Alson C. Davis to John A. Halderman
Creator: Davis, Alson C.
Date: June 19, 1857
Alson C. Davis, a Democrat legislator and party leader from Leavenworth (later Wyandotte) County, writes from Wyandotte that he strongly favors "the establishment of a first class democratic paper" in Leavenworth, Kansas Territory. Davis believes this was vital "to the Cincinnati Platform Democracy," and is willing to pledge an additional $400 to the cause. A Mr. Beach had previously offered to give John Halderman "a bonus of two thousand dollars" with which to start such a newspaper.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Haldeman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: August 11, 1856
In this letter to John A. Haldeman, Andrew H. Reeder discusses the "sacking of Lawrence," the loss of papers related to the sale on lands that once belonged to Indians, and the use of Haldeman as his agent for his lots in Leavenworth, Kansas. As Reeder's letter indicates, the transition of Indian lands into the hands of white settlers was often quite difficult and added to tension levels in Kansas in the wake of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Haldeman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: October 06, 1855
In this letter to John A. Haldeman, Andrew H. Reeder informs Haldeman that he has been told that "a new assessment of $5 per share to pay for a Wyandot float of 640 acres has been laid on the town of Tecumseh."

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: August 11, 1856
The former governor writes this letter from Easton, Pennsylvania, to his former secretary and attorney, John A. Halderman, in order to secure Halderman's services to retrieve some personal papers and settle some matters of business pertaining to town lots and shares. According to Reeder, "the Sheriff posse at the sacking of Lawrence broke open my trunk and stole the contents. The clothing is probably by this time worn out," and he is not concerned about other contents, with the exception of "some private papers" that someone had informed him could be retrieved. He asks Halderman to get the papers, which included "certificates of stock in Leavenworth, Tecumseh, Lecompton, Lawrence, Easton, Pawnee" etc., and then take care of business matters that are reflected therein. Reeder also asks Halderman "to attend to my Leavenworth lots" and explains in considerable detail about these matters.

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.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: January 14, 1857
In this letter from Washington, D.C., dated January 14, 1857, Reeder writes at length of a visit with W. H. Russell of Leavenworth (William H. Russell of Russell, Majors & Waddell), who believed the business climate was improving and that Reeder's lots were safe. Russell advises Reeder not to sell anything until value increases and volunteers to help Reeder reclaim the personal papers he lost during the sack of Lawrence.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: October 6, 1855
This 1855 letter to John A. Halderman from former territorial governor Andrew H. Reeder of Westport, Kansas Territory, describes a new assessment of $5 per share for the town of Tecumseh's 640 acre Wyandot Float. Reeder also discusses the erection of a court house with bricks that had been intended for a hotel.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: October 22, 1856
Former Kansas Territory Governor Andrew H. Reeder writes to John Halderman from Easton, Pennsylvania, regarding his business affairs and his desire to have Halderman act as his attorney and agent. Reeder also gives brief attention to the political situation in Kansas Territory and the nation, mentioning the congressional committee investigating the Kansas affairs, the "horrible state of things . . .in our unfortunate Territory," and his belief that, although James Buchanan would win the presidential contest in 1856, "the Republican party is bound to sweep the North within the next four years."

Andrew J. Mead to John A. Haldeman
Date: July 12, 1856
In this letter to John A. Haldeman, Andrew J. Mead asks if he knows of a portion of the Wyandotte Float that was available for sale. The Wyandotte Floats were originally set aside for the Wyandotte Tribe. However, the flexible nature of the Floats allowed them to be more easily transferred to white settlers once the U.S. Government decided to remove Native Indians from the newly created territories of Kansas and Nebraska.

Andrew J. Mead to John A. Halderman
Creator: Mead, Andrew J.
Date: March 14, 1859
In a letter marked "Confidential" and dated March 14, 1859, Andrew J. Mead of Manhattan, Kansas Territory, writes to enlist John Halderman's help to get Russell, Majors, and Waddell to use a new Blue River ferry at Manhattan, called Johnstons ferry, when they begin hauling freight over the "Great Central Route via Smoky Hill" to the gold mines. Mead is "deeply interested" in this ferry and wishes to negotiate a contract with the freighters for its use.

Findley Patterson to John A. Halderman
Creator: Patterson, Findlay
Date: April 4, 1860
Findley Patterson, the land office receiver at Junction City, Kansas Territory from May, 1858, to April, 1861, writes John Halderman with regard to problems within the Kansas Democratic Party. Recent differences between members over participation in the party's national convention at Charleston, South Carolina, had been aired in the press, and Patterson thinks this is unfortunate since "the future prosperity of our country depends upon the success of that party. Democrats should, he contends, not let relatively small policy issues overshadow the fundamental principles they share. Patterson pledges his support for the nominee of the convention, whomever it was, but favors "Judge Douglass [Stephen Douglas] . . .as we have been intimate personal, as well as political friends for several years."

