Angela J. Stott Brennan Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 238

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Angela Stott Brennan Papers document her life, her husbands and children, and the Midway Service station of Adrian, N.D. which she and her husband operated. The correspondence includes letters from servicemen including son James Murray in Vietnam (1969-1970). The majority of the collection consists of school, military service and other personal documents of family members from the 1950s into the 1970s. The papers have been organized into series: Midway Service, Family correspondence, and Subject files.

The Midway Service Series consists of miscellaneous business letters, arranged chronologically in files one and two. In file three, there are a few business agreements such as REA, Nordley Electric of Edgeley, N.D., a mortgage to Midwest Credit Company of Jamestown, and to Mary Stott of Montpelier, and a cancellation agreement with Gulf Oil Company. File four contains licenses, mortgages, KSJB advertising, inspection reports, sale bills for fixtures, REA deposit by Jack P. Fortune of Fargo, Pehrson Real Estate listing and sale to Albert F. Erbele, and an equipment inventory. Of special interest, are records of a hearing and a voluntary petition. There is also a 1965 business ledger for Don and Angies and Midway Services, with income tax forms from 1952 to 1957, insurance receipts from 1957 to 1967, receipts from International Harvester on a semi-truck in 1967, partnership deeds and contracts with Norbert and Anne Connery in 1948 in Midway Service, and income tax papers 1948-1949. Also there is a partnership agreement with William Iljana in Midway (outdoor) Theatre, 1954, tax receipts from 1966-1972 for Midway Service and for Sauna Hut, 1972-1973. Several files of bankruptcy papers (1970 to 1971) are fairly complete. Of special note are the objections and testimony of Beneficial Finance Company.

The Family Correspondence Series includes pension letters from the Veterans Administration from 1951 to 1975, but only partially complete. Incomplete personal correspondence from 1938 to 1977, including letters from Alvin Hanson of Nortonville while in overseas service in 1959 with army pamphlets, and also letters from son James Murray while in Vietnam (1969-1970).

The Subject File Series includes autograph books, those of Angela Stott for 1928, 1937, and 1933; address book of Frank Stott, Jr.; autograph books of her daughter, Mary Murray, (1955 and 1952), and birthday book of Mary Stott, her mother. Folders on each of the children include Debra Connery’s models, an insurance poster, a prize winning ribbon for horsemanship, and part of a baby book. The estate papers of J.A. Connery include Midway Service and land records in Logan County. His estate was settled in 1959-1960. There was a lawsuit with Dakota Estates over mobile home damage in 1972 and particularly interesting is the evidence of Dennis Peterson. Mary Murray’s papers on Nortonville, N.D., include Swinging Susies 4-H club in 1955, and several Agricultural Extension Division Learn to Sew books of 1927 and 1946.

The Genealogy consists of pedigree charts and family work sheets, pertaining only to the Curleys, McManns, McDonoughs, Fords, Farresters, and Connery who all came from Ireland. The genealogy of the Murray-O’Donnell family of Morris, Minn., and Fargo, N.D., goes directly back to Ireland via Pennsylvania. Graduation cards are from family and miscellaneous friends. The homemakers club material from Stutsman County is for the years 1952 and 1953 plus pamphlets issued. The Jamestown material includes a picture of the first courthouse in N.D. at Jamestown on note paper, a financial statement of Jamestown Hospital, a Fort Seward and N.P. Centennial Book, 1872-1972. The papers also include records of a civil trial in Small Claims Court of Judge George Davis in Fargo with Larry’s Transmissions.

The Montpelier files include a special edition of the Montpelier Magnate for April 16, 1920, articles of incorporation (March 17, 1972) of the Montpelier Motor Company, a dance bill for the Arizona Troubadours at Floyd Brown’s Circle 13, and information on the Steve Brown family. The Montpelier celebration items are mementos of the school reunions in 1964 and 1971, and Montpelier Community Days. The church material includes a copy of Family Digest, an unusual and home-made booklet for a Catholic Mass service belonging to Frank Stott, Jr. Other church material includes newspaper articles on the fire in 1962 of the Lutheran Church and its dedication. There are also several on Reverend Roger Snell, Reverend Frank Hannahey, Reverend John A. Conway, and Reverend Richard Sinner. Also included is an article with pictures of the moving of the Catholic Church, an auction sale bill of fixtures and a copy of the first Holy Communion of Mary Schenecker (1908).

