Abstract of census returns
Creator: Undersigned Citizens of Kansas Territory, John Stroup (first signature),
Date: 1859
This 1859 abstract of census returns shows information at the township level for most Kansas counties. Some counties are listed without data. The census lists the number of voters in three different ways--the number of votes cast June 7, 1859; number of voters on June 7, 1859 who were under 6 month provision; and number of voters under 3 month provision. It also lists the number of inhabitants. The election on June 7, 1859, was to elect delegates to the Wyandotte constitutional convention.

A century restored, Columbian Theater, Wamego, Kansas
Date: 1990s
This video describes the history and importance of the Chicago World's Fair, otherwise known as the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, and banker and entrepreneur J. C. Rogers' efforts to preserve art and artifacts from the fair. Rogers lived in Wamego, Kansas, and purchased architectural artifacts and art created for the fair and brought them back to Wamego to decorate a new music hall and theater he built there. The film recounts the history of the theater, its closing and eventual restoration and the restoration of numerous paintings from the fair. This publication funded in part by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission through the Kansas State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Achille Philippe DeDonder
Date: Between 1951 and 1959
This is a photo of Achille Philippe DeDonder. He was a pharmacist in St. Marys for many years. He never married.

A Crooked Knife from Blue Earth Village, 14PO24
Date: 1795-1830 CE
This crooked knife was recovered from the Blue Earth village site and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1880. Blue Earth village was a Kansa Indian village in Pottawatomie County. Many lodge depressions were still visible on the surface in the 1880s. Archeologists think these "crooked knives" were traded to the Kansa already in their unique shape. They were likely used for woodworking, such as in the manufacturing of bowls or spoons. Three nail holes indicate that the crooked knife once had a handle.

Address to the Voters of Kansas
Creator: Pomeroy, S. C. (Samuel Clarke), 1816-1891
Date: September 25, 1867
The numerous authors of this pamphlet (Republicans) support the constitutional amendments to approve voting rights for blacks, for women, and to restrict voting rights to "loyal persons." They offer arguments for their position as well as criticizing the Democratic Party in Kansas for their opposition to these amendments. Forty five men signed the document, which was the result of a meeting in Lawrence. The following signed the document S. C. Pomeroy, Atchison; E. G. Ross, Lawrence; S. J. Crawford, Topeka; N. Green, Manhattan; Chas. Robinson, Lawrence; Geo T. Anthony, Leavenworth; Lewis Bodwell, Topeka; R. B. Taylor, editor Wyandotte Gazette; J. P. Root, Whandotte; James Rogers, Burlingame; S. Weaver, Editor Lecompton New Era; L. R. Elliott, Editor Atchison Daily Free Press; W. A. Starrett, Lawrence; Wm. Larimer, Jr., Leavenworth; John Ritchie, Topeka; John Ekin, Topeka; Sol. Miller, Editor White Cloud Chief; A. H. Foote, Lawrence; C. B. Lines, Wabaunsee; R. G. Elliott, Jefferson county; G. A. Crawford, Bourbon county; John Speer, Kansas Tribune; A. Low, Doniphan; R. W. Jenkins, Pottawatomie county; Ed. Russell, Leavenworth; J. H. Pillsbury, Editor Manhattan Independent; S. D. Houston, Manhattan; W. K. Marshall, Atchison; F. G. Adams, Kennekuk; P. L. Hubbard, Atchison; A. Hunting, Manhattan; J. B. Abbott, De Soto; Joseph Denison, Manhattan; T. H. Baker, Manhattan, H. W. Farnsworth, Topeka; I. H. Smith, Topeka; D. R. Anthony, Leavenworth; G. W. Higginbotham, Manhattan; John Pipher, Manhattan, R. L. Harford, Manhattan; Jas. Humphrey, Manhattan; Wm McKay, Manhattan; R. P. Duvall, Manhattan; Pardee Butler, Pardee; and L. F. Green, Baldwin City. Only the language restricting voting to "loyal" persons was passed in the election on November 5, 1867. Blacks and women were not given voting rights as a result of the 1867 election.

