McCanna Farming Company Records, 1883-1982
Collection Overview
Title: McCanna Farming Company Records, 1883-1982
Predominant Dates:1922-1957
ID: OGLMC1255
Primary Creator: McCanna Farming Company (1881-?)
Extent: 12.25 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 07/08/1992. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Agriculture, Business and Industry
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The McCanna Farming Company Records date from 1883 to 1982 and have been divided into four series as follows:
Series 1: Farming
Series 2: Banking
An index to the bank correspondence is available here.
Series 3: Family
Series 4: Photographs
Collection Historical Note
In 1881, brothers David and Simon McCanna established the McCanna Farming Company in Elm Grove Township, Grand Forks County, North Dakota. The following year, David moved to Towner County near the future site of Cando. Simon, however, remained in Grand Forks County and, in 1883, founded the town of McCanna, 37 miles northwest of Grand Forks city. In 1885, Simon married Katherine O'Gorman. Eight children were born of the couple, three of whom died in infancy. The remaining children, were Charles D. (1884-1957), Edwin T. (1886-1963), Ralph (died in 1927), George M. (died in 1938), and Reuben (1892-1947).
Within a few years, the McCanna Farming Company grew into a diverse business. The farm raised pure-bred Aberdeen Angus cattle as well as spring wheat, durum, barley, and oats. Over one hundred horses and mules were required to operate the farm's machinery. In a letter written at the turn of the century, Simon boasted of owning 2,400 acres in Grand Forks County; several large barns; 90 horses, including Percherons and Clydesdales; 75 head of cattle, most of which were registered Polled Angus, Holstein and, Durham; and the "best of machinery to operate my farms." He claimed to have made over $60,000 since settling in Grand Forks County.
When Simon died in 1906, control of the farm passed to his oldest son, Charles. Charles directed the farm operation throughout the remainder of his life. In 1911, under the direction of Charles' brother, Edwin, the McCanna family established the Bank of McCanna, a state-chartered institution. Five years later, Edwin and George were listed as founding directors of the Bank of Garske, in Ramsey County. Sometime prior to 1922, the McCanna family also bought controlling interest in a third bank, the First State Bank of Backoo, in Pembina County. By 1922, Edwin was president of all three banks.
In July 1925, the Backoo bank was moved to Cavalier and renamed the Pembina County Bank. That December, Edwin appointed his youngest brother, Reuben, assistant cashier of the Cavalier institution. The McCannas sold the Pembina County Bank in August 1929. In June 1930, the Bank of McCanna collapsed. As a result, the McCanna Farming Company, already deeply in debt, was in jeopardy of financial failure. The McCannas moved quickly to protect the farm by selling the Bank of Garske in July 1930. Only the McCanna Farming Company's solid reputation and Edwin's financial contacts prevented foreclosure. In March 1934, the McCanna Farming Company refinanced its debt through a Federal Land Bank loan.
The McCanna Farming Company survived the Great Depression and accompanying drought. During World War II, the farm raised a variety of small grain crops, pork, and beef. Twenty men worked there in the busy season. Following the war, the farm was worked increasingly by tenants and farm production was limited generally to small grains and potatoes. After Charles' death in 1957, the McCanna Farming Company was reorganized as a partnership, and a manager, C. H. Erbele, was employed to oversee farm operations. In addition to directing farm tenants, Erbele corresponded with McCanna Farming Company partners, calculated their individual and corporate taxes, and distributed their dividend checks.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Accruals: Margery McCanna donated additional material on July 8, 1993 (Acc.93-1929).
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Margery McCanna, granddaughter of Simon McCanna
Acquisition Method: Donation; Acc.92-1829
Related Materials: Charles McCanna Papers: OGLMC 636
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). McCanna Farming Company Records. OGLMC 1255, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in January 2016.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Farming],
[Series 2: Banking],
[Series 3: Family],
[Series 4: Photographs],
[All]
- Series 1: Farming
The farming series contains correspondence as well as documents pertaining to property and income taxes; farm and bank accounts; insurance policies; crop inspection, warehouse storage, and shipment, tenant and employee work records.
Most farm correspondence is dated between 1930 and 1934 and is primarily between Charles McCanna and the many creditors of the McCanna Farming Company. Also included are letters and documents that lend an understanding to the nature of the farm's depression-era finances and debts as well as persistent efforts to save the farm by Charles and Edwin McCanna, which culminated with a Federal Land Bank loan in March 1934. Also of interest is an appeal process undertaken by Charles McCanna to have valued farm employees excluded from military draft in 1942. During his appeal effort, Charles enlisted the aid of Senator Gerald P. Nye.
