Solomon Gilman Comstock Papers (S248)
1872-1998
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Solomon Gilman Comstock (1842-1933) was a pioneer Moorhead, Minnesota resident when he arrived in the Valley in 1871 at the age of 29. Comstock was a lawyer, businessman and legislature during his life in Moorhead. Comstock was the first County Attorney for Clay county and held similar posts in Pembina and Stutsman Counties in Dakota Territory.
Politically, Comstock was involved in both state and national politics. He was elected to the state legislature in 1875 and served until 1988. Comstock was also elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1888 and served until 1891, when he was defeated by Kittel Halvorson of the Alliance Party. During different times in his political career, Comstock was mentioned for governor, senator, and state attorney general.
Comstock was also president of the Northwest land Company from 1883 to 1914. He worked closely with James J. Hill in plotting townships in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana.
Other Valley enterprises which Comstock was involved in were: the Minnesota and Dakota Northern Railroad Company, the First national Bank of Moorhead, the Moorhead Foundry, car and agricultural works, the Bishop Whipple School and the Moorhead Normal School.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION
This collection consists of the correspondence and business papers of Solomon Comstock, a lawyer in Moorhead, Minnesota and a state legislator, plus miscellaneous materials regarding the Comstock family. Included in the collection are requests for political appointments, especially that of postmaster; information on Minnesota state politics, the Republican party and the Farmers' Alliance in Minnesota, educational problems and institutions, the building of roads and highways, Comstock's work as agent to obtain the right-of-way for the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba railroad, and the indemnity lands of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Also included are congressional bills and other data concerning such topics as: the tariff, railroads, Chippewa Indians and their reservations, Pierre Bottineau's pension, and shipping through the Sault Ste. Marie canal; and clippings and notes about legislative measures. There are also letter books kept by Comstock as a congressman. Box 63 contains slides and photographs, identified and unidentified.
In addition there are legal papers, and a record of legal cases handled between 1875 and 1882 by Comstock. Also included are letter books and account books of Comstock's real estate business that he had in partnership with Almond A. White, with whom he incorporated the Northwest Land Company in 1883 to locate town sites and sell land in Minnesota and the territories of Dakota and Montana. Other materials pertaining to the real estate business are: contracts, deeds, and mortgage papers, and articles of incorporation, accounts and other papers of the Kalispell, Montana town site company. Located in the map case are some plot maps for towns in Dakota Territory and Minnesota.
Inventory
Box 1
Correspondence. 1872 - October 1876
Box 2
Correspondence. November 1876 - 1877
Box 3
Correspondence. 1878 - May 1879
Box 4
Correspondence. June 1879 - June 1880
Box 5
Correspondence. July 1880 - February 1882
Box 6
Correspondence. March 1882 - April 1884
Box 7
Correspondence. May 1884 - February 1885
Correspondence. March 1885 - February 1886
Box 9
Correspondence. March - December 1886
Box 10
Correspondence. January - June 1887
Box 11
Correspondence. July 1887 - February 1888
Box 12
Correspondence. March - September 1888
Box 13
Correspondence. October 1888 - January 20, 1889
Box 14
Correspondence. January 21, 1889 - April 19, 1889
Box 15
Correspondence. April 20 - July 22, 1889
Box 16
Correspondence. July 23 - November 15, 1889
Box 17
Correspondence. November 16, 1889 - January 31, 1890
Box 18
Correspondence. February - March 1890
Box 19
Correspondence. April - June 1890
Box 20
Correspondence. July - December 1890
Box 21
Correspondence. 1891 - August 1892
Box 22
Correspondence. September 1892 - March 1894
Box 23
Correspondence. April 1894 - July 1895
Correspondence. August 1895 - July 1896
Box 25
Correspondence. August 1896 - April 1898
Box 26
Correspondence. May 1898 - February 1899
Box 27
Correspondence. March - October 1899
Box 28
Correspondence. November 1899 - 1900
Box 29
Correspondence. 1901-1902
Box 30
Correspondence. 1903 - August 1905
Box 31
Correspondence. September 1905 - 1908
Box 32
Correspondence. 1909-1915
Box 33
Correspondence. 1916-1924
Box 34
Correspondence. 1925-1932
Box 35
Data Regarding Pensions for Soldiers, A-Q
Box 36
Data Regarding Pensions for Soldiers
Home Building Bills and Receipts. 1882-83
Miscellaneous - Papers Added Under Account Numbers 7596 and 8341
- Printed Materials
Personal Bills. 1874-1881
Box 37
This box number inadvertently skipped in numbering
Box 38
Legal Cases, A-B
Box 39
Legal Cases, C-E
Box 40
Legal Cases, F-J
Box 41
Legal Cases, K-M
Box 42
Legal Cases, N-O
Box 43
Legal Cases, P-R
Box 44
Legal Cases, S-T
Box 45
Legal Cases - The United States vs. Henry S. Bark
- The United States vs. John Stiles
- Va-Von
- Wa-Wie
- Will-Z
- United States Indictments B-W
- Wilkens, Lars vs. Jos. Lambert. 1877
Miscellaneous Bills and Notes for Collection. 1872-1881
Notes of Cases Involving Liquor
Petition Regarding Condemnation of Clay County Lands for Trunk Highway. 1926
Box 46
Agreements/Powers of Attorney. 1876-85, 1908
Data on Legislative Appointments, Congressional Bills, etc.
