ - Whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the
said __________________ according to the provisions of the Act of Congress
of the 24 of April 1820 entitling "An (sp) able making further
provisions for the sale of the public lands"
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MMLIC Creation
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In the land of intrigue and investment opportunities, there is no better
example than the creation of the Minnesota
and Montana Land and Improvement Company (MMLIC). The creation of a
specialized business venture of this magnitude took great skills and
courage, not to mention personal trust and financial resources.
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There are a lot of underlying layers to this company, and some of them
are presented here, all taken from the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum’s file
records.
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Water & Power Plant
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The Billings Water
Power Company was incorporated in 1885 for the purpose of supplying
water to the Holly System waterworks. Later, when the facility was being
built, they decided to add electrical power to the plant. Maps showing the
exact locations when integrated with Coulson are included.
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Officers of the power company who invested $60,000 for the construction
were: Capt. Henry Belknap, A. L. Babcock, H.H. Mund, and Henry Rowley. In
1905 Preston Moss was president
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History Preservation
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The Pioneers of
Eastern Montana has a great interest in the preservation of area
history and site preservation. Many stories and tales were created by these
early pioneers and published in government documents, manuscripts, letters
and miscellaneous newspaper articles. Many articles are stored in boxes at
various historical society, state institution and college sites throughout
the United States.
Some are still in the hands of their descendants.
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Tabulated index is included to assist in navigation through the site.
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Prison
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There has been much said about the Eastern Montana
State Prison, but very few words ever made it into actual print. This
summary is basically compiled from personal awareness, land records and
editorial comments presented in the Billings Gazette and elsewhere.
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This building was designed and constructed be a showpiece for the state,
and that it was. But, it laid empty and alone for nearly a half-century! It
never housed an inmate, was destined to become a famed “Country Club”, a
personal residence of Austin North, and finally a Federal Prison, but these
events did not happen either.
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Microfiche Files
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Contains Montana
historical record files on published articles covering biographies, state
history, counties, maps, military operations, Wheeler expedition, Civil War
pensioners, railroad employees and guides to genealogical resources. County
files depict articles on “Eye Witness Accounts” of the Custer Battle in
1876, vital records and various important articles.
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Published on microfiche, the articles span a large cross-section of the
areas history and vital record research. Listing identifies source
locations for the subject matter. Read the listing
to determine if the file might be of interest. (stored at WebMaster
location)
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1878 Survey Notes regarding Steamer Josephine
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General Description (Tp 1S, Range 26E) W.W. deLacy Field Notes. Oct 22,
1878. Verifies that the packet steamer “Josephine” tied to tree on
Cochran’s land in 1877, after he had established a home there. Locates
other buildings in 1878.
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Copied directly from the field notes
prepared by deLacy. This is one of five source notes related specifically
to the steamer’s journey on the Yellowstone
River in 1877 only.
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Josephine Travels on the Yellowstone River
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The Josephine
was a wooden hulled stern-wheeler packet/snag boat originally owned jointly
by John S. Coulson, Elisa Coulson, Sallie Coulson, James McVay and Fanny
Maratta (Coulson Packet Co.) so as to conserve on the expense of insurance
coverage. [Travel events of the steamer into the local area are
recorded by five prime record sources.] Included are the memoirs of
the events, which led to the hasty local misunderstandings of the steamer’s
landing in Riverfront
Park and tying up to
a large tree on Cochran’s land.
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Captain Grant Marsh piloted it up the Yellowstone River in 1875 when it
docked across from Sacrifice Cliff area on June 6th, (tying up
to two trees) and subsequently turned around on June 7th at Duck
Creek. Captain Grant Marsh commanded it in May 1877 when it delivered
supplies to Thomas McGirl at Pryor Creek’s juncture, and then traveled on
to Coulson, docking at Cochran’s land on June 7th.
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Off Site Listing of Veterans Reference
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The names of those who were killed or died of
wounds received during any war are listed by Vicki Thauvin,
and copied for ready reference
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Please contact this site for
additions. [Note was on site when current WebMaster took over.]
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Billings
Area Newspapers
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A listing of all
papers in the area is tabulated. These are located at various places in
the area.
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Contact one of the researchers if a lookup is desired.
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New Deal (1930) Records & Other
Sources
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Descriptions
and listings held by societies, libraries, colleges, and others.
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Contact one of the researchers if a lookup is desired.
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Handwriting Examples
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When your research takes you the early times (pre-1900) difficulties
start to mount, and one needs to study the language of the times in order
to be prepared for reading old texts
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Of course, the further back one
goes in time, the more
difficult the translations become.
But that is why Genealogy is so much fun. Examples are given.
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Newsletters & Other
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Yellowstone County Forum
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GenBug (Started 1982)
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Archived File
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Broken
Mountain
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The
Tri-County Searcher: This publication was published from 1980 through
1997. It is no longer published, but they do have copies of the back
issues.
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Newsletter was replaced by several separate
related articles and publications. Refer to that site.
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Beaverhead County
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Quarterly
newsletter available to members only.
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Refer to site.
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Fort Assiniboine
(Hill County)
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Newsletter
is Smoke Signals
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Refer to site
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Great Falls (Cascade County)
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Newsletters are issued, but
not generally available on line.
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Gallatin County
(Bozeman)
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Gallatin
Trails newsletter
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Contact site for current
information
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Tree
Branches (Glendive)
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Tree
Branches Newsletter
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Contact site for
details
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Tangled
Roots (Glacier County)
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Newsletter:
Tangled Roots
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Contact site for
details
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Yellowstone
Genealogy Forum (Yellowstone
County)
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GenBug
newsletter – first published 1982. Issued quarterly.
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Several years of past issues are posted on line.
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