1853 - Sac and Fox Agency
Creator: Green, Charles R.
Date: September 1, 1853
This item lists tribes under the Superintendency of Indians Affairs in St. Louis headed by B.A. James and Colonel Alfred Cummings. In particular, the item lists the Ottawas, Chippewas of Swan Creek, and the Black River Sacs and Foxes.

An address to the employees of the Missouri Pacific Railway Co.
Creator: Hoxie, H.M.
Date: March 8, 1886
In this address, H.M. Hoxie, First Vice President of the Union Pacific Railway Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, informs the employees of events that have led up to the strike involving several railway systems throughout the country. On December 16, 1885, the United States Court took possession of the Texas and Pacific Railway making the employees of the railroad employees of the agents of the court. In March, 1886 these employees inaugurated a strike and the Knights of Labor notified superintendents of the railroads down the line that they would appoint and place their own watchmen to protect railroad property from loss and damage.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company's flatcar
Date: Between 1934 and 1938
This black and white photograph shows a 77-ton transformer on an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company's flatcar as it was being shipped from St. Louis, Missouri, to Earp, California, to be used at Parker Dam.

Brass Plate from Fort Zarah, 14BT301
Date: 1864-1868
This brass plate was excavated at Fort Zarah in 1969 by Kansas Historical Society archeologists. The plate advertises "BEARD & BRO" of "ST. LOUIS, MO." This may be a reference to the Beard and Brother company of St. Louis, established in 1848, that manufactured safes, vaults, cotton ties, and a nut-lock for safes. The fort was a small outpost on the Santa Fe trail in Barton County occupied from 1864 to 1869. The trading post building within the post, where the plate was found, burned in 1868.

"Bricklayer Bill" Kennedy to Governor Fred Hall
Creator: "Bricklayer Bill" Kennedy
Date: January 21, 1956
St. Louis, Missouri, resident "Bricklayer Bill" Kennedy writes Governor Fred Hall of Topeka, Kansas concerning his veto of the "Right-To-Work" bill (House Bill No. 30) then recently passed by both houses of the Kansas Legislature. Mr. Kennedy commends the Governor for vetoing the bill and implies that the entire laboring class in Kansas (both union and non-union) will benefit. A union member for fifty-eight years, Mr. Kennedy denounces any association with "red or radical" unions and thereby acknowledges a popular perception linking organized labor with communism. House Bill No. 30 stated that no person should be required to join a labor organization to gain or retain employment. Kansas voters at the 1958 general election approved a "Right-To-Work" amendment to the state constitution.

Capretio
Creator: Worrall, Henry, 1825-1902
Date: Around 1866
A manuscript copy of a guitar solo titled "Capretio" by Henry Worrall. Worrall published his solo guitar instrumental "Capretio on a Mexican Air" about 1866 with Oliver Ditson & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts. The copyright of this piece was credited to J.L. Peters and Bro. of St. Louis, Missouri. Worrall's manuscript copy of his "Capretio" [presented here] may date from an earlier or later period. In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular guitar instrumentals played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms. Worrall moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868 where he died in 1902.

Charles M. Stebbins to Alfred Gray
Date: September 18, 1858
Stebbins was building a telegraph line from St. Louis, Missouri, to Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, and wrote Gray about what would be required to get him to run the line through Quindaro, Kansas Territory. Stebbins included a draft of a document for raising subscriptions to underwrite the cost of building the telegraph line. Details included maintaining a telegraph office in Quindaro for a year and providing up to $1000 in telegraph services if $1000 was raised to pay to Stebbins.

Charles Robinson to Sara Robinson
Creator: Robinson, Charles, 1818-1894
Date: September 22, 1861
A letter written by Charles Robinson, from St. Louis, Missouri, to his wife, Sara Tappan Doolittle Robinson. He writes about General Fremont taking to the field against Jackson, Price, and company. Because General Fremont is in the field, Robinson reports that he cannot leave and travel home. Also, he writes about looking for clothing for the Kansas regiments to protect them from the cold weather. A searchable, full-text version of this letter is available by clicking "Text Version" below.

