Personal Papers
The Kansas State Historical Society collects the unpublished papers
of individuals and families in Kansas and the surrounding region. more
information
Online Documents
 A New Digital Portal
Collection
Guides and Finding Aids (What
is a finding aid?)
A
James Burnett Abbott, 1815-1899
James Burnett Abbott came to Kansas in 1854 with the third group of emigrants associated
with the New England Emigrant Aid Company. Taking up the free state (antislavery) banner, he
was active in the free state militia. Abbott is also well known for leading the successful
attempt to release Dr. John Doy, a free state activist who had been imprisoned for freeing
slaves, from a Missouri prison. When Kansas became a state, Abbott served in both the Kansas
State House of Representatives and State Senate. In 1861 he was appointed Shawnee Indian
Agent, a post he held until 1866. This collection includes his personal papers,
correspondence and manuscripts, and account books generated during his service as Indian
Agent.
Gertrude
Ackerman Collection,1856-1940
Gertrude Ackerman was the unofficial historian
for the Kansas Republican Party during the 1940's and 50's. This collection
offers the researcher insight into the early Kansas Republican Party.
Ackerman included speeches presented at the annual Kansas Day meeting,
as well as several affiliated organizations.
Acre Family Papers, 1917-1961
Albert, Clyde and Joseph Acre of WaKeeney, Kan., served in the American Expeditionary Forces, 35th Division, 137th Infantry, Company M, in France during World War I.
Correspondence, genealogical information, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous items, 54 items, but primarily letters Joseph Acre wrote home describing Officer Candidate School, World War I campaigns in France, and his life as a “doughboy” & in the trenches; his thoughts dealt with Kansas and his lack of incoming mail. There are also newspaper clippings and genealogical materials. Correspondents include Albert & Joseph Acre, Laura Allegree, Anna Dickey, and Ella Keith. The clippings cover the "Dust Bowl" and Ron Ott.
Samuel
Lyle & Florella Brown Adair Family Collection, 1831-1921 
Samuel Adair, a missionary and abolitionist, established
the First Congregational Church of Osawatomie, home of John Brown. Adair's
wife, Florella was half-sister to Brown. As a result, this collection
includes correspondence between the Adair and Brown families. There
are also journals, diaries and correspondence from Jeremiah Berger Remington,
the Adair's son-in-law, describing his experiences as a soldier in the
Civil War.
Zu Adams Collection, 1872-1911
Zu Adams, the eldest daughter of Franklin G. and Harriet Clark Adams, worked for the Kansas State
Historical Society during its first thirty-five years. Her papers consist of four boxes and one
letterbook, covering from 1872-1911. These papers, along with those of her father, were given to
the Society in1934 by her sister, Dr. Harriet Adams, and her brother, Harry J. Adams. Anderson
Family Papers, 1802 - 1958
The Anderson Family Papers includes correspondence
from three generations. Three out of four men in the family became Presbyterian
ministers. There are also diaries, sermons and the manuscript for a
book of Theology. Of interest to researchers the correspondence of William
C. Anderson during the Civil War and of John Byers Anderson regarding
his involvement with the railroad industry in the Midwest.
Daniel Read Anthony, Jr., 1907-1928
Daniel Read Anthony Jr. served as a U.S. Congressman from Kansas for over
two decades, from 1907-1928. The son of Daniel Anthony, editor of the
Leavenworth Times, Anthony Jr. took over for his father as editor for
three years before he was elected. This collection contains correspondence,
mostly written to him, including letters from Theodore Roosevelt, William
Howard Taft, and Alice Paul.
William Henry Avery Congressional Papers, 1955-1965
William Henry Avery ran for the US House of Representatives on an "anti-dam" platform, a big
issue for Kansas in the mid-50's. He left Congress in 1964 to become the 37th governor of Kansas.
This collection contains Avery's congressional papers, the bulk of which dates 1960-1962. Among the
topics addressed in correspondence and other papers: veteran's affairs, agriculture, appropriations
and the military.
B
Barnes Railroad Collection
These rolls of microfilm reproduce in its entirety the Barnes Railroad Collection, a
compilation of reference information on Kansas railroads made by Lela Barnes and other staff
members of the Kansas State Historical Society from 1963 through about 1971. The railroad
information summarized in this collection dates from 1855 through the late 1950's.
Berryman Family Papers, 1858-1899
The collection mainly includes business and personal correspondence for Gerard Q. Berryman and his
eldest son, Jerome W. Berryman. There are also miscellaneous folders for Rev. Jerome C. Berryman and
other members of the family. Rev. Jerome C. Berryman’s papers are from his later life and
include reports from the Quarterly Conferences of the Methodist Church of the Arcadia Station, Iron
Mountain District. Jerome Berryman's papers include courtship letters from Annette McNickle, whom he
later married.
Billard
Family Papers, 1872-1920
The collection consists of 45 folders of letters,
business records, legal papers, and diaries relating to the Billard
family. The Billards, a prominent Topeka family, were involved in numerous
business ventures. The family was well educated and well traveled. The
collection covers the years 1872-1879, 1886-1920, and 1922-1959. The
correspondence in this collection is between family members, friends,
and business acquaintances. The main correspondents in this collection
are Hermance P. Laurent Billard, J. B. Billard, Robert T. Billard, L.
Philip Billard, Clarisse Laurent, and Maurice Laurent.
August M. Bondi Papers, 1884-1952
This microfilm contains the papers, 1884-1906, of August Bondi, antislavery fighter; founder of Walker (now Greeley), Kansas; and businessman of Saint Louis, Mo., and Kansas. A 1952 letter containing additional genealogical information is included in the collection. The entire August Bondi collection (no. 285) has been reproduced here.
John
D. Bower Papers, 1953-1976
John Bower, born in McLouth, Kansas, was an ordained
minister of the Church of the Brethren. He was elected to the Kansas
State House of Representatives in 1953 and served as a member of that
body until 1976. Bower is most noted for his work on the House Committee
on Education and his contributions to the Kansas educational system.
His papers contain statements, studies and reports, copies of bills
and published literature. There is little personal correspondence here.
Ida
M. McLain Bradley Papers, 1908-1946
This collection consists primarily of the diaries
of Ida M. McLain Bradley, who lived in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, from
1858 to 1949. The contents of her diaries include a record of her daily
activities, and an account of the agricultural productivity of the farms
where she and her family lived. After reaching Kansas in 1884, the Bradleys
moved from Marion County to Greenwood County. They spent a brief time
in Missouri and finally settled in Linn County, Kansas near Blue Mound.
In addition to her diaries (twenty-four in all), this collection includes
a book of Ms. Bradley's poetry.
Abbie Bright Papers, 1861-1994
The two principal individuals featured in this collection are Abbie Bright
and her brother, Philip Bright. The two most significant aspects of this collection are the diaries
of these two individuals and a series of letters which are, for the most part, to and from these two
people concerning their families and the Civil War.