Adze from Blue Earth Village, 14PO24
Date: 1795-1830 CE
This adze was used for cutting and shaping wood. It was collected from Blue Earth village and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1880. Blue Earth village was a Kansa Indian village in Pottawatomie County. Many lodge depressions were still visible on the surface in the 1880s.

Alex Sterret to Governor John St. John
Creator: Sterrett, Alex
Date: July 12, 1880
Alex Sterret asks Kansas Governor St John a question regarding former Kansas Governor Charles Robinson's possible involvement in drafting and approving the prohibition amendment bill.

Andrew Turner and George Fullenn, prisoners 9325 and 9451
Creator: Kansas State Penitentiary
Date: February 15, 1901
This photograph of inmates, Andrew Turner, prisoner #9325 and George Fullenn, prisoner #9451. Andrew Turner was received at the Kansas State Penitentiary on April 18, 1900 from Pottawatomie County, Kansas for murder. Varient spellings of George Fullenn's surname includes Fullem.

A new home in an old settlement
Date: May 1, 1876
This paper advertises for sale land formerly owned by the Pottawatomie Nation from 1837 to 1868, and then owned by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail Road Company. On the reverse side of the paper is a sectional map showing the area and identifying those lands that were still for sale by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad company. The text gives brief descriptions of the cities and towns in the area; the railroads available; fuel and lumber that are native to the area; descriptions and prices of the lands.

A new home in an old settlement
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1878?
A large poster distributed by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad to encourage land settlement in the Pottawattomie Reserve in eastern Kansas. Included on the poster is a full page map of the Pottawattomie Reserve on one side and four pictures of the land on the other. The poster/brochure was encouraging farming and settlement in this area because of ready access via the railroad to all markets east of Topeka. Included are brief descriptions of Topeka, Wamego, St. Mary's, Alma and other small towns. Prices and ways to purchase the land are detailed.

A new home in an old settlement!
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 1, 1880
A large brochure distributed by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad to encourage land settlement in the Pottawattomie Reserve in eastern Kansas. Included in the brochure are a large map of the Reserve on one side and seven small photographs on the reverse side. There is also a brief description of the cities of Topeka, Alma, Louisville, St. Mary's, Wamego and Kingsville plus details on how the land might be purchased.

A New Home in an Old Settlement: Come and see the "New Land in an Old Country"
Date: May 1, 1876
This paper advertises for sale land, formerly owned by the Pottawatomie Nation, from 1837 to 1868, and then purchased by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail Road Company. On the reverse side of the paper is a sectional map showing the area and identifying those lands that were still for sale by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Company. The text gives brief descriptions of the cities and towns in the area; the railroads available; fuel and lumber that are native to the area; and, descriptions and prices of the land.

Arrow Points from the Ryan/Disney Site, 14PO601
Date: 1000-1500 CE
These six arrow points were all recovered from the Ryan/Disney site and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1925. 14PO601 is a Middle Ceramic period site in Pottawatomie County. All of the arrow points were made on Permian cherts. The three on the top row are side-notched while the three on the bottom row are corner-notched.

Artifact Collection from Rock Creek in Pottawatomie County
Date: Unknown
These 16 lithic artifacts were donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 1964, sadly, with no further provenience than that they were collected in the 1930s from a site west of Louisville, Kansas, along Rock Creek. The collection includes hide scrapers, knives, and corner notched dart points. Two of the dart points were reworked into another tool, perhaps after breaking. Several of the artifacts show a pink color, an indication they were heat treated prior to their completion in order to make it easier to knap.

