Comstock

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

Box 8
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

Box 24
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 15     Miscellaneous Personal Accounts/Record of Promissory Notes. 1873-79
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 1-4 Comstock House
      5         Unidentified
      6         Eighth Street
      7         Mr. & Mrs. Comstock, Will Mackall, Mrs. Price
      8         Ada Comstock (center) and Mackall. 1897
      9         Unidentified
    10         Jessie Comstock, Ada Comstock, Mr. Comstock, Miss Donaldson, Mrs. Mackall
    11         Top: 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. ca. 1900 at Pelican Lake
    12         Jessie and Ada Comstock in Front

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
        - 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
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

Volume Inventory

Volume# Box # Title

1 67 Letter book, Comstock & White. Oct. 28, 1881-April 30, 1883

2 67 Letter book, A.A. White. 1882-Jan. 1889

3 67 Letter book, Comstock & White, later Northwest Land Company. May 2, 1883-Sept. 27, 1884

4 67 Letter book, Northwest Land Company. Oct. 1, 1884-Oct. 27, 1891

5 67 Letter book, Comstock - Personal. Dec. 3, 1889-Jan. 27, 1890

6 67 Letter book, Comstock - Personal. Mar. 5, 1890-Apr. 21, 1890

7 67 Letter book, Comstock - Personal. Apr. 23-June 19, 1890

8 67 Letter book, Comstock - Personal. June 20-Sept. 1, 1890

9 68 Letter book, Comstock & White. Sept. 2-Dec. 2, 1890

10 68 Record of legal cases. 1875-1882

11 68 "Forms of indictment"

12 68 Commentaries on laws

13 68 Account books of payments for legal cases, Comstock & Roberts. 1882-1875

14 68 Miscellaneous cash book for legal cases, etc. 1875-1878

15 58 Miscellaneous personal accounts, 1873; record of promissory notes. 1873-1879

16 68 Collection register. 1878-1881

17 68 Journal, legal and personal. Apr. 1877-1905

18 68 Day book, real estate. 1880-1882

19 68 Day book, real estate (mildewed). Oct. 1880-Mar. 29, 1883

20 68 Ledger showing payments for real estate. 1880-1881

21 69 Real estate record book. Mar. 10-Aug. 1882

21a 68 Real estate record book. 1885-1891

22 71 Journal, cash and expenses. Mar.-Aug., 1882

23 69 Day book, Comstock & White. Apr. 1882-Mar. 29, 1886

24 71 Real estate ledger. Mar. 1882-July 1883

25 69 Ledger, Comstock & White. Mar. 1882-1885

26 71 Journal of transactions for Grandin, ND. 1881-1883

27 71 Fisher Townsite Company ledger. 1882-1892.

28 69 Balance book, Comstock & White. Oct. 1882-Nov. 1, 1893

29 69 Cash book for real estate transactions, Comstock & White. 1884-1885

30 72 Cash book, Comstock & White. June 1886-Oct. 8, 1899

31 72 Day book, Comstock & White. Aug. 1886-Nov. 1893

32 72 Cash book, rents, bills receivable, etc. 1892-1893

33 72 Northwest Land Company, Articles of Incorporation; meetings of the Board of Directors, Nov. 1883; schedule of property; minutes of stockholders' annual meetings. 1884-1893

34 69 Northwest Land Company, stubs and certificates of shares. 1883-1893

35 72 Journal, Northwest Land Company. July 1886-1893

35a 72 Journal, Northwest Land Company. Jan. 27, 1881-Dec. 1, 1887

36 72 Land record, notations of deeds for land, mainly in Dakota. 1880-1890

37 72 Tax list of contracted lots. 1881-1887

38 69 Records of deeds executed in various towns. Jan. 1882-Nov. 1893

39 58 Record of lots owned, address book at end of volume

40 58 Record of lots owned. undated

41 58 Record of lots owned by Comstock & White. 1881-1890

42 58 A.A. White bills receivable, Feb. 1880-85; bills payable. 1882-1891

43 58 Notes and bills payable and receivable, Northwest Land Company and Comstock & White. 1880-1888

44 58 Bills payable and receivable, S.G. Comstock. 1882-1895

45 71 Check stubs. Aug. 1890-Feb.1892

46 69 Check stubs, Comstock - Personal. July 3, 1897-June 24, 1901

47 58 Record of stock owned in various companies. 1891-1915

48 71 Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota and Dakota Northern Railroad Company and the Articles of Incorporation. 1882-1883

49 71 List of machinery and fixtures for some manufacturing plant; Articles of Incorporation of Moorhead Foundry; car and agricultural works attached flyleaf by MSS Division

50 71 Day book. Mar.-Sept. 1882

51 71 Time book (badly mildewed). Mar.-Aug. 1882

52 71 Time book (partly stuck together). May-Dec. 1882

54 71 List of counties and towns, and names of persons (list of applicants)

55 71 Record of people who want political appointments. 1888-

56 58 List of people who want political appointments, listed mainly under post offices

57 58 Scrapbook kept in connection with congressional measures

58 58 Political notes. 1888

59 58 Miscellaneous notes; lists of delegates to Congressional convention. 1892

60 58 Clippings of political party platforms. 1896

61 58 Notes on tariff and silver production. 1896

62 73 Cash book, S.G. Comstock. 1884-1901

63 73 Tax record, S.G. Comstock. 1884-1925

64 73 Ledger, S.G. Comstock. 1893-1914

65 73 Ledger, S.G. Comstock. 1895-1934

66 70 Comstock genealogy

67 70 Business ledger

68 70 Cash book. 1916-1930

69 70 Day book financial. 1871-1923

70 70 Ledger, land transactions. 1881-1884

71 70 Ledger, Comstock Realty Company

72 70 Farm contract ledger

73 70 Expenditures. 1922-1932

74 70 Check stubs. 1901-1903

75 70 Check stubs. 1905-1908