October 29, 2022

Thomas M. Huntington, 1858- [RG1577.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID



RG1577.AM:  Thomas M. Huntington, 1858-



Letter:  1909

Gordon, Sheridan County, Nebraska:  Banker

Size:  One item



BACKGROUND NOTE



Thomas M. Huntington, the son of DeWitt Clinton Huntington and Mary E. Huntington, was born in New York in 1858. The family would eventually move to Nebraska, and DeWitt Huntington would serve as pastor at the Trinity Methodist Evangelical Church in Lincoln as well as chancellor of Nebraska Wesleyan University. Thomas Huntington eventually moved to Gordon, Nebraska, where he was a banker. Along with Bartlett Richards and Will Comstock, Thomas Huntington was indicted for conspiracy to defraud the government of land and to suborn perjury. In a 1907 trial held in Omaha, Thomas Huntington was convicted and sentenced to three months in jail and a $1,000 fine.



SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE



This collection consists of one manuscript item, a letter dating from 1909. This letter, written by Thomas M. Huntington to Walter I. Smith, head of the Secret Service, details the unethical behavior of Secret Service agents during the Bartlett Richards and Will Comstock investigations. Huntington was among those prosecuted by the government for conspiring to defraud in homestead land.



Note:  See the Bartlett Richards collection [RG2455] for related information. See RG2021 for materials relating to DeWitt Clinton Huntington. See the U.S. District Court records [RG0512] for materials relating to the Richards, Comstock, et.al. court case. See the Library Catalog and the Nebraska History index for published materials relating to Bartlett Richards and William Comstock.



INVENTORY



Letter, 1909



 



Subject headings:



Comstock, William Gardner, 1864-1916

Homestead Law — Nebraska

Huntington, Thomas M., 1858-

Public lands — Nebraska

Richards, Bartlett, 1862-1911

United States. Secret Service



 



AIP/ksa        04-1993

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Native Americans along the Trails at Chimney Rock

Native Americans along the Trails at Chimney Rock

Marker Monday: Phelps County

Marker Monday: Phelps County

Why John G. Neihardt was named Nebraska Poet Laureate in 1921

Why John G. Neihardt was named Nebraska Poet Laureate in 1921

About History Nebraska
History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director and CEO Jill Dolberg. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for History Nebraska.
Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.

History Nebraska Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

History Nebraska Programs

Learn more about the programs associated with History Nebraska.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

History Nebraska Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

Support History Nebraska
Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

Volunteers are the heroes of History Nebraska. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.