8,000 students affected, state officials see no trouble adjusting schools to new rule
Creator: Topeka Journal
Date: May 17, 1954
This article discusses how the state of Kansas will work to conform to the ruling made in the Brown v. Board of Education decision on May 17, 1954. The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that the segregation of schools based on race was unconstitutional. Many cities in Kansas, including Topeka, Atchison, Salina, Wichita, and Pittsburg were already working to integrate their schools. Topeka had an estimated 625 African American students who would be affected by the court's ruling, and the article lists the numbers for other cities and towns in the state.

A.B. Campbell to Governor John Martin
Creator: Campbell, A. B.
Date: April 9, 1886
Adjutant General Colonel A. B. Campbell of Parsons, Kansas, writes Kansas Governor John Martin of Topeka. He informs the governor that citizens are putting together a force of fifty special police to respond to striking railroad workers. Railroad employees at Parsons were striking and the governor granted permission to provide citizens with arms to keep the peace.

A.B. Campbell to Governor John Martin
Creator: Campbell, A. B.
Date: April 1, 1886
A.B. Campbell, Kansas Adjutant General, of Parsons, telegrams Kansas Governor John Martin, of Topeka, stating that another railroad engine has been killed and that he is leaving to investigate. This is in response to the local authority's request for National Guard troops during the railroad strike in the three state area.

A.B. Campbell to Governor John Martin
Creator: Campbell, A. B.
Date: April 4, 1886
The Kansas adjutant general at Parsons sends a telegram to Governor John Martin of Topeka asking the governor for permission to furnish the mayor of Parsons with one hundred guns to preserve peace in the city. A strike of railroad workers on the Missouri Pacific Railroad at Parsons led company and city officials to ask the governor to arm citizens and for call out the militia.

Adolph Fontroy and William Gentry, prisoners 9303 and 9498
Creator: Kansas State Penitentiary
Date: January 25, 1901
This photograph shows inmates, Adolph Fantroy, prisoner #9303 and William Gentry, prisoner #9498. Variations of spelling for Adolph Fantroy includes Fontroy. William Gentry was received at Kansas State Penitentiary on October 25, 1900 from Labette County, Kansas for prostitution.

A. E. Gillett to Governor Henry J. Allen
Creator: Gillett, A.E.
Date: December 19, 1919
In this letter, Mayor A. E. Gillett of Bartlett, Kansas, writes to Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen, of Topeka, asking his assistance in getting a car load of coal for the schools. Following a series of coal strikes in southeast Kansas, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state securing and operating the coal mines for a period of time. Coal operations were delayed following seizure of the minefields. Volunteers were called in to complete mine operations after miners refused to return to work. The court appointed "receivers" to oversee all coal deliveries and payments during this period.

Alexander R. Bell, World War I soldier
Creator: Bell, Alexander R.
Date: 1918-1919
Around 1919, the Kansas State Historical Society and the American Legion solicited biographical information from returning veterans (primarily members of the 35th and 89th infantry divisions) and the families of those who died in service, notably from the Gold Star Mothers. Each veteran or family member was asked to provide letters, photographs, a biography, and military records. This file contains information on Alexander R. Bell, Company A, 110th Engineers, 35th Division.

Alfred Baker Carpenter, World War I soldier
Date: 1918-1919
Around 1919, the Kansas State Historical Society and the American Legion solicited biographical information from returning veterans (primarily members of the 35th and 89th infantry divisions) and the families of those who died in service, notably from the Gold Star Mothers. Each veteran or family member was asked to provide letters, photographs, a biography, and military records. This file contains information on Alfred Baker Carpenter, Headquarters Company, 75th Coast Artillery. Carpenter died from influenza on October 15, 1918, in Brest, France. Carpenter was born in Oswego, Kansas, on March 7, 1893. He grew up there and returned to Oswego after graduating from Highland Park College, Des Moines, Iowa, with a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering.

An appeal for help in behalf of the colored refugees in Kansas
Creator: Rust, Horatio Nelson, 1828-1906
Date: January 22, 1881
This flyer, distributed by the Southern Refugee Relief Association of Chicago, Illinois, describes the dire situation of the African-American refugees relocated in Kansas. The secretary of this association, Horatio N. Rust, had taken this opportunity to pass along information relayed to him by Elizabeth Comstock, an aid worker in Topeka. Comstock was thankful for the donations of food and other goods, but asked for more assistance in feeding, clothing, and sheltering these refugees. The flyer also includes short excerpts of letters by agents of the refugee association who had direct knowledge of the emigrants' situation.

A.O. Brown to Governor John Martin
Creator: Brown, A. O.
Date: March 30, 1886
A.O. Brown, mayor of Parsons, Kansas, telegrams Kansas Governor john Martin, of Topeka, requesting immediate help from the "troops" over a labor dispute. Strikers had driven a freight train off the tracks near Parsons. In February 1885, railroad shop workers walked off the job because of a cut in pay and reduced hours of work. Governor Martin was able to negotiate a settlement to the strike but problems continued throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.