Insurance Policies. 1878-1892
Legislative Bills. 1872-1890, undated
Miscellaneous Data on Indian Treaties
Miscellaneous Material
Notes for Political Campaigns of 1892-1902
Pembina County Fair, Land Contracts, Mortgage Deal and Correspondence
Plats and Data on Real Estate. 1879-1931, undated
Political Material
Box 47
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: Ardock, Bathgate (B-R)
Box 48
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: Bathgate (S-Z), Grafton (A-J)
Box 49
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: Grafton (K-Z), Hamilton (A-L)
Box 50
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: Hamilton (M-Z), Minot (A-B)
Box 51
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: Minot (C-Z), Minto
Box 52
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: Rolla, Rugby, Rugby Junction
Box 53
Land Contracts, Dakota Territory: St. John, St. Thomas, Towner, Willow City
Box 54
Land Contracts, Minnesota: Comstock, Elmer, Glyndon, Fergus Falls, Sabin, Kent, Moorhead
Box 55
Deeds. 1872-1925
Box 56
Certificates of Law and Offices that Comstock Held
Land Office Certificates. 1879-1885
Leases. 1878-1924
Memoranda Regarding Taxes on Land
Minnesota and Dakota Northern Railroad Company Papers. 1879-1883
Moorhead, McCauleyville, and Breckenridge Railway Company Papers. 1881
Mortgage Papers. 1872-
Papers Regarding - Buisson-Cournoyer-Ortley-Burbank-Berens Land Transactions
- Land Located with Thos. B. Valentine's Scrip
Records of Real Estate Transactions of John Otter and J.S. Wheeler. 1881-1891
Sewer Notices and Assessment Lists. 1911-1932
Box 57
Bookwatler vs. Kalispell Townsite Company. 1890-95, undated
Kalispell Townsite Company. 1891-1911
Northwest Land Company - Certificate of Stock
- Papers. 1882-1917
Box 58
History of Minnesota and Dakota Railroad Company
Red River Manufacturing Company/Minnesota Central Construction Company. 1883
St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company Papers. 1877
St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railway Company Deeds and Papers. 1878-81, undated
Volume 39 Record of Lots Owned (Address Book at End of Volume)
Volume 40 Record of Lots Owned. Undated
Volume 41 Records of Lots Owned by Comstock and White. 1881-90
Volume 42 A.A. White Bills Receivable/Payable. 1880-85, 1882-91
Volume 43 Northwest Land Company and Comstock and White - Notes and Bills, Payable and Receivable. 1880-86
Volume 44 Bills Payable and Receivable, S.G. Comstock. 1882-95
Volume 47 Record of Stock Owned in Various Companies. 1891-1915
Volume 56 List of People Who Want Political Appointments
Volume 57 Scrapbook Regarding Congressional Measures
Volume 58 Political Notes. 1888
Volume 59 Miscellaneous Notes/Lists of Delegates to Congressional Convention. 1892
Volume 60 Clippings of Political Party Platforms. 1896
Volume 61 Notes on Tariff and Silver Production. 1896
Box 59
This box consists of House files from the 22nd session of the state of Minnesota. Topics include: railroad legislation, real estate matters, salary requests, school appropriations, and tax vagrancy legislation. All the files are organized by the file number and date. January - February 1881
Box 60
This box contains the Senate files from the 22nd session of the state of Minnesota. Topics include: election procedures, insurance matters, public works, railroad legislation, school appropriations, and school curriculum. All of the files are organized by the file number and date. January -February 1881
Box 61A
Newspaper Clippings. 1876-1927
Box 61B
Newspaper Clippings Summarizing 1897-1905
Box 62
Matter and Material Collected by Gregory Harness in Writing Thesis. 1975
Box 63
Correspondence - Jessie Comstock. 1897-1921, 1925, undated
- Sarah Comstock. 1932-33, 1935, undated
- Miscellaneous. Not signed, undated
George Comstock, Essays and Poems. Undated
Memorabilia/Photographs. 1869, 1897-1910, undated
Poems Collected by and Written by Jessie Comstock. ca. 1900-36, undated
Slides
Ada Comstock (center) and Mackall. 1897
Comstock House
Eighth Street
Jessie and Ada Comstock
Jessie Comstock, Ada Comstock, Mr. Comstock, Miss Donaldson, Mrs. Mackall
Mr. & Mrs. Comstock, Will Mackall, Mrs. Price
Pelican Lake Gathering ca. 1900: C.P. Jones, Kusta, Wm. Nesheim, E. Donaldson, Thomson, J.C. Booth; Bottom: J.E. Cambell, A.E, Dilling, Miss Cambell, Miss Williamson, Mrs. Margaret Jones.
