Rolla Manuscript Collections

These are yearbooks of the Rolla Civics Club, a women's club founded in 1912. The yearbooks contain listings of officers, members, and committee assignments, and programs for the monthly meetings.

This is a membership directory of the Second Baptist Church at Poplar Bluff in Butler County, Missouri. Published in 1914, it includes members' names and addresses, the church covenant, a list of officers, and photographic images of the church building and the pastor.

This is a program for "Swan and Skylark," a concert presented by the Joplin Choral club at Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri, on April 19, 1904.

This is a letter dated December 23, 1917 from John J. Price at Peirce (now Pierce) City in Lawrence County, Missouri, to R. L. Ballou at Jefferson in Ashe County, North Carolina. The letter concerns the possibility of Price taking over Ballou's flour mill at Big Timber in Sweet Grass County, Montana.

These are minutes of the 67th annual session of the Shoal Creek Baptist Association, which met on August 23-25, 1938 with the First Baptist Church of Newtonia in Newton County, Missouri. The Association was comprised of congregations in Newton and McDonald Counties in southwestern Missouri.

This is a program for a performance of "The Education of Mr. Pipp," a theatrical comedy by Augustus Thomas, by the Senior class of 1918 of Joplin High School at Joplin in Japser County, Missouri. Directed by Mrs. George F. Wolfe, the play was performed on May 9-10, 1918.

This collection consists of photocopies of published booklets of the minutes of two consecutive annual meetings (1897 and 1898) of the Barry County Baptist Association in Missouri. Included are minutes of sessions, reports of committees, ministerial rosters, and statistical reports.

This is the '1986 Official Program and Color Book' for George Carden Circus International, which had winter quarters at Willard in Greene County, Missouri.

These are pictorial directories (summer 1966, summer 1969, and fall 1981), a dedicatory program for a tapestry (April 7, 1985) , and a newsletter (June 16, 1985) for First and Calvary Presbyterian Church at Springfield in Greene County, Missouri.

This is a booklet for the Lawrence and Barry Counties Second Annual Dairy Show, held at Monett in Barry county, Missouri, on September 15-16, 1950. Included are names of officers, the schedule, rules and regulations, and a list of premiums.

This booklet is a brief illustrated history of Methodism at Neosho in Newton County, Missouri. Included are accounts of the major congregations and the Neosho (later Scarritt) Collegiate Institute, a list of known pastors, and a directory of church committees.

These are five black and white photographs of Rolla in Phelps County, Missouri. They include views of the interior of the Pennant Tavern, the parts department and employees of the Ford dealership, the delivery trucks of Tucker Dairy, and a parade on Pine Street.

This is a directory of school teachers of McDonald County, Missouri for the 1927-1928 school year. It was issued by W. T. Clopton, the county superintendent, at Pineville.

This booklet provides information concerning the 1912-1913 school year for the Conway Public Schools at Conway in Laclede County, Missouri. The principal was Lonnie S. Haymes.

This booklet is a yearbook for 1957-1958 for the Christian Women's Fellowship of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at Springfield in Greene County, Missouri. Mrs. Wesley Bagot served as president that year.

This is a history of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at Neosho in Newton County, Missouri. It was compiled by Helen Morse and Michelle Morse, with Violet Mills Carrick and Marilyn Land Walker.

This is a souvenir booklet presented by the teacher, Lewis M. Layer, to the pupils of Trammel School at La Valle in Stoddard County, Missouri, at the close of the 1915-1916 school year.

This is a stock certificate for 250 shares in the Ozark Crude Oil Company of Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri. It was issued on May 13, 1902 to Charles P. Johnson.

The Central High School, Cape Girardeau, Missouri Collection contains an official guide book and an official hand book of the fourth and sixth annual fairs presented by the students of Central High School with aid from the faculty at Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. The follies were held on the evenings of April 20, 1923 and April 23, 1925.

These are photographic prints of Civilian Conservation Corps and U.S. Forest Service projects in what was then the Clark National Forest. Included are views from Centerville in Reynolds County, Loggers Lake in Shannon County, and Little Scotia Pond in Dent County, Missouri.