The school materials include and address book of Frank Stott, Jr., immunization records, religious report cards, commencement, baccalaureate programs, a prom dance program, a copy of the school paper, The Martin, and The Echo, and copies of Our Times and News. The newspaper articles are about school activities and teacher versus citizen issues. The Reverend Richard Sinner’s material includes his Silver Jubilee Anniversary Mass program, miscellaneous letters to his congregation, Catholic Order of Forrester advertisements, napkin from Kent State Bank (Kent, Minn.), an issue of Catholic Update, Catholic Action News, (December 1976), on Reverend Leo Ferdinand Dworschak, several newspaper articles on Reverend Sinner and his invitation to the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, 1977 for political services rendered. The Dr. J.J. Spencer file contains a family history.

The Montpelier State Bank material includes a check to Stott & Hughes by various local people, bankruptcy petitions of several people, a list of assets by the Bankruptcy Receiver, L.R.B. Baird by his district manager, P.A. O’Keefe, and a statement of docketed judgments. It also includes a leather check book folder. The dance bills are those of Karen Murray’s favorite bands in the 1950s. The newspaper clippings, saved for personal reasons by the family, are from West Fargo, Fargo, Jamestown, Dassel, Minn., Montpelier & North Dakota residents over the years. There are also area obituaries and service notes, weddings, and anniversaries. The Nortonville, N.D. file contains the school paper, Easter Newzette from the 1950s. The obituary cards are of friends and relatives.

The Opinion Research Corporation file includes several canceled checks, payment for telephone book distribution and from Beldon Associates for 1971. The scrapbook contains Parade of Stars 1960 Scrapbook, a Faron Young program, Western Jamboree page and signature copies of various wrestlers (copies).

The North Dakota pamphlets include The Indian Museum at Medora, N.D. (1973), a highway map, La Moure County Summer Musical Theatre, Chateau de Mores at a Glance, motel guide, Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, Blue Mound Inn, (Luverne, Minn.), a Stutsman County Senior Citizen’s Day Program for May 30, 1973, a welcome note from the Blue Mound Warpide Chapel, “Old Four Eyes” brochure, Rawhide City, (Dickinson), Garrison Dam Closure Ceremony, (June 11, 1953), Lake Sakakawea, Schedule of Events for Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park and a Chapel of Peace brochure from the International Peace Gardens. The Brigham Young University school material includes a newsletter, a course taken in genealogy, a course book Family Exaltation and You

Dates

1920-1977

Creator

Brennan, Angela J. Stott (Angela Juanita Stott), 1919- (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

The copyright is held by the Institute for Regional Studies.

Biography

Angela Juanita Stott was born October 23, 1919, daughter of Frank E. and Mary Ellen (Schenecker) Stott at Montpelier, N.D. After graduating from the local school, she attended Dakota Business College in Fargo, N.D. from 1937-1938. In 1939 she married Berton Colling of Jamestown but they divorced in 1940. She married James Murray of Fargo the same year and they became the parents of three children; Mary Margaret (now Mrs. George Thomas of Perham, Minn.), Daren Anne (now Thompson) of Memphis, Tenn., and James Alan of Bismarck. Mr. Murray did in 1949 and in 1952 she married James Arthur Connery of Gackle, a partner of his brother Norbert, as owners of Midway Service Station, Adrian, N.D., which dissolved in 1954 leaving James and Angela the owners. James was the son of Thomas Paul and Mary Alice (Ford) Connery, who came to Gackle from Oklahoma. James and Angela had three children; Debra Kaye (now Lockwood), Kevin Michael, and Kimberley Francine. Mr. Connery died in February, 1959. Mrs. Connery and the children continued in the business until 1968. In 1969 Mrs. Connery married Don Brennan, and moved to Fargo, where she worked for Western Products, Sunset Memorial, and for Silverline, Inc. The Brennans were divorced in 1973. Mrs. Brennan then attended the Veteran’s Upward Bound program for six months, later entering North Dakota State University with her Daughter, Debra. She died November 27, 2009.

Extent

2 Linear Feet (2 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Provenance

Donated by Mrs. Angela Brennan, West Fargo, N.D., 1977. (Acc. 2009).

Separation Record

The following non-manuscript items were removed from the Angela Brennan Papers and sent to the section indicated.

Newspapers (Institute newspaper collection)

Boston Cultivator, April 17, 1847

Photographs (Institute photograph collection)

Processed as Photo Collection 2009