Albert Henning to George W. Martin
Creator: Henning, Albert
Date: August 16, 1905
In this letter to George W. Martin of the Kansas State Historical Society, Albert Henning describes finding "the body of an indian with a number of bullet holes in his body." According to Henning, the Indian that he found was killed by a party of men from Oberlin who had gathered together in the aftermath of a March 1879 attack by the Northern Cheyenne under Dull Knife.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company sign board, Gladstone, Kansas
Creator: Killam, H.
Date: 1964
This photograph shows the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company sign board at mile post 130.3 in Gladstone, Kansas. The tracks were part of the Eastern Division, Middle Division, Fourth District.

Ballot box
Creator: Dover Stamping Company
Date: 1865
Small, wooden container that originally held teaspoons. The box has been adapted for use as a ballot box. It was used in Rawlins County, Kansas, in 1880. James Matheny donated it to the Kansas Historical Society in 1881. Matheny, who came to Kansas from Indiana in 1869 and settled in Topeka and then Alma, was among the first settlers in Rawlins County in 1873. He and T.A. Andres laid out the plans for Atwood, the county seat, in 1879. In 1880 Matheny cast the first ballot in that year's election using this ballot box. That election resulted in the citizens of Rawlins County voting for James Garfield to serve as the President of the United States and against the "Prohibition" amendment to the state constitution. Matheny returned to Topeka in 1881 to allow his children to attend school there. He died in 1885 at the age of 43.

Bluff at "100 Head Draw," Rawlins County, Kansas
Creator: Piper, William C.
Date: 1979
This photograph shows the bluff at "100 Head Draw" in Rawlins County, Kansas. This area is related to the Last Indian Raid in Kansas, September 30, 1878.

Bobbin lace making set
Creator: Beck, Anna
Date: between 1890 and 1920
Bobbin lace pillow, bobbins, and pattern. Bolster style pillow is tubular and stuffed with sawdust. A modern cloth cover has been added over the original ticking. A cardboard lace pattern, pricked with pinholes, is wrapped around the pillow's midsection and pinned in place. Steel straight pins protrude from the pillow's top through the cardboard pattern, holding in place a short piece of handmade linen lace (issuing from the back) and threads tied to 28 wooden bobbins (on the front). This set was passed down in the Beck family, who emigrated from Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) to the United States in 1894 and settled in Atwood, Kansas. The wooden bobbins belonged to Mary Dostal Beck. Her daughter, Anna Beck, made the pillow and taught her grandniece, Sonia Cloe Domsch, to make lace using this pattern. Sonia Domsch is a respected lace maker and the first Kansan to receive the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship honoring outstanding traditional artists.

Council of National Defense Woman's Committee correspondence
Date: 1918
This collection consists of correspondence between individuals and committee members to the state chair of the Woman's Committee of the Kansas Council of National Defense. The Council of National Defense was established at the federal level in 1916 as an emergency agency under the Army Appropriation Act and abolished in 1921. It was created in reaction to World War I to coordinate resources and industries for national defense and improve civilian morale. The Woman's Committee of the Kansas Council of National Defense performed the same functions at the state and local levels, coordinating women's activities for national defense. The materials are organized alphabetically by county. The digitization of this collection was paid for through the Margot R. Swovelan Endowment Fund.

Counties : Rawlins, memorial
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1879-1883 : St. John)
Date: 1881
A petition on April 25, 1881 from citizens in Rawlins county ask Kansas Governor St. John to designate and declare Atwood as Temporary County Seat. The petitioners state that Atwood, Kansas is situated within one- and one-half miles of the geographical center of Rawlins county. Accompanying the petition is a letter from the Notary Public of Norton County doing business in Rawlins county stating that J. R. Murry, John Belford, and Jack Reilly swear an oath that the signatures on the petition are genuine. A separate letter asks Governor St. John to appoint Herman Kase as one of the County Commissioners of Rawlins. Additional letters to Governor St. John show support of appointing Herman Kase as well as two other individuals as Commissioners for Rawlins County.

Counties : Rawlins, memorial
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1879-1883 : St. John)
Date: 1881
A petition on April 22, 1881 from residents, householders, and legal electors of Rawlins County request Kansas Governor St. John organize their county. Near the end of the petition is a section from the Notary Public in and for Norton County stating that S. H. Tindell, W. H. McDonald, and David Swift are all known to him and credible people, and swear an oath the signatures on the petition are from residents within Rawlins County.

