Eaton, Howard, 1851-1922

Hermann Hagedorn’s 1919 silent film in which he interviews former friends of Theodore Roosevelt’s from his time in the North Dakota Badlands. Included are images of Medora, North Dakota, in 1919 and a cattle roundup. W. W. Reid was the principal photographer and the film was sponsored by the Roosevelt Memorial Association (Theodore Roosevelt Association).

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1919

Creator(s)

Hagedorn, Hermann, 1882-1964

Photographic reproduction of a photograph of Howard Eaton from an interpretive exhibit entitled “Roosevelt’s Friends” on display in the South Unit visitor center of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1950-1970

Creator(s)

Unknown

Photograph of an informational display entitled “Roosevelt’s Friends,” which discusses Theodore Roosevelt’s contemporaries during his time in the badlands; museum exhibit #26 in the South Unit visitor center of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1967-03-30

Creator(s)

National Park Service; Huntzinger, David H., 1927-2002

Historian Ray H. Mattison reports on his study of the authenticity of the Maltese Cross cabin. Mattison concludes that the cabin in question is the one occupied by Roosevelt when he first moved to Medora, North Dakota. Whether or not it was his home beyond 1885, it continued to be the base of Roosevelt’s cattle ranching operation. In addition to a thorough history of Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands Region and the efforts of others to preserve and/or showcase the Maltese Cross cabin, the report includes photos and sworn affidavits from Medora locals.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1950-05-24

Creator(s)

Mattison, Ray H., 1903-1980

Copy of an article written to argue for the authenticity of the Maltese Cross cabin. The cabin was to be exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and some question had arisen regarding its authenticity. This article includes notarized statements from Sylvane M. Ferris, Howard Eaton, and Joseph A. Ferris.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1904-03-19

Creator(s)

Unknown

Typed transcript of an article from the Bismarck Tribune. After an objection by the prosecution, E. G. Paddock was allowed to testify in the trial of the Marquis de Morès. The Marquis stayed with Paddock the night before the shooting and Paddock witnessed the shooting.

Collection

Dickinson State University

Creation Date

1885-09-19

Creator(s)

Unknown

Typed transcript of an article from the Bismarck Tribune. Witnesses for the defense in the trial of the Marquis de Morès were on the stand yesterday.

Collection

Dickinson State University

Creation Date

1885-09-17

Creator(s)

Unknown

The Eaton brothers have sold the Custer Trail Ranch. They may begin a new hotel in Montana.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1904-03-05

Creator(s)

Unknown

Theodore Roosevelt has just learned that James Valentine wants to give him some volumes of the Badminton Magazine. Roosevelt appreciates Valentine’s courtesy, but his house is so full of books that he must send a few hundred away each year and has no space for anymore.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-10-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt informs the Eaton Brothers that the photographs of the buffalo migrating to Canada are interesting and that they should be preserved. He suggests that they send the photographs to a magazine.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

James F. Vivian provides a look at Theodore Roosevelt’s time in the North Dakota Badlands with a collection of newspaper accounts, ranging from 1898 to 1915, drawn from interviews with Roosevelt’s friends, fellow ranchers, cowboys, and acquaintances. Vivian provides an introduction and an afterword to the article, as well as an introduction to each of its twelve sections. The accounts include reminiscences from the likes of William Sewall, Arthur T. Packard, and the brothers Sylvane Ferris and Joseph Ferris. Vivian contends that these interviews “corroborate the content and quality” of the work done by Hermann Hagedorn in his book Roosevelt in the Bad Lands.

Ten photographs appear in the article, including three of Roosevelt’s contemporaries, Frederick Herrig, James W. Foley, and Arthur T. Packard, along with two photographs of the museum dedicated to Roosevelt onboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. An illustration by Frederic Remington of Roosevelt’s capture of the boat thieves, and a text box with a listing of the members of the executive committee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association supplement the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1992

Horace M. Albright recalls some of his memories of Theodore Roosevelt from admiring him as a boy to meeting with him in an effort to join a Roosevelt led division of the United States Army in World War I. Albright recalls meeting Roosevelt three times while a student at the University of California, and he discusses his relationship with Roosevelt’s children, concluding his article with an anecdote about Roosevelt’s eldest daughter, Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Albright’s article is preceded by a biographical sketch of the author, and it includes two photographs of Albright during his time working for the National Park Service.

An inset box in the article includes a mailing address for the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and lists its President and Executive Director.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1987

Ray H. Mattison describes the methodology used to try to discover the exact location of Theodore Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch. Mattison includes a historical background of the ranch, from its original construction and occupation by Roosevelt, William Wingate Sewall and Wilmot S. Dow, through its later abandonment and deconstruction. The primary method used by Mattison to determine the site of the Elkhorn was through a comparative study of photographs between those taken by Roosevelt in 1886 and contemporary photographs Mattison took in 1949. Additionally, Mattison interviewed a number of “Old Timers,” who were familiar with the Elkhorn Ranch, and who were able to corroborate the conclusions he came to based on the photographs.

Collection

Midwest Archeological Center

Creation Date

1950-01

Creator(s)

Mattison, Ray H., 1903-1980

The document outlines the history of Medora, North Dakota, since its founding in 1883 by French nobleman Antoine Amédée Marie Vincent Manca de Vallombrosa Morès and his wife, Medora von Hoffman, after whom the town is named. The significance of the cattle industry in the town is highlighted and prominent men associated with Medora, such as Theodore Roosevelt and the poet James W. Foley, are also noted. A map of Medora is included. On the map, an arrow notes the location of a hearing.

Collection

Denver Public Library

Creation Date

Unknown

Creator(s)

Medora Commercial Club

Joseph A. Ferris was pleased to hear from William Wingate Sewall. He has a son, Arnold Douglas Ferris, and two daughters, Carrie E. Ferris and Ada Scott Ferris. There are not many old timers left in Medora, North Dakota. Sylvane M. Ferris still lives in town and the Eatons are selling out and moving to Montana. Ferris met President Roosevelt last April and rode to Medora with him. He is still running the store and is working hard to fund the education of his children. Along with Sylvane, he bought 2,880 acres of the Maltese Cross ranch land. Ferris concludes with updates on the “old timers.”

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1903-12-19

Creator(s)

Ferris, Joseph A. (Joseph Albert), 1857-1937

Ray H. Mattison, Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park historian, writes to Hermann Hagedorn, Roosevelt Memorial Association Secretary, requesting information on the descendants of Theodore Roosevelt’s associates in the North Dakota Badlands. Mattison wishes to invite them to the park’s dedication ceremony. Mattison also requests the Association’s help in deciding who to invite to the ceremony.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1949-02-14

Creator(s)

Mattison, Ray H., 1903-1980

Ray H. Mattison, the historian at Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, writes to the Eaton Ranch to request contact information for the descendants of Howard Eaton and his brothers. Eaton was a close friend of Theodore Roosevelt during his time in the North Dakota Badlands, and Mattison would like to invite the brothers’ descendants to the park dedication ceremony.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1949-02-15

Creator(s)

Mattison, Ray H., 1903-1980

Ray H. Mattison writes to John C. Eaton regarding references he found to Eaton’s grandfather Howard Eaton, Jonathan Chase and his partner George Fry, who operated two cattle ranches in the Badlands area.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1950-04-18

Creator(s)

Mattison, Ray H., 1903-1980