Full-text Search at FamilySearch for John H. Sullivan in Montana, 12 for ‘26

John H. and Anna (Gleeson) Sullivan lived in South Dakota (previously Dakota Territory) from about 1880 to 1889-1890. They lived in Deer Lodge County, Montana, to the late 1920s.

Not a lot came up in FamilySearch full-text search for "John H Sullivan" except for several images of trust deeds and mortgages for a piece of property in Anaconda known as lot 5 in block 18. The same lot in Anaconda was mortgaged multiple times. I did not locate the original deed from the grantor. Below is a map showing block 18 and lot 5. They lived on Commercial Avenue during the same time period as the deeds/mortgages.

Map of the city of Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, Montana, created by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company engineers, 1944; Montana State Library, https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/87665. 

Below are the results:

1895 Nov 15.
Trust Deed. Between John H Sullivan and Anna Sullivan his wife of Anaconda, Deer Lodge Co, Montana, parties of the first part, and C. K. Palmer, Trustee, the party of the second part. In consideration of the deed herein after mentioned and the trust hereinafter made and set forth and the sum of one dollar to them in hand paid by the said party of the second part, hereby acknowledged grant . . . the following described real estate situated in Anaconda, to wit: lot number 5 in Block no. 18, to have and to hold . . . In trust, however for the following purpose: Whereas the said John H Sullivan one of the parties of the first part is justly indebted to the Aetna Savings and Loan Company in the sum of $385 being the principal of a loan from said company by a promissory note of July 20 1903 payable to the order of the said Aetna Savings and Loan Company with interest at the rate of 7.10 per cent per annum from the date until maturity and 10 per cent per annum after maturity, payable monthly in advance as provided in said note. And that the property to be maintained, insured against fire up to $500, and the taxes are paid. [more legal language about defaulting, repaying, etc.] John H Sullivan and Anna Sullivan signed in presence of L.E. Casody before Notary C.M. Sawyer.[1]

1895. Nov 15.
Premium Trust Deed. On 15 Nov 1895, John H Sullivan and Anna Sullivan his wife of Anaconda, party of the first part, and R. H. Palmer, Trustee, party of the second part. For the consideration of the sum of one dollar to them in hand paid, granted . . . the following described real estate, lot no. 5 in block 18 in Anaconda. That John H Sullivan pledges to the said Aetna Savings and Loan Co 26 shores of class A general stock shown by cert no. 534 and 538 as collateral security for the payment of said premium.[2]

COMMENT: I am not sure what is happening here. I did not locate a deed where John and Anna Sullivan purchased the property from a grantor. They seem to have a lot in Anaconda and have taken out a mortgage. They owe $385 to the Aetna Savings and Loan Company. They are obligated to handle the upkeep of the property and to insure it against fire.

1898. Nov 20.
This mortgage, made 20 Nov 1898 by John H Sullivan and Anna Sullivan, his wife of Deer Lodge Co, to the Aetna Savings and Trust Co, all the real estate in Anaconda, lot no. 5 in block no. 18. The mortgage is given as security for payment to mortgagee of the sum of $300 payable sixty months after date at the Silver Bow National Bank of Butte, Montana, with interest of 10 per cent per annum. Signed John H Sullivan and Anna Sullivan before Notary Thomas F Mahoney.[3]

1898. Dec 5.
Between John H & Anna Sullivan of Anaconda, Deer Lodge Co of first part, and Joseph Smith, of the second part. Consideration $700 in hand paid, lot no. 5 in Block 18 in Anaconda. This grant is intended as a mortgage to secure payment of one note due Dec 15 1898, one year after date we promise to pay to Joseph Smith or order at Anaconda, Montana seven hundred dollars with interest at 12 per cent per annum payable monthly and if action is commenced hereon, attorneys fee for collection. Signed John H Sullivan and Anna Sullivan. Written on side: “Assigned to John Furst Feb 28, 1899, see Book S page 272, misc.” There is also a stamp “For value received, hereby certify and declare that this mortgage . . . is fully paid, satisfied and discharged, 29 Nov 1901. John Furst.”[4]

COMMENT: It looks like they took out another mortgage using the same property as collateral. Perhaps they were using the money to pay off the previous mortgage or have paid off the mortgage and this is a new one.

