Title: Antoine Amedee Marie Vincent Manca de Vallombrosa, Marquis de Mores Papers
Dates: 1882-1932, 1953-1962
Collection Number: 10036
Quantity: 1 .75 feet
Abstract: Family and business papers and miscellany. Scrapbook contains clippings on the Marquis' activities while in Dakota kept by his wife, Medora. The Marquis de Mores and Company records, 1886-1887, consist of share certificates, certificate of organization, production tables, and a report on beef feeding presented to the Montana Stockgrower’s Association. The Reilly Luffsey murder trial records date from 1885 and consist of a court petition, trial transcript, and court docket entries. Miscellany includes manuscripts, French language periodicals, ephemera, and newspapers. Manuscripts consist of two translations of Charles Droulers' The Marquis de Mores, 1858-1896, by George F. Will and M. N. Hagen. The periodicals contain articles regarding the life of the Marquis and ephemera of household goods leaflets, catalogs, a brand book, and travel brochures.
Provenance: The State Historical Society of North Dakota acquired the Marquis de Mores Collection as a gift from James Foley, 1910; Duc de Vallombrosa; Milton Higgins, 1957; Antoine Manca de Vallombrosa de Mores, 1970, 1978, 1980; Steve Carlson, 1976; and Richard Rausch, 1991. Juliann Henriksen prepared the inventory to the Marquis de Mores Collection in December 1983. Updates to the collection are reflected in the inventory as additional material is received.
Property rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Copyrights to the Marquis de Mores Collection have been dedicated to the public. Consideration of all other copyrights is the responsibility of the author and publisher.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Transfer: Ninety-two photographs and postcards and one-hundred-one negatives were removed from the collection and transferred to Photo Collection #00042 in December 1983. Two drawings, a lock of hair, eye glasses and case, and fabric samples were transferred to the Museum Division in December 1983.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Antoine Amedee Marie Vincent Manca de Vallombrosa was born on June 14, 1858 in Paris, France. He acquired the title of Marquis de Mores at the age of 21. He married Medora von Hoffman, an American heiress, on February 15, 1882 in Cannes, France. They had two sons, Louis and Paul, and one daughter, Athenais.
Hearing rumors of opportunities in Dakota Territory, de Mores traveled there and in April 1883 founded the town of Medora. He established the Northern Pacific Refrigerator Car Company with hopes of revolutionizing the livestock industry. Local opposition to the Marquis' plans lead to the death of Reiley Luffsey, a suspected rustler. The Marquis was indicted for murder and later was freed on a "not guilty” verdict. The business failed in 1886.
De Mores and his family spent the winter of 1886 in New York and returned to France in 1887. In 1888 the Marquis promoted the building of a railroad in China but due to political opposition the project was never completed. While on an expedition in Northern Africa the Marquis was murdered. He died at the age of 38 in June 1896.
Sources: A Brief Synopsis of the Career of Marquis de Mores and the Proposed Development of the de Mores Sites, State Historical Society of North Dakota Document by Arnold O. Goplen.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
Marquis de Mores Collection dates from 1882 to 1932, occupies one and three quarter feet and consists of family and business papers and miscellany.
The family and business papers measure 3/4 foot and consists of correspondence, financial records, a scrapbook, language exercise notebooks, Marquis de Mores and Company records, and murder trial records. The correspondence, dating from 1883 to 1917, consists of reports from the Pinkerton National Detective Agency concerning the investigation of suspected cattle and horse rustlers; safe passage letter through Indian reservations; telegrams; last wishes of the Marquise; and a letter to Governor Gilbert A. Pierce concerning Standing Rock Sioux documents. The financial records, dating from 1882 to 1886, include household receipts, expense books, account books1 and a check book. The scrapbook, dating from 1883-1885, contains clippings on the Marquis' activities while in Dakota Territory kept by his wife, Medora. The French language exercise notebooks contain grammatical exercises and translations of English essays. The Marquis de Mores and Company records date from 1886-1887 and consist of share certificates, certificate of organization, production tables, and a report on the feeding of beef presented to the Montana Stockgrower’s Association. The murder trial records date from 1885 and consist of a court petition, trial transcript, and court docket entries.
