Kansas City Manuscript Collections

Notes and transcript reports from interviews with Meredith Tarlton Moore, a soldier in the Mexican War and a trader on the California Trail

Letters written by Connelley, noted Kansas historian, to Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, journalist, author, and reformer, relating to Connelley's research into the life of John Brown and other projects. Gives his candid opinions about prominent political and literary personalities in Kansas, and some insight into Connelley's personal life.

Civil War era letters from Canfield, then a civilian clerk with Gen. James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee (17th Army Corps), to his sweetheart, Delia Mansfield, as well as a series of compositions which appear to be submissions to a local newspaper (in Ohio?).

Through innovative marketing, Wolferman's enjoyed a prestigious position in Kansas City gourmet food circles. Photographs, menus, news clips, an accounting ledger, scrapbooks and phonograph records, and advertisements and sample correspondence for the operation of grocery stores and restaurants in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

Operational records and programming and research materials for a historic preservation agency in Kansas City, MO.

Minutes for regular and executive board meetings including financial statements, contracts the original Local 80 charter, dues-earnings ledgers, photographs, and a few artifacts Also the records of the Kansas City Mailers Union #7 and the Communication Workers of America #6325, which merged with the ITU.

Land transactions concerning tract of land located in SE 1/4 sec. 32, T. 50N, R. 33W, of 271 93/100 acres fronting on the Missouri River. Its purchase by the Kansas Town Company formed the original site of Kansas City, MO.

Personal papers and collected items of a prominent musician and music teacher in Kansas City, MO. Contains concert programs, meeting programs from local, state and national music societies, and other material representing Lichtenwalter's interest in classical music. Also correspondence from other musicians and photo albums contain family photos and travel photos from East Asia.

Incoming correspondence, primarily from family members, to Matthew Walker, a member of the Delaware Tribe in Wyandotte County, KS and prominent farmer and civic leader.

Bills of lading for shipments of various goods by steamboat. Gives name of the boat, its master, the name of the receiver of the shipment, a description of the goods and the cost of freight are indicated on the form.

Notebooks compiled by/for Harris, president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad: "Statistics" includes tables and notes such as "assets and liabilities", "classification of locomotives", "dining car earnings", "mileage of track by states and road". "Contracts" have synopsis of contractual agreements pertaining to various railroad lines. Each of the books has its own index.

Relate to the purchase and subsequent resale of the Coates House, a historic hotel in Kansas City, MO by The Historic Kansas City Foundation. includes correspondence, newspaper and magazine articles, press releases, Coates House Task Force minutes, contracts, fundraising efforts, and handwritten notes.

Holograph letter, dated written to the publishers of Fremont's book, The Story of the Guard: A Chronicle of the War (1863). In the note Mrs. Fremont, daughter of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton and wife of John Charles Fremont asked for several advanced copies of the book and complains about the use of some maps and illustrations.

Abstract of land transactions for the tract located in the N1/2 SE1/4 NE1/4 sec. 16, T. 49N, R. 33W that became a park in Kansas City's park system. Does not deal with the condemnation actions undertaken by the city.

Letters relating to Eldridge's petitions for aid to rebuild his hotel, the Eldridge House (sometimes called the Free State Hotel) in Lawrence, KS after it burned during Quantrill's raid in 1863, showing support from a number of prominent Kansas men.

Photocopies of letters written from Kansas Territory by Brown and his son, John Brown, Jr. to Orson Day of White Hall, NY. Brown, who "just returned from the Kansas War," details his concerns for the Territory and gives travel instructions to Day who apparently planned to move his family to Kansas. Also copies of various newspaper accounts (1859) of the action at Harper's Ferry; and a reprint of an anti-Brown article.

Speech by an ex-mayor of Kansas City in defense of the policies of the Republican Party and support for the election of Abraham Lincoln before the Civil War

Letter, written by Fletcher, Governor of Missouri, to an unnamed Colonel (presumably A.F. Denny, commander of the post at Glasglow, MO). Fletcher's concern is the need to capture or kill Jim Anderson, a former member of William Clark Quantrill's bushwhackers, who was in Howard County.

This collection was removed and transferred into K0025

Busch was a composer, educator, founder of an early symphony, and for fifty years the most noted musician in Kansas City. Included are his musical compositions, and works by other composers that Busch added to, transcribed, edited, and gave or received as gifts. Also correspondence from Busch's friends and colleagues, and from relatives in Europe, most of which are written in German and Danish, photographs and artifacts.