Farm finances include property and income tax records. The bulk of property tax receipts date between 1916 and 1925. Income tax records date from 1935 to 1946. Because most personal income was derived from the farm, personal and corporate income tax records are interfiled, and arranged chronologically. Farm correspondence from 1957-1962 between the farm manager, C. H. Erbele, and McCanna family members also includes some income tax records.
McCanna Farming Company accounts are well documented between 1916 and 1957. From 1916 to 1940 farm accounts were maintained in ledgers. Beginning in 1930, however, accounts were also itemized in a journal, which from 1930 to 1940 includes helpful cross-references between the two records. In addition, this series contains a nearly complete record of the McCanna Farming Company checking accounts from 1920 to 1957, including bank statements, check stubs, and canceled checks.
Augmenting farm financial accounts are grain production records dated 1912-1948. Most of these records consist of the date, consignee, shipment information, bushels sold, protein and weight, price-per-bushel, expenses, and net proceeds. Some records also include storage information and a dockage fee for contamination. After 1948, farm production may be gauged using scale and storage tickets. Tenants' records also illustrate land usage and production from 1956-1967.
- Sub-Series 1: Correspondence
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Commodity Credit Corporation, 1940-1941
- Folder 2: Commodity Credit Corporation, 1942-1943
- Folder 3: Commodity Credit Corporation, 1944-1945
- Folder 4: Henry F. Douglas, 1932-1934
- Folder 5: C. H. Erbele, 1957-1960
- Folder 6: Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank of Minneapolis, 1932-1934
- Folder 7: First National Bank of Grand Forks, 1932-1934
- Folder 8: First National Bank of Saint Paul, 1932-1934
- Folder 9: Harold King, 1927-1929
- Folder 10: E. C. Lebaken, 1930-1934
- Folder 11: The Massey-Harris Company, 1933-1935
- Folder 12: Edwin T. McCanna, August 1960-July 1961
- Folder 13: Edwin T. McCanna, August 1961-December 1962
- Folder 14: Minerva (Mrs. Reuben) McCanna, 1957-1966
- Folder 15: Midland National Bank and Trust Company, 1933-1934
- Folder 16: Murphy & Murray, Incorporated, 1932-1934
- Folder 17: Nils Nilson, 1929-1934
- Folder 18: North Dakota Agricultural College, 1939-1953
- Folder 19: Northwest Bancorporation, 1932-1934
- Folder 20: Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, 1933-1934
- Folder 21: Office of Defense Transportation, August 1943
- Folder 22: Potato Crop, 1947-1949
- Folder 23: Selective Service Appeal, January-October 1942
- Folder 24: Anton H. Swarstad and his estate, 1931-1934
- Folder 25: Ulland Mortgage Company, 1932-1934
- Folder 1: Commodity Credit Corporation, 1940-1941
- Box 5
- Box 1
- Sub-Series 2: Finances
- Box 1
- Folder 26: Corporate Insurance, 1954-1955
- Folder 27: Crop Insurance, 1948-1955
- Folder 28: Property Taxes, 1923-1925
- Folder 29: Income Taxes, 1935-1943
- Folder 30: Income Taxes, 1935-1937
- Folder 31: Income Taxes, 1938-1941
- Folder 32: Income Taxes, 1942-1943
- Folder 33: Income Taxes, 1944-1945
- Folder 34: Income Taxes, 1946
- Folder 35: Checking Account, 1927-1930
- Folder 36: Checking Account, 1930-1934, 1940
- Folder 37: Checking Account, 1944-1949, 1955-1957
- Folder 38: Checking Account, 1953-1956 39Special Trust Account, 1933
- Folder 40: Special Account, 1946-1947, 1949-1950
- Folder 41: General Ledger, 1916-1927
- Folder 42: Building Repair Statements, 1948-1950
- Folder 43: Building Repair Statements, 1951-1953
