Rolla Manuscript Collections

These are the papers of the Applegate and Smith families of Sikeston, Scott County, Missouri. The collection consists of family correspondence, miscellaneous business papers, ephemeral items of historical interest, and selected photographs from family albums.

The Phelps County Collection is an ephemeral collection containing materials related to the history of Phelps County. Those materials include information on local businesses, civic and social organizations, schools, churches, historical information on the county and towns, and photographs.

These are diaries and personal papers of Elizabeth J. McPherson, her daughter, Constance McPherson, and son, George McPherson Jr. They include Elizabeth's diaries of daily life in Ohio and Rolla, Missouri from 1930 to 1977; correspondence and diaries by Constance regarding her travels and Peace Corps service in the Philippines from 1960 to 1964; and George's scrapbook and personal papers regarding his family, extended circle of friends, community activities, and career at the University of Missouri-Rolla from 1969 to 1988.

This is the Robert W. Beiriger collection of family records of the Caby and Hahn families in Bollinger County, Missouri. The collection includes a land record, military pension papers, birth and marriage records, and five photographs of some of the individuals noted in the documents.

The Anna-Beaver Mining Company Photograph Collection contains two panoramic views of the Anna-Beaver Mining Company located near Cardin (originally Tar Creek) and Picher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The images date from the 1920s and show employees of the mining company.

This is a record book of the Joplin Loan and Building Association at Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri. It includes the bylaws, minutes of meetings of stockholders and directors and financial statements. Entries begin with the organizational meeting on March 31, 1883 and continue through January 5, 1891.

These are photographs, business papers, genealogical materials, and other items from the Williams, Sturgeon, Watson and allied families of Phelps County, Missouri. Included are papers concerning pyrite mining in Phelps County and a rare view of the village of Beulah around 1906.

This is 3:33 minute film of the barite mining operation at Dog Patch Mine in Washington County, Missouri. It shows the mechanized period of barite mining and was shot on one of the best days of production at the mine in 1963.

These are the teacher's register, district clerk's record book, and miscellaneous papers of the Greenbush School, a small rural school in Phelps County.

The collection consist of Anton Holm's declaration to become a United States citizen at Manitowoc County, Wisconsin in 1873, and a receipt to Holm regarding a Phelps County civil court case in 1905. There is also a letter from an attorney for the University of Missouri regarding a sale of sixty acres to the University by Anton J. Holm in 1920.

This collection consists of correspondence to Besse and her mother from friends, Besse's letters and postcards from travels in Europe in the 1920s, and miscellaneous papers and postcards. There is also a reminiscence of early days in the Lycoming Valley of Pennsylvania by her grandfather, J. W. Heylmun, circa 1911.

The collection consists of eleven school report cards for the children of Thomas M. and Elsie D. Sawyer. The children attended Rogersville Public School at Rogersville in Greene County, Missouri, and Green Hill School, in Webster County, Missouri for elementary education.

The Kansas City Southern Railway Company Collection contains materials related to the careers of father and son, Frank M. Switzer and George M. Switzer who combined worked for the line for over 80 years. The collection includes photographs, promotional material, travel passes, timetables, company publications, equipment diagrams, and advertisements.

This is a program for baccalaureate and commencement exercises of Stockton High School at Stockton in Cedar County, Missouri on May 3 and May 7, 1942.

The James Foundation Papers contains materials on file at the James Memorial Library before it was transferred to municipal control. The materials contain correspondence, photographs, legal and estate documents, maps and project proposals pertaining to the estate of Lucy Wortham James, the establishment of the James Foundation, and the management of properties in Missouri.

The Findley papers consist of the correspondence and personal papers of Susan Hancock Findley and her husband, Marshall E. Findley; including his years in Rolla as an associate professor of chemical engineering, correspondence and papers as his time as a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) guest professor in South Vietnam, letters from Vietnam and Malaysia. Findleys wrote of living and traveling in Asia, working in the USAID program, politics, and the course of the war in Vietnam.

The Nelson F. Rogers Papers contain the professional papers of Nelson F. Rogers, a forester with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Research Center. He conducted research at the Sinkin Experimental Forest and Central States Forest Experiment Station, studying reforestation of strip-mined areas and experiments involving the cultivation of shortleaf pine. The collection also includes personal papers and Rogers family genealogical material.

