Rolla Manuscript Collections

The Alfred H. Fitzsimmons Papers contain the personal correspondence of Al Fitzsimmons during his service in World War II. He served in Company D of the 533rd Quartermaster Service Battalion and the 306th Quartermaster Battalion.

The Holman Family papers contains personal papers for the Holman family including the military records of John H. Holman who served with the United States Colored Troops during the American Civil War and a letter from Private Walter J. Caffery written in Paris, France, in 1918.

The Frost Family Papers contain photocopies of compiled correspondence of Luther and Orville Frost from 1862 to 1889. Also include is a brief family history and genealogical information for the Frost family.

The Sailer Family Papers contain copies of the personal papers and photographs of the Sailer family of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This collection includes images of the Sailer family and extended family, correspondence, newspaper articles, land records, birth records, and local history research for Cape Girardeau and Rolla, Missouri.

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.

The Ralph Roger Harkins Collection contains the papers of journalist R. Roger Harkins, dealing with his research into the oil shale industry and the United States government’s management of those lands and resources. Much of the research and writings of Harkins focuses on Ralph S. Kelley.

The Lamar City Guards Photograph Collection contains images of the Lamar City Guard, Company D, 5th Regiment of the Missouri National Guard. This includes the portrait of an unidentified soldier and views of the Company D flag.

The Jasper County Mining Collection contains reports, land lease agreements, maps, and surveys of mining property in Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri.

The Barnett Development Corporation Photograph Collection contains photographs documenting the town of Barnett, Missouri and the surrounding area where the Lake of the Ozarks would be with the completion of the Bagnell Dam on the Osage River. Included are images of the early stages of construction on the river.

The Parks Air College Collection contains an admission packet for Parks Air College sent to Harold S. Macreading II, in 1932. The packet includes a brief history of the school, description of school facilities, detailed flight course descriptions, and information on the ground, executive, and mechanics' schools.

The Cape Girardeau County Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc. Records contain the records for the Cape Girardeau County Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc. a location of the National Easter Seal Society originally known as the National Society for Crippled Children.

The Arch Talcott Hollenbeck Papers include the personal and business correspondence and papers of Archie Hollenbeck who served as the Howell County postmaster during the early 20th century. He was appointed chairman of the Missouri Prison Board in 1921 and lived in Jefferson City during his appointment before returning to West Plains, Missouri.

The collection consists of tax and deed documents for a variety of people living in Shannon County during the 19th and early 20th century, including Robert I. Davis the proprietor of the Rose Cliff Hotel which was located on the Current River.

The Christian Johann Bürki Papers contain materials related to his service during the Civil War. Born in Bern, Switzerland, Bürki moved to the United States prior to the Civil War and enlisted at St. Louis in the Missouri Volunteer Infantry, 15th Regiment, known as the ‘Swiss Rifles,’ where he rose to the rank of captain.

The Bunion Derby Collection consists of three Path'e film reels titled "Cross Country" the Route 66 Bunion Derby Footrace, an unlabeled reel documenting the 35th Division Reunion, and "Moving Cars" Route 66 West of Springfield, Missouri.

The Melvin C. DeWitt Papers contain the personal military papers and photographs of Melvin C. DeWitt who served in the United States Army from 1966 until his retirement in 1986. Also include are DeWitt's papers related to his employment with the Missouri Department of Corrections.

The two labels would have affixed to cans of Current River Brand Hand Packed Tomatoes circa 1910. These labels were never used.

The collection consists of the journal of Laura Sikes Smith. It records her daily duties, comments on the weather, and the goings on of neighbors and acquaintances.

The collection includes the illustrations, maps and photographs which appeared in the book Frontier Iron written by James D. Norris and published in 1964.

The collection consists of receipts documenting financial transactions made by the Grand Army of the Republic Post No. 69.

The letters of William A. Hawkins document his stay in the Gratiot prison after his capture in Shelby County, Missouri, on September 15, 1862. Hawkins was a lieutenant in Porter's Regiment (1st Northeast Missouri Cavalry). A Confederate, he remained in Gratiot prison until his parole on February 19, 1863.

The collection contains one letter written November 26, 1861 by L.R.P. Southworth to his sister, Mrs. Caroline Jane Orton Verbeck.

The collection contains one ledger of receipts and expenses for the Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Memphis Railroad Company for the period 1906-1908.

The collection contains letters written by John Hyer and Robert W. Fyan to various friends, family and colleagues in the Hyer and Bowles family.

The collection consists of a brochure for the Hotel Connor located in Joplin, Missourifrom 1906 to 1978.

The William L. Vandeventer Papers contain the unpublished manuscript Justice in the Rough on the Bald Knobbers written in 1937. The collection contains the typed manuscript and accompanying photographs.