The miscellany includes manuscripts, French language periodicals, ephemera, and newspapers. The manuscripts consist of two translations of Charles Droulers' The Marquis de Mores, 1858-1896, by George F. Will and M. N. Hagen. The periodicals consist of articles regarding the life of the Marquis. Ephemera consists of household goods leaflets, catalogs, a brand book, and travel brochures. Newspapers include issues of a German newspaper and issues of two French newspapers which were found at the de Mores Chateau in Medora.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
Series I. Family and Business Papers, 1882-1917, Box 1-2
Consists of correspondence, financial records, a scrapbook, language exercise notebooks, Marquis de Mores and Company records and murder trial records.
Series II. Miscellany, 1886-1932, Box 2-3 and Oversize
Consists of manuscripts, periodicals, ephemera, and newspapers.
Series III. Financial and legal correspondence, 1953-1962. Box 4
Consist of correspondence, legal papers, and financial records regarding family matters at Medora, North Dakota.
BOX / FOLDER INVENTORY
Series I. Family and Business Papers
Box 1:
1 Correspondence, 1883-1886; 1893; 1903; 1917
2 Receipts, 1882-1883
3 Receipts, 1884
4 Receipts, 1885
5 Receipts, 1886-1887
6 Receipts, n.d.
7 Account books, 1882-1884; 1886
8 Expense books, 1882
9 Expense books, 1884-1885
Box 2:
1 Check book, 1884
2 Marquis de Mores and Company, 1886-1887
3 Murder Trial records, 1885
4 Scrapbook, 1883-1885
5 Language exercise notebook (French)
6 Language exercise notebook (French)
7 Language exercise notebook (English)
8 Miscellaneous
Series II. Miscellany
9 The Marquis de Mores, 1858-1896 by Charles Droulers, 1932,
translation by George F. Will, 1938, p. 1-100
10 The Marquis de Mores, 1858-1896 by Charles Droulers, 1932,
translation by George F. Will, 1938, p. 101-207
11 The Marquis de Mores, 1858-1896 by Charles Droulers, 1932,
notes by O.T. Hagen, translation by M.N. Hagen
Box 3:
1 La Legende de Mores, 1896
2 Minerva, 15 April 1902
3 Revue Generale Internationale Scientifque Litteraire et
4 Artistique July, 1896
5 Un Art Nouveau Dormir by A. Manca
6 Ephemera
7 Ephemera
8 Neues Sonntagsblat, 10 July, 17 July, 24 July, 31 July, 14 August, 28 August, 4 September, 1892
9 Miscellaneous
10 Montana Stock Growers 1885-1886
11 Untitled folder
Oversize Le Temps, 6 November, 1886; La Libre Parole, 29, 30 August, 1903; 2, 5-10, 12-30 September, 1903; 1-13 October, 1903; Grocer's Monthly Review, 1 April, 1885.
Series III. Legal and financial records
Box 4:
1 Vallombrosa Properties 1920/1957
2 Vallombrosa Properties 1917 (correspondence) to end of 1954
3 Vallombrosa Matters, #3392 (1962)
4 Vallombrosa Properties 1920 (Receipts)
5 Vallombrosa Properties 1917 Correspondence 1955-1956
6 Vallombrosa Properties, 1917-59 (Correspondence)
7 Vallombrosa Properties 1961 (Receipts)
8 Vallombrosa Properties 1919 (Accounting)
9 Vallombrosa Properties No.1917-58 Correspondence-1958
10 Vallombrosa Properties 1918 (Lease Agreements)
11 Vallombrosa Properties 1917 (Correspondence) to end of 1953
12 Vallombrosa Estate, No.3392
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