Material collected by Lowe for his dissertation about Sir Carl Busch (1862-1943), noted Kansas City musician. Most are photocopies from local libraries and museums. Also microfilm of Carl Busch's extensive correspondence at the Royal Danish Library (some translations of the Danish); miscellaneous clippings and papers.

Holograph manuscript of one of poet, bookseller, librarian Fetterman's books, Tragedies and Comedies (Street Musings), or Joe and Jane's Adventures in Three Great Centers.

Correspondence, photographs, business records and other material of the Dye family of Liberty, MO including Alexander V. Dye, U.S. diplomat in Europe and Mexico during and following World War I; his wife Ida Miller; daughter, Margaret Louise (Luisita); but mostly son Russell, a would-be inventor, entrepreneur.

Letters to Ellen McCoy, wife of William McCoy (1813-1900), first mayor of Independence, MO. They were written from Independence from Washington, D.C. detailing the writters experiences and observations.

Letters written by and to Staples family members who moved from Georgia to Tennessee, then Independence, MO. Topics include news from home and notice of deaths, marriages, and births. Also are legal document relating to land purchases.

Written by Martin, Governor of Kansas, Captain P.H. Cone[r] concerning a meeting of the Grant Monument Committee expressing his support of a monument at main entrance to the Capital grounds honoring the soldiers, sailors, and commanders of the great armies of the country.

Letter from Bledsoe to his brother-in-law William C. Rhodes of Harrisonville, MO. Written on letterhead with a woodcut entitled "View of Coloma, the place where the first Gold was discovered", Bledsoe mentions his gold claim in California, his concerns for the welfare of his wife and children in Harrisonville, and acquaintances they have in common.

letter from Samuel Lathrop, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts to the Hon. Josiah Stebbins in Alna, Maine, concerning the Missouri Compromise.

Correspondence from Confederate Brigadier General Pillow, headquartered at New Madrid, MO, to Major General Leonidas Polk, CSA, including a note from A.B. Gray, Captain CSA. Also included is a report from Captain Rich. P. J. Pe[r]son, Co. B 21st TV at Camp Polk, Columbus, KY, to Gen Pillow and a small photograph of General Gideon Pillow.

Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel McConihi with the 169th New York Volunteers, to Martin I. Townsend, an attoney and anti-slavery politician in New York, describing and condemning the draft riots which took place in New York in July 1863.

Moses T. Burwell was a prominent Kansas City banker and real estate broker. Primarily photographs of the Burwell and Tate families, including studio portraits and exterior and interior shots of the Burwell's late-1800s home. Also included are a scrapbook, newspaper clippings, and other family papers.

Mrs. Burwell was manager and later owner of the Horner-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, as well as being a writer and produced musical shows. Scrapbooks and photographs concerning dance department performances, faculty and students of the Conservatory and other Burwell activates.

Administrative records including minute books, treasurer's records, building fund drive records, scrapbooks, correspondence, roll books and miscellaneous printed materials, and other items relating to the Liberty Christian Church, Liberty, MO.

Engineering project files, including reports, maps, technical drawings, and contracts pertaining to roads, bridges, waterworks, utilities and sewerage in various Missouri cities and counties, particularly Jackson County.

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other documents regarding members of Bush's family: Dr. Charles Wesley Burrill, Surgeon General of the Grand Army of the Republic and doctor in Kansas City, Evelyn Burrill Lewis, and William A. Lewis, educators in Kansas City

Taped interviews and written transcripts of 13 Holocaust survivors from Lodz, Poland. Also includes notes, reports, and articles on historical background and policies towards Eastern European Jews.

Correspondence, programs, flyers, and newspaper articles related to the Center, an alternative film theater in Kansas City.

Palmer was a prominent journalist and a Executive Editor at the Kansas City Star. Contains news articles, photographs, and other documents related to the history and stockholders of the Kansas City Star Company; the professional journalist society, Sigma Delta Chi, for which Palmer was Kansas City chapter president; and the everyday work of a newspaper journalist.

Research papers on the history of the Greater Kansas City area written by graduate students and local historians in response to a prize offered by the Native Sons and Daughters of Greater Kansas City.

Trial transcripts and documents relating to a murder committed by Schweiger. She was defended by Mary Tiera Farrow, one of the first woman lawyers in Kansas City, MO.

Personal and professional photographs and some personal papers belonging to Delk, a prominent Kansas City architect, and his wife, Jane Willis Delk. They relate to the Delks' travels around the world; with a strong focus on the architecture; and photos of residences and buildings designed by Delk.

