Crawford

Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service Aerial Photographs, 1938-1979 (P0335)
107.5 linear feet

 Digitized Materials

 Finding Aid

Missouri county aerial photographs produced by the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service.

Alternative National Party Records, 1979-1991 (R1361)
0.25 cubic foot (2 folders)

 Finding Aid

The Alternative National Party Papers collects the writings and campaign materials of the Alternative National Party, a small conservative third party based in Steelville, Missouri. The collection includes many press releases, letters to the editor, campaign materials, and correspondence with elected representatives

American Legion, Cuba Memorial Post No. 522 Records, circa 1948 (R0955)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

This hard-bound booklet lists military veterans, mostly from the World War II, from Cuba in Crawford County, Missouri. Included are six "Gold Star Boys." Entries include photographic portraits, dates and branches of service, ranks, domestic and overseas postings, awards, and current occupations.

Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. Records, 1997 (R1406)
0.1 cubic foot (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

The Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. Records contain the book Win-Win: A Information History of Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., written by Russ Holt and published in 1997.

Israel J. Baumgardner Photograph Collection, 1880-1940 (R1299)
5 cubic feet (58 folders, 18 CDs, 3,685 negatives, 14 glass plate negatives)

 Finding Aid

The Israel J. Baumgardner Photograph Collection contains the negatives created by Baumgardner, a photographer in Rolla, Missouri. Many of the images are studio portraits, but others include roadside landmarks of Route 66, World War I and II era images, and the local area. He also engaged in commercial and advertising photography.

Bethel Association United Baptist Churches of Jesus Christ Records, 1816-1996 (R0598)
4 rolls (72 volumes)

 Finding Aid

These are the minutes of the annual meetings of the Bethel United Baptist Association of southeaster Missouri, beginning with the organizational meeting in 1816. The Association consists of chruches in Crawford, Iron, Madison, St. Francois , and Wayne counties.

Bourbois Baptist Association Records, 1877 (R0221)
0.01 cubic foot (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

The Bourbois Baptist Association Records contains photocopies of the annual report of the twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Bourbois Baptist Association. The Association included rural churches in Phelps, Crawford, Maries, and Osage counties. The minutes include statistics from the constituent churches.

John F. Bradbury Papers, no date (RA1652)

Carr School/Cook Station, Crawford County, Missouri Records, 1873-1927 (R1338)
0.5 cubic foot (4 oversize volumes)

 Finding Aid

The collection includes the records of School District No. 79. It consists of four volumes, including the Public School Register, District Clerk's Record and two volumes of attendance records.

Christopher Columbus Cook Papers, 1860 (R0317)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

This is a photocopy of an agreement for the sale of two slave children, by Christopher C. Cook to George N. Cook, July 21, 1860, probably in Crawford County, Missouri. Appended are biographical notes by William P. Elmer of Salem, Missouri, 1955.

Mort E. Cooper Motion Picture, no date (RA0530)

Scenes from Steelville area.

Crawford County Images, circa 1910 (RA0515)

Crooked Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Crawford County, Mo.) Records, 1871-1926 (C3718)
0.02 cubic feet (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

Church record book of the Crooked Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which began in Keysville and later moved to Steelville. The church was established in 1834 by John Dunlap, Reuben Vaughn, Mr. Keys, and several others. There are several large gaps in this material: 1880-1884, 1895-1902, 1913-1925, and a few smaller ones.

Cuba Community Fair Collection, 1948 (R0895)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

This is a program booklet for the second annual Cuba Community Fair, held at Cuba in Crawford county, Missouri, on September 8-11, 1948. The fair was sponsored by the Cuba Civic Club and its Auxiliary.

Daughters of Rebekah, Cuba Lodge No. 739 Records, 1888-1984 (R0968)
(24 volumes, 7 folders)

 Finding Aid

These are the record books and miscellaneous papers of the Rebekah Lodge in Cuba, Crawford County, Missouri. The Cuba Lodge's collection includes earlier records of Martha Lodge No. 19 at St. James in Phelps county, which consolidated with the lodge at Cuba in 1978.

Beverly A. Davis Papers, 1865 (R0204)
0.01 cubic foot (1 folder)

 Finding Aid

The Beverly A. Davis Papers contain a Civil War letter written by a member of the 32nd Missouri Infantry at Rouse’s Plantation, North Carolina, to his niece, Ellen, at Steelville, Missouri. Davis commented on the capture of Richmond, Virginia, and the prospects for peace.