- Folder 44: Building Repair Statements, 1954-1957
- Folder 26: Corporate Insurance, 1954-1955
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Receipted Statements, A, C-F, 1931-1947
- Folder 2: Receipted Statements, G-L, 1943-1956
- Folder 3: Receipted Statements, M-R, 1928-1956
- Folder 4: Receipted Statements, S-T, W, 1941-1956
- Folder 5: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1957
- Folder 6: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1958
- Folder 7: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1959
- Folder 8: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1960
- Folder 9: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1961
- Folder 10: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1962
- Folder 11: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1963
- Folder 12: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1964
- Folder 13: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1965
- Folder 14: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1966
- Folder 15: Deposit Slips, General Account, 1958
- Folder 16: Commodity Credit Corporation, Wheat Loans, 1938-1939
- Folder 1: Receipted Statements, A, C-F, 1931-1947
- Box 5
- Oversize Folder 2: Farm Finances
- Oversize Folder 3: Cyclone and High Wind Insurance, 1935-1955
- Oversize Folder 4: Crop Insurance, 1953-1954
- Oversize Folder 5: Mill & Elevator Insurance, 1943-1950
- Oversize Folder 6: Farm Vehicle Insurance, 1945
- Oversize Folder 7: Property Taxes, 1883, 1916-1921
- Oversize Folder 8: Income Taxes, 1937-1946
- Oversize Folder 9: Commodity Credit Corporation Wheat Loans, 1938-1939
- Oversize Folder 10: Receipted Statements, 1928-1956
- Oversize Folder 11: Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1958-1962
- Oversize Folder 12: General Ledger, August 1925-December 1929
- Oversize Folder 13: Partnership/Corporation Ledger, 1920-1929
- Oversize Folder 2: Farm Finances
- Box 6
- Item 1: Bank of McCanna Check Stubs, 1920-1929
- Item 2: Bank of McCanna Check Stubs, 1923-1930
- Item 3: Elk Valley State Bank Check Stubs, 1931-1935
- Item 4: Elk Valley State Bank Check Stubs, 1935-1939
- Item 5: Elk Valley State Bank Check Stubs, 1939-1942
- Item 6: Elk Valley State Bank Check Stubs, 1946-1950
- Item 7: Elk Valley State Bank Check Stubs, 1950-1953
- Item 8: Security Trust and Savings Bank of San Diego, California, Check Stubs, 1951-1952
- Item 9: Unidentified Check Stubs, 1943-1944
- Item 1: Bank of McCanna Check Stubs, 1920-1929
- Box 7
- Box 8
- Box 12
- Folder 1: Farm Management File, 1957-1964
- Folder 2: Farm Management File, 1964-1966
- Folder 3: Farm Management File, 1966-1969
- Folder 4: Farm Management File, 1969-1976
- Folder 5: Farm Management File, 1977
- Folder 6: Farm Management File, 1978
- Folder 7: Farm Management File, 1979
- Folder 8: Farm Management File, 1980
- Folder 9: Farm Management File, 1981-1982
- Folder 10: Acreage & Crop Yield, 1975-1977
- Folder 11: Corporate Dissolution, 1960-1961
- Folder 12: Articles of Partnership, AUG 1976
- Folder 13: Deeds & Mortgages, 1885-1955
- Folder 14: Deeds & Mortgages, 1891-1939
- Folder 15: Deeds & Mortgages, 1901-1934
- Folder 16: Federal Land Bank Mortgage, 1934-1949
- Folder 17: Elevator Lease, 1911-1950
- Folder 18: Charles McCanna Accounts, 1946-1957
- Folder 19: Charles McCanna Estate, 1956-1960
- Folder 20: Check Register, 11 OCT 1953-13 OCT 1953
- Folder 21: Tenant Records, Robert Kyllo, 1956-1967
- Folder 22: Correspondence, Eleanor McCanna, 1956-1966
- Folder 23: Miscellaneous, 1916-1950
- Folder 1: Farm Management File, 1957-1964
- Oversize Folder 1: Items:
- Separated and placed in the Oversize File Cabinets.