The Cayce Family Papers contain correspondence to and from members of the Cayce family of St. Francois County, Missouri. Most of the items are addressed to or written by Ellis P. Cayce. The papers contain information on family members, family businesses, and Ellis’s courtship of Emma Dupuy.

The Ernest Evans Davidson Photograph Collection contains the personal and family photographs of Ernest Davidson of Clay County, Missouri. Images include family photographs, scenes of family vacations in Althea, Missouri, and on the North Fork of the White River.

The United States Bureau of Mines, Rolla Research Center Records contain the records of the Bureau of Mines office and research facility established in Rolla, Missouri in 1915. The records include correspondence, operational reports, project reports, photographs, newspaper articles, program materials, and maps.

The Robert Q. Hamilton papers contain personal papers associated with the family's filling station, charcoal manufacturing, antique farm equipment at Timber in Shannon County, Missouri. The papers reflect the family's close association with Shannondale Community Church Center, a mission of the Missouri Conference of the United Church of Christ. Other papers show civic involvement with the Timber volunteer fire department, recreation association, and North Shannon County Fair.

The collection of railroadiana consists primarily of printed memorabilia such as timetables, station maps, ticket stubs, and other memorabilia. Most pertains to passenger operations in the United States and Canada, especially those by Amtrak, but there are also brochures and printed materials from passenger railroads in Europe and Asia. The bulk of the material dates from the 1960s to the 1990s.

The James E. Mueller Papers contain the correspondence and printed materials assembled by James E. Mueller over the course of his years of research and volunteerism as an environmentalist in Joplin, Missouri. Included in the papers are materials concerning air quality issues, a campaign targeting emission levels of a local company, and a proposed landfill at a site in farm country north of Joplin. There are also papers pertaining to other environmental issues that interested Mueller, including hazardous waste disposal and lead poisoning.

These are newspaper clippings and other printed materials pertaining to the Lebanon High School Band during Paul Fite's tenure as head of the music department.

These are professional papers and printed matter of a civil engineer and highway transportation specialist. Most of the material concerns traffic patterns, parking studies, and road planning around Rolla, Missouri, including the United States Highway 66 by-pass and the North-South Arterial Road. The collection includes Dare's work, reports of consultants, and publications of Missouri State Highway Department planners.

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.

These are letters written to Richard H. Landrum of Mount Vernon in Lawrence County, Missouri, from family and friends in Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee, and Texas. They touch on politics, land, crops, Civil War and family matters.

The Rodney Family papers consist of legal documents related to the probate of various estates within the inter-related families of Rodney, Garrett, Ramsey, Walls and Whitelaw of Cape Girardeau and Mississippi Counties, Missouri.

This is a typescript of a journal by Bollinger County, Missouri native Jacob Bess during service with the 7th Missouri Cavalry (Confederate), September 26, 1864-June 22, 1865. Brief daily entries note the succession of camps in Arkansas and Louisiana, acquiring horses, and personal expenses.

These undated books contain data pertaining to land owners in Pulaski County. They were created by William C. White, assessor of Pulaski County, Missouri, between the years 1936-1944.

The records of Dunklin County, Missouri Marriage Records, 1899-1905 contain a photocopy of the book Records of Marriages, for Dunklin County, recorded by R.M. Harris, Justice of the Peace.

The Iron Mountain Camp Photograph Collection contains a photograph album. The album is a souvenir piece that depicts Iron Mountain Camp circa 1899.

The photocopied journal is the writings of William ""Ted"" E. Parmenter from May 1944 to January 1946 during his tour of duty in the United States Navy.

The Adam Perkins Papers contain a typescript copy of Adam Perkins' journal, a farmer from Bollinger County, Missouri, is dated from January 1861 through December 1871. The journal was discovered in 1990 in Plainfield, Illinois. It was then typescript by Jean Scott of Orlando, Florida and sent to Lorena S. Eaker of Bollinger, Missouri for editing.

This collection contains an undated, 3_" x 4 _", sepia photo is of the depot which was located at the historic town of Flucom, Jefferson County, Missouri. It is a small, square building, serving as a depot for passengers and a drop location for mail in the Flucom area.

The photograph of ‘Martine’s “Gang” Painters – Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri is an image of over 100 men with assorted painting materials taken in front of buildings at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri ca. 1941.

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.

This collection consists of pension claim papers for Joseph Lafayette Ray a veteran of the Civil War. In 1911, Joseph L. Ray began the process of applying for a pension for his service during the Civil War.