Frederick
Brinkerhoff Papers, 1902-1966
Frederick Brinkerhoff was a prominent Pittsburg, Kansas publisher, editor
and newspaperman with a career that spanned 40 years. His personal papers
contain correspondence, speeches and diaries dating from 1902 through
1966. Brinkerhoff’s correspondence includes an impressive list
of well-known Kansans: Arthur Capper, Alf Landon, Charles Curtis, Rolla
Clymer, Clyde Reed, Harry Colmery, Charles Scott and William Allen White.
Dr.
John R. Brinkley Papers, 1925-1976
After setting up a medical practice in Milford,
Kansas, in 1917, Brinkley received national attention as the "goat
gland doctor" for performing a procedure aimed at sexual rejuvenation.
He established a successful radio show and network of drug stores, prescribing
medication to listeners over the air, which led to problems with the
Kansas State Medical Board and the Federal Communications Commission.
Brinkley campaigned for Governor unsuccessfully three times. He moved
his family to Del Rio, Texas when his broadcasting and medical licenses
were revoked, building a radio tower across the Mexico border big enough
to allow him access to much of the central plains. Eventually Mexico
revoked his broadcasting license there. Despite numerous other business
interests, Brinkley was bankrupt when he died in 1942.
Joseph
Bristow Papers, 1894-1925
The Joseph Bristow collection reflects his life in the public arena,
both as a newspaperman in Baldwin, Kansas and as a United States Senator.
As an Assistant Postmaster General, Bristow led two major investigations
of fraud, one in Cuba and another in the United States. Bristow was
deeply involved in the Progressive movement in the Midwest and as a
result was frequently at odds with fellow Republicans. The collection
includes correspondence, business papers and personal papers, shedding
light on the issues of the day.
Charles Brown Papers, 1863-1876
This collection is broken down into two parts. The first consists of seven letters that
Frances Tiplady Brown wrote to her son Charles while he was away fighting with the Union Army
in the Civil War. He was a first lieutenant in Company C of the 10th Kansas Infantry. The
second section contains Charles Brown's diary of his agricultural activities on his farm in
Coffey County, where he settled after the war.
Brown v. Topeka Board of Education Oral History Collection
This collection provides a look at the background surrounding the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka from those who, in one way or another,
were involved with the cases before they reached the Supreme Court, or who were
involved in or affected by the ruling in some way (i.e., victims, plaintiff, and beneficiaries).
Those interviewed included: former students, community leaders and activists, attorneys,
judges, and others affected by the outcome of the case.
Howard L. Brown Papers, 1890-1985
Howard Brown worked for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad Company. During his career, he became very
knowledgeable in labor-management relations. His membership and involvement with the Brotherhood of
Railroad Conductors and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen on the regional and national levels
enhanced his own understanding of labor-management relations in the following areas: contract
negotiations, labor legislation, federal mandates, and strike histories.
John Brown Papers, 1826-1948
John Brown, one of the most controversial characters to emerge on to the national stage
during the pre-Civil War years was 55 years old before he moved to Kansas in 1855. A radical
anti-slavery activist who eventually turned to murder, Brown was tried and executed for a
raid on Harper's Ferry in October of 1859. This collection contains a number of letters to
and from John Brown, many letters by and directed to other family members, and a large
quantity of letters about Brown and his comrades by biographers, the Kansas State Historical
Society, and others.
John Stillman Brown Papers, 1818-1907
John Stillman Brown settled outside Lawrence, Kansas in 1857. He became pastor of the Lawrence
Unitarian Church and moved into town. He served as Secretary of the Kansas State Agricultural
Society (now the State Board of Agriculture) and several other posts as a civil servant. There are
included in this collection, two groups of letters written to Brown from soldiers serving with the
Kansas Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War.
Orville Chester Brown Collection, 1834-1904
The Orville Chester Brown collection contains a wealth of information on the slavery
dispute in territorial Kansas in the 1850's, town-building in the territory, national politics
immediately before and during the Civil War, letters from his sons Spencer and Rockwell
("Rocky") fighting for the Union during the war, efforts to secure Spencer's release
after his imprisonment by the Confederates as a spy, the devastating effect of Spencer's execution
on the family, and O. C. Brown's reminiscences about early Kansas history.
Jeanne
Burdick Papers, 1969-1978
Jeanne Burdick collected minutes from the meetings
of the Board of Total Education, Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas;
Catholic School Board of Topeka and Holy Name School, Topeka, Kansas.
This collection includes a copy of Burdick's 1977 doctoral dissertation.
Back to the top
C
Arthur
Capper Papers, 1913-1950
Arthur Capper, a native Kansan from Garnett, was
a publisher, Governor of Kansas and a United States Senator. The Capper
collection contains his speeches, business papers and correspondence
including legislative, political and personal letters. The majority
of the collection covers the years 1919 to 1948, during his five terms
as U.S. Senator.
Avis Dungan Carlson Papers, 1927-1982
Born June 25, 1896 in Moline, Kansas, Avis Dungan Carlson spent most of her adult life
teaching and writing. She frequently focused her writing on life in Kansas. Among her
published works are: A Goodly Heritage, and Small
World, Long Gone. These are included in the collection along with
an unpublished work titled In the Fullness of Time.
Frank Carlson 1946 Campaign Papers
Carlson was Governor of Kansas from 1947-1950. The papers of Frank Carlson's 1946 gubernatorial
campaign were found in the records of his gubernatorial administration in the stat archives
holdings of the Kansas State Historical Society. The assistant state archivist, Terry Harmon, and
the assistant curator of manuscripts, Bob Knecht, decided it was best to separate Carlson's
pre-inaugural papers and organize them as a separate manuscript collection.
Gerald
Carson Papers, 1913-1974
Gerald Carson authored The Roguish World of Dr.
Brinkley. This collection contains materials he collected while researching
the book. John R. Brinkley turned the attention he received for his
"goat gland" transplant surgery, which was purported to restore
masculine virility, into a national radio broadcast and a lucrative
business in the 1920s. By the end of the decade, it was discovered he
had no medical training and he had been linked to a "diploma mill."
Brinkley died bankrupt in 1942.
Gabriel
Penn Clark Papers, 1853-1920
Clark was a businessman who opened a sawmill where
the Big Muddy Creek emptied into the Kansas River, just northeast of
Topeka, Kansas. This collection offers great insight into business operations
in territorial Kansas. Some of the most prominent pioneers in Topeka
history were his customers and their names are entered in his books.
Rolla
Clymer Papers, 1909-1977
Rolla Clymer was publisher of the El Dorado Times,
a writer and a poet who was active in Republican politics in Kansas.
The collection includes correspondence, business and personal financial
records, speeches, poetry, newspaper clippings and photographs. This
material provides particular insight into the newspaper business and
spans several decades, dating from the 1910’s to the 1970’s.
