J. Russell Hodge diary : manuscript.

Roosevelt, Montana, 1866-1868.

1 volume (circa 100 leaves)

English

Purchased from William Reese Co. (PBA Galleries sale, 2018 August 24, lot 299) on the William Robertson Coe Fund No. 3, 2018.

This material is open for research.

J. Russell Hodge migrated from Boston to Roosevelt, Montana circa 1866, where he managed a gold mining operation with his father. In January 1867, Hodge and his father encountered an intruder on their property, leading to gunfire that wounded all three men. Hodge's hand was amputated and the intruder died of his wounds several days later. Hodge and his father were tried for murder in December 1867 and found not guilty.

Autograph manuscript diary in the hand of J. Russell Hodge describing his daily life in Roosevelt, Montana, including gold mining operations and social life in Helena and Virginia City. Hodge describes an encounter with an intruder on his property in January 1867 that led to his arrest for murder, confinement in jail, release on bail, trial, and subsequent vigilantism in the surrounding towns.

December 04, 2018

J. Russell Hodge Diary. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

J. Russell Hodge Diary. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.