Colorado train service via Rock Island Lines, Summer 1912
Creator: Rock Island Railroad Company
Date: 1912
This brochure advertises the services of four trains of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. Two of the trains are from Chicago and Omaha and the other two are from St. Louis and Kansas City. The trains from Chicago and Omaha are the "Rocky Mountain Limited" and the "Colorado and California Express" The two trains from St. Louis and Kansas City are the "Colorado-Pacific Coast Express" and the "Colorado Flyer." The daily schedules for each train are included. Such features as electric lighted cars; a buffet-library-observation car with barber, valet and Victrola recitals; and telegraphic bulletins.

Complaint Regarding Rates for Shipping Livestock
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1915-1919: Capper)
Date: 1915
This file includes general correspondence relating to a complaint about rates for shipping livestock. Topics included, but not limited to, in the correspondence is charges of freight travel to and from Wichita, increased freight rates, and discrepancies in rates between different railway companies. This is part of a bigger collection of Governor Arthur Capper correspondence.

Dodge City Cowboy Band, St. Louis, Missouri
Date: November 17, 1884
A studio portrait of the Dodge City Cowboy Band at the First National Convention of Cattlemen in St. Louis, Missouri. Pictured are: Back row: unknown, unknown, L.A. Lauber, J.S. Welsh, Charles Otero, unknown, Roy Drake; Middle row: Prof. Eastman, Prof. Miller, George [illegible], unknown, unknown, unknown, Frank Warren; Seated: Chalk Beeson, George Horder, William Visquesney.

Dr. William Menninger and Dr. Francis Braceland
Date: 1963
This photograph shows William C. Menninger, M.D. (right)and Francis Braceland, of the Institute of Living, at the 119th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in St. Louis, Missouri.

E.B. Whitman to George L. Stearns
Creator: Whitman, E. B. (Edmund Burke), 1812-1883
Date: September 26, 1857
Edmund Burke Whitman in Saint Louis, Missouri wrote to George L. Stearns regarding funds for the Free State cause. Whitman ended his letter by mentioning that if his advance of $500 to John Brown should become a financial burden to him, he would ask Stearns to compensate him for the amount he advanced. A searchable transcription is available by clicking "Text Version" below.

Edward Hoogland to Thomas Nesbit Stinson
Creator: Hoogland, Edward
Date: July 6, 1856
Edward Hoogland, a resident of Tecumseh, KT who was visiting his family in New York, described a meeting with Governor Wilson Shannon in St. Louis concerning territorial politics. Hoogland displayed a pro-slavery perspective in his comments on Kansas affairs. He described efforts to encourage settlement in Kansas Territory, especially Tecumseh, and to promote economic development in the territory. He mentioned an acquaintance who hoped to establish a sawmill and a gristmill in the territory.

Elevator. St. Louis, MO
Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882
Date: 1867
This stereograph shows an elevator in the background and a river and boat dock in foreground in St. Louis, Missouri. It is from Alexander Gardner's series, Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division.

F.A. Hunt to Thomas H. Webb
Creator: Hunt, F. A.
Date: March 14, 1856
F. A. Hunt, owner of a steamboat and land agent company, wrote from St. Louis, Missouri to Thomas H. Webb, secretary of the New England Emigrant Aid Company. Hunt informed Webb that a shipment of 100 rifles and two guns had been seized at Lexington, Missouri while in transit to Leavenworth via the Steamboat Arabia. Hunt stated that unless the weapons had been taken by authority of the U.S. government, the steamboat was liable for the loss. Hunt urged Webb to be more cautious in making shipments of weapons to Kansas.

Fairgrounds at St. Louis, Missouri
Date: 1905
This is a panoramic photograph of the fairgrounds at St. Louis, Missouri. Visible are tractors, wagons, horses, and spectators.

Fantasia on Lucy Long
Creator: Worrall, Henry, 1825-1902
Date: 1866
A guitar instrumental by Henry Worrall is included here within a series of solo guitar pieces published by J.L. Peters & Bro. of St. Louis, Missouri. This copy of that collection includes only the "Fantasia on Lucy Long." In the early twentieth century, Worrall's popular guitar instrumentals played a key role in the development of the guitar styles of southern rural folk musicians and country and blues musical idioms. Worrall moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1868 where he died in 1902.

Fifth Armored Division Association reunion in St. Louis, Missouri
Date: July 13, 1950-July 15, 1950
This is a panoramic photograph showing the fourth annual reunion of the Fifth Armored Division Association at the Hotel Jefferson in St. Louis, Missouri. The Fifth Armored Division was part of the United States Army and was active during World War II from 1941 to 1945. Herbert and Eva Michaelis from Russell, Kansas, are seated on the far right, third table from the bottom.