Albert
Cole Papers, 1945-1953
Albert Cole moved from local politics in Jackson
county to representing Kansas in the United States Congress from 1945
to 1953. This collection includes general correspondence, departmental
correspondence and legislative correspondence. The majority of correspondence
focuses on flood control and the use of large dams in those efforts.
His support of the construction of major dams effectively ended his
political career.
S. J. Crawford, Copies of Letters Sent and Essay, 1868-1905
Samuel Johnson Crawford was the third Governor of the state of Kansas. This collection
includes letters and an essay written by Crawford. In one letter he described the Indian
atrocities and threatened to move against the tribes if Congress and the federal government
didn't step in. The essay, entitled Observations on the War with Span - the Filipinos, -
Expansion, - Colonial Empire, - Tariffs and Trusts," in which he decries the real cause
of the war with Cuba and in the Philippines, the lack of development in the South and West, the
control of the economy by trusts, and the imposition of harsh tariffs. The researcher can find more
on Crawford in his official Governor's Records.
Back to the top
D
Jess
Denious Papers, 1930-1953
Jess Denious was publisher of the Dodge City Daily
Globe, a businessman, a Kansas State Senator and eventually Lieutenant
Governor of Kansas. His collection contains correspondence, speeches
and reports. It offers insight into the newspaper industry and deals
with some of the ethical questions facing journalists in the 1930s and
1940s.
E
Charles Leroy Edson Papers, 1919-1951
Edson's correspondence and manuscripts in this collection consist of items from 1919 through the 1940s, with a few items as late as 1951. Moving frequently because of his financial circumstances and fearing that his political opponents might destroy them, he placed these papers with George A. Root, curator of archives at the Kansas State Historical Society, for safekeeping beginning in 1936 or 1937.
J. B. Edwards Collection, 1872-1935
J. B. Edwards settled in Abilene, Kansas at the height of the cattle-town era. This collection is
comprised of correspondence he sent and received. Topics range from the Texas cattle trade to the
town's early history to lawlessness. A few familiar names surface here: J. B. Hickok, Phil Coe, and
the James and Younger families.
Ellithorpe Family Papers, 1848-1988
The Ellithorpe Family Papers contain mainly material related to its most prominent figure, Albert
Chapman Ellithorpe, his correspondence during the Civil War and also include records of other members
of the family during the late nineteenth century. This collection is valuable primarily to the Civil
War researcher and the Ellithorpe family genealogists.
Thomas
Ewing, Jr., Papers, 1856-1908
The Thomas Ewing collection deals, for the most
part, with his early days as a lawyer in Leavenworth, Kansas. The material
consists of loose correspondence, account books and four letter press
books. There is some reference to his military experience, but it is
not representative of his career. Notable in the collection are papers
connected to Ewing’s partnership with his brother-in-law, William
Tecumseh Sherman.
F
Martha
Farnsworth Diaries, 1882-1922
Martha Farnsworth spent most of her life in Topeka,
Kansas. Her diaries provide insight into the life of a woman living
at the turn of the century. These include her perspective on new inventions
like the telephone and widespread use of trains and the way these technological
advances changed society. There are also discussions of the social issues
of the day: temperance, suffrage, and the peace movement during World
War I.
Robert
E. Feighny Papers, 1964-1965
Dr. Robert E. Feighny did a tour in Vietnam during
which he wrote over 200 letters to his wife. He was stationed at the
8th Field Hospital in Nha Trang, South Vietnam. Feighny's letters provide
insight into Vietnamese culture, their perception of the events taking
place in their country, and army life. He retired from the army as a
lieutenant colonel.
Benjamin Foster Papers, 1890-1990
Benjamin Foster, an attorney and former Kansas state legislator, served in both the state House
of Representatives and the state Senate on and off from 1964-1990. But Foster was also a writer.
In this collection you can find his legislative records, campaign materials and some of his
articles. Both manuscripts for "Whatever's Right" and "The Socialization of a Kansas Legislator", an article that appeared
in "Reflections on Being a Kansas Legislator" can also be found in this collection.
Margaret B. Franklin Papers, 1883-1992
This manuscript collection contains the papers of Margaret B. Franklin, a longtime resident of
Topeka, Kansas. Mrs. Franklin and her husband Charles Benjamin Franklin were both deeply involved in
the Chautauqua movement, ubiquitous during the Midwestern summers of the early part of the twentieth
century.
Charles
French Papers, 1917-1918
French was a soldier in the army during World War
I. This collection includes letters written home to his family in Shawnee
county Kansas from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the United Kingdom, and ultimately,
France. He had to be vague about operations in France but discussed
the big push in general terms as well as his impressions of France and
its people.
Dietrich F. and Margaret Friesen Diaries, 1911-1932
These diaries are a set of three volumes. The individual diary volumes were designed to last five years each, and though this would allow for a total of fifteen years of recording entries, was stretched out for a total of twenty-two years, because spaces left empty in early years were filled in at a later time.
Frederick
Funston Papers, 1891-1917
Frederick Funston became a hero during the Cuban
revolution and the Spanish-American war. After the 1906 earthquake in
San Francisco, Funston used his troops to blast buildings in the path
of the resulting fire and set up relief stations for the wounded and
homeless. Funston distinguished himself wherever he was stationed throughout
his service in the military. This collection consists of his personal
and professional correspondence, newspaper clippings and magazine articles
as well as articles written by Funston for the
Iola Daily Register during the early days of his military career.
Back to the top
G
Harold Donald Garwood Collection, 1918-1919
Harold Garwood was stationed at Fort Sherman in the Panama Canal Zone during World War I. He
wrote home to his family who lived in rural Shawnee County, Kansas. His letters cover basic
training but most of his correspondence discusses his post in Panama, the climate and its people.
Eula
Gentzler Papers, 1942-1957
An army nurse during World War II, Eula Gentzler wrote home to her family
in Topeka, Kansas, describing her experiences on board the hospital
ship Arcadia. She also served aboard the
Shamrock. In addition to her correspondence,
this collection includes official correspondence and forms as well as
scrapbooks, which document her time on leave in Europe during the war.
Charles
Sumner Gleed Papers, 1872-1928
These papers contain correspondence, business records
and newspaper clippings and speeches on a variety of topics that span
Gleed's diversified interests. While based in Topeka, Kansas, Gleed
was involved in the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, several
telephone companies, the mining industry, and was a co-owner of the
Kansas City Journal.