The Rucker Family Papers contain correspondence and newspapers relating to family history, significant events, and architecture in Rolla, Missouri's history.

The Ozark Rivers Oral History collection consists of interviews done by Alex Primm of eight individuals living in Crawford, Franklin, Phelps and Washington counties in Missouri and their corresponding newspaper articles.

The collection consists of one photograph of the "house and barn of C.A. Garrison Destroyed by Cyclone November 23, 1908, _ mile NE of Conway, Mo."

The Mark Stauter Collection consist of materials donated by Dr. Mark Stauter, the former director of the State Historical Society of Missouri's Rolla Research Center. The papers cover a variety of topics related to Missouri history.

The Peterson-Miller Box Company Records include a 1931 logging contract and several corresponding letters pertaining to logging on a tract of land located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Missouri.

The Philip Graham Long Account Book consists of photo copies of the account ledger of a business located in Farmington, Missouri.

The Purina Poultry Man is a booklet published by the Farmer's Cooperative Association, Inc. in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The Hodge Family Papers consist of personal items and correspondence collected by Mary Dancy Hodge.

The Project Cavern Report Records contains the evaluation and survey of voids within a fifty-mile radius of Rolla, Missouri, for use as a jet propulsion laboratory or industrial and civilian defense use.

The collection consists of an inventory book of a drug store in Van Buren, Missouri from 1960.

The Landrum and Reams Families Papers consists of three letters written by members of the Landrum/Landram and Reams family. They span the period of 1866-1883.

The Bumble Bee Mine Photograph Collection contains photographs of the Bumble Bee Mine located in Jasper County, Missouri, at the turn of the 20th century.

The Marionville, Missouri Promotional Booklet contains information about the city of Marionville, Missouri.

The Southern and Central Missouri Collection is an artificial collection combining acquisitions related to individuals, places, organizations, and events. The collection mostly covers the Missouri counties of Crawford, Dent, Phelps, Pulaski, Shannon, Oregon, Barry, Miller, Taney, Jasper, and Laclede, among others.

Where to go in the Ozarks is a booklet written for tourists that was published in the 1930s. It included information about the different towns and locations in the Ozarks.

The Jimmie Allison Papers contain materials related to the bluegrass career of Jimmie Allison and his bands. This includes bluegrass event and festival fliers, photographs, news articles, and song lists and lyrics.

The Beatrice Rainwater Papers contain documents having to do with education during World War II. It contains mail encouraging educators to support the war effort by supporting the war chest fund and other items pertaining to teaching.

The Ruth Morrison Papers is a collection of newspaper clippings documenting the class of 1927 at St. James High School.

The brochure of Lake Taneycomo and the White River Country contains advertisements and descriptions of popular tourist attractions, businesses, and organizations in Taney County, Missouri.

The Dillard Surbrugg Papers contain letters of correspondence between the Order of the Eastern Star, Webb City Chapter and other chapters in the United States, correspondence between the Springfield Republican and Dillard Surbrugg, correspondence from the Joplin Globe Publishing Company and Mr. Surbrugg and miscellaneous papers.

The papers of Timothy M. Cole contain letters, ledgers, names, and an animal disease guide by Timothy Cole. There are also minutes from the Barry County Baptist Association (digital), a class role book for the Newtown Baptist Church, and a hundredth anniversary history for the Northside Baptist Church.

The flier of the Lions Club Minstrel contains advertisements and cast names for the show at the Flat River High School in 1935.

The collection of Charles Gill contains diaries, writings, travelogues, magazine/newspaper articles, letters, expense records, photographs/post-cards, and many miscellaneous articles written or collected by Charles Gill.

The letters of Eliga and Mae Dees contain correspondence between the couple as well as correspondence to Eliga from other family members.

The Holy Cross Lutheran Church Records contain photocopies of birth, baptism, and death records copied from the church records of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Benton County. The records include birth, baptism, confirmation, and death records compiled by Irene Cordes Reinhard.

The Mary Ann Sorrell Papers contains a handwritten letter from Mary Ann Sorrell to her daughter. The letter is dated September 10, 1863, and was written in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Mary Ann Sorrell discusses her housing situation, the health of her children, and the living arrangements of her various children.

The Leib Family Photograph Collection contains a copy of a photograph of Jacob S. Leib's sons circa 1880, and a copy of a photograph of Leib family members in 1944, in a group shot of the Oakland Christian Church in Joplin, Missouri. The photographs were identified by Jack Leib.