The Aaron Wetzel papers consist of photocopies of two letters written during the Civil War by Aaron Wetzel, a Union soldier.

The records of Missouri Forestry contain materials from the administration of directors George O. White, Osal B. Capps, and Jerry Presley. This includes materials related to Smokey Bear, fire safety, and the promotion of science, practice, and standards of forestry.

The records of the Missouri Forest Heritage Center contain the papers the not-for-profit organization and its goal to create a heritage center that showcased the state's role in the lumber industry, the importance of forests, and to archive items relating to the lumber industry.

This collection contains awards, plaques and certificates; playbills, fliers, programs, magazine and newspaper articles; photographs including pictures of featured performers, bands on stage, of the crowd, and of impromptu jam sessions; 17 photo albums; audio recordings on reel-to-reel, vinyl, and a 90 minute DVD, "Dixon Bluegrass Festival; Bluegrass Picking' Time: Through All These Years," 2012, by Mona Jones.

The papers of Maude Lupe Hewlett contain the personal papers of Maude Lupe Hewlett and family photographs.

The Cypher newsletters consist of the publications of the Greater St. Louis Chapter of the Organ Historical Society, Inc.

The Findley Campaign Papers document the contested Ward 5, Rolla City Council election of April 1, 1980, between Susan H. Findley and Jim Waterman. The collection includes materials on the campaign, election, and resolution of the election results. Circuit Court Records, sample election materials, newspaper articles, and Susan Findley's personal notes are among the items included in the collection.

The Mine La Motte records document mining history in Mine La Motte, a town in Missouri's Old Lead Belt. The papers include maps, letters, and stock certificates.

The Kelley Family Collection contains photocopied personal papers of Isaac E. Kelley and James L. Kelley. The collection also includes the genealogical research collection of Patricia Lou Kelley. The research includes information on the Kelley family, but also the connected Barr, Randel, Dyer, Whitson, Bettis, Chilton, Criswell, Huddleston, Payne, Graves, Daniel, and Turley families.

The General Electric Company bulletins consist of a collection of technical publications created by the company.

The Rolla Home Rule Charter Commission, Papers, documents the issue of whether or not the city of Rolla, Missouri, should adopt a home rule charter.

The James W. Orchard Papers contains the papers of Missouri bluegrass musician Jimmy Orchard including event and festival fliers, photographs, recordings of shows, and music album information.

This Big Piney Regular Baptist Church minute record book contains membership rolls, articles of faith, rules of decorum, and minutes of meetings May 10, 1834-April 6, 1861. The bulk of the record book is from May 1834 to April 1861 with one additional entry October 31, 1891.

This record book contains 123 pages of minutes recorded at the annual meeting held by the Little Piney Regular Predestinarian Baptist Association, located in Pulaski County, September 1834-August 1876.

The Mount Zion Regular Baptist Church minutes book contains minutes from monthly meetings 1841-1850. This church record book contains 65 pages of minutes from the monthly meetings held by Mount Zion Regular Baptist Church, Pulaski County, August 1841 to January 1850.

The Wayne Bledsoe Papers contain materials related to Bledsoe's career in bluegrass. A noted host and program producer of Bluegrass for Saturday Night, KUMR. This collection includes bluegrass festival program booklets from Dixon, Missouri and a DVD containing the KMST radio station 40th anniversary show introduced by Wayne Bledsoe.

The Ray Family Papers contains the personal papers of Wilda I. Housden Ray and genealogical information on the Ray and Housden families, photographs of the family and Licking, Missouri.

These are the personal papers of Paul Grant Davis consisting of correspondence, photographs, and papers relating to his work in the insurance business.

This collection of bluegrass related materials included souvenir programs, booklets, magazines, festival flyers, personal band posters, newspaper articles, band photographs, photo albums related to bluegrass performers.

The Waldensian United Methodist Church of Monett Records contains photocopied newspaper articles detailing the history of the Waldensian faith and the history of the Waldensian church in Monett, Missouri.

The Samuel Barr papers contain the notebook of Dr. Samuel Benjamin Franklin Caldwell Barr. The notebook was used to record business and financial information.