This is a published minute book of the 54th annual session of the Christian County Baptist Association of Missouri. The meeting was held with Smyrna Baptist Church on August 12-14, 1913. D. T. Baucom of Highlandville served as moderator.

These are published minutes of the 73rd and 85th annual sessions of the Center Creek Association of Primitive Baptists. The meetings were held with Clear Creek Church in Newton County, Missouri, on September 14-16, 1907, and September 19-21, 1919. J. Shields and J. A. Alberty were the moderators and R. C. Hendricks and H. H. Patten were the clerks.

These are the papers of Garrott Philpott of Henry County, Virginia, and Cedar County, Missouri, including promissory notes, tax receipts, and business papers. There are also papers from the estates of the related families of Hezekiah Perkinson and William H. clark, and the correspondence and papers of Thomas W. M. Montgomery.

These are a program, premium list and catalog and a souvenir booklet (1976) for the Southeast Missouri distric fair which was sponsored by the Southeast Missourui District Fair Association and held on September 12-17, 1976 at Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. Included are schedules of events, admission prices, and advertisements for area businesses.

This is a letter dated August 5, 1912 from A. H. Poe in Blodgett, Scott County, Missouri, to J. Freeman Suttle in Felix, Alabama. The letter concerns Poe's future plans and employment prospects.

The Steelville, Missouri Programs consists of programs connected with the high school. Included is a Home Economics program dated October 7, 1943; a program dated October 2, 1945 also for Home Economics Club Achievement Day; a 1943 Steelville high school newspaper; programs for baccalaureate services and commencement exercises of the Steelville High School at Steelville in Crawford County, Missouri.

This is a program for a vocal concert presented by baritone Nelson Eddy at Memorial Hall in Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri, on Tuesday evening , April 20, 1937.

The James Blaine Walker, "The Unmuffled Voice in the Ozark Tourist Region" are two newsletters for two African American Methodist churches of which James Blain Walker was the pastor. They were Mount Lebanon Methodist Church at Lebanon in Laclede County, Missouri, and Elkins Methodist Church at Rolla in Phelps county, Missouri. Included are church calendars and news items, inspirational articles, and advertisements for local businesses.

This is a report to the stockholders of the Mine La Motte Company from president A. J. Meier, dated March 31, 1916, the report presents in favorable terms the conditions and prospects of the company's mining and other operations in Madison and Saint Francois Counties in Missouri.

This is a form letter dated February 15, 1909 from R. R. Woodward at Lebanon in Laclede County, Missouri, to Ralph V. Callaway at Atlanta, Illinois. In the letter Woodward encouraged Callaway to invest in real estate in Missouri.

This is an itemized bill for items sold by the IXL Handle manufacturing company at Dexter in Stoddard County, Missouri, to Mack Webb in El Campo, Texas. The bill is dated February 7, 1911.

This is a centennial history booklet published in 1970 for Southwest City in McDonald county, Missouri. It includes a general historical narrative, historical photographs and topical sections concerning schools, churches, organizations, government and businesses.

This is a souvenir program booklet for the fifth annual homecoming sponsored by the Puxico Memorial Post No. 7322, of the VFW at Puxico in Stoddard County, Missouri, on August 14-18, 1951.

These are two V-Mail letters from Eleanor E. Smith at Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County, Missouri, to S/Sgt R. J. Bettis, Jr., an Army enlistee serving overseas. The letters are dated January 18 and 20, 1944.

This is the official program for the Dunklin County high school meet held at Malden, Missouri, on April 28-29, 1922. Included were competitions in piano, violin, voice, spelling, public speaking, and track and field.

This is a letter from George Flood at Golden City in Barton County, Missouri, to "Brother Knoll" dated June 10, 1900. The letter concerns Flood's attempts to market bicycles for Knoll, with the intention of moving to Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, to do so.

These are minutes of meetings of the board of directors, newsletters, and project and topical files of the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri. Organized in 1952 as the League of Women Voters of Springfield, Missouri, the organization has been especially active in voter registration, home rule and county charter government propositions, education, planning and zoning, and other civic, social, and environmental issues.