Martha Ann Veach Dicus Scrapbook Collection, 1896-1930 (R1290)
(4 oversize volumes)

 Finding Aid

This collection consists of four scrapbooks of newspaper clippings compiled by Martha Ann Veach Dicus
of Steelville, Missouri. The scrapbooks include wedding notices, birth announcements, death notices, obituaries, and items of local interest in Crawford, Franklin and Washington Counties and the communities of
Cuba, Palmer, Steelville, and Sullivan.

BIll Dobkins Collection, 1968-1995 (R1505)
2 cubic feet (58 folders)

 Finding Aid

The Bill Dobkins Collection contains genealogical publications and research regarding the Dobkins, Compton, Harmon, Blanton, Edward, Williams, Byrd, Cook, White, Dawson, and Bailey family lines. The materials focus mainly on Crawford, Franklin, and Washington counties in Missouri with supplemental materials tracing family lines back to Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Georgia.

William Devol Dobkins Photograph Collection, circa 1879-1968, bulk 1892-1920 (R1279)
0.5 cubic foot (6 folders, 92 photographs)

 Finding Aid

The William Devol Dobkins Photograph Collection contains ninety-two photographs, consisting primarily of contact prints from the original glass-plate negatives. Of these, at least eighty are attributed to William “Will” Devol Dobkins. The majority of these images were shot between 1892 and 1920. They show outdoor views of life in and around Crawford County, Missouri.

Duncan and Lambeth Families Genealogical Collection, 1880s, 1918-2019 (R1494)
4.5 cubic feet (72 folders, 330 photographs)

 Finding Aid

The Duncan and Lambeth Families Genealogical Collection contains the genealogical research for the Duncan and Lambeth families of central Missouri. Dr. Betty Jo White and Carolyn Lou Ranft compiled the collection with many contributions from Sharon Kay Beckham, Norma Jean Endersby, Carman Sue Grimes, Robert C. Haefner, Ellen Denise Karr Seevers, Cordell Henry Webb, Dorothy Ann Williams, and Shirley Ann Wyatt, descendants of the Lambeth and Duncan families. Included in the collection are vital records, photographs, correspondence, family lineages, contextual research, family stories, and articles on local history topics.

Dyson-Bell-Sans Souci Papers, 1845-1880 (S0016)
0.2 cubic foot, 1 microfilm roll

 Digitized Materials

 Finding Aid

The papers contain 83 letters written by or to Absalom Roby Dyson (1832-1864) and his wife, Louisa Johnson Dyson (1833-1898), between 1850 and 1880 regarding their life in Steelville and Franklin County, Missouri, before the Civil War and Absalom Dyson’s service as a Confederate soldier. Also included are various teaching contracts, business and employment records, and other documents related to Absalom Dyson’s work as a farmer, postmaster, and teacher.

Eagle Hurst Ranch Collection, circa 1942 (R1283)
(1 oversize folder)

 Finding Aid

The poster is a collage of images that were mounted to a piece of plywood and then shot as one large halftone photograph. The poster includes an eagle logo, the title "Eagle Hurst Ranch, Huzzah, Mo" and fifteen halftones of various scenes at the Ranch. Among these half-tones are the entrance gate to the Ranch, the swimming pool, horseback riding, fly fishing, scenic views of the woods and the Huzzah River, swimming in the river, the dining hall and cabins.

Robert L. Elgin, "History of the Nova Scotia Iron Company" Collection, circa 1990 (R0660)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

This is a history of the Nova Scotia Iron Company, 1880-1893, written by Robert L. Elgin. The company operated mines and a hot blast furnace in Dent County, Missouri. The furnace operated only intermittently from 1881 to 1884. The history, written largely from newspaper sources in Dent and Crawford Counties and iron trade journals, was prepared for the Mark Twain National Forest.

Robert L. Elgin Photograph Collection, circa 1950s-1990s (R1015)
0.75 cubic foot (44 folders)

 Finding Aid

These are black and white photographs, color slides, plans, and detail drawings of historic structures in the northern Ozarks of Missouri. Several counties are represented, but especially Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Osage, and Washington. The primary topics are vernacular architecture, log structures, churches, and cemeteries.

Robert L. Elgin Research Collection, 1960-1993 (R1261)
2.1 cubic feet (65 folders)

 Finding Aid

These are the research files of a civil engineer, surveyor, and historian from St. James in Phelps County, Missouri. The colletion includes reports, scale sketches, and photographs concerning the restoration of various historic sites in Missouri, charcoal iron furnace sites in Missouri, and prehistoric petroglyphs and pictograph sites in the Missouri Ozarks.

