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.

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.

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.

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

Cities & Towns : Oswego
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1879-1883 : St. John)
Date: 1880
The documents in this file include a petition to Kansas Governor St. John requesting that Oswego be made into a city of the second class. Second class cities are recognized as a city with a population over 1,500 at the time of organization. The following papers are from the Mayor of Oswego confirming the city has a population over two thousand residents and giving his certification for organization as a city of second class.

Commercial street, Oswego, Kansas
Date: 1875
This black and white photograph shows the west side of Commercial Street in Oswego, Kansas. The store fronts with their wooden frames were destroyed by a fire in 1884 and later replaced by masonry buildings. In the foreground Jabez Zink and his team of horse are visible. He settled in 1865 on Labette Creek and eventually became the mayor of Oswego. There is also a stage coach that operated from Oswego to Independence and Coffeyville.

E. B. Reynolds to Governor John St. John
Creator: Reynolds, E. B.
Date: June 29, 1880
A letter expressing appreciation for railroad passes sent him by Kansas Governor St. John, E.B. Reynolds complains the Governor did not include passes for his wife. He does favor the Governor's re-nomination and thinks his prospects look good.

E. B. Reynolds to Governor John St. John
Creator: Reynolds, E. B.
Date: September 19, 1879
E. B. Reynolds, a strong supporter and campaigner for the temperance movement, expresses concern over the lack of publicity given the upcoming state convention and suggests circulars be prepared for widespread distribution.

General James Gillpatrick Blunt's Court-martial at Little Town
Creator: Sramek, Mavis
Date: 1867
This drawing shows Colonel James Gillpatrick Blunt's court martial of pro-slavery soldiers on September 18, 1861. Pictured left to right are W.A. Johnson, Garnett; Col. Blunt, Fort Scott; Dr. Lisle, Chetopa; Preston B. Plumb, Emporia; Lt. Brook; and two unnamed soldiers. The trial took place in Little Town (now Oswego) in the home of pro-slavery supporter John Allen Mathews. Mathews had been killed by union soldiers from Fort Scott under Col. James G. Blunt's command.

Governor's proclamations
Date: 1869-1977
This collection of proclamations issued by Kansas Governors declares first, second or third-class status for Kansas towns and cities. Proclamations are arranged in alphabetical order by town name. Included are descriptions of city limits, plat maps and censuses.

Group at Maximo Point, near St. Petersburg, Florida
Date: 1914
This group photograph was taken at Maximo Point near St. Petersburg, Florida in March 1914 and includes members of the St. Louis Browns baseball team. The team was in St. Petersburg for spring training. Individuals in the photo are not identified, but two Kansans were on the Browns team in 1914--Wiley Taylor, a right-handed pitcher from Louisville, Kansas and Earl Hamilton, a left-handed pitcher from Oswego, Kansas. Wiley Taylor started his professional baseball career in 1910 with the minor league Ellsworth team of the Central Kansas League. 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 a recreation parlor in Westmoreland. Wiley Taylor died at the age of 65 in 1954. Earl Hamilton was born in Illinois in 1891, but moved with his family to Kansas as a youth and lived in Oswego during much of his major league career. He pitched in the majors for 14 seasons, from 1911 to 1924, mostly with the St. Louis Browns and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hamilton's major league record was 115-147, with an ERA of 3.16. His achievements included a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers in 1912. After his pitching career, Hamilton was active as a minor league team owner; he owned the Topeka Owls in 1942. Earl Hamilton died in California in 1968.

Island Home
Creator: Campbell, George, 1848-
Date: 1894
A Populist inspired account of a fictitious island government that has transgressed from its original, democratic, ideals to the deplorable values exhibited by the corrupt Democratic and Republican parties.

Kansas Film Commission site photographs, subject residences
Creator: Kansas Film Commission
Date: 1980s-2000s
These are panoramic photographs of locations in Kansas created by the Kansas Film Commission to promote scenes to film companies. The panoramics were created by taking individual photos and taping them together. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by subject and then location. The subject of this part of the collection is residences, arranged alphabetically by city.

Kansas Refugees
Creator: Chicago Inter-Ocean
Date: Between 1880 and 1881
Horatio N. Rust, secretary of the Southern Refuge Relief Association, sent this letter to the editor of the Chicago Inter Ocean to pass along news from Elizabeth Comstock, agent of the Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association based in Topeka. Comstock feared for the health of 500 refugees, and so Rust asked for contributions of money, bedding, or clothing to send off immediately.