This is a certificate for six shares of capital stock in the Bristol Shoe Company at Rolla in Phelps County, Missouri. The certificate was issued to E. H. Kraft on August 18, 1928 and was signed by William Pennington, president and Hazel E. Knapp, secretary.

These are the bylaws and two annual booklets for the Azotus Shrine No. 5 of the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem at Joplin in Japser County, Missouri. The annual booklets include lists of officers and past officers and a list of members.

These are official race programs for outboard-engine motorboat races held on Lake Taneycomo at Branson in Taney County, Missouri, on June 4 and September 9-10, 1939. The Springfield Yacht Club sponsored the regattas.

This is a booklet produced for the centennial celebration of Verona in Lawrence County, Missouri, on August 2-4, 1968. Included are brief illustrated histories of the town of Verona and its businesses, schools, churches, and government.

This is a program booklet for the Golden Valley Horse Show, held on September 11-12, 1945 at Clinton in Henry County, Missouri. The Clinton Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event, which was held at Artesian Park Stadium.

This is a single issue of 'Cape Cadet' (Volume 1, Number 37, December 4, 1943), the newsletter of the 73rd Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment. This unit was stationed at Harris field in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. The commanding officer was Captain Clarke Simonds.

This is a program for the Scott-Mississippi Girls Basketball Tournament, which was held at Charleston High School in Mississippi County, Missouri, on March 3-6, 1936. Teams from Anniston, Charleston, and East Prairie in Mississippi county, and Benton, Blodgett, Chaffee, Diehlstadt, Fornfelt, Illmo, Morley, Oran, Sikeston, and Vanduser in Scott County participated.

This collection contains photocopies of a promotional booklet for the Little River Valley Land Company, which marketed land made available by the drainage of the swamps in southeastern Missouri. A.L. Harty served as president and W. F. Smith served as secretary of the firm, which was based at Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

This is the catalog and premium list for the Fourteenth Annual Pleasant Hope Community Fair, also called the Pleasant Hope Educational and Agricultural Fair. The event was held on November 5-7, 1936 at Pleasant Hope in Polk County, Missouri.

These are two items from Edwards & Kinsely, dealers in staple and fancy groceries, at Clinton in Henry County, Missouri, to A. J. Stillwell in Hannibal, Missouri. They concern the purchase of smoked and salted meat, and lard.

This is an issue of "Ozark Mountainwood Express", a semiannual publication devoted to Ozark music, culture, and tourism. The editor was J. T. Aubrey Roberts of Harrison, Arkansas. Although unnumbered and undated, this issue contains calendars of events for 1981.

This is "Ozark Glory," the 1927 yearbook for Will Mayfield College at Marble Hill in Bollinger County, Missouri. The book was dedicated to the college's prisendent, W. C. Ferguson, and contained information about the school's faculty, students, activites, and campus.

The Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead Collection contains a First annual Nathan Boone Rendezvous booklet from 1984 and a souvenir booklet for the Twentieth Annual Nathan Boone Homestead Days Festival, held in September 2003 at Ash Grove in Greene County, Missouri.

This is a letter dated September 15, 1867 from J. D. Champlin of Champlin, Balch and Company, railroad contractors, in St. Louis, Missouri, to his son, John. The letter concerns construction of the Iowa Central Railroad and some family matters.

This is a program for the Central Labor Union's Minstrel and Revue, held at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, on April 3, 1939. Produced and directed by Emmett McAtee and featuring Lasses White Minstrels, the show included 100 entertainers and featured minstrel, vaudeville, and night club scenes.

These are program booklets for minstrel shows presented by the Springfield Kiwanis Club at Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, on February 22, 1946, February 24-25, 1950, and February 22-23, 1952. The fundraising performances were staged at Springfield's Shrine Mosque auditorium, with net proceeds going to children's charities.

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.

This is a Christmas souvenir for the Ash Grove Public School at Ash Grove in Greene County, Missouri. Dated 1900, it lists the names of the Board of Education, faculty, and students a the school. The students are listed in approximate alphabetical order.