Minnie
Tamar Johnson & Virgil Hooker Grinstead Collection, 1878-1924
Minnie Tamar Johnson started teaching as soon as
she was old enough. She was an ordained minister for the Baptist church,
became a lecturer for the Women's Christian Temperance Union and was
chosen as their state evangelist in 1900. A year later, she married
Virgil Hooker Grinstead in Larned, Kansas. She became the first woman
elected to the Kansas State House of Representatives in 1918 and served
in that office until 1924. Virgil Hooker Grinstead also started out
teaching, but became a practicing attorney and probate judge in his
native Kentucky. He later moved to Kansas where he served as county
attorney in Lane, Pawnee and finally Seward County. He was also Assistant
Attorney-General and prosecuted liquor dealers.
Back to the top
H
James Madison Harvey Correspondence, Speeches and Papers,
1834-1922
James Madison Harvey served two terms as the fifth Governor of the state of Kansas. Although
this collection is not James Madison Harvey’s official governor’s records, it
does contain some documents from his tenure as Governor. However, the bulk of this collection
falls before and after his term. The majority of the collection consists of correspondence,
speeches, land office papers and surveys, yearly messages to the Legislature, muster rolls,
and recollections by several family members.
Hayden-Jerome
Family Papers, 1880-1899
The Hayden-Jerome papers consist primarily of correspondence
written by the women of the Jerome family, from their homes in Butler,
Elk and Wilson counties in Kansas. The letters deal with their experiences
homesteading in Kansas, and their longing and affection for family members
back home in Michigan. In addition to the correspondence, the donor
added a detailed genealogy of the family beginning with Elisha Hayden
(1762-1835) and proceeding through the next four generations.
Edward Henderson, Jr. and Mabel Dewhirst Henderson Papers, 1904-1956
Edward Henderson was a highly successful salesman for Hoover Brothers Inc. Mabel Dewhirst Henderson
was a grade school teacher and housewife. This collection includes correspondence, financial records
and educational credentials. Much of the correspondence is comprised of letters their daughter
Margaret Ann wrote to her father while he was away on sales trips.
John Wesley Henderson Diaries, 1864-1867
The two John Wesley Henderson diaries provide a glimpse of the life of a cavalry soldier on duty
in Virginia during the latter half of the Civil War. Henderson participated in General Ulysses S. Grant’s May – June
1864 Spring Campaign through Virginia including the Battle of Cold Harbor and
Grant’s encounters with Confederate General Robert E. Lee along the line from Richmond to
Petersburg. The diaries relate both the boredom and the excitement of being a soldier. Battles and, more frequently, skirmishes
with Confederates are described in varying detail.
Thomas
Wentworth Higginson Papers, 1855-1860
Higginson, a minister from Massachusetts, was very
active in the anti-slavery movement prior to the Civil War. He was one
of the men who financed John Brown's anti-slavery activities in the
Kansas Territory as well as Brown's attack at Harper's Ferry in 1859.
A member of the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee, Higginson traveled
to Kansas Territory and wrote a series of letters which were published
in the New York Tribune. This collection
consists of his correspondence, including a letter discussing the possibility
of rescuing Brown from captivity.
Clyde Hill Papers, 1948-1989
Cyde Hill served as a state legislator from Yates Center for twenty years beginning in 1954
and was elected House Speaker in 1964. This collection should provide valuable information to
anyone researching the office of the governor in Kansas. It contains a multitude of clippings
regarding budgets, quarrels with the legislature, campaigns, inaugurations, and defeats.
Hiram Hill Collection, 1823-1910
Hiram Hill was never a resident of Kansas. He did, however, hold extensive investments in
property. Hill owned property in Lawrence, Quindar, Manhattan, Emporia and Clay Center. This
collection contains correspondence sent and received by Hill regarding his holdings. The researcher
will find deeds, lease agreements, reports from land agents and lists of construction expenses.
George M. Hoover Account Book, 1883-1885
As one of the founders of Dodge City, Kansas, George M. Hoover was integrally
involved in nearly every facet of life of that famed frontier town until his death in 1914. This collection
includes accounts of beverages, groceries and supplies needed for the maintenance of his saloon there. He was the man who contracted with Wyatt Earp to act as lawman for the city when Dodge City's
reputation for rowdiness became widespread.
Albert Howell Horton, 1872-1933
The greatest portion of the material in this collection pertains to the years 1892 – 1895.
At that time in the history of Kansas many important social issues and movements were in full swing.
Kansas was a testing ground in 1894 for a nationwide effort to pass women suffrage in the Sunflower
State. Prohibition was the law in Kansas, but it was not strictly enforced and the political status
quo was in turmoil with the emergence of the Populist Party, a result of the struggling agricultural
economy. Horton’s collection consists of a “Who’s Who” of correspondents
from these movements.
Cecil Howes Collection, 1833-1967
This small collection contains personal
and family materials including correspondence and genealogical material,
historical and expository writings of Cecil Howes, and miscellaneous
writings by others. A large number of photographs of family members
have been removed to the photograph collection. Lyman
Underwood Humphrey, 1834-1944
Governor of Kansas from 1889-1993, Humphreys is
remembered for his enforcement of prohibition laws. Kansans can thank
him for Labor Day, as he made Kansas the first state to make the first
Monday in September an official holiday. Much of the correspondence
in this collection consists of letters written to his mother and brother
relating his experiences while serving with the 76th Ohio Infantry during
the Civil War.
Thaddeus Hyatt Papers, 1843-1898
Although an influential figure in territorial Kansas history, Thaddeus Hyatt is probably best
fused to testify before a Senate committee regarding his ties to John Brown. Hyatt was also involved
in Kansas relief efforts, writing circulars intended to arouse the people of the East to the needs of
Kansas settlers.
Back to the top
I
John
Ingalls Papers, 1840-1955
Ingalls was a participant in the Wyandotte Constitutional
Convention in Kansas Territory in 1859. After holding several political
posts, he began his service in the United State Senate in 1873. His
correspondence to his family during that time is candid and describes
the politics of the day as well as his impressions of life in Washington.
There are several diaries and scrapbooks as well as miscellaneous copies
of his speeches in the collection.
J
Lucy
Browne Johnston Papers, 1887-1937
While Lucy Browne was born in Ohio, it was Minneapolis,
Kansas she made her home. She was visiting her brother there, and he
convinced her to start a grade school. When the school started to fail
financially, a group of young men came to its aid. Among them was her
future husband, William
A. Johnston. This collection is grouped into three main areas: general
correspondence, traveling libraries and women's suffrage. While Johnston
was involved in numerous women's clubs and was a tireless social activist,
it is two major issues for which she is best remembered. Johnston's
relentless lobbying efforts resulted in the passage of a bill establishing
the Traveling Libraries Commission. She also led the successful 1912
campaign to give women the right to vote in Kansas.
William
A. Johnston Papers, 1876-1939
William Johnston, a native Canadian, applied for
U.S. citizenship in 1871 at the age of 23. He settled near Minneapolis,
Kansas in 1872 where he met Lucy
Browne. Johnston practiced law for three years before he was elected
to the Kansas House of Representatives. He served as a Kansas Supreme
Court Justice from 1885 until his retirement in 1935. He was Chief Justice
after 1903. This collection consists of letters, scrapbooks and speeches
on a variety of topics including the death penalty, temperance, women's
rights and the practical uses of aviation.