The Missouri Railroad Collection is an ephemeral collection of records dealing with the railroad industry in Missouri. Included are records of railroad investments made by the J. & W. Seligman and Company and members of the Perkins, Livingston, Post Company of New York in railroad companies in Missouri and Kansas. These materials contain records for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company; Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railroad Company; the Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern Railroad Company; the Missouri and Western Railway Company; the Oswego and State Line Railroad Company; Pierce City and Kanas Railroad Company; the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company; and the St. Louis, Wichita and Western Railway Company.

The Helen Welshimer Papers consists of the book, Souvenirs and Other Selected Poems written by Helen Welshimer.

The Granby Missouri Oral History Collection consist of a DVD containing interviews of locals that lived in Granby, Missouri in October 1984. The video contains the interviews of John Hurn, Richard Eustler, and Bill Farris. John Tuggle conducted the interviews. Also included is a letter written by R.J. Savage containing background information on how the interviews were conducted.

The Peckenbaugh Family Papers consist of personal papers for Lura and Adah Peckenbaugh, including wedding invitations, correspondence, reception cards, and pamphlets. The collection also contains newspaper clippings concerning Peckenpaugh family and photographs.

The Jason C. Ottinger Papers consists of documents related to Jason C. Ottinger's personal papers. He resided in Milford, Missouri, in the early twentieth century. This collection includes tax receipts, a bill of sale, deed inquiries, and a certificate of membership for the National Co-Operative Burial Association.

The James S. Cullison Photograph Collection is comprised of images of geological formations produced by James S. Cullison. The photographs were used in geological papers produced by James S. Cullison during his work as a professor of geology at the Missouri School of Mines now (Missouri University of Science and Technology) in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Martin Family Papers contain two letters written between Lula Martin and her parents, Cora and Edward Martin in 1939.

The Henry Blackburn Papers consist of a military land warrant issued to Henry Blackburn for a tract of land totaling 40 38/100 acres in reward for his service in the War of 1812.

The Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 839, Carthage, Missouri Records consist of a souvenir program for the Loyal Order of Moose in the Armory Lodge at Carthage, Missouri on August 26, 1915, and includes the program, menu, dance program, and committee information.

The Southern and Central Missouri Map Collection contains highway, railroad, geological, topographical, mining, tourist, city, county, and state maps. The maps focus on the southern and central counties in Missouri including Crawford, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Laclede, Madison, Maries, Miller, Morgan, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Saint Francois, Sainte Genevieve, Texas, Washington, and Wright counties.

The 73rd Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment Records consists of a United States Army Air Forces flying training detachment graduation book, Fledgling Volume One, for the 73rd Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment in Harris Field, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for class 44-C in October of 1943.

The Mississippi County Teachers Association Records contain a program for the Mississippi County Teachers Association event held October 29-31, 1903, at the courthouse in Charleston, Missouri.

The Oregon County Masonic Records contain materials related to the Masonic lodges and Order of Eastern Star chapters in Thomasville and Alton, Missouri. The Woodside Masonic Lodge No. 387 and the Alton Masonic Lodge No. 255 were the only lodges in Oregon County, Missouri. These materials include meeting minutes, membership lists, financial records, bylaws, photographs, and membership petitions.

The Sainte Genevieve, Missouri Collection contains a Sainte Genevieve, Missouri Lake Forest Estates booklet printed by the La Rose Publishing Company in 1973 and A Tour of Old Sainte Genevieve printed by the Wehmeyer Printing Company in 1975.

The J. Andrew Stewart Papers contain the personal papers of J. Andrew 'Andy' Stewart dealing with his involvement with the Shannondale Community Center and Shannondale United Church of Christ. These materials include photographs, correspondence, church bulletins, pamphlets, devotionals and Bible studies.

The Martin Family Papers contain an autobiographical account of Paris Clark Martin's life. The autobiographical stories include events leading up to and after the Civil War, information about southeastern Missouri, and Tom How's (Howe's) Mill. The collection also includes the memoirs of Paris Clark Martin's son, William Lawrence Martin, which discusses his father.

The collection consists of a letter from S.D. Davis to Mrs. Mary E. Wall addressed to Mrs. Wall in Neelys Landing, Missouri on the 28th of November 1864.

The Laclede County, Missouri Collection contains an official program and souvenir booklet from the Laclede County Centennial, which took place August 7 to 13, 1949, at Lebanon, Missouri. Included in the program is a schedule of events, photographs of event coordinators and entertainers, and a brief history of Laclede County.

The McDonald County, Missouri High School Collection contains a McDonald County high school football annual from 1971. It contains pictures of coaching staff, players, administration of the school, the band, cheerleaders, pep club, and ROTC. Also included are local business advertisements.