Kansas State Temperance Union expense journals
Creator: Kansas State Temperance Union
Date: 1898-1911
This collection consists of 7 volumes of records from the Kansas State Temperance Union. The first volume lists the members and the dues they paid by local organization. The index lists the communities that have members listed and these communities have been included in the categories. Note: other communities are listed elsewhere in the records, particularly the speaker expenses volume. The second volume is the cash book (expense journal) for the years 1901-1904. Volumes three through five are the cash books for 1907-1910, 1909-1910, and 1910-1911. Volume 6 contains speaker expenses and contribution from the communities where they spoke, listed by name of speaker. Several speakers are listed. Volume 7 is an expense journal for 1907-1911. There are also some loose papers inserted into the volumes, mostly correspondence and form letters.

Map of Labette County, Kansas
Creator: Everts, L.H. & Co., Philadelphia, PA
Date: 1875
This map illustrates railroads, cities and creeks within the townships of Labette County, Kansas and is scaled at one half inch to the mile.

Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad depot, Oswego, Kansas
Creator: Killam, H.
Date: July 16, 1962
This photograph shows the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad depot in Oswego, Kansas. The brick and stucco structure was part of the Northern Division, Cherokee Sub. Division at milepost 400.9. The depot is no longer standing.

Nelson Case
Date: Between 1890 and 1900
This black and white photograph shows Nelson Case, (1845-1921). Case a graduate of the University of Michigan settled in the town of Oswego, Kansas, in May 1869, to practice civil and criminal law. Considered an honest and honorable lawyer among his peers, Case was appointed a probate judge in June 1880, by Governor St. John. He was twice re-elected to the bench, but didn't seek a third term. Case soon returned to practicing law and crusading for prohibition. A long time supporter of the temperance movement, Case successfully banished saloons from the town of Oswego and rallied for the constitutional amendment of prohibition. Actively involved in the community, he held a number of elected and appointed positions. Case served as the city attorney of Oswego and was the editor of the Oswego Independent newspaper. He was also a member of the Republican Party, and was appointed to the Board of Regents at the State Normal School in Emporia. In his spare time, he authored a number of books including "The History of Labette County" and "The Constitutional History of the United States".

Nelson Case
Creator: Romig, Robert W.
Date: Between 1900 and 1909
This sepia colored photograph shows Nelson Case, (1845-1921). Case a graduate from the University of Michigan settled, in May of 1869, in Oswego, Kansas to practice civil and criminal law. Considered an honest and honorable lawyer among his peers, Case was appointed, in June of 1880, by Governor St. John as a probate judge. He was twice re-elected to the bench but didn't seek a third term. Case soon returned to practicing law and crusading for prohibition. A long time supporter of the temperance movement, he successfully banished saloons from the town of Oswego and rallied for the constitutional amendment of prohibition. Actively involved in the community served as the city attorney of Oswego and the editor of the Oswego Independent newspaper. He was also a member of the Republican Party, and was appointed to the board of regents at the state normal school in Emporia. In his spare time, he authored a number of books including "The History of Labette County" and "The Constitutional History of the United States".

Nelson Case
Date: 1880s of 1890s
This sepia colored portrait shows Nelson Case, (1845-1921). Case a graduate from the University of Michigan settled in the town of Oswego, Kansas, in May of 1869, to practice civil and criminal law. Considered an honest and honorable lawyer among his peers, Case was appointed in June of 1880 by Governor St. John as a probate judge. He was twice re-elected to the bench but did not seek a third term. Case soon returned to practicing law and advocating for prohibition. A long time supporter of the temperance movement, he successfully banished saloons from the town of Oswego and rallied for the constitutional amendment of prohibition. Actively involved in his community, Case held a number of elected and appointed positions. He served as the city attorney of Oswego, and the editor of the Oswego Independent newspaper. Case was also a member of the Republican Party, and was appointed to the board of regents at the State Normal school in Emporia. In his spare time, he authored a number of books including "The History of Labette County" and "The Constitutional History of the United States."

Nelson Case to Governor John St. John
Creator: Case, Nelson, 1845-1921
Date: March 18, 1880
A letter from Attorney Nelson Case requesting the date on which Kansas Governor St. John will speak to the Library Association on the "Principals of Republicanism".

Nelson Case to Governor John St. John
Creator: Case, Nelson, 1845-1921
Date: March 26, 1880
This letter acknowledges Kansas Governor St. John's offer to speak in Oswego, Kansas. Attorney Nelson Case requests the Governor's address title and even offers some suggestions.

Nelson Case to Governor John St. John
Creator: Case, Nelson, 1845-1921
Date: February 02, 1880
Acknowledging he would have preferred an earlier lecture date, attorney Case still graciously accepts Kansas Governor St. John's offer to speak at Oswego, Kansas, in April.

Neosho Valley lands, Kansas : The great wheat and corn belt
Creator: Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company
Date: 1876
This large 1876 advertisement from the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway promotes their lands for sale along the Neosho River. The paper lists their land agents in 18 Kansas counties; indicates a 25 per cent discount for cash purchases and the back side is a sectional map of northeast Kansas.