Austin Senators baseball team
Creator: Jensen
Date: 1912
This photographic composite features members of the 1911 Austin Senators baseball team, winners of the Texas League pennant. The composite itself carries a date of 1912. However, the team won the pennant in 1911, not 1912, and several of the individuals pictured were on the championship team but not the 1912 team. Two Kansans are among the players shown in the composite. Dale Gear was a player and manager for the 1911 Austin Senators. A native of Lone Elm, Kansas, Gear was a pitcher and outfielder for several minor league teams and two major league teams--the Cleveland Spiders and the Washington Senators. He also managed several minor league teams, including franchises in Topeka and Kansas City, Missouri. Gear was a long-time resident of Topeka, where he was prominent in both baseball and business circles. He served as the president of three minor leagues; later in life he was a member of the Shawnee County Commission. Dale Gear died in 1951 at the age of 79. Also pictured is Wiley Taylor, a right-handed pitcher from Louisville, Kansas. He was one of the Austin Senators' two best pitchers in 1911, earning a 22-14 record. In his three seasons with the Austin club (1911-13), his cumulative record was 51-47. Taylor pitched in 27 major league games between 1911 and 1914, including three games each with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, and the remainder with the St. Louis Browns. His major league record was 2-10, with an ERA of 4.10. In the minor leagues, Wiley Taylor played not only for Austin, but also for teams in Ellsworth (KS), Louisville (KY), Lincoln (NE), Jersey City, Nashville, Salina, and Topeka. After his baseball career, Taylor remained in Pottawatomie County, where he farmed and served four terms as the county sheriff (1925-28 and 1945-48). Late in life, he also ran a service station and recreation parlor in Westmoreland. Wiley Taylor died in 1954 at the age of 65.

Baby Santa Claus outfit
Creator: J.C. Penney
Date: between 1960 and 1965
Joan Ledeboer arrived just in time for Christmas, on December 3,1963, in Belvue, Kansas. Her aunt and uncle, Mary and David Prickett, bought this infant's Santa Claus ensemble for Joan's first holiday. Mary had purchased it from J.C. Penney, a major retailer that issued its first catalog that very same year.

Band, Havensville, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
View of the members of an unidentified band in Havensville, Kansas.

Band members in Westmoreland, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1920
Members of the band from Westmoreland, Kansas are pictured in this photo postcard from the 1910s. The only person identified in the photo is William Bert Hart, who is standing on the far left, holding the snare drum and dressed in a baseball uniform. Bert Hart was a well-known semi-professional baseball player in northern Kansas during the 1910s and early 1920s. Both a pitcher and infielder, Hart played not only for the Westmoreland town team, but also for semi-pro teams in Green, Clay Center, and Beloit. In 1920, with Hart as its regular shortstop and occasional pitcher, the Beloit Leaguers salaried team claimed the "independent state championship of Kansas." Hart spent most of his work career employed at the post office in Westmoreland; he and his wife Margaret also operated a hotel and restaurant there for several years during the 1940s.

Band, Onaga, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
A view of a band leading a parade in Onaga, Kansas. Also visible are spectators, men on horseback, an automobile, parade floats drawn by teams of men, horse-drawn carriages, a water tower, utility poles and power lines, and buildings and businesses, many with awnings, along the city street.

Bandstand, Westmoreland, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1939
View of a speaker and a seated audience at the bandstand in back of the Pottawatomie County Courthouse in Westmoreland, Kansas. Also visible are buildings, one of which may be a business, and an automobile.

Bank president is removed for unloyal conduct
Creator: Topeka Capital
Date: June 5, 1918
This article, published in the June 5, 1918, edition of the Topeka Capital, details the removal of Wamego State Bank president and director Loius B. Leach due to "slackerism." Specifically, Leach refused to buy Liberty Loans, would not donate to the Red Cross, and encouraged his son-in-law to evade the draft. In adddition to his removal, Leach was the target of mobs who painted his vehicle yellow and demanded that he fly the America flag.