George W. Brown to John A. Halderman
Creator: Brown, George W. (George Washington), 1820-1915
Date: November 19, 1859
In a brief note, something of a follow-up to his letter of November 1, 1859, George W. Brown writes Halderman that 150 copies of "to-days" (November 19) "Herald of Freedom" had been sent by "Express" and that another 150 would go out the next day. "I think your friends will be pleased with the present number," writes the editor, "as it more than sustains all I have said in the past in regard to old John Brown, besides it gives some raps at Conway which will be difficult to overcome."

George W. Brown to John Halderman
Creator: Brown, George W. (George Washington), 1820-1915
Date: November 1, 1859
George W. Brown, the editor of the Herald of Freedom, writes John Halderman from Lawrence, Kansas Territory, concerning the next issue of the paper which was to be "an awful one for Conway." He is probably referring to Martin F. Conway, an active free state partisan who was to be elected the first U.S. congressman to represent Kansas on December 6, 1859. Obviously, the newspaper had less impact than Brown anticipated, as John A. Halderman, the Democratic nominee, lost decisively to Conway, 7,674 to 5,567. Brown believes that his forthcoming issue should be widely distributed and is seeking additional orders from Halderman.

John A. Halderman
John Halderman grew up in Kentucky and was trained as a lawyer. He came to Kansas Territory in 1854 and served as the personal secretary to the first territorial governor Andrew Reeder. In 1855, he served as secretary to the first territorial council. He ultimately separated himself from the pro-slavery Lecompton movement. He was the first probate judge of Leavenworth County. He served as a major of the First Kansas volunteers during the Civil War and lived most of the rest of his life in Leavenworth.

John A. Halderman to Samuel N. Wood
Creator: Halderman, John Adams
Date: November 20, 1859
In this brief but cordial letter written from Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, Halderman asks Wood to reprint an "enclosed" article from the "Herald of Freedom" in the "Kansas Press." Halderman writes that the piece "seems to have been written by a political opponent who is inclined to do me justice." He then mentions "the meeting of the squatters on the Kaw Reserve," and his sympathy for their plight.

John A. Halderman to editors of the "Constitution"
Creator: Halderman, John Adams
Date: June 6, 1860
While in Washington, D. C., John A. Halderman followed the congressional debate regarding Kansas admission and informs the "Constitution" editors that Senator Louis T. Wigfall, a Texas firebrand, has reportedly "assailed the character of the people of Kansas Territory." Halderman regrets that, since he was not "privileged" to take the floor of either house, he could not officially denounce these "unwarranted accusations" and writes that he fears if he and others are silent the accusations might be accepted as truth.

John W. Whitfield to John A. Halderman
Creator: Whitfield, John W. (John Wilkins), ca. 1826-1879
Date: February 1, 1857
John W. Whitfield, the Kansas Territory's delegate to Congress until March 3, 1857, writes John Halderman from "Washington City" regarding the "H__l of a fight" they had had "over Lecompte." Whitfield thinks it likely that it will be left to "Old Buck" (President-elect James Buchanan) to settle things. He also writes concerning his own political prospects and what he was accomplishing for Kansas (e.g., railroad legislation). Samuel D. Lecompte was chief justice of the Kansas Territory from December 1854 to March 1859. President Pierce had appointed James O. Harrison to replace Lecompte in December 1856 but Congress refused to confirm Harrison.

Journal of the Council of the Territory of Kansas, 1855
Date: July 2 through August 30, 1855
This document identified the actions of the First Territorial Council (Senate), which first met at the town of Pawnee near Fort Riley on Monday July 2, 1855. On July 6, 1855, the House of Representatives approved a resolution sent to them by the Council that moved the meeting of the Legislature to the Shawnee Manual Labor School beginning July 16, 1855. This session of the Council concluded this first session on August 30, 1855. Included in the volume were various messages from the Governor and Acting Governor. The appendix contained reports of various committees--judiciary, special committee on exempting slaves from execution, bounds of counties and districts, elections, convention, public printing. The appendix also had the "opinion of the Supreme Court in regard to the legality of the present session" by Samuel Lecompte and Rush Elmore, a memorial from the legislature of Kansas to the President of the United States requesting the removal of Andrew Reeder, and the Rules and Orders under which the House of Representatives conducted business. The last fifty-two pages were an index to the volume. The members of the Council were: Thomas Johnson and Edward Chapman, 1st Council District; A. M. Coffey and David Lykins, 4th Council District; William Barbee, 5th Council District; John W. Forman, 7th district; William P. Richardson, 8th district; D. A. N. Grover, 9th district; L. J. Eastin and Richard R. Rees, 10th district. The elections in the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Council Districts were disputed, but Andrew Macdonald, 2nd Council district, H. J. Strickler, 3rd district; and John Donaldson, 6th district, were sworn in as members of the Council. John A. Haldeman served as the Chief Clerk.