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

The Office of District Provost Marshal, Columbus, Kentucky, Records are copies from a book of military orders issued by military personnel of the Union Army and the Treasury Department. The orders are signed by the Major and Provost Marshal General for the District of Columbus, which was headquartered in Columbus, Kantucky. Orders issued directly from the Provost Marshal General also bear the name of a Brigadier General from the district. The book was found while demolishing an old house in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The Pease Family Papers contain the personal correspondence and papers of Dwight Pease and Sarah Pease. These papers include newspaper articles, a funeral notice for Dwight Pease, and letters between family members.

The Lester Mondale Lecture is a recording of Mondale's address to the Ethical Society of St. Louis on March 15, 1970. His lecture was entitled "When is a Person Most Truly Human?". The lecture is recorded on one cassette tape.

The Meteorite Postcard Collection consists of a postcard written by Dr. Samuel B. Rowe to Dr. C.A. Peterson. The postcard concerns fragments of a meteorite in Rowe's possession.

The Thompson F. Blount papers consists of letters received and sent by Thompson F. Blount. Blount was an influential businessman in Washington County, Missouri.

The F.M. Cockrell Papers contain a photocopy and typescript of a letter sent by Francis Marion Cockrell to N.B. Allen in 1889. The letter discusses a claim for reimbursement for property taken by the Union Army during the Civil War.

Burlington Northern Railway Company Seniority Rosters consist of lists of employees ranked by their seniority within the company.

The Harvey Family Collection is a photocopy of ""The Lily or Ladies' Manual Pocket Book for 1855"". Amy Lloyd presented the book to Chrysea Harvey in the 1850s. The writing in the book is from a decade later. The book's content consists of family member's birthdays and descriptions of a sea voyage from England to New York.

The Desloge Mining papers consist of documents pertaining to the Desloge Consolidated Lead Company. The mining operation was located in Desloge, which is in St. Francis County, Missouri. Business documents and letters about the company, a family tree of the wealthy Desloge family, and newspaper clippings about the company are included in the collection.

The Drake and McGraw Familes Papers document the personal and professional lives of several members of Drake and McGraw families. The McGraw family lived in Greene County, Missouri, and the Drake family lived in Benton County, Missouri. The collection consists of professional documents, correspondence, and a journal collected from multiple members of these families.

The Floyd Snelson photographs are a collection of 100 photographs taken in the Pacific Theater during WWII by Floyd Snelson. Additional biographical material and many documents from Japan during the War period are included in the collection. Some of the photographs document the Japanese surrender at Okinawa.

The Theodore Mansfield Young Papers contain information regarding Young's mining company, Paramount Mining-Milling-Smelting and Refining Corporation. The company operated in the West. It owned many subsidiaries that operated mines. The collection contains many pieces of correspondence with Young, the business history of Paramount Mining, maps of claims and mines, and records of the company's claims.

The Missouri-Iowa Border Dispute records collect 23 miscellaneous documents relating to the disputed Missouri-Iowa border. The collection contains documents in French, English, and Spanish that pertain to the underlying causes of the conflict and the eventual resolution. The collection consists of letters, land deeds, and proclamations that deal with the background and events of the conflict.

The Howard Family Papers contain documents from several generations of the Howard family. The Howards were a prominent family from New Madrid County in the 19th century. Many of the documents in the collection relate to their involvement on the Confederate side of the Civil War. The papers include a deed for a slave, letters written during the Civil War, receipts from the Missouri State Guard, and essays and newspaper
clippings about family members.

The records contain papers from two members of the 3rd Missouri Volunteer Calvary. The records contain papers related to Francis M. Poore and John Harris. The two individuals are not connected and did not serve at the same time. The records of John Harris include a military court document listing charges and findings against Harris.

The Kaskaskia Commons Collection contains information about the efforts of the people of Kaskaskia, Illinois to sell the commons to provide a school fund for their children. The collection contains a pamphlet detailing the history and qualities of the land as well as the plan and reasons for its sale. An abstract of title of the land is also included in the collection.

The Vallé Family Papers document the history of multiple generations of the Vallé Family. The collection contains documents in French and English.  Several versions of the will of François and Marianna Vallé, a family tree, untranslated French writings, and an advertisement for St. Vincent’s Young Ladies Academy in Cape Girardeau are included in the collection.

The papers of Edna Housden Haggard contains the personal papers, scrapbooks, and photographs of Edna Lucille Housden Haggard of Houston, Missouri.

The Committee for Historic Preservation Papers documents the projects of a committee that makes up part of the Phelps County Historical Society. Detailed records of meetings and projects, including a two-year long fight to save a railroad depot, are included in the collection.