- Item 1: Homestead Certificate: #1726 to Simon McCanna, 13 April 1890
- Item 2: Homestead Certificate: #1975 to Simon McCanna, 1 March 1883
- Item 3: Homestead Certificate: #1976 to Ira Brooks, 1 March 1883
- Item 4: Homestead Certificate: #4711 to Thomas Taylor, 15 May 1883
- Item 5: Homestead Certificate: #4737 to Katie Gorman, 10 February 1885
- Item 6: Homestead Certificate: #870 to Nellie Taylor, 13 October 1886
- Item 7: Land Patent: #85491 to the heirs of Simon McCanna, 23 June 1914
- Item 8: Land Patent: #6293 to S.A. McCanna, 13 October 1923
- Item 9: Warranty Deed: William and Josephine Murphy to S.A. McCanna, 29 September 1890
- Item 10: Warranty Deed: Leanna and L.F. Mason to Katie McCanna, 20 August 1892
- Item 11: Trustee's Deed: Joseph Bookwalter to S.A. McCanna, 29 October 1889
- Item 12: Sheriff's Deed of Foreclosure: Bridget and David McCanna to Simon McCanna, 19 July 1892
- Item 1: Homestead Certificate: #1726 to Simon McCanna, 13 April 1890
- Box 1
- Sub-Series 3: Warehouse
- Box 2
- Folder 17: Correspondence, 1949, 1955-1956
- Folder 18: Exchange Tickets, 195 19 Potato Crop Inspection and Shipment, 1944- 1946, 1950
- Folder 20: Potato Crop Inspection and Shipment, 1947- 1950
- Folder 21: Bills of Lading, 1947-1949 22 Grains Inspection and Shipment, 1945-1951
- Folder 23: Grains Inspection and Shipment, 1948-1951
- Folder 24: Seed Records, 1951-1956
- Folder 25: Storage Records, 1947-1949
- Folder 26: Storage Records, 1950-part one
- Folder 27: Storage Records, 1950-part two
- Folder 28: Storage Records, 1951
- Folder 29: Storage Records, 1952
- Folder 30: Storage Records, 1953-part one
- Folder 31: Storage Records, 1953-part two
- Folder 17: Correspondence, 1949, 1955-1956
- Box 3
- Box 5
- Oversize Folder 14: Seed Records, 1951-1956
- Oversize Folder 15: Commodity Credit Corporation, Crop Loans, 1945-1946, 1950, 1955
- Oversize Folder 16: Commodity Credit Corporation, Loan Settlements, 1953-1954
- Oversize Folder 17: Newspaper Grain Quotations, 1947
- Oversize Folder 18: North Dakota Public Service Commission, Monthly Statement, November 1947
- Oversize Folder 14: Seed Records, 1951-1956
- Box 2
- Sub-Series 4: Tenants
- Sub-Series 5: Publications
- Sub-Series 6: Employee Time Books
- Sub-Series 1: Correspondence
- Series 2: Banking
The banking series contains correspondence of the Pembina County Holding Company and the State Bank of Starkweather as well as correspondence and financial reports of the First State Bank of Backoo, Bank of Garske, McCanna Bank, and Pembina County Bank. In index to the bank correspondence is available here.
The bulk of bank correspondence is between the cashiers of the First State Bank of Backoo/Pembina County Bank and the Bank of Garske and Edwin or Charles McCanna. Walter R. Weaver was the cashier of the First State Bank of Backoo and the Pembina County Bank. C. N. Nilson was the cashier of the Bank of Garske. Correspondence records day-to-day bank operations. Customers, deposits, loans, foreclosures, bank failures, and state audits, as well as road conditions, train schedules, farm production, and the weather are common topics.
Of special interest within the correspondence series is the 1924 restructuring of D. W. McCanna's debt, the First State Bank of Backoo's move to Cavalier in 1925, the 1929 sale of the Pembina County Bank and subsequent creation of the Pembina County Holding Company, and the unexpected events surrounding the June 1930 closing of the McCanna Bank.
Bank financial reports are nearly complete for each month from January 1925 through the summer of 1929 for the First State Bank of Backoo/Pembina County Bank and the Bank of Garske. Reports consist of an overall statement of resources and liabilities as well as an itemized list of monies due from other banks, expenses and interest paid, loan payments, loans written, and deposits made during the reporting period. Loan and deposit entries include names, dates, and amounts. This series also contains an itemized financial statement of the Bank of McCanna at the time of its closing.
