ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202
COLLECTION: OGL #1255
DATES: 1883-1967 [BULK DATES, 1922-1957]
SIZE: 9 linear feet
ACQUISITION: The McCanna Farming Company Collection was deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuuscript Collection as a gift of Margery McCanna, grandaughter of the farm's founder, Simon McCanna, July 8, 1992 (Acc # 92-1829).
ACCESS: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.
RELATED MATERIALS:
Samuel Torgerson Papers, OGL #12
Federal Farm Board Publications, OGL #478
Murphy Family Papers, OGL #575
Christopher J. Hamre Papers, OGL #624
Charles McCanna Papers, OGL #636
Joseph Bell DeRemer Papers, OGL #744
First State Bank of Concrete Papers, OGL #1062
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 brother 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 potatos. 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.
The McCanna Farming Company Collection is arranged in three series - Farming, Banking, and Family. Correspondence and financial records have been interfiled within each series as appropriate. Personal and family photographs have been separated and placed in the Orin G. Libby Photographic Collection.
SERIES I, 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.
SERIES II, 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.
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.
SERIES III, FAMILY
The modest family 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, OGL #636.
Box 1
Folders:
Farm Correspondence
1. Commodity Credit Corporation, 1940-1941
2. Commodity Credit Corporation, 1942-1943
3. Commodity Credit Corporation, 1944-1945
4. Henry F. Douglas, 1932-1934
5. C. H. Erbele, 1957-1960
6. Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank of Minneapolis, 1932-1934
7. First National Bank of Grand Forks, 1932-1934
8. First National Bank of Saint Paul, 1932-1934
9. Harold King, 1927-1929
10. E. C. Lebaken, 1930-1934
11. The Massey-Harris Company, 1933-1935
12. Edwin T. McCanna, August 1960-July 1961
13. Edwin T. McCanna, August 1961-December 1962
14. Minerva (Mrs. Reuben) McCanna, 1957-1966
15. Midland National Bank and Trust Company, 1933-1934
16. Murphy & Murray, Incorporated, 1932-1934
17. Nils Nilson, 1929-1934
18. North Dakota Agricultural College, 1939-1953
19. Northwest Bancorporation, 1932-1934
20. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, 1933-1934
21. Office of Defense Transportation, August 1943
22. Potato Crop, 1947-1949
23. Selective Service Appeal, January-October 1942
24. Anton H. Swarstad and his estate, 1931-1934
25. Ulland Mortgage Company, 1932-1934
Farm Finances
26. Corporate Insurance, 1954-1955
27. Crop Insurance, 1948-1955
28. Property Taxes, 1923-1925
29. Income Taxes, 1935-1943
30. Income Taxes, 1935-1937
31. Income Taxes, 1938-1941
32. Income Taxes, 1942-1943
33. Income Taxes, 1944-1945
34. Income Taxes, 1946
35. Checking Account, 1927-1930
36. Checking Account, 1930-1934, 1940
37. Checking Account, 1944-1949, 1955-1957
38. Checking Account, 1953-1956 39Special Trust Account, 1933
40. Special Account, 1946-1947, 1949-1950
41. General Ledger, 1916-1927
42. Building Repair Statements, 1948-1950
43. Building Repair Statements, 1951-1953
44. Building Repair Statements, 1954-1957
Box 2
Folders:
1. Receipted Statements, A, C-F, 1931-1947
2. Receipted Statements, G-L, 1943-1956
3. Receipted Statements, M-R, 1928-1956
4. Receipted Statements, S-T, W, 1941-1956
5. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1957
6. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1958
7. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1959
8. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1960
9. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1961
10. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1962
11. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1963
12. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1964
13. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1965
14. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1966
15. Deposit Slips, General Account, 1958
16. Commodity Credit Corporation, Wheat Loans, 1938-1939
Warehouse Records
17. Correspondence, 1949, 1955-1956
18. Exchange Tickets, 195 19 Potato Crop Inspection and Shipment, 1944- 1946,
1950
20. Potato Crop Inspection and Shipment, 1947- 1950
21. Bills of Lading, 1947-1949 22 Grains Inspection and Shipment, 1945-1951
23. Grains Inspection and Shipment, 1948-1951
24. Seed Records, 1951-1956
25. Storage Records, 1947-1949
26. Storage Records, 1950-part one
27. Storage Records, 1950-part two
28. Storage Records, 1951
29. Storage Records, 1952
30. Storage Records, 1953-part one
31. Storage Records, 1953-part two
Box 3
Folders:
Warehouse Records
1. Storage Records, 1953-part three
2. Storage Records, 1954
3. Storage Records, 1955-part one
4. Storage Records, 1955-part two
5. Storage Records, 1956-part one
6. Storage Records, 1956-part two
7. Storage Records, 1956-part three and 1957
Tenants Records
8. Alfred Marien, 1955-1967
9. Delmer Thorsell, 1956-1962
10. Duane Trosen, 1956-1967
11. D. W. Whalen, 1955-1968
Farming Publication
12. "The Link," Moorman Mfg. Co., January 1948
Bank Correspondence
13. Bank of McCanna RE: George E. West Account, 1923-1924
14. Bank of McCanna, January, June-December 1930
15. Bank of McCanna, 1931
16. Bank of McCanna, 1933-1936
17. First State Bank of Backoo, 1922
18. First State Bank of Backoo, 1923