1901 Oct 28.
Mortgage. Between John H Sullivan and Annie Sullivan, his wife, of Anaconda, Deer Lodge Co, of the first part, and Western Loan and Savings Co, of the second part. For sum of $1000, grant . . . to party of second part, the following land: all of Lot 5 in Block 18 in Anaconda. Intended as a mortgage to secure the payment of a certain note, made on 28 Oct 1901 for $1700. Pay $20 on the 16th of each month commencing with Nov 1901 until 85 payments are made, also all installments and charges upon 10 shares of Class E stock of said Western Loan and Savings Co, as evidenced by certificate no. 11169 assigned as collateral security for the payment. Signed John H Sullivan and Annie Sullivan.[5]

COMMENT: Again, another mortgage taken out with repayment information included. The collateral was the lot in block 18, but also 10 shares of Western Loan and Savings Co Class E stock?

1905 June 7.
Quit Claim Deed. John H. Sullivan and Annie Sullivan, quit claim to Western Loan and Savings Co, grantee for the sum of $1000 to them in hand paid, the lot 5, in Block 18 of City of Anaconda. Signed John H Sullivan and Annie Sullivan in the presence of Nellie Sullivan and Augustus Short before MJ FitzPatrick, Notary. Filed 10 Jun 1905.[6]

COMMENT: This is the last document I found. This appears to be signing over the property to the Western Loan and Savings Company. Nellie Sullivan, one of the witnesses, was their daughter.

Some of the deeds are online at the County Recorder’s website but only back to 2006.[7]

Court Index.
I located one other item during the full-text search. It is a reference to a court case that had to have occurred before statehood, as the plaintiff was the Territory of Montana. FamilySearch does not have these court records in the catalog.

• Case no. 2058, Territory of Montana vs. John H Sullivan and John McCroskey, no date.[8]

I also checked full-text search at the FamilySearch Center in case any of the films were locked. But these were all I found. Any further research will need to be done in Montana. I did research in Deer Lodge County in 1999 way before I really knew what I was doing. I found no records for John H. Sullivan working at the Anaconda Copper Mining Company that were at the historical society, though there were records for his son-in-law, Harold Goe. I had also done some research in Ravalli and Silver Bow Counties. Next time I go for a research trip, I would include those counties again, as well as the state archives in Helena.

Next post will be a timeline for his parents, Jerry and Mary Sullivan.

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[1] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, mortgage, v. N, p. 525-28, John H and Anna Sullivan to C.K. Palmer, Trustee, 1895; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C373-D9D7-R : accessed 2 Oct 2026), IGN 008572086, item 2, images 265-67 of 323.

[2] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, mortgage, v. N, p. 534-36, John H and Anna Sullivan to R.H. Palmer, 1895; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C373-D9CJ-Q : accessed 2 Oct 2026), IGN 008572086, item 2, images 270-71 of 323.

[3] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, mortgage, v. Q, p. 619-21, John H and Anna Sullivan to Aetna, 1898; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-F3ZR-DR33 : accessed 2 Oct 2026), IGN 008687665, item 2, image 311-12 of 323.

[4] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, mortgage, v. S, p. 245, John H and Anna Sullivan to Joseph Smith, 1898; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-N3ZR-DPP3 : accessed 2 Oct 2026), IGN 008687667, item 1, image 185 of 260.

[5] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, Mortgage, v. U, p. 171-73, John H & Annie Sullivan to Western Loan and Savings Co, 1901; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-N3ZR-DR8N : accessed 2 Oct 2026), IGN 008687667, item 3, image 87-88 of 288.

[6] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, Deed, v. 39, p. 186, John H & Annie Sullivan to Western Loan and Savings Co, 1905; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37K-S3T2-V : accessed 2 Oct 2026), IGN 008581857, item 4, image 101 of 264.

[7] “Clerk & Recorder,” Anaconda Deer Lodge County Montana (https://adlc.us/156/Clerk-Recorder : accessed 8 Oct 2026).

[8] Deer Lodge Co, Montana, Plaintiffs Index 1865-1890, case no. 2058, Territory of Montana vs. John H Sullivan and John McCroskey, no date; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QB-P4QG : accessed 6 Oct 2026), IGN 005891281, image 117 of 135.

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