This collection consists of scrapbook pages featuring images from Hollister, Missouri in Taney County from 1910 to the 1930s. Several of the images depict Camp Hollister, a Y.M.C.A camp. There is also an aerial view of the Hollister Farm, which is four miles away from Camp Hollister.

The Ozark All-Stars Photograph Collection contains the autographed photograph of the Ozark All-Stars, performers from the Country Music Hall at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.

The Stone County, Missouri Records contain documents pertaining to the history of Stone County, Missouri, including the original Report of the Commissioners who selected the county seat of Galena on April 15, 1851. Also included is a photocopy of the 1860 assessor's book and photographs of reenactors.

The Goodwill Family Photograph Collection contains an original photograph of KWTO Radio's Goodwill Family. KWTO hosted its own live musicians to circumvent the Federal Radio Commission's ban on playing recorded music.

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.

The Jackson High School Records contain a bulletin published by the high school in Jackson, Missouri, for sue by patrons, students, and faculty. It was published for the 1935 to 1936 school year and contains information on the buildings and grounds, equipment available for student use, organizations and activities, how to register to for classes, and the requirements needed to graduate.

The H.C. Casselman Investment Company Records consists of a booklet from the H.C. Casselman Investment Company that was based in Kansas City, Missouri. The booklet includes information about the climate, soil, wildlife, and environment in Missouri. It also includes investment properties for sale and includes a road map of the Kansas City area and parts of the northwest corner of Missouri.

The Railroad Stock and Bond Certificates Collection consists of 70 stock and bond certificates for railroad companies in the United States and Canada.

The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company Maps contain six maps featuring St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company land, railroad lines, stations, and buildings, located in Fort Leonard Wood, Lebanon, Newburg, and Rolla, Missouri.

The papers of Ruth B. Schowalter contain the personal papers of Norma Ruth Baxter Schowalter and genealogical materials related to the Schowalter, Bickey, and Bradford families.

The Northrop Family Papers contain correspondence between members of the Northrop family, family genealogy, and personal papers related to the family farm near Simcoe, Missouri.

The Waldemar M. Dressel Papers contain publications, photographs, and maps from his years working for the U.S. Bureau of Mines based in Rolla, Missouri.

The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company Collection contains a sales kit, business records, and photographs for the St. Louis-San Francisco "Frisco" Railway Company. The collection includes train and freight schedules, specifications for rail cars and lines, promotional materials, maps, sales manuals, and images of railcars and stations.

The Franklin and Binkley Families Papers contain photocopies of correspondence, family papers, and photographs. Also included is genealogical information for the Franklin, Binkley, Myers, Herrman, Bray, and other connected families.

The George E. Ladd Papers include photograph albums containing images and engineering reports of landslides and property destruction caused by soil erosion including images of failed railroad lines and train wrecks in Missouri, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, California, Tennessee, New York, Ohio, and southern Italy.

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.

The James H. Scott Papers contain two volumes with the writings of James H. Scott. The volumes include the published and writing drafts of Scott’s poetry and inspirational writings.

The Edward Charles Dixon Papers contain the business papers of Edward Dixon, a self-trained geologist and mine owner from St. Clair, Missouri. The papers include land records, correspondence, survey reports, photographs, mine leases, and newspaper articles pertaining to his mining concerns mostly in Franklin and Washington counties, Missouri.

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.

The Rotoscope Collection contains the personal papers of Rowe Carney Jr., photographs, patents, schematics and design materials, promotional material, and 35mm reels of film related to the Rotoscope. Invented by Rowe Carney Jr. of Rolla, Missouri, and Tom Smith of Urbana, Missouri, the Rotoscope is a single camera, single projection system capable of taking and projecting a scope of 180 degrees on one reel of film. The collection also includes film scripts written by Rowe 'Doc' Carney and correspondence related to the production of two of his films.

The Hunter Campbell McClure Papers contain correspondence between Margaret Inez Blankenship and Hunter C. McClure during his service in World War II, newspaper articles and publications dealing with the war, and photographs. Also included are the personal papers of Hunter C. McClure.

The Creager Family Papers contain personal documents of the Creager family of Shannon County, Missouri. These materials include photographs, land records, wills, tax and insurance information.

The Webber Family Papers contains a family genealogy documents, photographs, and newspaper clippings for the Webber family of Phelps County.

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.

The St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad Company Collection contains records of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad Company “Frisco.” These records include AFE completion reports, ICC valuations, equipment registers and inventories, and materials on corporate history.

The Leann Arndt Collection contains pamphlets and brochures collected by Leann Arndt. The collection includes records for the Missouri Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Missouri State Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, booklets printed by Charles H. Evers, and brochures for Iberia College.