Photocopied scrapbook of newspaper clippings, booklets, research papers and other items compiled by Adrian Christopher, a local historian, concerning the history of Westport, MO.

Newspaper clippings, research notes, and Harris's Master's Thesis, "The Development of Educational and Cultural Center in Kansas City's Brush Creek Valley".

Scrapbook of news clippings and historical research compiled by James Anderson, historian for the Native Sons of Greater Kansas City, concerning the French Settlement and Community in Kansas City, MO and other people, places and events of Kansas City history.

Newsletters, journals, printed materials, organizational records, and other items concerning various national, state, and local nursing associations. Also regarding nursing education, continuing education, historical associations, and affiliated interest groups, as well as personal papers of Laura Linebach, historian for the Foundation.

Newspaper clippings, articles, announcements, correspondence, and publication relating to the Scarritt and Chick families, two early families in Kansas City. Deeds and leases concerning the property owned by Scarritt and his estate. Also are family histories and a diary and autobiography of Nathan Scarritt, Methodist minister and missionary and early city builder.

Original illustrations, poetry, layouts, clippings and fan mail related to the "Cuddles and Tuckie" newspaper series and books. Also included are scripts, audio tapes, copyright certificates, and news clippings related to the "Cuddles and Tuckie" dramatizations; and Mrs. Williams' commercial artwork for local businesses. Also includes personal papers of the family including home movies.

Legal records, documents and working papers related to the plaintive's case in the Kansas City Desegregation case, Chinyere Jenkins v. Kansas City Missouri School District.

Narrative histories of Donath's activities in the Underwater Demolition Team #7 during World War II. Also included are news articles about the Navy's demolition teams.

Correspondence, clippings, manuscripts, printed materials, as well as photographs and memorabilia dealing primarily with the National Old Trails movement in the early 20th century and Van Brunt's activities in marking the Santa Fe Trail for the Kansas City Chapter of the Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR) Also Van Brunt's personal correspondence with her children, family, and friends, and other family memorabilia.

Organizational records of a local professional and businesswomen's service organization, including correspondence, business and financial papers, obituaries of its members, and newsletters.

Correspondence of Gage, a prominent attorney and mayor of Kansas City, MO, relating to the Midwest Research Institution (MRI) and other organizations and issues in which he was involved. Many letters have attachments, most of which are the agendas and the minutes of the meetings of the MRI's Executive Committee of the Board of Governors, income and expenses, and a variety of reports. Also awards and certificates received by Gage.

"Miss Tania was a noted ballet dancer, teacher, and founder of the Kansas City Ballet. Scrapbook of newspaper clippings, performance programs, posters and photographs relating to the Kansas City Ballet/Kansas City Civic Ballet. Most of the clippings concern performances given by the Company; other ballet-related and publicity articles are also included. There are also photographs of performances.

Chapter drafts of Hoffhaus's book, Chez les Canses; research materials, maps, brochures and guides, correspondence, photos, clippings, and other articles by him.

Organizational records, including minutes, financial records, membership information, scrapbooks and associated materials of a major women's club that served as a vehicle for civic, philanthropic, and cultural activities to benefit the Kansas City community.

Personal and professional paper, particularly relating to Eckel's architectural training at the Ecole des Beaux Arts (most in French), of a prominent St. Joseph, MO architect. Includes Sketches, photos, notes and other materials and also a few drawings of residences in St. Joseph.

Board and executive council minutes, historians' scrapbooks, financial records and ledgers, and the files of various committees and activities, and photographs. Among the projects documented are the Chamber's work with the American Royal, the Citizenship Forum, and the Safety Committee's work with the Drive-O-Rater (with the Soroptimists). Also their publication Civic Woman.

World War II era organization of mothers of men in the U.S. Army established to provide social support for each other and their sons. Scrapbooks, financial ledgers, post reports and minutes, photographs, yearly convention material, newsletters, correspondence, by-laws, roll books, various paraphernalia, and many other items relating to its everyday operation.

Original musical scores, compositions, and arrangements for the cello and other instruments by Rondomanski, a composer and music teacher. Also included is a scrapbook of letters, clippings, programs, and photographs relating to Rondomanski's life and career and recordings of his work.

Correspondence, speeches, programs and brochures, meeting minutes, clippings, and photographs, of Edwin Clendening, businessman and Secretary of the Commercial Club, forerunner of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Correspondence deals with a wide range of topics, both personal and relating to the work of the Chamber.