Robert L. Elgin Travel and Tourism Collection, circa 1930s-1960s (R0623)
0.25 cubic foot (15 folders)

 Finding Aid

The Robert L. Elgin Travel and Tourism Collection contains materials related to travel and tourism in Missouri. Included are maps, postcards, ephemera, and a series of promotional booklets produced by the Missouri State Division of Resources and Development.

Essman Family Papers, 1896-1928, 1987 (C4336)
0.4 cubic feet (5 folders)

 Finding Aid

The papers contain Our Essman Heritage, a genealogical story of the Essman Family, written by John H. Essman, Jr., and four merchandise, account and school assignment ledger books belonging to John H. Essman Sr.

Frank Hiram Farris Papers, circa 1900-1927 (R1301)
0.3 cubic foot (8 folders)

 Finding Aid

These are papers of a long term Democratic state legislator from Crawford and Phelps Counties in Missouri. The collection includes photographic portraits of Farris and his printed orations, newspaper clippings and other items from political campaigns, and newspaper death notices and memorials collected after Farris's death in 1926.

Federal Lead Company, Mining Department Records, 1907-1913 (R0520)
2 cubic feet (17 volumes)

 Finding Aid

These are letterbooks of outgoing correspondence maintained by Harry Adelbert Guess, general
manager of the Federal Lead Company's mine and mill at Flat River in St. Francois County,
Missouri. Topics include production, exploration, shipping, labor relations, and environmental pollution.

Fred W. Fife Papers, circa 1940, 1999 (R0794)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

These are photographs and historical information regarding Fred "Spooky" Fife and Sarah Elizabeth "Liz" Fife, proprietors of the Spur Tavern on Route 66 near Leasburg in Crawford County, Missouri.

Henry Beeson Flanner Papers, 1856, circa 1936 (R0139)
0.02 cubic foot (2 folders)

 Finding Aid

The Henry Beeson Flanner Collection contains photocopies of a typescript diary by Henry Beeson Flanner describing his travels between Mount Pleasant, Ohio and Lake Spring in Dent County, Missouri, where he purchased land. Also included is a pamphlet by Anna Flanner Buchanan concerning the Flanner family.

Greater Rolla-St. James Region, Missouri, Photograph Collection, 1884-1996 (P1123)

An artificial collection of photographs of the greater Rolla-St. James region in Missouri, including Crawford, Dent, Phelps, Maries, and Pulaski counties.

Sarah Guitar Collection, no date (C3391)
1.5 cubic feet (5 card files); also available on 2 rolls of microfilm

 Finding Aid

Card file compiled by Sarah Guitar, reference librarian of the State Historical Society of Missouri, as a guide to county boundaries of Missouri, 1812-1929; Missouri congressional district boundaries, 1845-1933; Missouri senatorial districts, 1820-1931; and Missouri judicial circuits, 1815-1915.

Moses Harman Papers, 1858-1984 (C3802)
0.26 cubic feet (13 folders)

 Finding Aid

Papers of Moses Harman, founder and publisher of LUCIFER, THE LIGHT-BEARER, later the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EUGENICS. He was a proponent of women's rights and the eugenics movement during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Includes typescript copies of a speech and articles by Harman, a photograph, articles about Harman, and issues of LUCIFER, THE LIGHT-BEARER, 1896-1907.

High School Meet for Southeast Missouri Collection, 1933 (R0999)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

This is a program booklet for the 28th annual high school meet for Southeast Missouri, held at Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, on April 28-29, 1933. The meet included competitions in academic subjects, music, and debate as well as athletics. The meet was under control of the Teachers College Athletic Committee.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Cuba Lodge No. 270 Records, 1915-1922 (R0963)
(1 volume)

 Finding Aid

These are minutes of meetings of the Odd Fellows lodge at Cuba in Crawford County, Missouri. The minutes begin on February 3, 1915 and continue through March 1, 1922.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Cuba Lodge No. 887 Records, 1947-1955 (R0964)
(1 folder, 1 volume)

 Finding Aid

These are the by-laws and membership register for the Odd Fellows lodge at Cuba in Crawford, County, Missouri, beginning with the organization of the lodge on June 21, 1947.

Edd Ingram Photographs, 1904-1918 (P0279)
1.71 cubic feet (396 glass plate negatives, 13 photographs)

 Digitized Materials

 Finding Aid

Photographs by Edd Ingram of Edgar Springs, Missouri, primarily in glass plate negative format. Ingram captured early twentieth-century individual and group portraits, school portraits, and images of rural activities, industries, and agriculture. Identified locations pictured are in south central Missouri and cover portions of Phelps, Pulaski, Dent, Texas, and Crawford counties.