Baseball game in progress
Date: 1911
This photo postcard from 1911 features a baseball game in progress, probably in or near Westmoreland, Kansas. The pitcher is thought to be William Bert Hart, who was a well-known semi-professional player in northern Kansas during the 1910s and early 1920s. Both a pitcher and infielder, Bert Hart played not only for the Westmoreland town team, but also for semi-pro teams in Green, Clay Center, and Beloit. In 1920, with Hart as its regular shortstop and occasional pitcher, the Beloit Leaguers salaried team claimed the "independent state championship of Kansas." The postcard is addressed to Hart, who was visiting a relative in Manchester at the time it was sent. The "Wiley" referenced in the message probably was Wiley Taylor from Louisville, Kansas. Taylor was a professional baseball player who pitched for Austin during the 1911 season, and who made his major league debut for Detroit later that fall.

Baseball team from Green, Kansas
Date: 1915
The Green, Kansas baseball team is shown in this photograph from 1915. That year, Green competed in the Clay County League, which also included teams from Wakefield, Leonardville, Oak Hill, Industry, and Clay Center. The only player identified in the photo is William Bert Hart, of Westmoreland, who is standing fourth from the right. Bert Hart was a well-known semi-professional baseball player in northern Kansas during the 1910s and early 1920s. Both a pitcher and infielder, Hart played several seasons for Green during this time period. He also played for semi-pro teams in Clay Center and Beloit, as well as the Westmoreland town team. In 1920, with Hart as its regular shortstop and occasional pitcher, the Beloit Leaguers salaried team claimed the "independent state championship of Kansas." Bert Hart spent most of his work career employed at the post office in Westmoreland; he and his wife Margaret also operated a hotel and restaurant there for several years during the 1940s.

Baseball team from Green, Kansas
Date: 1916
The 1916 Green, Kansas baseball team is shown in this photo, which is a trimmed portion of a postcard. Partial identities of the players are inscribed on the photo, but the only one whose full identity is known is William Bert Hart, of Westmoreland. Hart is seated in the front, second from the right. Bert Hart was a well-known semi-professional baseball player in northern Kansas during the 1910s and early 1920s. Both a pitcher and infielder, Hart played several seasons for Green during this time period. He also played for semi-pro teams in Clay Center and Beloit, as well as the Westmoreland town team. In 1920, with Hart as its regular shortstop and occasional pitcher, the Beloit Leaguers salaried team claimed the "independent state championship of Kansas." Hart spent most of his work career employed at the post office in Westmoreland; he and his wife Margaret also operated a hotel and restaurant there for several years during the 1940s.

Baseball team in Austin, Texas
Date: 1913
This photograph shows the 1913 Austin Senators baseball team of the Texas League. Standing second from the left in the top row is Wiley Taylor, a right-handed pitcher from Louisville, Kansas. Taylor played three seasons in Austin, where he compiled a 51-47 record for the Senators, including a 22-14 season in 1911 as he helped the team secure the Texas League pennant. He also pitched in the majors. He had trial outings with the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox, but most of his major league games (21 of 27) were with the St. Louis Browns, where he played in 1913-14. Taylor's major league record was 2-10, with an ERA of 4.10. After his baseball career, he remained in Pottawatomie County, where he farmed and served four terms as the county sheriff (1925-28 and 1945-48). Late in life, he also ran a service station and recreation parlor in Westmoreland. Wiley Taylor died at the age of 65 in 1954. A complete listing of the Senators pictured in the photograph includes: (top row, standing, l to r): Tulane McCuller (p); Wiley Taylor (p); Mike Flanagan (p); Bert Larsen (p); Harold Thomson (2b); Otto McIvor (cf); Fred Brainard (if); and Luther "Doc" Cook (rf). Seated in the front are (l to r): Ben Brownlow (ss); Chester Bobo (c); Eddie Hohnhorst (1b); Leon Lewis (p); William Hille (3b); Harry Haigh (c); and Bert James (lf).