A.A. Rassicot family
Date: Between 1870 and 1899
This photograph shows the A.A. Rassicot family leaving Ransom, Kansas in a covered wagon heading to St. Anne, Illinois.

A map showing the location of the farming and grazing lands of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad company in the fertile valley of the Arkansas River in Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1892
This brochure advertises the advantages of settling in south central and western Kansas. Included are a photograph of the Beeson farm near Dodge City, Kansas, and a full width map of the Arkansas Valley in Kansas. Also included are testimonials by numerous settlers and descriptions of Rush, Finney, Ford, Pawnee, Gray and Kearney Counties.

Anna M. Hogsett to Governor Payne Ratner
Creator: Hogsett, Anna
Date: October 22, 1942
This letter from Mrs. Anna Hogsett of Brownell, Kansas, to Governor Payne Ratner, details her efforts to help her son Luther who refused to join the U.S. military because he objected to war of any kind. In addition, Mrs. Hogsett's letter is important because it details the stance of many Jehovah's Witnesses toward armed conflict and violence.

Art Hazen
Date: 1915
This photograph shows Art Hazen seated behind a horse-drawn binder in Ransom, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Beeler, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 10, 1931
This black and white photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, built in 1887, at Beeler, Kansas.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot, Ness City, Kansas
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: May 10, 1931
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company depot at Ness City, Kansas. Several carts are also visible. Built in 1903, the depot measured 24' x 103'.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company section house, Ness City, Kansas
Date: May 10, 1931
This black and white photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company's section house in Ness City, Kansas. The structure was built in 1887 and measured 14' x 14'.

Band posed in front of a sod hotel, Beeler, Kansas
Date: Between January 01, 1880 and December 31, 1890
This sod house consisted of five rooms and was not finished at the time this photo was taken. A half way house where stage coaches stopped to change horses, passengers and receive meals. The stage coach went from Topeka to Denver.

Bazine, Ness County, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
This is a photograph of a commercial district in Bazine, Ness County, Kansas. It shows a number of buildings, horse drawn wagons, and a windmill in the distance in the center of the street.

Beatrice Creamery, Ransom, Kansas
Date: 1916
This photograph shows an interior view of the Beatrice Creamery in Ransom, Kansas. The facility was managed by Otto Schreiber.

Big Brick Garage, John Willour Buick Car Agency, Ransom, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1929
This photograph shows "The Big Brick Garage", John Willour Buick Car Agency in Ransom, Kansas. Some of the individuals have been identified; John Willour, next to car, Russell Willour, son and William Anspaugh, mechanic, next to the gas pump.

Brass Bracelet from the Village on Pawnee Fork, 14NS403
Date: 1867
This bracelet was fashioned out of a brass wire. The bracelet was recovered from the Village on the Pawnee Fork in Ness County during excavations in 1977. The site was home to several hundred Southern Cheyenne and Southern Teton Oglala. It was destroyed by order of Major General Winifred S. Hancock in 1867. The Village on Pawnee Fork is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Brownell High School Album
Date: 1916-1960
This is an album containing photographs of Brownell High School including the school building; the 1939 girls' basketball team; the foundation of the first rock schoolhouse named Vansberg built by Jake Stull in 1884; and members of the senior classes from 1916-1960. For the years 1928, 1932 and 1933 there are no photographs of the senior class members only lists of names.

Burrell soddy, Ness County, Kansas
Date: Between 1886 and 1887
This photograph shows Frank, Henry and Otis Burrell with their dogs in front of the Burrell homestead in Ness County, Kansas. The sod house was located in northern Ness County and was built by Warren Burrell across the corner of three quarters of land.

Buttons from the Village on Pawnee Fork, 14NS403
Date: 1867
These buttons were recovered from the Village on the Pawnee Fork in Ness County during excavations in 1977. The small brown button was likely used on ladies clothing. The larger metal buttons would likely have been used for trousers. The Village on Pawnee Fork, home to several hundred Southern Cheyenne and Southern Teton Oglala was destroyed by order of Major General Winifred S. Hancock in 1867. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Buttons from the Village on Pawnee Fork, 14NS403
Date: 1867
These two buttons were recovered from the Village on the Pawnee Fork in Ness County during excavations in 1977. "Bullet" buttons, such as these, are generally considered for military use. They predate the 1867 destruction of the village and may have, by that time, been used by civilians. They all have a steel wire shank for attachment. This village, occupied by several hundred Southern Cheyenne and Southern Teton Oglala, was destroyed in 1867 by order of Major General Winifred S. Hancock. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Carved Bison Figurine from the Village on Pawnee Fork, 14NS403
Date: 1867
This bison figurine was recovered from the Village on the Pawnee Fork in Ness County during excavations in 1977. The figure is a fossil baculite, a type of cephalopod, modified by light grinding or carving to form a stylized bison figurine. It most likely represents a buffalo stone carried by Plains tribes to promote the quantity and quality of buffalo herds. The Village on Pawnee Fork, home to several hundred Southern Cheyenne and Southern Teton Oglala, was destroyed by order of Major General Winifred S. Hancock in 1867. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Cash register
Creator: National Cash Register Company.
Date: 1912
1912 cash register manufactured by the National Cash Register Company of Dayton, Ohio. Model number 442 and serial number S193881K. The ornate brass register sits on an oak base with the cash drawer. This cash register was used in a dress shop in Ness City until the 1970s. It was factory refurbished in 1924.

Catholic Church, Ness County, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
This is a view of a large wood/frame Catholic church and its congregation in Ness County, Kansas. Also visible are parked automobiles, a post and wire fence, and utility poles and power lines.

Children of Ransom, Kansas
Date: Between 1900 and 1920
This photograph shows a group of children standing in the streets of Ransom, Kansas. Some of the children appear to be holding butterfly nets. In the background the elevator, the Shell Hotel, the opera house and the railroad depot are visible.

Church of Christ, Ransom, Kansas
Date: Between 1900s and 1920s
This photograph shows the Church of Christ in Ransom, Kansas. In the foreground two people are standing in front of the church.

Circus parade
Date: Between 1940 and 1950
This is a view of elephants in a circus parade in Ness City, Kansas. Several business are visible in the background.

City building fire, Ransom, Kansas
Date: April 1950
This set of photographs show fire damage to the city building in Ransom, Kansas. The first image shows two men viewing the building. The second photograph shows the brick wall collapsing. The third image shows a man using a hose on the fire while another man watches. The fourth photograph shows the walls and chimney still standing after the fire.

Claims, 1878 Indian Raid, Ness County
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1877-1879: Anthony)
Date: 1878
The following documents in this file concern claims made in Ness County during the Native American raids in Kansas of 1878. This description only covers a few of the claims made in this file. A claim filed by Thomas B. Harvey for the amount of $115. In the claim, Harvey states he was driven from his home, and in his absence, the crops were wasted, and hay destroyed. A claim filed on May 26, 1878, by John B. Whittey states, his hay and crops were destroyed due to him and his team being driven out of town. A claim filed May 30, 1879, by Henry Williamson states he was ill, and the physician bill totaled to $138. A claim from W. S. Farrar on May 26, 1879, states he was driven from home, and in his absence, his hay was destroyed by stock, and also, he incurred doctors bill, and other expenses during the sickness of his wife and child incurred by the raid.

Claude Ryan on his horse in Brownell, Kansas
Date: Between 1945 and 1950
This is a photograph showing Claude Ryan on his horse in Brownell, Kansas.