John R. Brinkley Papers, 1925-1976
Collection 107
Introduction
The papers of John R. Brinkley (1885-1942) were donated to the Manuscript
Department of the Kansas State Historical Society by his widow, Mrs.
Minnie Brinkley, Del Rio, Texas. Brinkley was a physician, operated
a radio station, and ran for governor of Kansas several times. These
materials were donated on March 15, 1977. Several additions to the collection
have been made by other donors and have been noted on the materials
themselves. There are no restrictions on access to the collection.
Biographical Sketch
John R. Brinkley was born on July 8, 1885 in Jackson County, North
Carolina. He grew up in that area and attended medical schools in Chicago
and Kansas City, Missouri, before setting up a medical practice in Milford,
Kansas in 1917. He had received a degree from the Kansas City Eclectic
Medical University on May 7, 1915. Brinkley took the Arkansas state
medical board examination and received a license to practice in Kansas
because of a reciprocity agreement between the two states. In addition
to his medical practice, Brinkley operated a drugstore stocked with
patent medicines. Shortly after moving to Milford, Brinkley reportedly
transplanted a goat testicle into a human. The operation, aimed at sexual
rejuvenation, was declared a success and gained Brinkley his “goat
gland doctor” reputation.
Brinkley, while practicing in Milford, decided to establish a radio
station to “entertain his patients.” In 1923, he received
a license for radio station KFKB, known as Kansas First, Kansas Best.
Brinkley soon used KFKB to promote his medical activities and provide
entertainment to his listening audience in several states, as well as
the hospital. It was Brinkley’s practice of prescribing medicine
over the air in response to letters from patients and listeners that
created problems with the Kansas State Medical Board and the Federal
Communications Commission. He had organized a state wide association
of druggists and would suggest prescriptions by number, obtainable from
Brinkley druggists for the various symptoms described by his radio patients.
Brinkley also became involved in Kansas politics. It is generally
believed that he entered the 1930 campaign for governor of Kansas to
build popular support to offset the investigation being conducted by
the Kansas State Medical Board. He announced his candidacy as an independent
on September 23, 1930, too late for this name to appear on the ballot.
Brinkley campaigned diligently, using his radio station to instruct
listeners on the write-in procedure. The race was close with numerous
Brinkley votes discarded for spelling and marking errors. The final
totals for 1930 were 188,278 for Brinkley and 217,171 for Harry Woodring,
the Democratic victor who defeated the Republican nominee Frank Haucke
by 57 votes. Brinkley also ran for governor of Kansas in1932 and 1934.
Dr. Brinkley and his family moved to Del Rio, Texas, after his license
to practice medicine in Kansas and his broadcasting license had both
been revoked. One of the reasons he chose Del Rio was he could operate
a radio station in Villa Acuna, Mexico, that was powerful enough to
be heard across the plains states. In addition to the radio station,
Brinkley operate hospitals in Del Rio and Little Rock, Arkansas; owned
a lumber company and a citrus grove in Texas; and speculated in oil.
He was wealthy during the 1930’s, but due to income tax problems,
was essentially bankrupt when he died in 1942.
Scope and Content
The John R. Brinkley collection consists of four document boxes of
papers dating from 1925 to 1976. The collection includes correspondence,
business and financial records, various printed materials published
to promote the Brinkley Hospitals, and a collection of tapes made from
sixteen inch recordings.
The correspondence is divided into general and personal. The general
division includes letters from Brinkley’s patients, letters concerning
Brinkley’s campaigns for governor, correspondence with lawyers
concerning their legal problems, and letters discussing the equipment
to be used at the radio station in Villa Acuna. The general correspondence
includes letters concerning the dispute over selling the Milford property.
Brinkley was interested in astrology and the general correspondence
reflects this. The personal correspondence is primarily from Brinkley
to his wife, written at Christmas or on their wedding anniversary. Also
included in the personal correspondence is a letter written by Brinkley
to his son Johnny on the day he was born.
The business and financial materials relate to the Brinkley’s
last years in Kansas and to their activities in Texas and Little Rock,
Arkansas. A major part of the business material are memos exchanged
by Brinkley and his Del Rio business manager, Abe Johnson. These memos
indicate some of the day-to-day concerns and give some insight into
Brinkley’s personality. The financial papers include materials
relating to the Brinkley’s tax difficulties, inventories of property,
leases, his Mexican radio license, etc. Also included in the business
material are miscellaneous radio talks and letters endorsing Brinkley
as a doctor that were used on the radio from 1932-1933.
The collection also includes pamphlets and brochures relating to Brinkley’s
medical practice, blank stock certificates for various Brinkley companies,
1940 Del Rio petitions showing support for the Brinkleys, and even a
guarantee for the prostate operation from Milford.
The collection has only a limited amount of material relating to Brinkley’s
political campaigns. There is not a great deal of material on his medical
practice, though what is there is valuable. The bulk of the material
relates to activities in Del Rio, Texas.
The reel to reel tapes are from Del Rio with the exception of one
entitled “Johnny Boy” which was from a record produced in
Chicago in 1933. The rest were used as programs on XERA, with Dr. or
Mrs. Brinkley or other staff members speaking.
The Kansas State Historical Society has library materials, photographs
and microfilmed collections that relate to John R. Brinkley. The Gerald
Carson collection, consisting of the materials he used in writing The
Roguish World of Dr. Brinkley, is also housed in the Manuscript Department.
P.A.M. November 1978
John R. Brinkley Papers
Collection 107
Box 1
Correspondence 1925-1976 and undated
Personal Correspondence 1926-1942 and undated
Political material—position paper on taxation, platform corrections
Box 2
Letters of endorsement used on the radio, ca. 1932-1933
Radio talks
Memos—Brinkley to Del Rio business manager Abe Johnson,
1935-1938 and undated
Material relating to financial affairs—personal and business
Box 3
Legal documents including a trust agreement for Johnny Boy,
leases, court transcripts, Mexican radio license
Radio stamps—campaign material
Pamphlets, brochures, etc., relating to Brinkley
Contents of notebook for Brinkley druggists
1940 Del Rio petitions supporting the Brinkleys
Reports on Brinkely’s background
Stock Certificates for various Brinkley companies
Miscellaneous materials
Miscellaneous materials—postcards, invitations, etc.
Miscellaneous materials—notes, fragments of letters,
fragmented radio material
Samples of stationery
Box 4
Miscellaneous booklets and pamphlets
Newspapers clippings
Diary kept by Marguerite Bird Osborn (Mrs. H. D.) while on
vacation aboard the Brinkley yacht
Unidentified manuscript
Guest Book used by Mrs. Brinkley
The following three items were donated by Judi & Herman Carlton (Access. No. 2008-366.01):
1 pamphlet: Your Health. Compliments of the Brinkley Hospital and Sanitarium, established 1917, Milford, Geary County Kansas
1 pamphlet: The Story of "Paw and Maw" Dedicated to the Prostate Man, compliments of the Brinkley Hospital and Sanitarium, Milford, Geary County, Kansas
1 form letter (typewritten): to Friend from the Brinkley Hospital, Milford, Geary County, Kansas
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