Unidentified
Box 64
Agricultural Related. 1939, 1955
Bonds and Securities: McKenzie, Clay and Swift County Bonds/Great Northern Railway. 1933-54
Business Records and Correspondence Concerning Land Adjoining the Village of Lone Tree. 1930-37
Charitable Contributions. 1941-42, 1954
Comstock Realty Company - Business Correspondence, Leases, and Contracts, Jewel Tea Company. 1941-57
- Business Records and Correspondence Concerning Hillsboro. 1936-54
- Business Records and Correspondence Concerning Rolla. 1935-52
- Business with Attorneys Sharp and Saetre. 1942-58
- Clay County Abstract Company Receipts. 1938-53
- Correspondence. 1935-52
- Correspondence and Contracts for Moorhead, Minnesota. 1938-39, 1955-56
- Correspondence, Lease Agreements for Moorhead, Minnesota Farms (M.F. Williams, Fred Meyers, Paul Horn). 1938-55
- Correspondence, Lease, and Reports with Ralph Diehl, Farmer near Hillsboro. 1937-54
- Correspondence, Mortgage Settlement, Mary Peterson Property. 1941-44
- Expenses. 1938-39
- Leases, Farm Business, Lauritz Melby, Wild Rice. 1938-53
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Producers Note and Loan Agreements, Planting Plan,
Correspondence, Georgetown, Minnesota. 1938-59
George Comstock - "A Biographical Sketch of George Madison Comstock," by Lois Selberg. 2002
- Business Record and Correspondence (O.L. Olson Agent) Concerning Farm Property in Wilken County, Minnesota. 1934-58
- Business Records and Correspondence Concerning Missoula, Montana Land. 1933-1939
- Certificates (See map case)
- Correspondence
- Chairman of the Draft Board. 1940-44
- Insurance Related. 1947-56
- Minnesota State College Board. 1943-53
- Miscellaneous. 1935-58
- Organizational Records and Harvard Club of North Dakota. 1953-54
- Pure Oil Company. 1945-47
- Material from Dr. Dille's Files
- Watson Real Estate Company. 1957
Jessie and George Comstock Business Records and Correspondence Concerning Liberty Count Texas Land. 1934-35
Lake of the Woods Appraised U.S. Government Vouchers and Correspondence. 1934
S.G. Comstock Business Records and Correspondence - Liberty County, Texas Land. 1917-33
- Missoula, Montana Land. 1891-1932
Susan Comstock Clemedtson
Swen Henning Clemedtson Bond. 1948
Box 65
Ada Comstock - "From Western Prairies to Eastern Commons: A Life in Education, Ada Louise Comstock Notestein, 1876-1973," by Barbara Miller Solomon.
- Materials from Dr. Roland Dille
- Miscellaneous
Check Book Bodies
Comstock Historic House Pamphlet
Miscellaneous - Sympathy Letters, Newspaper Clippings, Correspondence, Funeral Preparations
Solomom Comstock - "Solomon G. Comstock" by Corrine Lemke. 1987
- "Solomon G. Comstock and the Settlement of the Upper Midwest," by Brian Fors.
- Solomon G. Comstock: Historical Notes Extracted from Early Moorhead, Minnesota Newspapers edited by Corrine Lemke.
- "Solomon Gilman Comstock: Portrait of a Pioneer."