Counties : Rawlins, petition
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1879-1883 : St. John)
Date: 1881
The following documents are petitions sent to Kansas Governor St. John, from citizens of Rawlins County, Kansas. These petitions are requesting that Abraham Boyer, John Doyles, and Samuel Totlow be appointed commissioners, and O. Jones be appointed as clerk of Rawlins county. These petitions include signatures from residents of Rawlins County, Kansas.

Crazy quilt top
Creator: Wilson, Henrietta Elizabeth (Means)
Date: between 1899 and 1900
Unfinished crazy quilt without a backing or binding. Quilt features many irregularly shaped pieces of fabric stitched to a cotton foundation and outlined in multi-colored embroidery. Embroidered names include the maker's cousin, Foster Means. The quilt incorporates printed ribbon badges with marks indicating the Northwestern Kansas Teachers Association and the Freemasons. The quilter was Henrietta Elizabeth Means Wilson. She made this top before her marriage to Oren V. Henderson on July 17, 1901 at Atwood, Kansas. Henrietta was an elementary school teacher and Oren served as Superintendent of Schools for Rawlins County.

Dorsey Olin Turner, World War I soldier
Date: 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 Dorsey Olin Turner, Company D, 353rd Infantry, 89th Division.

Eighth biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, 1891-1892
Creator: Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1893
This biennial report from the Kansas State Board of Agriculture contains two parts and the page numbering starts over at the beginning of Part II. The volume contains a section on each county, providing summary information about the history of the county, a description of the landscape, crops, livestock, schools, and churches. A large number of tables with statistics about Kansas residents and crop yields, broken down by county, are also included. Other chapters are devoted to interesting subjects such as apiculture, artificial forests, loco weeds, and chinch bugs.

Eleventh biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, 1897-98
Creator: Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1899
This biennial report from the Kansas State Board of Agriculture includes information on beef and pork production, farm poultry, Kansas mineral products, livestock, and other agricultural topics. Also covered are county statistics for population, acreages, productions, livestock, assessed valuation of property, and a listing of churches for each county. Proceedings and other activities of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture are included.

Fifteenth biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, 1905-1906
Creator: Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1907
This biennial report from the Kansas State Board of Agriculture includes information on the selection, cultivation, and harvesting of Indian corn, ideas for improving the conditions of farm life, and information on commercial fertilizers. There are various kinds of statistics for each county that include population, acreages, livestock, and assessed valuation of property. There are also a number of tables listing statistics for all counties. The proceedings and activities of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture are included beginning on page 977. Please see the table of contents on image 8 to determine appropriate page numbers. Page numbering starts over after page 1264. This section contains compiled statistics from the 1905 Kansas decennial census but individuals are not listed. A general index starts on page 61 of the Decennial Census section at the back of the volume.

Fifth biennial report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture
Creator: Kansas. State Board of Agriculture
Date: 1887
This biennial report covers the years 1885-86. The volume contains two parts and the page numbering starts over at the beginning of part II. The volume contains numerous agricultural statistics and information about other industries. It also contains information about Kansas weather, schools, churches, various agricultural issues such as Texas fever, chinch bugs, vacant public lands, etc. A major part of the volume is devoted to information gathered during the 1885 statewide census conducted by the Board of Agriculture. Part I contains a number of tables with statistics about Kansas residents broken down by county. Part I also contains a section on each county, providing summary information about the history of the county, nativity of residents, a description of the landscape, crops, livestock, schools, newspapers, banks, and a list of county officers for 1887. Proceedings and other activities of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture are in Part II.

Floyd Wallace and Andy Madsen
Date: Between 1900 and 1919
These photographs show two portraits of United States sailors from Rawlins County, Kansas. In the first photograph, Floyd Wallace is dressed in a naval uniform that features a back flap and neckerchief. The second photograph, shows Floyd Wallace, (left), and Andy Madsen, (right), both dressed in the traditional naval uniforms.