Correspondence from Katharine Wright, sister of Orville and Wilber Wright, to Henry J. Haskell, editor for the Kansas City Star, her future husband. Also are articles, clippings, and photographs and letters to Haskell from other friends.

Scrapbooks of media coverage for the activities of the Club (forerunner of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce), as well as many of Kansas City's civic events.

Organizational records of a premier livestock and horse show, parade, rodeo, and barbeque contest. Contains correspondence and working files, photographs, scrapbooks, magazines, programs, ledgers, motion picture film, videotape, and other items.

Oral interviews with individuals personally active in the Kansas City reform movement in opposition to the Pendergast Machine and for good Municipal government from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Interviews touching on many aspects of Bograd's life, including recollections of his early years in Russia; his family's immigration; his education; the neighborhoods he lived in; his social life, and the political climate of the city under Pendergast; and his employment with the Kansas City Star.

Architectural records, both original and microfilm for Kivett and Myers, the premier post World War II architectural firm in Kansas City which merged with HNTB in 1975, and later drawings done by HNTB architects.

Minutes from the Directors, Executives, Stockholders, Trustees. Also financial reports that include stocks, ledgers, subscriptions, cash records, and journals; event records; correspondence, and other organizational materials; scrapbooks of media coverage of the history and activities of Convention Hall, and many of Kansas City's civic events; and a large number of photos. Includes files of the General Relief Committee.

Jost, an attorney, was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri and U.S. Congressman. Personal and professional correspondence, records of Jost's legal cases, scrapbooks, certificates, and photographs.

Scrapbooks relating to the theater in Kansas City, particularly regarding plays in which Ellison performed as an actor. Index for 11 of the volumes.

Records relating to the depression era bond issue that resulted in the construction of a number of civic buildings and community improvement projects in Kansas City MO. Includes research, drafts, and photographs for the book, Where the Rocky Bluffs Meet: The Story of the Kansas City Ten-Year Plan.

Scrapbooks, meeting minutes, photographs, and financial records related to the PTA and the Kansas City Mo. School District elementary school.

Minutes of the Chamber's Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Included in most of the volumes prior to 1968, are also minutes of the various standing and ad hoc committees of the organization. Most of the volumes are indexed.

Microfilm of the Menard incoming and outgoing personal and professional correspondence in the Illinois State Historical Library and the Illinois Historical Survey. Letters deal with Menard's involvement in the fur trade and other businesses. Of particular interest are the letters from his daughter Berenice and her husband Francois Chouteau from their home at the mouth of the Kansas River.

Minutes, correspondence, financial records, reports, yearbooks, bulletins, and newsletters. Scrapbooks include the Junior Department, publicity, and yearly activities and events, and many photographs. The Club provides performance opportunities for musicians and scholarship assistance and financial aid to large musical organizations

Barstow is a private preschool through twelfth grade school in Kansas City, MO. Included are yearbooks, material on events, activities, and students; financial and business records such as ledgers, enrollment counts, and fundraising efforts; photographs; meeting minutes; and scrapbooks. The scrapbooks may include correspondence; school newspapers; printed and published material such as programs and invitations; photographs; and clippings.

Richardson was Director of Welfare for the City of Kansas City, MO 1940-1959 and most of the papers pertain to this period: newspaper clippings, correspondence, reports, and photographs. Also his campaign for the Kansas City Council and his interest and work in government and economics which he taught at the University of Kansas City.

Organizational records of a historical society for Kansas City area history. Includes minutes and Secretaries' files; President's files; Treasurers' files; membership records; Curators' files of correspondence with researchers; general correspondence; historical information; and other materials related to the operation of the organization.

Papers of Birkhead, popular, progressive figure in religious and civic affairs documenting his professional and public career. Birkhead was pastor of All Souls Unitarian Church in Kansas City from 1917 until 1939 when he resigned to begin the Friends of Democracy, an "anti-propaganda" organization.

Scrapbooks of newspaper and magazine clippings of poetry and articles written by author and poet Edelman and correspondence with publishers and invitations and programs for various events related to Mrs. Edelman's professional activities. Also manuscripts of writings, samples of published works in magazines, newspapers, journals, greeting cards, and books; personal correspondence, and sounding recordings.

Woolf Brothers was a premier men's clothing store, which also produced some item under their own label, located in Kansas City, MO. Includes orders, patterns, advertisements and other financial, legal, and sore related data. Known for the innovative use of advertising, the Woolf Brothers Company maintained a collection of scrapbooks of their newspaper ads which have been microfilmed.