Back to the top
L
EP
Lamborn Papers, 1913-1970
EP Lamborn spent much of his life dedicated to
collecting photographs, interviews and other information about outlaws,
criminals and lawmen. This collection is extensive and offers the researcher
firsthand accounts and descriptions of historical events and the people
who played them out. Names like the Wild Bunch, James Gang, Texas Rangers,
Wyatt Earp, the Dalton Gang, King Fisher, and Johnny Slaughter catch
the eye of the most casual researcher. From the Wild West to Gangster
Country, EP Lamborn gives us access to rare materials and insight into
this element of American Culture.
T.G.Larkin Letters,1862-1865
Sixteen letters written during T. G. Larkin's Civil War service in the 10th Illinois Cavalry. One letter (26 Mar. 1864) was to his father, James Read Larkin; the others were to his wife, Matilda Ann Larkin. The letters tell of his movements; sickness; conditions; fighting; duties; weather; matters at home; descriptions of the areas around his camps; fighting at Vicksburg, Miss.; company & regimental personnel & matters; concern over Matilda's condition; his impending trial; speculation on the War's end & re-enlistment; the poor condition of civilians in the South; finances; and his daily schedule.
Chester
I. Long Papers, 1890-1928
Long, an attorney and politician from Medicine Lodge,
Kansas, served as a member of Congress on the House Ways and Means committee.
He was later appointed U.S. Senator representing Kansas. Long was considered
an expert on tariff issues and was often consulted about railroad legislation.
This collection consists primarily of correspondence but includes scrapbooks.
Richard
M. Long Papers, 1919-1967
Richard Long was a newsman, published author, historian,
and humanitarian. Long worked as a reporter for the Wichita Eagle, eventually
becoming its managing editor. He was also on the staff of U.S. Senator
George McGill. This collection offers researchers insight into the issues
of the 1930's and how they affected Kansas. It includes correspondence
with past U.S. Presidents, Senators, and Kansas Governors. Long was
involved in the Friendship Train, a project that provided food, medicine
and clothing to post-war France and Italy. He was also instrumental
in the development of Cowtown as President of Historic Wichita, Inc.
Vivian Aten Long Papers, 1911-1968
This collection includes the letters, diaries, manuscripts, notes and published clippings of Vivian Aten Long. Her diary covers childhood and adulthood, covering her daily activities and thoughts on friends, loves, teaching, writing, and more. Also included is the diary of her father when he attended seminary.
Reverend John Lutz Papers, 1893-1908
John Lutz was educated in Ohio and moved to Kansas in 1882. He served as minister to Methodist congregations in Manhattan and Pottawatomie County before moving to Minnesota, where he continued to serve congregations in Fairfax and Stanton. In addition to his ministerial duties, Reverend Lutz wrote articles on a number of historical subjects for various periodicals, including the Kansas State Historical Society Collections and the Midland Monthly, for whom he wrote an article, published in June 1897, on the 1860 abolitionist raid on the Morgan Walker farm in Missouri. Lutz also researched the infamous 1846 Reed - Donner party, half of whom died on the overland trail to California. He located the grave of Sarah Keyes, who died en route along the banks of the Blue River in Kansas.
Back to the top
M
James C. Malin Papers, 1916-1973
Dr. James Malin Ph.D. was a professor of history at the University of Kansas from 1921-1963. He was
an historian, teacher and author. Malin wrote "John Brown and the Legend
of Fifty-six" and "The Grasslands of North America".
This collection contains his correspondence, research notes, autobiographical information and
materials dealing with his work as a writer.
James
Malone Papers, 1922-1926
During the early 1920's, Kansas Governor Henry J.
Allen began a movement to drive the Ku Klux Klan out of the state. James
Malone, a state legislator from Rawlins county, lawyer, and Catholic,
documented the clash between the Klan and Catholic Church and more specifically,
the Knights of Columbus. This collection is divided into two sections:
correspondence and newspaper clippings.
Rex
Maneval Papers, 1939-1974
A native Kansan, Rex Maneval was a successful
businessman. But his real passion was engineering. In his lifetime,
Maneval developed a helicopter (in 1939, the same year Igor Sikorsky
developed a similar craft). He designed a flying machine, a vertical-take-off
and landing craft, a high-speed passenger train and a jet-powered helicopter.
These papers include his drawings, clippings on aircraft and promotional
materials.
Margrave Family Papers1861-1961
The Margrave family, descended from the Sac and
Fox, owned land in southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas which they
used for cattle ranching. This collection consists of the papers relating
to the ranching business, including real estate papers, stock certificates
and account ledgers. There are also reproductions of fifty-two photographs.
Charles
I and Lou-Ida Martin Papers, 1892-1937
The Martin Papers consist primarily of correspondence
between the couple which began during the Spanish-American war. The
bulk of the letters were written while Charles Martin was in Europe
during World War I where he earned the rank of Brigadier General. When
he returned home to Fort Scott, Kansas, he resumed his position as Adjutant
General of Kansas and continued in that post until 1923. Lou-Ida Martin
is thought to have been the second woman in Kansas to have taken the
bar examination and been admitted to practice law in the state. She
was active in state and national politics. She served on the Republican
State Central Committee and was state president of the Coolidge Women's
Club of America. Lou-Ida Martin's greatest accomplishment may have been
when she was appointed the first female Assistant Attorney General in
Kansas in 1924.
Joseph
Gallio Masters Collection, 1900-1939
Joseph Masters was an author, educator and administrator
who had a keen interest in the "Old West". He sought to verify
historical events by visiting the actual sites and interviewing participants.
He wanted to do this while the participants were still living. Among
the topics in this collection are: Lewis and Clark, pony express, Little
Big Horn, Crazy Horse and Kit Carson. He wrote two books, Stories of
the Far West, and Shadows Fall Across the Little Horn.
Louis Clark Mathis Papers, 1917-ca. 1941
This collection consists of a World War I journal, scrapbook, and other items written or collected by
Louis Clark Mathis. Mathis was a telegrapher for the 408th Telegraphy Battalion. His journal discusses his experiences in France during WWI and covers
July 31, 1918 through February 22, 1919.
Isaac
McCoy Papers, 1808-1874
Isaac McCoy, a Baptist minister, surveyor, and author,
spent his adult life as a missionary among the Indians in what would
become Kansas. His work with the Indians caused McCoy to sense the need
of a permanent Indian country where tribes could be free from the "corrupting
influences attending association with the frontier people of that early
period." Consequently he was one of the first to suggest the removal
of Eastern tribes to the unoccupied areas of the West. The Indian Removal
Act was passed in 1828. The collection includes correspondence, his
autobiography, lectures, poetry, survey notes, maps and his journal,
dated 1814-1841.
