Ransom County Trust Company Records

Collection

Identifier: MSS 764

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Ransom County Trust Company Records document the operation of a major North Dakota land company through an extensive collection of its business case files dating from circa 1899 to 1940s relating primarily to business transactions between the corporation and its customers. In addition there is extensive correspondence and business ledgers. The records provide an excellent insight into the economic and agricultural climate of the state during this period. The business case files abstracts (link provided above) written by Rev. A.A.A. Schmirler are an invaluable research tool in using this collection. Although they only cover roughly half of all the business case files, they provide an astonishing wealth of detailed information. Often he makes reference in the summaries to related case files or the same individuals. At times he also interjects his personal opinion regarding a person or business matter. The records have been organized into eight series: Corporate, Business case files, Topical, Correspondence, Financial records, Miscellaneous Financial records, and Frank Shaw. The Corporate Series includes the minutes of the company directors, article of incorporation and bylaws. The time period covers from June 7, 1900 through 1933. In addition there is a stock register ledger that covers from 1913 to 1929. The Business Case Files Series contain a wealth of detailed information regarding thousands of business transactions handled by the company. The content of each file varies, but many contain correspondence, land and property descriptions and inventories, legal documents. They also contain valuable information on the individuals involved, many of whom were living in other, eastern states and had invested in North Dakota farm land. It is clear through reading of the summaries prepared by Rev. Schmirler that the files document the many individuals who financial difficulties. The original order by case number has been retained and begin with number 801 and continue to file number 7151. Schmirler’s abstracts cover from business case files 801 to 5036, although there are some gaps, particularly from files 4899 to 5037. Also some case files apparently were missing when the collection was received from the donor and which Schmirler notes in his summaries. The company also used the same case file numbering to file other business related matters, as well as documents regarding local issues in Sheldon and nearby. These too were summarized by Rev. Schmirler and part of the abstracts. There are two index volumes, no doubt used as an index to the case files by office staff, that lists the cases by title and the case file number. Whether they are complete for the entire case files is not known. The Topical Series consists of miscellaneous business files found among the unorganized papers in the collection but centered around a subject. Thus they have been brought together into a single series, although the files are not well organized within each. Of particular interest would be the correspondence and other documents related to their land investments in Florida, early stock certificates, and a small series of farm contracts. The Correspondence Series spans from 1907 to the 1940s, although the vast majority covers the years 1907 to 1917. It includes both incoming and outgoing letters. They document the general business affairs of the company, and thus not place in the business case files series. What distinguishes at least some of the general correspondence from the business case files is not known. There are also other supporting documents with the correspondence. The correspondence came to the archives in a file cabinet in which it apparently had been originally maintained at the office headquarters. Most of the correspondence is in general chronological order, although there are occasionally dated correspondence that is found in another year’s files. Most of the correspondence was not in file folders, thus its processed order reflects the original order as found in the filing cabinet. The correspondence that was in original folders has been retained as such, with the original file label used in the folder listing below. These files contain incoming and outgoing correspondence and other documents with the person or organization found on the label. No other years of correspondence were received from the donor, and thus their disposition is not known. The Financial Records Series is a quite incomplete collection of various financial volumes to include journals, ledgers, cash journals, check registers and collection registers for the Ransom County Trust Company. The financial volumes which are not identified specific to the company have been organized into the Miscellaneous Financial Records Series. They likely are related to the company or one of the many subsidiary companies or for individual corporate executives. The final series, Frank Shaw Series, consists of a long run of cash journals that are believed to been his, although there is no specific information with them to indicate such, other than some donor information. They do cover a long span of time, documenting in detail expenses and income. The Maps Series includes a small number of items that were found scattered within the collection and withdrawn to allow them to be unfolded and better preserved in large-format folders and files. In addition a small number of photographs were scattered within the collection and have been withdrawn. They currently have not been processed as a separate collection.

Dates

1899-1949.

Creator

Ransom County Trust Company (Sheldon, N.D.) (Organization)

Access

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

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection are held by the Institute.

History

The Ransom County Immigration Society was established in 1888 at Sheldon, N.D. Its initial purpose was the promotion of immigration and the development of lands in the immediate locality of Sheldon. It was incorporated in 1898 with the officers being F.W. Froemke, president; P.W. Froemke, vice president; Thomas Pierce, vice president; Ed Pierce, secretary and attorney; Frank E. Shaw, assistant secretary; A.H. Lindemann, treasurer; and A.L. Opsal, assistant treasurer. The company was one of the largest real estate firms in North Dakota and was instrumental in bringing hundreds of farmers from Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana to the state, settling on farms in Ransom, Cass, Sargent and other counties. After the initial purpose of settlement of lands around Sheldon, the company focus changed to funds investment, farm management, farm lands, farm loans, insurance, and the handling of estates. The firm purchased a large tract of land in Foster County, N.D. circa 1908, establishing an office at Bordulac. It helped bring many farmers to that area. On July 1, 1916 its name was changed to Ransom County Trust Company. At that time its assets and liabilities totaled $664,353.00. The company continued into the 1940s, although the exact time it closed is not known.