George Walter, History of Kanzas
Creator: Walter, George
Date: 1855
This history was written by George Walter, agent for the New York Kanzas League. The purpose of the League was to assist individuals and families to emigrate to Kansas and help provides reduced prices and other assistance. The office of the New York Kanzas League was located on the 3rd floor of No. 110 Broadway, New York City. Walter provided the information he thought emigrants to Kansas would need including descriptions of the situation in the territory, its climate, soil, rivers, and native products. He also gave information about industry in Kansas Territory, particularly the milling industry. He provided information on routes and supplies needed as well as a copy of the reemption law. The text of the Bill to organize the territories of Kansas and Nebraska was included on pages 24 through 48 of the pamphlet.

Handsaw Medallion from 14CT382
Date: 1887-1900
This brass handsaw medallion was recovered during 1995 archeological investigations at a farmstead in Chautauqua County. The medallion is a screw that features the makers' mark on the top. This medallion is labeled with "H M FINCH'S PAT DEC 27 1887 COLUMBIA ST LOUIS." This advertising was used by the Simmonds Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri.

Harland Coffman baseball collage
Date: Between 1948 and 1996
This is a collage of items relating to the baseball career of Topekan Harland Coffman, who pitched for several minor league teams between 1948 and 1952. In 158 minor league games, he achieved an overall record of 62-46, with an ERA of 3.19. His best year was 1948, when he went 18-5 for the Independence Yankees, an affiliate of the New York Yankees. He also pitched for minor league teams in Joplin, Omaha, Columbus (GA), Houston, Rochester, and Columbus (OH). In 1952, he participated in the St. Louis Cardinals' spring training camp, but did not make the team roster in the regular season. In the top row of the collage are front and back views of the 1952 St. Louis Cardinals spring training roster card and schedule. In the middle of the top row is a partial view of an envelope which contained correspondence from the Omaha Cardinals, the team Coffman played for in 1951. In the bottom row are (l to r): a team photo of the 1951 Omaha Cardinals, a 1948 photo of Coffman as a member of the Independence (KS) Yankees, and a 1996 photograph of former players with the Independence, Kansas teams participating in the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri (KOM) League. The Omaha Cardinals photo has a caption identifying the players, which include not only Coffman, but his teammates Earl Weaver and Ken Boyer. The reunion photo was taken in Pittsburg, Kansas, at a KOM League reunion organized by league historian John Hall. In that photo, Coffman is seated in the second row, on the far right. (For identification of all the former players, see Unit 307645.) Harland Coffman was a lifelong resident of Topeka, and worked 34 years for the Topeka Capital Journal. He died in 2010 at the age of 81. Digital reproduction of the collage was accomplished through a joint project sponsored by the Kansas Historical Society and the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame.

Henry C. Austin
Creator: Morse, A. S.
Date: Between 1861 and 1865
This is a carte de visite showing Major Henry C. Austin from St. Louis, Missouri, who served in Company I of the 8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry. The carte de visite was removed from an album belonging to Lt. Charles H. Slawson, who served in Company I of the 8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry. The photographer was A. S. Morse in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hiram Hill to Dear Brother
Creator: Hill, Hiram, 1804-
Date: October 16, 1857
Hiram Hill wrote from a steamboat en route to Kansas Territory to his brother. Hill reported no major trouble on the journey until he had reached St. Louis and discovered that there had been a "run on the Missouri Bank" : no Eastern money was available, and businesses were not accepting paper money. Hill seemed to attribute this money shortage to a recent rush of emigration, and thought the situation would improve in the winter, though at the moment in Lawrence and Quindaro things were at a standstill since no one could withdraw money.

Hiram Hill to Dear Wife
Date: May 7, 1855
Hiram Hill of Williamsburgh, Massachusetts wrote to his wife while traveling up the Missouri River from St. Louis to Kansas City. Hill was a free soil sympathizer evidentially traveling with a company of like-minded settlers, for he wrote that some steamboat passengers viewed the company with "rather suspitious eyes." Hill told his wife not to worry although one family had cholera and, on another boat, fifteen had died the previous week. The letter, written hastily in pencil, is not signed.