These letters, spanning 1885 to 1888, are from the superintendent's office regarding the Osawatomie Insane Asylum to Kansas Governor John Martin. Viana Emerson, Matron of the Asylum, wrote to maintain her position and Reuben Smith wrote accepting his position as superintendent. The final letter is from Smith's successor, A. H. Knapp, discussing the fulfillment of Martin's request in a previous letter. Osawatomie State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital established in 1863 and opened in 1866 in Osawatomie, Kansas. It has been named "Kansas Insane Asylum" and the "State Insane Asylum" but was officially changed to its present name in 1901.