- Sub-Series 1: Correspondence
- Box 3
- Folder 13: Bank of McCanna RE: George E. West Account, 1923-1924
- Folder 14: Bank of McCanna, January, June-December 1930
- Folder 15: Bank of McCanna, 1931
- Folder 16: Bank of McCanna, 1933-1936
- Folder 17: First State Bank of Backoo, 1922
- Folder 18: First State Bank of Backoo, 1923
- Folder 19: First State Bank of Backoo, 1924
- Folder 20: First State Bank of Backoo, January-July 1925
- Folder 21: Pembina County Bank, July-December 1925
- Folder 22: Pembina County Bank, 1926
- Folder 23: Pembina County Bank, 1927
- Folder 24: Pembina County Bank, 1928
- Folder 25: Pembina County Bank, January-June 1929
- Folder 26: Pembina County Bank, July 1929-January 1930
- Folder 27: Pembina County Holding Company, 1929-1935
- Folder 28: Bank of Garske, February, April-December 1921
- Folder 29: Bank of Garske, January-February 1922
- Folder 30: Bank of Garske, March-April 1922
- Folder 31: Bank of Garske, May-June 1922
- Folder 32: Bank of Garske, July-August 1922
- Folder 33: Bank of Garske, September-October 1922
- Folder 34: Bank of Garske, November-December 1922
- Folder 35: Bank of Garske RE: P.P. Engh, 1922-1923
- Folder 36: Bank of Garske, January-February 1923
- Folder 37: Bank of Garske, March-April 1923
- Folder 38: Bank of Garske, May-July 1923
- Folder 39: Bank of Garske, August-October 1923
- Folder 40: Bank of Garske, November-December 1923
- Folder 13: Bank of McCanna RE: George E. West Account, 1923-1924
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Bank of Garske, January-June 1924
- Folder 2: Bank of Garske, July-October 1924
- Folder 3: Bank of Garske, November-December 1924
- Folder 4: Bank of Garske, January-February 1925
- Folder 5: Bank of Garske, March-April 1925
- Folder 6: Bank of Garske, May-September 1925
- Folder 7: Bank of Garske, October-December 1925
- Folder 8: Bank of Garske, January-June 1926
- Folder 9: Bank of Garske, July-December 1926
- Folder 10: Bank of Garske, 1927
- Folder 11: Bank of Garske, January-March, June-December 1928
- Folder 12: Bank of Garske, 1929
- Folder 13: Bank of Garske, January-June 1930
- Folder 14: Bank of Garske, July-December 1930
- Folder 15: Bank of Garske, January, March-June, August- November 1931
- Folder 16: State Bank of Starkweather, 1930-1935
- Folder 1: Bank of Garske, January-June 1924
- Box 5
- Oversize Folder 20: Correspondence
- Oversize Folder 21: Monthly Reports, First State Bank of Backoo, January-June 1925
- Oversize Folder 22: Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, July-December 1925
- Oversize Folder 23: Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, 1926
- Oversize Folder 24: Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, 1927
- Oversize Folder 25: Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, 1928
- Oversize Folder 26: Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, January-June 1929
- Oversize Folder 27: Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1925
- Oversize Folder 28: Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1926
- Oversize Folder 29: Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1927
- Oversize Folder 30: Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1928
- Oversize Folder 31: Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, January- September 1929
- Oversize Folder 32: Summary Report, Bank of McCanna, June 1930
- Oversize Folder 20: Correspondence
- Box 3
- Sub-Series 2: Check Stubs
- Sub-Series 1: Correspondence
- Series 3: Family
- The third series contains correspondence, insurance policies, bank accounts, wills, newspaper clippings, and other personal documents. Insurance policies, checking account statements, and canceled checks make up the bulk of this series. Most documents date between 1946 and 1957. Correspondence, dated 1950, is between Charles and Eleanor McCanna and their niece, Margery. Newspaper clippings include family obituaries and reports of a McCanna family member's feared loss during an earthquake in Italy. Of interest are canceled wills of Charles, Edwin, and their wives from 1948-1955. Other McCanna family documents can be found in the Charles McCanna Papers, OGLMC 636.
- Box 4
- Folder 17: Margery McCanna Correspondence, 1950
- Folder 18: News Clippings, Obituaries
- Folder 19: Charles and Eleanor McCanna Health Insurance, 1951-1956
- Folder 20: Reuben McCanna Estate Financial Papers, 1959- 1960
- Folder 21: Katherine McCanna Checking Account, 1930
- Folder 22: Charles and Eleanor McCanna Checking Account, Elk Valley State Bank, 1954-1957
- Folder 23: Charles and Eleanor McCanna Checking Account, Red River National Bank, 1954-1957
- Folder 24: Charles and Eleanor McCanna Checking Account, First National Bank of San Diego, California, 1956-1957
- Folder 17: Margery McCanna Correspondence, 1950
- Box 5
- Oversize Folder 33: Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Personal Property Insurance, 1947-1955
- Oversize Folder 34: Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Automobile Insurance, 1951-1952, 1954-1955
- Oversize Folder 35: Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Health Insurance, 1946, 1950, 1954
- Oversize Folder 36: Family Wills, 1948-1955
- Oversize Folder 37: George Michael McCanna, Phi Delta Phi Fraternity Initiation, January 1911
- Oversize Folder 38: Reuben McCanna Estate, 1959-1960
- Oversize Folder 33: Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Personal Property Insurance, 1947-1955
- Box 4
- Series 4: Photographs
- Separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets.
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Farming],
[Series 2: Banking],
[Series 3: Family],
[Series 4: Photographs],
[All]