Collection Processed by Samuel Passey.

Register created by Samuel Passey.

Date: March 3, 2003

Physical description: 4 linear feet

Merrill Dee Beal was born in Richfield, Utah on November 3, 1898. His parents were George A. and Melinda Bean Beal. He married Bessy Marie Neill, daughter of Dr. Henry Kennedy and Maria Peterson Neill on June 30, 1923.

He graduated from Richfield High School in 1917. He joined the United States Marine Corps and was stationed at Mare Island, California. He was a member of the Mare Island Marine Corps basketball team.

From 1919 to 1921, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Eastern States Mission. Later, he attended the University of Utah where he participated in the student government, forensics, and athletic activities. He served as president and house manager of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He received a B.S. degree in 1921 from the University of Utah.

His teaching career included four years in high school and thirty-eight years in college and university. He taught one year in Richfield and three years in Rigby, Idaho. He taught eighteen years at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. Later he taught nineteen years at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho. He retired as professor emeritus in history from ISU in 1966.

Dr. Beal received graduate degrees from California and Washington State Universities. While working on his Ph. D. degree, from 1942-1945, he assisted the Air Force Training program and served in the Washington State National Guard.

He achieved special expertise in Pacific Northwest history. His published works include seven books relating to that subject. The book that Dr. Beal considered his valedictory was, “I Will Fight No More Forever, Chief Joseph and the Nes Perce War. In 1970, the Idaho Fine Arts Commission chose him for the Governor’s Award for the excellence of his literary contributions. In 1971, the University of Idaho at Moscow gave him an Honorary Doctor’s degree in Humane Letters. From Ricks College he received its Distinguished Service award.

Dr. Beal worked in Yellowstone National Park as a seasonal naturalist for a score of summers. In recognition for this dedicated service he received the Meritorious Award of the National Park Service.

He was a life member of three historical societies and an honorary member of two. He was also a member of the Idaho States Historic Sites Commission. He was listed in Who’s Who in the West for many years, and was listed (along with his son Merrill David) in Who’s who in American Education.

The Merrill D. Beal Papers include a photograph collection, correspondence, and research materials that were used in his publication of several of his works. When Dr. Beal donated this collection his eyesight was failing him so he was unable to arrange his collection. This lack of any organization mandated the processor to attempt to make logical connections within this collection. Therefore, the collection was organized by subject. Where possible any previous organization was maintained. Related Collections are housed at Idaho State University, and the LDS Church Archives in Salt Lake City.

Perhaps the most important contribution this collection makes is to the early L.D.S. history in Eastern Idaho. Professor Beal took detailed notes of the Phineas Tempest Memoirs, these notes are critically important because the original Tempest memoirs have since been lost. This collection is also valuable for its extensive notes and research on the early history of the Snake River Valley. Also prominent in this collection are Professor Beal’s Yellowstone National Park Memoirs, and many items relating to early Yellowstone National Park history.

Box 2: Pre-Publication Research Materials for Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge & M.D. Beal’s Correspondence

Fd 1: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Publication Announcement.

Fd 2: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Newspaper Clippings

Fd 3: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Railroads right of way Article

Fd 4: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Pictures

Fd 5: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: L. O. Leonard Manuscript

Fd 6: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Byrd Trego 2 November 1952

Fd 7: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Murdoch M McPherson’s Recollections

Fd: 8: Intermountain Railroads, Standard and Narrow Gauge: Copy of an address given by Joel L. Priest

Fd 9: Outgoing Correspondence, arranged by date.

Fd 10: Incoming Correspondence, alphabetically arranged.

Fd 11: Miscellaneous Correspondence copied by M.D. Beal, arranged by date.

Box 3: Pre-Publication Research Materials for Idaho Encyclopedia Article and The Snake River Fork Country.

Fd 1: Grolier Encyclopedia Article written by Beal

Fd 2: Grolier Encyclopedia Article Research – Newspaper Clippings

Fd 3: Grolier Encyclopedia Article Research: Chief Lendoy of the Lemhi’s

Fd 4: Grolier Encyclopedia Article Research: Madison County/Rexburg

Fd 5: Grolier Encyclopedia Article Research: Miscellaneous Notes

Fd 6: Grolier Encyclopedia Article Research: Idaho Pamphlets

Fd 7: “Over Pioneer Trails,” Newspaper articles written by M. D. Beal

Fd 8: Over Pioneer Trails: Photographs

Fd 9: The Snake River Fork Country: notes from Phineas Tempest’s Memoirs

Fd 10: The Snake River Fork Country: notes from the Freemont County Journal

Fd 11: The Snake River Fork Country: Miscellaneous notes

Fd 12: The Snake River Fork Country: Photographs & Preliminary Bibliography

Fd 13: “Pioneers” talk given by M. D. Beal

Fd 14: “The Ricks College Story” by M. D. Beal

Fd 15: Miscellaneous Ricks College items

Box 4: Yellowstone National Park Materials

Fd 1: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 1 “Introduction”

Fd 2: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 2 “Old Faithful Information Desk Duty

Fd 3: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 3 “Geyser Basin Duty”

Fd 4: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 4 “The Madison Juncton Saga: Part 1”

Fd 5: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 5 “Yellowstone Park Naturalists”

Fd 6: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 6 “Yellowstone Ranger Espirit de Corps

Fd 7: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch. 7 “Special Park Service Assignments”

Fd 8: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch 8 “Bird and Animal Observations”

Fd 9: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch 9 “The Madison Junction Saga Phase 2 (1962-1966)

Fd 10: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch 10 “Our Family Lifestyle in Yellowstone

Fd 11: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch 11 “Vacation with Dividends

Fd 12: A Yellowstone National Park Naturalist’s Memoir: Ch 12 “Epilogue”

Fd 13: Pictures of Yellowstone

Fd 14: Yellowstone Notes: Not used in any publications

Fd 15: Yellowstone Notes: Not used in any publications

Fd 16: Yellowstone Notes: Travels in Yellowstone Circa 1880

Fd 17: “Road agents of early Yellowstone National Park” copy of a manuscript

Fd 18: Serena J. Washburn Autobiography Excerpt

Fd 19: “Yellowstone Yarns”

Fd 20: Miscellaneous Yellowstone Materials

Box 5: Early Yellowstone Maps (Oversize)

Box 6: Informational Bulletins and Pamphlets concerning the Northwestern U. S.

Fd 1: Miscellaneous Travel Pamphlets

Fd 2: Miscellaneous Journal Articles

Fd 3: Montana Magazine

Fd 4: Idaho Falls Information booklet

Fd 5: Minerals in Montana

Fd 6: Tebiwa Journal

Fd 7: The Rush To Idaho

Fd 8: Copy of The Snake River Fork Country

Box 7:

Fd 1: Upper Snake River Basin

Fd 2: Water Distribution and Hydrometric Work District No. 1 Snake River, Idaho 1976