Abelard Guthrie
Abelard Guthrie was a member of the Wyandot tribe through his marriage to his wife Quindaro Nancy. He was elected as the Wyandot delegate to Congress in 1852. He was involved in the development of the town of Quindaro and had business dealing with numerous early territorial settlers.

Abelard Guthrie to Hiram Hill
Creator: Guthrie, Abelard
Date: November 11, 1858
Abelard Guthrie, a member of the Quindaro Town Company, wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts, rebutting Hill's accusations that he had acted in bad faith regarding certain enterprises of the Town Company. Guthrie stated that he had intended to begin the grading work on Kansas Avenue and other roads, but had found that the Company's funds were depleted; he suspected a swindling. He defended himself in light of other land purchases and business transactions and expressed extreme frustration at his bleak financial situation.

Abelard Guthrie to Hiram Hill
Creator: Guthrie, Abelard
Date: January 18, 1859
Abelard Guthrie wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Guthrie reported that there had been "considerable progress" in Quindaro lately: a railroad was being constructed, telegraph wires were hung, and a factory and foundry had been established. Guthrie told Hill that if Hill would forget the Kansas Avenue grading disagreement and repay him his debt, Guthrie would travel to Washington to obtain a railroad grant.

A complete set of surveys and plats or properties in Wyandotte County and Kansas City Kansas
Creator: G.M. Hopkins & Co
Date: [c1887]
An atlas of Wyandotte County, Kansas, with owners of township property listed. It shows the railroad lands and various businesses.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: April 30, 1858
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton reported that the arrival of two new Eastern businessmen had brought business growth to the town, including a sash and blind factory and new three-story brick building. Despite these new constructions, Morton described the atmosphere as "dull". Though it was a bad time to sell land, since money was scarce, with the recent opening of Indian lands to settlement it was an optimum time to buy land at a low price.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: June 28, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton informed Hill that the package containing money from him had been located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and he expected to receive it soon. Morton also described various aspects of Quindaro's development, including the building of a new store, and confirmed that the railroad would in fact come to Quindaro.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: September 21, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts, apologizing for his prolonged silence due to a lengthy illness. Morton referred to the upcoming October election, which would select the members of the Territorial Legislature. He also spoke of Governor Walker's attempts to regulate the election process by requiring that all voters be residents of the Territory for at least six months prior to casting a vote. Morton added that Samuel Simpson was in town again, but that nothing had been settled regarding his questionable business practices.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: June 17, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts, concerned that he had not yet received $700 which Hill had recently sent to him. Morton also sought Hill's approval regarding the sale of a town lot with a house on it, the profits from which would be better used, Morton thought, in land investments. He also expressed concern that the railroad decide to pass through Quindaro, fearing that, if it didn't, it would "set things back."

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: July 5, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton discussed the allegations of fraudulent investment activities on the part of Samuel N. Simpson, and told Hill that Alfred Gray, an area attorney and future Secretary of the Wyandotte Board of Trade, had lost five acres of land due to Simpson's deceptive practices. Morton updated Hill on Quindaro's development, stating that the prospects were good due to the railroad's anticipated presence in town. He added that he still had not received that package containing $700 from Hill.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: May 29, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill, who had invested in Quindaro, in Massachusetts. In this short letter Morton described the development of the town, and noted the increasing population, the availability of coal resources, and the arrival of a new storekeeper.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Guthrie, Abelard
Date: January 8, 1859
Albert Morton wrote from Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton reported that there was "a good deal of excitement out for Pikes Peak" and many Leavenworth citizens spoke of traveling there to dig for gold the following spring. His investments were not earning him much money, and he expressed his desire to sell land in order to pay what he owed to Hill and Abelard Guthrie.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: October 30, 1858
Albert Morton wrote from Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton had "given up living in Quindaro" and planned to settle in Leavenworth City. Recently ill, he had left Quindaro along with many settlers and business owners. Morton reported that Abelard Guthrie continued to be optimistic about Quindaro's prospects for survival, but he remained skeptical. If Hill still planned to visit Quindaro in the spring, Morton would meet him there.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: August 3, 1858
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton had recently returned to Quindaro in order to vote on the Lecompton Constitution as submitted by the English bill. Having arrived there, he found the place to be "dull". Morton described many empty houses and buildings, left behind from settlers selling out to return home; money had also been lost in investments and bridges were washed out in floods. However, the Town Company had invested in a flour mill, which had commenced operations. Morton also discussed matters of buying and selling land warrants with Hill.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: July 31, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts, providing for him some conclusions regarding Samuel N. Simpson's fraudulent business practices. Morton reported that, from information provided by Simpson's brother, Samuel N. Simpson had taken $40-50,000 from the Quindaro Town Company, and deeded the land of others. He had also given Hill an unauthorized bond, which was not valid. Abelard Guthrie, however, according to Morton, had offered to give Hill title to some land, in order to minimize financial losses brought on by Simpson's actions.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: August 8, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton related that the fall emigration had begun, Quindaro was crowded, and more buildings were being constructed than ever before. Morton also had found two men interested in renting the home owned by Hill upon its completion. He suggested that it would be best to "keep things quiet" about Samuel N. Simpson, and asked, on the behalf of Guthrie, if Hill planned to travel again to Quindaro.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: July 8, 1857
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton reported on the status of Samuel N. Simpson, who had left his properties to Charles Robinson, free state leader and fellow founder of the Quindaro Town Company, and left town under suspicion of engaging in deceptive business practices. Another fellow founder of the Town Company, Abelard Guthrie, along with other investors, considered Simpson a "rascil [sic]". Morton also mentioned the progress of the railroad in the area, and the yet to be received package of money.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: January 1858
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts, describing at length the efforts of Quindaro's citizens to grade a large avenue through the town. Morton added that Quindaro was about to establish a city charter, which, if approved by the Legislature, would require the taxation of the citizens. He also mentioned a shooting the night before of a proslavery man who had lost his seat to free statesman Charles Chadwick in a recent election under the Lecompton Constitution.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: February 27, 1858
Albert Morton wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton predicted a good property market for the coming spring, despite the "hard money matters" which had been the situation during the winter. He reported that the Shawnee lands would open soon, to have them paid for by the end of the summer, and that Hill's land investments in Manhattan were "in good standing". Morton added that Samuel Simpson has been busy lately, traveling back and forth from Quindaro to Lawrence.

