Old Missoula

Earliest Mention of Missoula – John Owen’s Nasty Note – 1859

Let the Computer Do It – Search for the oldest mention of Missoula and you might be surprised at what you find!

Using the power of the internet and newspaper.com archives – searching old newspapers (16,700 of them) for the oldest mention of Missoula currently gives the following:

[March 7, 1860 – (Before Missoula County is formed)]

Walla Walla and Fort Benton Wagon Road. – Major John Owen, U. S. Agent for the Flathead Indians, writes from Fort Owen, (W. T.) on the 22d Dec. as follows: Lieut Mullan’s party have gone into winter quarters on the Little Missoula. The priests gave more annoyance than a little interfering with everything in a low and underhand manner. They have meddled with everybody’s business. They have done all they could (Father Josset at the head) to defeat the W. W. and F. B. Road. Lieut. Mullan has advised that they be ordered out of the country.

The above is taken from The Daily National Democrat of Marysville, California on March 7, 1860 (p.3). Marysville was important in California’s early history.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/608768424

Evidently, Owen wrote the nasty note in 1859. The disdain for Priests by John Owen and Lieutenant John Mullan is a little mentioned topic in local history.

The same newspaper reported that 10,096 ounces of gold were deposited in the ‘Mint’ [San Francisco] that week. Also, 14,796 ounces of silver bullion, and $310,000 in double eagles were coined that week.