Kansas State Militia miscellaneous papers by unit
Date: 1861-1865
These images are correspondence, commission documents, muster rolls and other items, arranged by militia unit (Regiments 1 through 23) as well several other units. State government correspondents include Governor Charles L. Robinson, Governor Thomas Carney, Adjutant General Charles Chadwick, Adjutant General Guilford Dudley, and Adjutant General Cyrus K. Holliday. State militia correspondents include Maj. Gen. J. C. Stone, Maj. Gen. John A. Halderman, Maj. Gen. J. S. McDowell, Brig. Gen. Samuel N. Wood, Col. Thomas Moonlight, Col. John T. Snoddy, and Major Watson Stuart of the 4th Ballalion, Colored Detachment. Examples of specific materials include a petition from citizens in Doniphan County to have Capt. A. W. Williams stationed in northern Kansas, an enrollment list for a Lawrence volunteer militia under Capt. Francis B. Swift, and a letter written by William Meairs to Gov. Carney suggesting an independent cavalry be organized in Wakarusa township to protect against raids from Missouri.

Leavenworth Association, One Town Share
Creator: Leavenworth Association,
Date: October 18, 1854
This certificate was identical was issued to C. A. Williams for "one share of the Town property of Leavenworth Association," and on the reverse side it was transferred to Andrew H. Reeder on November 11, 1854. It was signed by Charles Mundee, secretary, and D. P. Wallingford, a proslave partisan from Weston, Missouri. At the top, the document was signed, "With Greetings: John A. Halderman."

Leavenworth Association town shares memorandum
Creator: Leavenworth Town Association
Date: June 25, 1855
Tlhis legal document is signed by three trustees of the Leavenworth Town Association (Oliver Diefendorf, William S. Yohe, and J. M. Day). This contract sells lot #19 in block #17 to John A. Halderman for $175.00. The specific terms of the agreement are contained in this document.

Leavenworth County election proclaimation
Creator: Halderman, John Adams
Date: June 3, 1857
John A. Halderman appears to have written this proclamation, signed by numerous other "residents and citizens" of Leavenworth County, Kansas Territory, calling upon the people of the county "to support at the coming election for members of the constitutional convention" at Lecompton a slate of twelve named delegates. The document assures the citizenry that the "undersigned" and their chosen delegates are committed to a fair process that will allow the people to vote to accept or reject any proposed constitution and to vote separately on the question of slavery.

"Leavenworth Journal" equipment lease
Creator: Halderman, John Adams
Date: April 30, 1858
Dated April 30, 1858, and executed in Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, this handwritten document is an "agreement made and entered into" by John Adams Halderman and Hugh Ewing, representing the "Leavenworth Journal," with C. H. McLaughlin and William B. Hutchison, to lease all the newspaper equipment for $25 per month. Among other more technically-oriented conditions of the lease pertaining to the upkeep of the business, McLaughlin and Hutchison agreed "to make it a free-state Democratic paper, sustaining the ___ ___ course of Senator Douglas . . ."

O. H. Browne to J. A. Halderman
Creator: Browne, O. H.
Date: February 25, 1859
This letter, written by O. H. Browne from Ridgeway, Shawnee County, Kansas Territory, is a call to action. Browne was convinced that he and Halderman and others were being "swindled" out of their shares in the Lecompton Town Company, and that "little Bob [Robert] Stevens, law partner of Gov. Shannon, is the mischief making monkey that has caused all this difficulty." Although Halderman is apparently inclined to let this matter go, Browne wants to file a law suit, and if that doesn't work he is "ready to join any company that may be organized and deal out justice to the Lecompton Town Company according to the rules of equity as recognized and administered by Judge Lynch."

Olin Thurston to John A. Halderman
Creator: Thurston, Olin
Date: December 30, 1859
Olin Thurston of Humbolt, Kansas Territory, writes John A. Halderman to comment on the past election for state offices, to thank him for "your gallant fight in behalf of the Democracy," and to assure him that "we of southern Kansas are always ready to co-operate with our friends in Leavenworth."