Alfred Gray
Creator: Leonard & Martin
Date: 1882
Alfred Gray was an attorney, secretary of the State Board of Agriculture from "187_ to 1880," and a resident of Quindaro, Kansas Territory. Gray was involved in a number of land and other business dealings. This photograph was taken in 1882, twenty-one years after the Kansas territorial period had ended in Kansas statehood.

Alfred Gray
Creator: Leonard & Martin
Date: Between 1872 and 1880
A photograph of Alfred Gray, who was born in Evans, New York. In March 1857 Gray made the decision to immigrate to Kansas, where, at the age of 26, he settled in Quindaro, opening a law and real estate office. Soon, however, Gray chose to return to the occupation of his father, and he ultimately built one of the best farms in Wyandotte County. Gray was chief clerk of the territorial legislature and was elected to the first state legislature; in April 1862 he entered the army and served as a regimental quartermaster with the Fifth Kansas Cavalry and the 10th Kansas Infantry regiments. Gray is best known for his post-Civil War activities. He served as director of the State Agricultural Society from 1866 to 1870 and was elected secretary of the State Board of Agriculture in 1872, serving in this capacity until his death in 1880.

Alfred Gray to George W. Patterson
Creator: Gray, Alfred, 1830-1880
Date: June 18, 1860
Gray wrote this draft of a letter to George W. Patterson concerning a treaty between the U. S. government and the Delaware Indians at the request of Rev. Pratt, a missionary to the tribe. Gray was concerned that the treaty was unfair to many of the Delaware and that the U.S. government was negotiating with four older chiefs, not some of the younger members of the tribe. He wrote that many of the Delaware were too intimidated to complain.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: January 9, 1857
From the National Hotel in Washington, Andrew Reeder advises John Halderman on the disposition of some business matters, especially those related to his Leavenworth lots. He comments on a variety of subjects including his desire "to return to Kansas in the spring," and to have some long-term impact on the growth and development of Leavenworth. Reeder also mentions his influence with "some of the men who will probably control the Pacific [Rail] Road when it is built," his desire to help Leavenworth secure the eastern Kansas terminus, and his activity with the National Kansas Committee. Although he had no interest in the rival town of Quindaro, he intends to "help build up" that city if he is not "fairly dealt with" in Leavenworth.

A. Tuttle to Abelard Guthrie
Creator: Tuttle, A.
Date: July 1, 1857
This letter related to an earlier one Tuttle wrote to Alfred Gray. He had made arrangements to purchase land from Guthrie and suggested he get the money from Gray or write to Tuttle directly. Mr. Tuttle expressed his hopes for the development of Quindaro but also his fears if the land falls into the hands of non-resident speculators. He also stated that any association of Mr. S. N. Simpson with the town would injure its prospects.

A.Tuttle to Alfred Gray
Creator: Tuttle, A.
Date: June 25, 1857
Tuttle wrote from Buffalo, New York, about his plans to come to Kansas Territory by the fall. Alfred Gray had been a practicing lawyer in Buffalo before settling in Quindaro, Kansas Territory. Tuttle wrote about bank failures and the poor economy in the east. He also wanted Gray to send printed information about Kansas as he thought it would attract some of those out of work. He inquired if any of the literature was in German, as there were a number of out-of-work German immigrants in the area.

Bears Grease Jar Lid from the Quindaro Site, 14WY314
Date: 1857-1863
This lid from a jar of Bears Grease hair conditioner was recovered from excavations at the Quindaro Townsite, an archaeological district now part of Kansas City, KS. The lid reads "Genuine BEARS GREASE (For T)he Hair PREPARED BY JULES HAUEL Perfumer 120 Chestnut St. PHILADELPHIA." Hauel was listed as being located at the 120 Chestnut Street address until 1854 when he moved. He continued to make the Bears Grease product until 1865.