James Memorial Library Photograph Collection, 1870s-1992 (R1480)
3.5 cubic feet (52 folders, 4443 negatives, 50 glass plate negatives)

 Finding Aid

The James Memorial Public Library Photograph Collection contains negative copies of photographs brought to the library in St. James by residence who lived in town and the surrounding area. The original images date from the 1870s to the 1990s and include family portraits, city scenes, local businesses, area schools, events, parades, weddings, and church activities among many others. The majority of the photographs are from Phelps County with representation from Crawford and Dent counties.

David A. James Papers, 1790-2008 (C4126)
5 cubic feet

 Finding Aid

The research material of a hotel management instructor, whose work resulted in the publication Historic Hotels of Missouri: Hotels, Inns, and Taverns of 19th Century Missouri.

Larry James Collection, 1874-2019 (SP0038)
1.5 cubic feet (33 folders, 6 photographs, 239 negatives)

 Finding Aid

The Larry James Collection consists of photographs taken and collected by local historian and author Larry James. Photographs in this collection were also taken by freelance writer and photographer, Charles Townson Allonby. The books in this collection were written or co-written by Larry James and focus on the history of Newton County, Missouri.

Clarence Keathley Photograph Collection, 1905-1976 (P0177)
0.125 linear feet

Photos of mining from Ken magazine (1939), the Berryman CCC Camp No. 3733, agriculture, the Palmer Project, and the University of Missouri (ca. 1932-1934).

Korean War Veterans Association Records, 1953-2012 (R1498)
1.25 cubic feet (19 folders, 1 VHS, 1 VHS-C)

 Finding Aid

The Korean War Veterans Association Collection consists of scrapbook pages, photographs, audio-visual, and institutional records from the Korean War Veterans Association in Rolla, Missouri.

J. Gilbert Lay Papers, 1960s-1980s (R1327)
1 cubic foot (6 volumes)

 Finding Aid

The J. Gilbert Lay Papers include six scrapbooks containing obituaries and death notices for residents of Cook Station, Crawford County, Missouri, and surrounding communities. Also included are newspaper clippings of Lay’s poetry and writings, advertisements of his revivals, local history items, and local news. The collection also contains the Lay family genealogy with numerous pages devoted to Lay’s mother, Lena Lay.

Leasburg Community Club Collection, 1959-1975 (R0848)
(1 folder)

 Finding Aid

These are booklets published for community centennial, homecoming, and Civil War centennial, and homecoming, celebrations at Leasburg in Crawford County, Missouri.

Nancy Bliss Morfit Lewis Scrapbook, 1928 (S0213)
0.25 cubic foot

This scrapbook contains photographs of campers at Camp Inter Oaks, a camp for girls, located near Cuba, Missouri. Lewis, a native of St. Louis attended the camp in 1928. The photographs depict campers swimming, playing tennis, participating in archery competitions, and playing in the woods.

Little Piney Baptist Association Records, 1837-1935 (R0283)
(62 folders)

 Finding Aid

These are minutes of annual meetings of the Little Piney Association, which was composed of churches in Camden, Cole, Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Miller, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski, Shannon, and Texas Counties in Missouri. At various times, the organization had also been titled a "United" and "Primitive" Baptist association.

William Henry Lynch Papers, 1859-1905 (R0202)
(3 rolls of microfilm)

 Finding Aid

The William Henry Lynch Papers contain microfilm copies of the diaries and personal papers of an educator in southern Missouri. Lynch was a native of Houston, Texas County, Missouri. He served in the 32nd Missouri Infantry during the Civil War, and was principal of schools in Steelville, St. James, Salem, West Plains, and Mountain Grove, Missouri, following the war.

Clair V. Mann Cemetery Records, 1942-1949 (C2667)
0.1 cubic feet

 Finding Aid

Tombstone inscriptions compiled by Clair V. Mann from cemeteries in Crawford, Dent, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski, and Texas Counties in Missouri.

Mark Twain National Forest Local History Collection, 1930s-1980s (R0471)
(4 rolls of mircofilm)

 Finding Aid

This collection was selected from unofficial files on miscellaneous historical topics, including local histories, the CCC, the YCC, the "Irish Wilderness," and the Eleven Point River. There are transcriptions of interviews with older members of the community and Forest Service retirees.