Box 66
Fargo Forum, Diamond Jubilee Edition. June 4, 1950
Box 67
Volume 1 Letter Book, Comstock & White. October. 28, 1881- April 30, 1883
Volume 2 Letter Book, A.A. White. 1882 - January 1889
Volume 3 Letter Book, Comstock & White, later Northwest Land Company. May 2, 1883-September 27, 1884
Volume 4 Letter Book, Northwest Land Company. October1, 1884 - October 27, 1891
Volume 5-8 Letter Book, Comstock - Personal. December 3, 1889 - September 1, 1890
Box 68
Volume 9 Letter book, Comstock & White. September 2 - December 2, 1890
Volume 10 Record of Legal Cases. 1875-1882
Volume 11 Forms of Indictment
Volume 12 Commentaries on Laws
Volume 13 Account Books of Payments for Legal Cases, Comstock & Roberts. 1882-1875
Volume 14 Miscellaneous Cash Book for Legal Cases. 1875-1878
Volume 15 Miscellaneous Personal Accounts/Record of Promissory Notes. 1873-1879
Volume 16 Collection Register. 1878-1881
Volume 17 Journal, Legal and Personal. 1877-1905
Volume 18-19 Day Book, Real Estate. 1880-1883
Volume 20 Ledger Showing Payments for Real Estate. 1880-1881
Volume 21a Real Estate Record book. 1885-1891
Box 69
Volume 21 Real Estate Record Book. March 10 - August 1882
Volume 23 Day Book, Comstock & White. April 1882 - March 29, 1886
Volume 25 Ledger, Comstock & White. March 1882 -1885
Volume 28 Balance Book, Comstock & White. October 1882 - November 1, 1893
Volume 29 Cash Book for Real Estate Transactions, Comstock & White. 1884 - 1885.
Volume 34 Northwest Land Company, Stubs and Certificates of Shares. 1883-1893
Volume 38 Records of Deeds Executed in Various Towns. 1882 - November 1893
Volume 46 Check Stubs, Comstock - Personal. July 3, 1897 - June 24, 1901
Box 70
Volume 66 Comstock Genealogy
Volume 67 Business Ledger
Volume 68 Cash Book. 1916-1930
Volume 69 Day Book Financial, 1871-1923
Volume 70 Ledger, Land Transactions. 1881-1884
Volume 71 Ledger, Comstock Realty Company
Volume 72 Farm Contract Ledger
Volume 73 Expenditures. 1922-1932
Volume 74 Check Stubs. 1901-1903
Volume 75 Check Stubs. 1905-1908
Box 71
Volume 22 Journal, Cash and Expenses. March - August 1882
Volume 24 Real Estate Ledger. March 1882 - July 1883
Volume 26 Journal of Transactions for Grandin, North Dakota. 1881-1883
Volume 27 Fisher Townsite Company Ledger. 1882-1892
Volume 45 Check Stubs. August 1890 - February 1892
Volume 48 Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota and Dakota Northern Railroad Company and the Articles of Incorporation. 1882-1883
Volume 49 List of Machinery and Fixtures for some Manufacturing Plant; Articles of Incorporation of Moorhead Foundry; Car and Agricultural Works Attached Flyleaf by MSS Division
Volume 50 Day Book. March - September 1882
Volume 51 Time Book (badly mildewed). March - August 1882
Volume 52 Time Book (partly stuck together). May - December 1882
Volume 54 List of Counties and Towns, and Names of Persons (list of applicants)
Volume 55 Record of People Who Want Political Appointments. 1888-
Box 72
Volume 30 Cash Book, Comstock & White. June 1886 - October 8, 1899
Volume 31 Day Book, Comstock & White. August 1886 - November 1893
Volume 32 Cash Book, Rents, Bills Receivable, etc. 1892-1893
Volume 33 Northwest Land Company, Articles of Incorporation; Meetings of the Board of Directors, November 1883; Schedule of Property; Minutes of Stockholders' Annual Meetings, 1884-1893
Volume 35 Journal, Northwest Land Company. July 1886 - 1893
Volume 35a Journal, Northwest Land Company. January 27, 1881 - December 1, 1887
Volume 36 Land Record, Notations of Deeds for Land, Mainly in Dakota. 1880-1890
Volume 37 Tax List of Contracted Lots. 1881-1887
Box 73
Volume 62 Cash Book, S.G. Comstock. 1884-1901
Volume 63 Tax Record, S.G. Comstock. 1884-1925
Volume 64 Ledger, S.G. Comstock. 1893-1914
Volume 65 Ledger, S.G. Comstock. 1895-1934
Map Case
Comstock, George Certificates
Dakota Territory/Town Plots. Undated
Minnesota Town Plots, Broadsides, Flyers, and a Petition to Name the Becker Count Seat from Detroit, Minnesota to Audubon, Minnesota. 1873-1904
Railroad Right-of-Way Maps (St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba; Great Northern). 1899