Annals of Kansas, January - February, 1855
Creator: Wilder, Daniel Webster, 1832-1911
Date: January, 1855 through February, 1855
D. W. Wilder's "Annals of Kansas," published in 1886, provides a day-by-day chronicle of significant events in Kansas. These are digital images of Annals of Kansas entries for the territorial period of 1854-1861.

Description of J. H. Kagi by E. R. Moffet
Creator: Moffet, E. R.
Date: March 4, 1860
Apparently written for James Redpath and R. J. Hinton on March 4, 1860, this handwritten sketch of John H. Kagi is the reflection of long-time acquaintance E. R. Moffet, then of Davenport, Iowa. Moffet knew Kagi from the time the latter was two years old and became reacquainted with him in Kansas Territory. They spent time in "prison" together in October 1856 and in this somewhat odd manuscript, Moffet recreates some "Prison Scenes or Dialogue" and subsequently includes some correspondence from Kagi. Moffet recounts Kagi's second arrest, bail, and March 1857 altercation with Rush Elmore at Tecumseh, Kansas Territory.

James M. Hunter to Thomas Nesbit Stinson
Creator: Hunter, James M.
Date: December 5, 1854
James M. Hunter, writing from Westport, Missouri, informed Thomas N. Stinson about a joint land speculation deal involving lots in Tecumseh, KT. Hunter alluded to Governor Andrew Reeder's involvement in the speculative venture.

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.

Journal of the House of Representatives of the Territory of Kansas
Creator: Kansas. Legislature
Date: July 2 through August 30, 1855
This printed document reported upon the actions of the First Territorial House of Representatives when it 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 (Senate) that moved the meeting of the Legislature to Shawnee Manual Labor School beginning July 16, 1855. This first session of the House of Representatives concluded 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, a special committee on exempting slaves from execution, bounds of counties and districts, elections, convention, and public printing. The appendix also included 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 31 pages are an index to the volume.

Kansas Territory versus Israel Bash for contempt
Date: April 26, 1860
This is a bill for the Kansas Territory listing fees generated by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory's case against Israel Bash for contempt. It was issued on April 26, 1860 in Jackson County, Kansas Territory and signed by Justice Rush Elmore and prosecuting attorney R. C. Callahan. The fees include clerk and sheriff costs and begin with Bash's charge of contempt in September of 1858 and end in 1860.

Kansas Territory versus Jonathan Biglow for selling liquor without license
Date: April 1856 - February 11, 1858
These legal documents relate to the case of the Kansas Territory vs. Jonathan (Jonithan) Biglow for selling liquor without a license in Douglas County, Kansas Territory on April 1, 1856. Biglow was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District, during the April court term of 1856. The documents include indictments and arrest warrants for Biglow as well as subpoenas for witnesses Samuel Salters and Andrew J. Crockett. The arrest warrant on May 9, 1857 lists the defendant's name as James Biglow.

Kansas Territory versus Jonathan Biglow for selling liquor without license
Date: April 1856 - February 11, 1858
These legal documents relate to the case of the Kansas Territory vs. Jonathan (Jonithan) Biglow for selling liquor without a license in Douglas County, Kansas Territory on April 1, 1856. Biglow was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District, during the April court term of 1856. The documents include indictments and arrest warrants for Biglow as well as subpoenas for witnesses Samuel Salters and Andrew J. Crockett.

Kansas Territory versus Jonathan Biglow for selling liquor without license
Date: April 1856 - February 11, 1858
These legal documents relate to the case of the Kansas Territory vs. Jonathan (Jonithan) Biglow for selling liquor without a license in Douglas County, Kansas Territory on April 1, 1856. Biglow was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District, during the April court term of 1856. The documents include indictments and arrest warrants for Biglow as well as subpoenas for witnesses Samuel Salters and Andrew J. Crockett.

Kansas Territory versus Jonathan Biglow for selling liquor without license
Date: April 1856 - February 11, 1858
These legal documents relate to the case of the Kansas Territory vs. Jonathan (Jonithan) Biglow for selling liquor without a license in Douglas County, Kansas Territory on April 1, 1856. Biglow was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District, during the April court term of 1856. The documents include indictments and arrest warrants for Biglow as well as subpoenas for witnesses Samuel Salters and Andrew J. Crockett.