George Martin correspondence on the 1878 route of the Cheyenne Indians through Kansas
Date: Bulk 1905-1906
These letters were written to George Martin, Secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society, documenting the 1878 route of the Cheyenne Indians through Kansas. Some of the letters include county maps where the writers marked the route. Letters were written by M. W. (Mike) Sutton from Dodge City; R. M. Wright, Dodge City; J. W. McNeal, Guthrie, Oklahoma; C. F. Colcord, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Geo. L. Kious,Selden, Kansas; J. D. Greason, Atwood, Kansas; C. P. Lynn, Ness City, Kansas; and Hill P. Wilson, Topeka, Kansas. Most of the letters pertain to the events and/or route through one or two counties known to the specific author. Counties mentioned include Barber, Buffalo (now part of Finney), Clark, Comanche, Decatur, Foote / Gray, Gove, Lane, Meade, Rawlins, and Sheridan. County maps exist for Clark, Comanche, Decatur, Gove, Meade, Rawlins, and Sheridan plus a state map. It is not clear who added the information to the maps. This collection of correspondence was digitized with funds donated by the Shears/Hubbard families in memory of William Chalfant.

Grave marker of Christian F. Hamper, Rawlins County, Kansas
Creator: Piper, William C.
Date: 1979
Four views of the grave marker for Christian F. Hamper, Co. D, 89 Ind. Inf., who was killed during the Northern Cheyenne attack on Sappa Creek in Rawlins County, Kansas on September 30, 1878, commonly referred to as the Last Indian Raid in Kansas.

Grave marker, Rawlins County, Kansas
Creator: Piper, William C.
Date: 1979
These four photographs show the grave marker of Egnac and Peter Janousek and Rodolph Springler, who were killed during the Northern Cheyenne attack on Sappa Creek in Rawlins County, Kansas on September 30, 1878. This is commonly referred to as the Last Indian Raid in Kansas.

Grave marker, Rawlins County, Kansas
Date: 1979
The "Indian Boy" monument, marking the grave of a victim of the Northern Cheyenne attack on Sappa Creek, Rawlins County, Kansas, September 30, 1878, commonly referred to at the Last Indian Raid in Kansas. The photos were taken by William C. Piper.

Grave of George Harrison Abbott, Union Cemetery, Herndon, Kansas
Creator: Piper, William C.
Date: 1979
The grave of George Harrison Abbott, Union Cemetery, Herndon, Rawlins County, Kansas. Abbott was a victim of the Northern Cheyenne attack on Sappa Creek, September 30, 1878, commonly referred to as the Last Indian Raid in Kansas.

History of Kansas newspapers
Creator: Kansas State Historical Society. Department of Archives
Date: 1916
The subtitle of this publication is "A History of the Newspapers and Magazines Published in Kansas From the Organization of Kansas Territory, 1854, to January 1, 1916." This history includes biographical sketches and some portraits of prominent editors. The bulk of the book contains listings of all of the newspapers published in the state, organized by county and then towns within that county. This listing begins on page 137. Newspapers that were being published in 1916 include the name of the editor/publisher, the frequency, how long it had been published, and notes about any predecessor papers. The information for each county also includes a list of all discontinued newspapers from that county. Each county listing begins with the date it was organized, the origin of the name, and some basic statistics. This volume is an excellent source on the early newspaper history of Kansas. A detailed index begins on page 323. The Kansas State Historical Society was founded by Kansas newspaper editors and its newspaper holdings represent an almost comprehensive collection of the newspapers published in all parts of Kansas, most of which are available on microfilm through interlibrary loan.

Incidents of the Dull Knife raid
Creator: Street, William D., b. 1851
Date: 1900
This item, written by William D. Street of Oberlin, Kansas, details the events surrounding the Dull Knife raid. According to Street, events began in the summer of 1878 while he was working as a cowboy in parts of Kansas and Colorado. Street recalls that he was first aware that something was wrong upon hearing women and children crying, something that he states was unusual because women and children "seldom frequented the cow camps." Street then asked a man named Sim Holstine what had happened, and Sim told him that an Indian raid had just occurred and the locals were preparing to assist the U.S. Army apprehend the offenders. The remaining seven pages of this item details the events that occurred after the party of men left to find the Northern Cheyennes responsible for the raid.

Indian raid claims, 1878
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1877-1879: Anthony)
Date: 1878
These are Indian raid claim files containing letters and affidavits of raid descriptions, claims filed, death identifications, and amounts paid to plaintiffs in Barber, Comanche, Decatur, Ford, Meade, Ness, Rawlins, and Sheridan Counties.

James Buck's Dodge Motor Car Company and Garage, Atwood, Kansas
Date: Between 1910 and 1919
This photo shows automobiles parked in front of James Buck's Dodge Motor Car Company and Garage building in Atwood, Kansas.