19. First State Bank of Backoo, 1924
20. First State Bank of Backoo, January-July 1925
21. Pembina County Bank, July-December 1925
22. Pembina County Bank, 1926
23. Pembina County Bank, 1927
24. Pembina County Bank, 1928
25. Pembina County Bank, January-June 1929
26. Pembina County Bank, July 1929-January 1930
27. Pembina County Holding Company, 1929-1935
28. Bank of Garske, February, April-December 1921
29. Bank of Garske, January-February 1922
30. Bank of Garske, March-April 1922
31. Bank of Garske, May-June 1922
32. Bank of Garske, July-August 1922
33. Bank of Garske, September-October 1922
34. Bank of Garske, November-December 1922
35. Bank of Garske RE: P.P. Engh, 1922-1923
36. Bank of Garske, January-February 1923
37. Bank of Garske, March-April 1923
38. Bank of Garske, May-July 1923
39. Bank of Garske, August-October 1923
40. Bank of Garske, November-December 1923
Box 4
Folders:
Bank Correspondence
1. Bank of Garske, January-June 1924
2. Bank of Garske, July-October 1924
3. Bank of Garske, November-December 1924
4. Bank of Garske, January-February 1925
5. Bank of Garske, March-April 1925
6. Bank of Garske, May-September 1925
7. Bank of Garske, October-December 1925
8. Bank of Garske, January-June 1926
9. Bank of Garske, July-December 1926
10. Bank of Garske, 1927
11. Bank of Garske, January-March, June-December 1928
12. Bank of Garske, 1929
13. Bank of Garske, January-June 1930
14. Bank of Garske, July-December 1930
15. Bank of Garske, January, March-June, August- November 1931
16. State Bank of Starkweather, 1930-1935
Family Records
17. Margery McCanna Correspondence, 1950
18. News Clippings, Obituaries
19. Charles and Eleanor McCanna Health Insurance, 1951-1956
20. Reuben McCanna Estate Financial Papers, 1959- 1960
21. Katherine McCanna Checking Account, 1930
22. Charles and Eleanor McCanna Checking Account, Elk Valley State Bank,
1954-1957
23. Charles and Eleanor McCanna Checking Account, Red River National Bank,
1954-1957
24. Charles and Eleanor McCanna Checking Account, First National Bank of San
Diego, California, 1956-1957
Box 5
Folders:
Farm Oversize
1. Farm Correspondence
2. Farm Finances
3. Cyclone and High Wind Insurance, 1935-1955
4. Crop Insurance, 1953-1954
5. Mill & Elevator Insurance, 1943-1950
6. Farm Vehicle Insurance, 1945
7. Property Taxes, 1883, 1916-1921
8. Income Taxes, 1937-1946
9. Commodity Credit Corporation Wheat Loans, 1938-1939
10. Receipted Statements, 1928-1956
11. Bills Paid, Operating Account, 1958-1962
12. General Ledger, August 1925-December 1929
13. Partnership/Corporation Ledger, 1920-1929
Warehouse Oversize
14. Seed Records, 1951-1956
15. Commodity Credit Corporation, Crop Loans, 1945-1946, 1950, 1955
16. Commodity Credit Corporation, Loan Settlements, 1953-1954
17. Newspaper Grain Quotations, 1947
18. North Dakota Public Service Commission, Monthly Statement, November 1947
Tenants Oversize
19. Marien, Thorsell, Trosen, and Whalen, 1955- 1967
Bank Oversize
20. Correspondence,
21. Monthly Reports, First State Bank of Backoo, January-June 1925
22. Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, July-December 1925
23. Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, 1926
24. Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, 1927
25. Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, 1928
26. Monthly Reports, Pembina County Bank, January-June 1929
27. Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1925
28. Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1926
29. Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1927
30. Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, 1928
31. Monthly Reports, Bank of Garske, January- September 1929
32. Summary Report, Bank of McCanna, June 1930
Family Oversize
33. Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Personal Property Insurance, 1947-1955
34. Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Automobile Insurance, 1951-1952, 1954-1955
35. Charles and Eleanor McCanna, Health Insurance, 1946, 1950, 1954
36. Family Wills, 1948-1955
37. George Michael McCanna, Phi Delta Phi Fraternity Initiation, January 1911
38. Reuben McCanna Estate, 1959-1960
Box 6
Farming Company Check Stubs
| BANK | DATES | CHECK # RANGE |
| Bank of McCanna | 23 JAN 1920 - 11 DEC 1929 | 1 - 452 |
| Bank of McCanna | 9 APR 1923 - 16 JUN 1930 | 14321 - 20407 |
| Elk Valley State Bank | 29 DEC 1931 - 4 MAY 1935 | 1157 - 3199 |
| Elk Valley State Bank | 4 MAY 1935 - 30 SEPT 1939 | 3200 - 6190 |
| Elk Valley State Bank | 30 SEPT 1939 - 312 JUL 1942 | 6191 - 8248 |
| Elk Valley State Bank | 19 NOV 1946 - 10 FEB 1950 | 1A - 501 |
| Elk Valley State Bank | 10 FEB 1950 - 22 MAY 1953 | 502 - 550 |
| Security Trust and Savings Bank of San Diego, CA | 15 DEC 1951 - 31 MAR 1952 | 1 - 24 |
| Unidentified | 1 MAY 1943 - 30 JUN 1944 | 2003 - 2503 |
Box 7
Farm Financial Journal, pages 1-562, January 1930-December 1949
Box 8
Box 9
Folders:
Farm Employee Time Books
1. 1906-1912
2. 1911-1920
3. 1919-1926
4. 1927-1934
5. 1935-1938
6. 1939-1946
7. 1948-1951 and Miscellaneous
Box 10
Box 11
Three photographs were removed and placed in the Orin G. Libby Photographic
Collection:
OGL #1255-1, Bird hunting ca. 1900
OGL #1255-2, Margery McCanna ca. 1950
OGL #1255-3, Farm employee's son, Francis, age four ca. 1948
See Index to Bank Correspondence
See Addition for the years 1885-1982
Return to: Agriculture
Return to: Business
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