Art Work on Eastern Kansas
Creator: Western Photogravure Company
Date: 1900
This pictorial book gives a brief overview of eastern Kansas. This is part ten of twelve. Views of the Melan Arch Bridge in Topeka, Plymouth Congregational Church in Lawrence, Independence High School, and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad depot in Parsons are some of the featured photographs.

Art Work on Eastern Kansas
Creator: Western Photogravure Company
Date: 1900
This pictorial book gives a brief overview of eastern Kansas. This is part twelve of twelve. Views of the Cottonwood River dam in Emporia, Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan, Haskell Institute in Lawrence, the rail yards in Atchison, and the Bourbon County courthouse in Fort Scott are some of the featured photographs.

Art Work on Eastern Kansas
Creator: Western Photogravure Company
Date: 1900
This pictorial book gives a brief overview of eastern Kansas. This is part one of twelve. Views from Calhoun Bluff near Topeka, Argentine from the Kaw River, Fraser Hall at the University of Kansas, Labette Creek in Parsons, and Fort Leavenworth are some of the featured photographs.

Art Work on Eastern Kansas
Creator: Western Photogravure Company
Date: 1900
This pictorial book gives a brief overview of eastern Kansas. This is part nine of twelve. Views of Manhattan from Mount Prospect, the Jane C. Stormont Hospital and Christ's Hospital in Topeka, and Fort Scott National Cemetery are some of the featured photographs.

Art Work on Eastern Kansas
Creator: Western Photogravure Company
Date: 1900
This pictorial book gives a brief overview of eastern Kansas. This is part eight of twelve. Views from Burnett's Mound in Topeka, the Republican River in Junction City, and the Goodlander hotel in Fort Scott are some of the featured photographs.

Atlas and plat book of Labette County, Kansas
Creator: Kenyon Company (Des Moines, Iowa)
Date: c1916
This atlas contains an outline map of the county, plats of all townships with owners' names, cities and towns, advertisments for local businesses, and a Kansas state map showing automobile roads.

Await a Parsons Boom
Creator: Kansas City Times
Date: July 01, 1941
This article, from the Kansas City Times, details the often significant economic impact associated with the building of military or defense related facilities. In Parsons, Kansas, the most obvious impact of the decision to build a artillery munitions plant was on the area around Parsons where more than 300 homes were built to house the men and women who worked at the plant.

Bender family house
Creator: Tresslar Brothers
Date: 1873
This is a stereographic photo of the Bender house in Labette County, Kansas. The "Bloody Benders" as the family would later be known, killed at least eleven people and buried them in the surrounding yard. A massive manhunt for them stretched over several states but the Benders were never caught.

Bender family house, Labette County, Kansas
Creator: Gamble, G. R.
Date: 1872
This is a photograph showing people on the north or front side of the Bender house. The Bender family operated a remote road house on a farm near Cherryvale, Kansas. When several travelers disappeared, local residents became suspicious of the Benders. A search of the property revealed eleven bodies buried in the yard and all of them died of injuries consistent with blows to the head. The Bender family members escaped and were never found.

Bender farm
Creator: Gamble, G. R.
Date: 1873
This photograph shows the graves found behind the Bender farm, Labette County, Kansas. The Bender family operated a remote road house on a farm near Cherryvale, Kansas. When several travelers disappeared, local residents became suspicious of the Benders. A search of the property revealed eleven bodies buried in the yard and all of them died of injuries consistent with blows to the head. The Bender family members escaped and were never found.

Bender murder graves, Labette County, Kansas
Creator: Ploetz, Julius
Date: May 9, 1873
A photograph showing a large group of men looking at the graves of those murdered by the Bender family, Labette County, Kansas.

Bill to License Stationary Engineers
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1915-1919: Capper)
Date: February 11, 1915
This file includes a letter and an act by the Kansas State Association of the National Association of Stationary Engineers; the focus of the correspondence is to license stationary engineers. Stationary engineers in the letter refers to operating engineers of steam machines in Kansas. This file is part of a bigger collection of Governor Arthur Capper correspondence.

Bird's eye view of Chetopa, Kansas
Date: 1871
This black and white lithograph is a bird's eye view of the city of Chetopa, Kansas. The lithograph shows the location of churches, banks, mills, and railroad depots. A legend below the image identifies some of the buildings.

Bird's eye view of Oswego, Kansas
Creator: Koch, Augustus
Date: 1877
A bird's eye view of the city of Oswego, Kansas, the county seat of Labette County. The colored lithograph shows the location of churches, schools, railroad depots and the county courthouse. A legend is provided to identify some of the buildings

Booker T. Washington Club
Creator: Dandridge, Deborah L., 1946-
Date: 1952 - 1979
These photographs show the state meeting of the Booker T. Washington Club in Parsons in June of 1952 and a second meeting in an unidentified location in the 1970s.