The 1st Regiment, Missouri Engineers Collection contains a history of the 25th Reiment Misouri Infantry and Bissell's Engineer Regiment of the West and includes unit rosters. This history was edited and compiled by Dr. W.A. Neal, who served as the assistant sugeon in the 1st Missouri Engineers.

The Joe C. Hill Papers contain two letter written by Joe C. Hill to his family in the United States while he was in Japan with his son Caryl.

The Klingsporn Family Papers contain Lutheran devotional booklets, notes on scriptures, poems, and birthday notes mostly written to William/Wilhelm Klingsporn. The Klingsporn family lived in the Freistatt, Lawrence County, Missouri.

The George Williams Papers contain the testimonies for those who witnessed the murder of George Williams a deputy sheriff in Taney County, Missouri. He was killed by a mob in March 1892.

The Leon M. Harrison Photograph Collection consists of four slides, featuring a panoramic photograph of Springfield, Missouri employees of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company in 1926, and a certificate of appreciation for Leon M. Harrison presented to him in 1933.        

The William George Roberts Papers contain early correspondence between Sarah, Carrol, Emma, and Andrew Roberts. The collection also includes correspondence and papers involving William G. Roberts during his service in World War II. Also included are photographs from his military service and personal papers involving William G. Roberts' life before and after the war.

The William C. Hornbeak papers consist of a copy of an election circular asking the voters of Greene County, Missouri to vote November 3, 1874, for W.C. Hornbeak, who was running for the office of Greene County collector.

The Cassinda Bolin Papers contains photocopies of correspondence and inscriptions found in the personal Bible of Cassinda Bolin.

The Walter Leo Pitts Papers contain photocopies of four form letters belonging to Walter Leo Pitts during World War II. The letters describe the role the USS Texas played in Operation Overlord, and Operation Dragoon on the coast of France; and the Battle of Iwo Jima in the Pacific.

The S. Claude Null Family Papers contain the personal and family papers for Claude Null of Rolla, Missouri. These papers include personal correspondence, genealogy research, and photographs for the Null, Harrison, Headrick/Hedrick, and connected families.

The Diana Steele Photograph Collection contains thirty-six photographs, including family and fraternity brother portraits, from Indiana and Missouri collected by Diana Steele. Some images depict logging scenes in southeast Missouri, from the 1880s to the early twentieth century.

The Allen Hatheway Papers contain correspondence, videos, and photographs concerning the Carondelet Coke Works in St. Louis, Missouri. The papers include correspondence of Hatheway, John Buchanan, and Erwin Blind, the latter two worked at the coke works. Also included are videos and photographs dealing with the history and workings of the coke works.

The Robert C. Silhavy Papers contain the episode script of the show "Story of Lieutenant Robert C. Silhavy" from the Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge radio program. The episode aired on July 22, 1942. It featured the heroic actions of Silhavy, a member of the United States Army Corp of Engineers and discussed the actions of the engineers in the rearguard of the retreating United States Army during the Battle of Bataan in December 1941.

The Sainte Genevieve Academy Records consist of photocopied documents pertaining to the founding of and preservation of the Academy, also known as the Old Louisiana Academy in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri. These records include a history of the school, construction records, land records, and records kept by the Foundation for the Restoration of Ste. Genevieve during the preservation of the school.

The Leslie B. Hutchison Records contain the business records of a Maries County, Missouri based lawyer. The materials include his legal papers, correspondence, some personal political papers, and records from his time as the Special Deputy Commissioner of Finance of the State of Missouri during the 1930s.

The Walling Family Papers include family photographs and genealogical research on the Cook, Hutson, and Walling families.

The Ronald Wenger Photograph Collection contains photographs and negatives taken by Ronald Wenger during his service in the Philippines and New Guinea during World War II. Also included is a brief description of his service.

The Robert H. Guffey Papers contain the history and of the USS LST-670 during its service in World War II.

The Herschel E. Dunham Papers contain photocopies of programs from Japan and the Philippines as well as copies of photographs Herschel Dunham took while serving in the Pacific during World War II.

The Leonard R. Rush Papers contain of photocopies of a pamphlet recording the history and deeds of the 273rd Regiment, 64th Infantry Division of the United States Army in which Leonard Rush served during World War II.

The Dean W. Davis Papers contain the personal correspondence and photographs of Dean W. Davis during his service in World War II. Davis was a corporal in the 92nd Chemical Composite Company.