Scrapbooks concerns cases handled by attorney McLaughlin. They are chiefly comprised of newspaper clippings documenting the investigations and trials of such crimes as murder, bank robbery, burglary, a custody dispute, bombing, bootlegging, and labor and election violence.

World War II era regimental History of the 349th Infantry Regiment of which Edgecomb was a captain, and provides information on such things as training, battle, and supply use.

Photocopied typed transcript of Jennings diary, a farmer near Greenwood, Cass County, MO. Brief monthly and daily entries mostly about farm operations: crops, livestock, going to market, weather, hunting, etc. Also his life: attending church, traveling, and family news. Occasionally on larger events, i.e. presidential elections, San Francisco earthquake, and World War I.

Transcript of an oral history interview in which Mrs. Frampton describes many details of her life, including: Kansas City's "Swede Hill" community; family background and relationships; local Lutheran church history; and holiday food and traditions. Also a Westport High School Memory Book, 1919.

Autobiography of Karnes, an attorney prominent and influential member in the civic and legal community of Kansas City, MO. contains information on his family history and education, people he knew, the Kansas City public school and library system, and city charter reform. Also a small scrapbook comprised of clippings and writings.

Diaries of a prominent business and civic leader and mayor of Kansas City, MO. Contain personal notes and writings, poetry, family history, some clippings, a few photographs, and financial records.

Records and drawings by the premier Kansas City architectural firm of Kivett and Myers. Newspaper clippings, printed materials and photgraphs generated for promotional and informational purposes. Also clippings, articles, and personal correspondence about Clarence Kivett, his wife Margaret, and their activities in Kansas City's professional, civic, and Jewish communities.

An artificial collection of motion picture film and video from various sources.

Manring was a businessman/farmer in Daviess and Gentry Counties, MO and also commissioned officer in the Union Army. Bound volumes used for multiple purposes including record book of Gentry County, MO School District #3; account book/ledger for livery business; Civil War diary; "A Trip to Kansas" describing nature of the land and soil, towns, and people; and general notes and personal financial records.

Selected microfilm of the Papers of Octave Chanute from the Library of Congress covering the periods when Chanute, renowned engineer and bridge builder, was active in Kansas City. Correspondence, family papers, articles, patents, photographs, sketches, kite diagrams, plans for Chanute's railroad bridge across the Missouri River (Kansas City Bridge), and clippings.

Research notes and writings of a local historian focused on the southern part of Kansas City and Jackson County, MO.

Scrapbooks and other items, chiefly clippings, documenting Mrs. Lykins' promotion of the establishment of the Home for Widows and Orphans of Confederate Soldiers: an account book kept for the Potawatomi Baptist School and Mission, which Lykins, missionary, businessman, mayor of Kansas City, MO, took over from his first father-in-law, Isaac McCoy; an account book by Lykins and Brent; and clippings of material written by Mrs. Lykins, Lykins, and others.

A handwritten manuscript of an early reminiscence of Kansas City. Scrapbook by Case, a doctor/lawyer, local historian, civic leader, that contains travel photographs, and family material, diplomas and certificates awarded to Case and his son, Ermine C. Case.

The collection consists of a scrapbook of newspaper clippings pertaining to John Calvin McCoy’s writing for the Kansas City Journal and various other newspapers. The scrapbook also contains a biography, obituaries, and memorials of McCoy, which were published after his death in 1889. The scrapbook includes an index compiled by the Native Sons and Daughters of Greater Kansas City. Additional materials include correspondence and typescript copies of writing by McCoy and his daughter, Nellie McCoy Harris.

Van Horn was a newspaper owner/editor, a mayor of Kansas City, U.S. Congressmen, and civic leader. Includes correspondence, Civil War service records, business and property records, and some artifacts and ephemera. Also contains the papers of Van Horn's granddaughter Adela Cooley Van Horn, who traveled extensively, and kept correspondence, passports, narratives, and photographs, and genealogical records.

Diary detailing Kansas City architect Hill's work inChina on the campus expansion of Biejing University. Includes details of his work, military conflicts, daily life, and descriptions of Peking and other, nearby locales.

Letters written from various war camp locations and a hospital in Virginia. Usually the brothers, who were in the same Confederate regiment, would write their own separate letters on a single piece of paper.

Correspondence, photographs, memorabilia, and other personal materials of the Harris Family which includes printed and published material concerning Lebanese/Syrian-American societies locally and nationally.

Scrapbooks of pictures clipped from movie magazines, newspaper articles, and oftentimes a short, handwritten biographical blurb of the professional lives of over 600 silent film actors and actresses. Each volume is indexed.