John E. McCullough Papers, 1946-1947
The papers in this collection deal with a brief period (ca. 1946-1947) when 1st Lt. John E. McCullough
was appointed a defense counsel by the executive officer of the War Crimes Trials, Manila
(Philippines). The bulk of the materials deal with the appeals and petitions of two convicted Japanese
war criminals: Mariano Uyeki and Theodoro Cantos (Tatishi).
McEntire-Brooke
Family Papers, 1758-1982
The McEntire and Brooke families were joined in
Grantville, Kansas in 1908. This collection spans over two centuries
and includes bits of the histories of several families including the
McEntire, Brooke, Power, Taylor and Nash families. The earliest item
is a book dated 1758 belonging to Hezekiah Bissell, who was either studying
to be a sea captain or a navigator. Researchers will also find journals,
diaries, family history notebooks, correspondence, church records, business
records and account books. Not all of the collection is on microfilm.
Walter
McVey Papers, 1961-1963
A Republican congressman from Independence, Kansas,
McVey donated all of his Congressional papers to the Historical Society.
The majority of this collection is correspondence and can be broken
down into two categories: national and state/local issues. Among the
national issues of greatest concern to constituents during McVey's term
in Congress were communism, foreign aid, and prayer in public schools.
Local issues focused on agriculture, flood control, and the mining,
oil and coal industries.
Peter McVicar Papers, 1854-1918
This collection contains primarily the sermons, addresses and financial papers of Peter McVicar, who
became President of Washburn College (now University), and held the post for 25 years. There is also
correspondence between family members, Peter McVicar, his wife Martha Porter and their son Dana.
Jotham
Meeker Papers, 1825-1864
Jotham Meeker was a printer who became a missionary
and worked among the Potawatomi, Ottawa and Chippewa. He learned to
speak three Native American languages and developed a phonetic system
he used in writing and printing those languages. A hand-written pamphlet
describing this system is included in this collection. Researchers will
also find correspondence, Meeker's journal, dated 1832-1855, and a manuscript
by Noonday, an Ottawa chief describing some of the traditions and ceremonies
of the Ottawa.
Chester
Mize Papers, 1965-1970
The Mize collection contains constituent correspondence
from his term as a U. S. Congressman from Atchison representing Kansas.
Mize served on the House Banking and Currency committee, and a large
portion of the papers deal with business and economics. This five year
period was also a time when the country was focused on the Vietnam War,
and many letters were written expressing views on the war.
Lilla Day Monroe Collection of Pioneer Stories
Lilla Day Moore was born in Pulaski County, Indiana and came to Kansas in 1884. She settled in Wakeeney, Trego County, Kansas, at the end of the "frontier" era. She married Lee Monroe, an attorney in Wakeeney. In addition to raising four children, she pursued an interest in the law. She worked as a clerk in her husband's law office and studied law at home. She eventually passed the bar examination and was admitted to practice in the District Court on February 7 1894, and to the Kansas Supreme Court on May 7, 1895. Her family claimed she was the first female to have this distinction.
Back to the top
N
George Herman Nicholson Papers, 1883-1967
Nicholson worked for American Express from 1906-1948. He worked his way up in the company, and by
the time he retired was the general chairman of the Kansas and Oklahoma Board of Adjustment of the
Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. His papers include autobiographical and biographical material as
well as genealogical information, correspondence, and pocket diaries.
O
Raymond Elbert Olin, 1852-1935
This microfilm contains the Elbert Olin Raymond Autobiography in its entirety. The microfilm is a
copy of a typed transcript from the original handwritten books, now in the possession of
Raymond’s descendants. Raymond’s career as a minister spanned forty-three years, from
1879 to 1922. Researchers looking for supplemental information on Raymond should also see the article
entitled “Prairie Preacher,” by Robert S. Raymond, published in the autumn 1981 issue of
Kansas History (v. 4, no. 3) , pp. 191–210.
David Overmyer, Correspondence, Speeches and Article, and Biographical Essay, 1847-1907
Correspondence and speeches of David Overmyer as well as a biographical essay
with descriptive information about his scrapbooks & other records by his daughter Grace
Overmyer and a copy of a newspaper article about his 1906 campaign. Included in the correspondence
are letters from William Jennings Bryan, Benjamin Harrison, Nelson Appleton Miles, Mary Elizabeth
Lease, George Glick, William J. Stone, John Clark Ridpath, William Alexander Harris, and Jasper R.
Monroe.
P
Robert Calvin Parks, Parks Day Book, 1862-1863.
The Parks Day Book covers only five months, November 1862
through March 1863. Parks was Captain in Company B of the 1st Cherokee Regiment, organized in
1861 under the command of Cherokee leader Stand Watie. Stand Watie was the last Confederate
general to surrender to Union forces on June 23, 1865.
John
G. Pratt Papers, 1834-1899
Pratt was a Baptist missionary who served as an
Indian agent at several missions in what would become the state of Kansas
but spent the majority of his time with the Delaware tribe. He was a
printer, author and in his later years acted as an attorney representing
the Delaware. The records from several other missions were housed in
the Delaware agency and are included in this collection.
R
Anna Watson-Randolph Papers, 1701-1988
Anna Margaret (Watson) Randolph, was born into the Quaker family of John Hampton Watson and Mary (Lester) Watson in Germantown, Ohio in 1838. John Hampton Watson was a well educated man who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a medical degree in 1829. Two historical movements of the nineteenth century, combined with Watson’s tenacious zeal for abolitionism, worked together to inspire him to move his family westward to Kansas. One was the growing debate over slavery in America; the other was the growth of territories and states on America’s western frontier. With such a background as this, it is little wonder that John Watson’s children would be deeply involved in the social movements and political issues of the time. Anna Margaret (Watson) Randolph, whose papers make up the principal part of this collection, was not only an enthusiastic supporter of abolitionism, but also the temperance movement, suffrage for women, populism, and when war broke out in Europe in 1914, she was passionate in her appeal for American neutrality.
Samuel James Reader, 1853-1955
The diaries begin with volume two, 1 June 1853, and end with volume fifteen, 22 July 1913. The value of the diaries is found in Reader’s unstinting habit of writing every day. There were three topics Reader consistently noted: his weight, the health of his family, and the weather. Anyone trying to chart the weather, or examining the daily farm routine, or investigating everyday life during the Civil War crisis would want to examine the diary entries. They provide ample material from a nonelitist perspective of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They are also invaluable to the researcher of American military history because they provide a firsthand account of the border wars and of the Battle of Big Blue during the Civil War.
Holly Marks Reichart Papers, 1929-1972
Holly Marks (“Jack”) Reichart served with the 3118 Signal Service Battalion in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.