Reminiscence of John Sedgwick Freeland
Creator: Freeland, John Sedgwick
Date: 1895
Mr. Freeland gave a detailed account of the slaves owned by Judge Rush Elmore and his wife. The reminiscence contained some stereotypical views and phrases concerning African Americans. This account was prepared by either F. G. or Zu Adams after an interview with Mr. Freeland. They contacted a number of early Kansas settlers requesting information about slaves brought to Kansas Territory. While all of the information collected was based on reminiscences, it still provides useful information that is difficult, if not impossible, to find elsewhere. Miss Adams and her father F. G. Adams were employees of the Kansas State Historical Society.

Rush Elmore to James Stallworth
Creator: Elmore, Rush
Date: January 11, 1858
Rush Elmore was an associate justice of the Kansas Territory's supreme court, a leading delegate at the Lecompton Constitutional Convention, and a slave holder. He writes this letter of introduction, from Lecompton, Kansas Territory, for John Halderman to "hand" to the Hon. James A. Stallworth, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Elmore's home state of Alabama. Halderman is, apparently, making a trip to Washington, D.C., and Elmore asks Congressman Stallworth to show Halderman every courtesy. Elmore calls his "friend" Halderman "a gentleman of some prominence not only in his county but throughout the Territory," and writes "You will be able to learn many important & interesting facts in relation to the Territory and its Political parties from him."

United States versus D. A. Butterfield for contempt
Date: November 4, 1859
This letter written from Dr. J. B. Woodward to Judge Rush Elmore relates to the case against D. A. Butterfield for contempt. Woodward writes from Junction City, Kansas Territory on November 4, 1859 to notify Judge Elmore that Butterfield is too ill to travel to the court in Lecompton to serve as a juror.

United States versus Lewis D. Costa for contempt
Date: March 6, 1860 - June 21, 1860
These two arrest warrants relate to the case of the United States vs. Lewis D. Costa for contempt. The warrants state Costa is being brought to court to answer for the charge and to testify as a witness in another case. The warrants were returned by U. S. Marshal Philip J. Colby unserved.

United States versus Lyman Allen et al for participation in Topeka legislature
Date: crime March 4, 1856; warrant January 5, 1857
This case file contains arrest warrants, summons, and subpoenas that relate to the charge against Lyman Allen and others of participating in an illegal legislature in Topeka, Kansas Territory on March 4, 1856. An arrest warrant was issued on January 5, 1857 after Samuel J. Jones was summoned before the 2nd U.S. District Court at Tecumseh and testified that all members listed in the warrant had met in Topeka as a legislative body. The Free-State Legislature, based in Topeka, was elected on January 15, 1856 in response to the federally recognized proslavery territorial government elected in March of 1855 in an election with widespread voter fraud. The Free-State Legislature was dispersed by the U.S. Army in July of 1856 on orders from President Pierce.

United States versus Silas Biths for trespass on school lands
Date: November 1859 - February 21, 1861
These legal documents relate to the United States vs. Silas Biths for trespass on school lands in Breckinridge (now Lyon) County, Kansas Territory on November 1, 1859. Biths was indicted by the U. S. District Court for the Kansas Territory, Second District in November of 1859 for cutting down trees and timber worth five hundred dollars from land owned by the United States government and used to fund public schools. Arrest warrants issued for Biths were returned unserved.

United States versus Thomas Clark et al. for counterfeiting
Date: May 1860 - February 4, 1861
These legal documents, including arrest warrants, subpoenas, and an indictment, relate to the case of the United States vs. Thomas Clark, William Andrews, Simon Atchison, and --- Hopkins. The four men were accused of counterfeiting 1000 gold dollar coins on May 1, 1860 in Osage County, Kansas Territory. The men were indicted by the Second Judicial District Court during the May term of 1860.

United States versus William Brass for contempt
Date: February 24, 1859 - June 23, 1860
These legal documents relate to the case of the United States vs. William Brass for contempt. Brass was summoned to serve as a juror for the U. S. District Court of the Kansas Territory, Second District in Lecompton on October 4, 1858 but failed to appear by October 5, 1858. A judgement debt of ten dollars plus court costs was issued on May 9, 1859. The U. S. marshal reported no property found to levy for the debt.