He was inducted into the military in December of 1943 and returned
to the United States in January of 1946. He was discharged the following month. Though this collection begins with civilian papers in 1929 and ends
in 1972, the largest part of these papers concerns his military service.
George
Remsburg Papers, 1891-1941
An author and journalist from Atchison, Kansas, George Remsburg was
fascinated with the history and archeological study of northeast Kansas
Indians and was recognized nationally as an authority. His articles
were published in numerous magazines and newspapers. His papers contain
correspondence focusing on this subject including the location of Indian
camps, grave sites, lifestyles, origins and the history of several tribes,
but Remsburg was especially knowledgeable about the Kickapoo.
Donald
Rinsley Papers, 1928-1989
Donald Rinsley's professional vita is extensive
and distinguished. Having worked for numerous institutions, he settled
in Topeka, Kansas working for the Menninger Clinic and the Topeka State
Hospital. During his time as Assistant Chief of the Adolescent Unit
in the Children's Division at Topeka State Hospital, Rinsley developed
an innovative treatment program for severely disturbed teens. The collection
includes personal papers (artwork he drew, theses he wrote) as well
as articles and papers on psychiatry. Researchers interested in additional
information on Rinsley's professional works should consult the Menninger
Archives.
John W. Ripley Papers, 1917-1990
The collection consists of manuscripts of notes, lists, correspondence and miscellaneous
material John W. Ripley used in preparing articles for a variety of periodicals and for presentations
regarding the history of song slides during the first two decades of the 20th century. Additionally, the
collection contains a significant amount of material on the Reverend Charles Sheldon of Topeka, author of
the best - selling novel In His Steps, specifically focusing on Rev. Sheldon’s week - long
editorship of the Topeka Daily Capital beginning March 13, 1900, an edition that was an
experiment in journalism.
The Private Papers of Charles and Sara T. D. Robinson, 1834-1911
Both Charles and Sara Robinson were actively involved in the transformation of Kansas from
territory to statehood: Charles, who was the state's first governor, and Sara, who wrote
Kansas, It's Interior and Exterior Life, an account of the early history of Kansas. Included in this
collection are her notes for the 2nd edition of the book and her personal recollections of Quantrill's
raid on Lawrence. Several of Charles Robinson's speeches can be found here as well as a number of
his compositions.
William Lundy Roche Collection, 1873-1976
Although the collection is named for William Lundy, the bulk of the material deals with the
Williamson and Clarke families of Washington County, Kansas. There is genealogical information,
correspondence, newspaper clippings and other miscellaneous materials.
George and Helen Rood Family Papers, 1879-1882
The collection contains Rood family correspondence, Rood family photographs (annotated photocopies), programs, invitations, and event announcements. The bulk of the collection consists of letters, 1879-1882, exchanged between George H. Rood (born George Washington Rood) of Peabody, Kan., and his wife, Helen Mars (Thomas) Rood, then living in Lapeer, Mich.
George
A. Root Papers, 1724-1949
George Root was a Kansas newspaperman, an historian
and Curator of Archives for the Kansas State Historical Society from
1891 until 1947. This collection includes correspondence, diaries, research
notes, chronologies and newspaper clippings. Some of the material is
personal, but the majority of the collection is the result of nearly
six decades at the Kansas State Historical Society. This collection
is an excellent resource for researchers interested in the history of
Kansas, Shawnee County, and Topeka.
Edmund G. Ross Collection, 1856-1907
Ross, a newspaperman and delegate to the Wyandotte Constitutional Convention, served with
Company E of the 11th Kansas Cavalry during the Civil War. Afterwards, he was appointed to the
United States Senate. He is perhaps best remembered as the man who cast the deciding vote against
the impeachment of President Andrew Jackson.
Back to the top
S
John Pierce St. John
John Pierce St. John (1833-1916), represented the Ninth District in the Kansas State Senate from 1872 to 1874. After declining the Prohibition Party’s nomination for governor of Kansas in 1876, he accepted the Republican Party’s nomination in 1878. He served two terms as governor of Kansas from 1879 to 1883. St. John then reluctantly accepted the Prohibition Party’s nomination for president of the United States in the 1884 election. St. John garnered more votes than any previous Prohibition Party candidate and won the State of New York, yet did not win the election.
T T. R. Theodore Schellenberg Papers, 1875-1969
At the time of his retirement in 1969, Theodore R. Schellenberg was the Assistant Archivist of the United States. Revered in his profession, the Fulbright lecturer served on numerous boards and committees, acted as a consultant, and spoke before audiences around the globe, eventually gaining him international recognition in his field.
George
W. Scott Papers, 1889-1899
An adventurous young man, it is said George Scott
arrived in Edgerton, Kansas, with his horse, saddle, a few clothes and
twenty-five cents. Scott was a businessman opening two lumberyards in
Edgerton and Gardner. He had interests in mining, smelting and owned
several properties including a ranch. His papers consist of business
correspondence, for the most part, and offer insight into how business
was conducted in the latter part of the 19th century.
Charles
Monroe Sheldon/Central Congregational Church Collection, 1811-1984
Charles Sheldon became the pastor of the Central
Congregational Church in Topeka in 1889. He authored In
His Steps in 1897 and it became an international bestseller.
This collection contains materials from Sheldon's trips to Europe, correspondence,
original copies of his sermons, sermon-stories and other writings. It
also includes the papers of Mary Merriam Sheldon and several plays she
wrote as well as the papers of the Central Congregational Church. Only
some of the sermons are on microfilm.
Clarice
A. Snoddy Papers, 1893-1973
Born in 1878, Kansas native Clarice Snoddy was a
career educator. She taught in Indian schools in South Dakota, Idaho,
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and Lawrence, Kansas. In 1921 she accepted a
job in the Topeka school district and spent the next 22 years teaching
there. This collection contains her personal correspondence. Snoddy
was, on occasion, asked to make presentations on her experiences during
her 50 year teaching career. The collection includes these papers.
Henry
T. Stephens Papers, 1861-1952
These papers cover three generations of the Stephens
family of Topeka, Kansas starting with Thomas Stephens, who fought with
the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. There is family correspondence,
business correspondence, genealogical correspondence and notes, information
about deaths, funerals, deeds and other documents.
Robert S. Stevens Papers, 1856-1875
The Robert Wadleigh Smith Stevens collection covers the years between 1856 and 1875. The more than 1,800 documents are mainly of a business nature. There is a sprinkling of personal correspondence, some letters relating to Stevens peripherally and several newspaper articles which are relative to Stevens’s life and work. The collection pertains almost exclusively to his work and association with Kansas, first as an attorney - land agent in Lecompton, later as general manager of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company.
Drs
C. L. and Pauline V. Stocks Papers, 1902-1943
Dr. Chester L. Stock and his daughter Dr. Pauline
Stock had private practices in Bushong, Kansas. This collection consists
of personal and business correspondence, medical and financial records
and prescription cards. Researchers might find the records of pregnancies
and births helpful.
Glenn
Stockwell Papers 1944-1958
Stockwell was an opponent of the construction of
Tuttle Creek dam in northeast Kansas. A lifelong resident of the Blue
River Valley, he was president of the Blue Valley Study Association
and the Blue Rivers Watershed Association. He fought for flood control
through smaller dams upriver. Flood control was a big issue in Kansas
during this period, especially after the 1951 flood. This collection
includes correspondence, speeches and reports.
Fred
Stone Papers, 1890-1938
Fred Stone ran away and joined the circus at the
age of 11. That was the beginning of a long career in the entertainment
world. He earned respect and an excellent reputation in a variety of
entertainment arenas: circus, vaudeville, Broadway, and film. The book
included in this collection, From Sawdust to Stardust was written by
his daughter Dorothy Stone Collins, one of three daughters who followed
their father into show business.
Clif
Stratton Papers, 1892-1950
A journalist and columnist, Clif Stratton was especially
interested in agriculture. After working for newspapers in Kansas City
and Topeka, he eventually became a Washington correspondent for several
farm publications. His papers contain extensive correspondence with
Arthur Capper when Capper was a U. S. Senator. Much of this correspondence
relates to the Works Progress Administration or WPA and that program's
activities in Kansas.
Howard
Supple Papers, 1917-1919
This collection chronicles Supple's experience serving
with Company "C", 137th Regiment, 35th Division, during World
War I. It includes letters he wrote to his family in Osage county Kansas,
postcards of places he visited in France, an Army Song Book and newspaper
clippings. He also wrote a biographical sketch and a short history of
Company "C", 137th Regiment, 35th Division, both of which
are included in his papers.
Oscar
K. Swayze Papers, 1856-1877
Swayze was a printer, editor and salesman who served
as Shawnee County Clerk from 1912-1917. He was involved in a number
of political and civic organizations in Topeka, Kansas. His papers include
personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches and two drafts
of an interview with George Root, Curator of Archives of the Kansas
State Historical Society from 1891-1947. There are also some personal
papers of Jason Clark Swayze, Oscar's father, dating from 1856 to 1877.
Back to the top
T
Robert
Taft Collection, 1918-1955
Robert Taft served as a Professor of Chemistry
at the University of Kansas 1925 until his death in 1955, but his love
of art and photography is of equal interest. This collection has material
on frontier artists and photographers. Taft authored several books including
"Photography and the American Scene" and Artists and Photographers
of the Old West. Taft, a former President of the Kansas State Historical
Society was also the President of the Kansas Academy of Science and
chairman of the Kansas Territorial Centennial Committee.
Neil Baird Thompson Papers, 1862-1977
This collection contains primarily the papers of Neil Baird Thompson (1921-1977) including, but not
limited to a map of Mitchell County, Kansas, audio tape reels, photographs, as well as several other
items that have been placed in oversized folders or have been photocopied for their safety, and
stored in other sections within the Kansas State Historical Society.
Myron
Clarke Tubbs Collection, 1902-1911
Tubbs was a businessman who owned a grain mill,
lumber mill, and served as a bank vice-president in Kinsley, Kansas.
He was also a delegate to the Kansas Republican State Convention in
1906 and there is some correspondence from people expressing concern
on various issues of the day.
Back to the top
W
Eugene
Fitch Ware Papers, 1895-1939
Eugene Fitch Ware enlisted with the 1st Iowa Volunteer
Infantry at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861. He re-enlisted with
the 4th and later with the 7th serving there until the end of the war.
He spent the remainder of his 5 years with the military in Sioux country.
After a brief stint in journalism in Fort Scott, Kansas, Ware passed
the bar and practiced law until his retirement to his Cherokee county
ranch at age 70. He served as a state Senator for three terms and was
a published author and poet. This collection contains correspondence,
newspaper clippings, diaries and court cases.
George
Avery Washburn collection, 1893-1919
At the age of 28, George Avery Washburn signed
up with Company C, 314 Signal Battalion, 89th Division of the United
States Army. He was stationed in France during World War I. This collection
contains correspondence between Washburn and Ruth Carver Kingman, whom
he would marry in 1920. The letters don't mention the movements and
battles involved, but do describe Washburn's daily life in the army.
There is also some correspondence between Ruth Kingman and her parents.
Perry Weston Correspondence Relating to Waconda Sanitarium
Family letters & written postcards, an advertisement, and a New Year’s greeting card relating to Perry Weston’s and parents’ stays at the Waconda Sanitarium, Waconda Springs, Kan., also known as Waconda Health Resort and Waconda Health Springs. The letters were sent by Perry and his parents to family members at home or Perry’s girlfriend and wife, Daphne Cook (Weston).
Mamie
Luella Williams Papers, 1930-1979
She received attention from the TV special "75
Years on Quincy Street" and as a delegate to the 1971 White House
Conference on Aging, but Mamie Luella Williams was first and foremost
an educator. She started her teaching career in Mississippi but moved
to Topeka in 1918. Williams spent the next 42 years in the Topeka school
district, first as a classroom teacher and later as an administrator.
This collection includes memorabilia from her 1956 tour around the world,
educational notes and outlines from Columbia University, correspondence
and reminiscences about her experiences as an educator.
Paul
E. Wilson Papers, 1951-1975
Wilson represented the Kansas Attorney General's
office in the Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education case before the
Supreme Court, but there is little in this collection about his involvement
in that celebrated case. This collection contains personal and professional
correspondence and newspaper clippings. Most of the papers involve Wilson's
work with the Kansas Judicial Council and the Legal Services for Prisoners
program, in which graduate students at Washburn University in Topeka
(where Wilson began teaching in 1957) worked with prisoners on legal
matters. He also taught law at the University of Kansas law school.
Henry Worrall Collection, 1853-1902
Worrall, a musician, composer, and artist was born in Liverpool, England. He moved to the United
States with his family in 1835, living in Cincinnati, Ohio and eventually settling in Topeka, Kansas.
Here researchers will find sheet music, manuscript music, a music instruction book, and miscellaneous clippings and programs
related to his music career. The collection includes published and unpublished copies of original
compositions and arrangements for solo acoustic guitar.
Ross and Margaret Wulfkuhle, 1915-2004
Scrapbooks and World War II letters highlighting the life & activities of Ross Wulfkuhle and his military service kept by his fiancée and wife, Margaret Colman Wulfkuhle. Included are photos, clippings, humor, documents, letters, articles & other publications, drawings, interviews, mementos, and other items relating to Ross’s childhood and involvement in many activities & organizations in Douglas County. The World War II scrapbook and letters discuss training, guard duty, working & living conditions, food, duties, gifts, boredom, weather, and recreation at his duty stations.
Back to the top |