This is "Eminence Centennial Days 1868-1968", a booklet compiled from articles in "The Current Wave" newspaper concerning the celebration in 1968 of centennial of the founding of Eminence in Shannon County, Missouri.

This is a "Handbook of the Marshfield Public School for the Use of Faculty, Students, and Parents, 1951-1952." it was issued for use at Marshfield High School at Marshfield in Webster County, Missouri. H.E. Fellin was president of the board of education and Lester Gillman was superintendent of schools.

This is a booklet issued in celebration of the sesquicentennial of the First Baptist Church at Jackson in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Included are previous short histories compiled in 1934 and 1949, as well as a sesquicentennial update to 1974.

This is a booklet published to celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Cape Girardeau Baptist Association, which was organized in June 1824. Included are a schedule of the 150th annual meeting of the Association, a historical summary by J. C. Maple, a list of member congregations, and a list of past meeting dates, places, and officers.

This is the program booklet for the "First Annual Amateur Program Sponsored by the West Plains Business and Professional Women's Club" at West Plains in Howell County, Missouri. The show was presented at the high school auditorium on Thursday evening, April 30, 1936.

These are records of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Edgar Springs, later (1936) at Rolla, in Phellps county, Missouri. Included are minute books, membership records, roll of officers, abstracts of semi-annual reports to the Grand Lodge of Missouri, a visitors register, and a letter concerning consolidation with the lodge at St. James, Missouri. Until 1948, the chapter was known as Spring Creek Lodge No. 416, after which it became Rolla Lodge No. 416.

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.

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.

This is Roll of Officers, 1946-1972, of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 654 at Owensville in Gasconade County, Missouri, earlier known as Red Bird Lodge. Also included in the collection are the Secretary's Cash book and roll of Officers of Crawford Lodge No. 840 for 1914-1935. The location of Crawford Lodge No. 840 is not known, but presumably it was in Crawford County, Missouri.

This is a record of attendance of officers of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Newburg in PHelps County, Missouri. The records are for meetings beginning on December 31, 1923 and continuing through December 31, 1929.

These are two booklets containing the bylaws adopoted in 1917 and 1920 by Joplin Lodge No. 287 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The lodge was located at Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri. Both bookklets contain articles devoted to fees, dues, benefits, attendance on the sick, salaries, non-payment of dues, miscellaneous rules, and the order of business.

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.

These are the records of Damaris Lodge No. 20 at Rolla in Phelps County, Missouri. They consist of minutes of meetings, membership records, financial records, and miscellaneous papers beginning the with institution of the lodge in 1888 and continuing through 2003.

These are records of the African American organizatin of the Heroines of Jericho at Joplin in Japser County, Missouri. The records consist of minutes of meetings, memership records, attendance rolls, miscellaneous papers, financial records, and communications to and from the Grand Court of Missouri.

This is a real estate promotional booklet by H. N. Ferguson of Warsaw in Benton County, Missouri. Ferguson was a representative of the E. A. Strout Farm Agency. The brochure extols the virtues of Benton County's agricultural economy and describes specific farms that are for sale.

These are papers concerning e. C. Markham & Company, a real estate agency at West Plains in Howell County, Missouri. The firm's partners, E. C. Markham and C. P. Harper, were agents for the South Missouri Land Company, which was related to the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad Company.

This is a two-sided map showing land parcels in Reynolds County, Missouri, available through Farnsworth, Bills & Company of Chicago, Illinois. On one side is a map of Missouri and Reynolds County highlighted, and on the other is a plat of 30,000 acres north and west of Ellington indicating the available parcels.

These are programs for the graduation exercises of the West Plains public schools. They include a program for the baccalaureate, high-school commencement, and eighth-grade graduation ceremonies at West Plains in Howell County, Missouri, in May 1937. Included are names of participants and graduates.

This is a brochure for "Expense-Paid Tours to and thru the Ozarks and Ouachitas" offered by Crown Coach Lines of Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri. Eight tours are described, starting from Kansas City and extending as far as New Orleans and San Antonio.

This is "A History of the Brazeau Presbyterian Church, Brazeau, Missouri, 1819-1970." Brazeau is a small community in Perry County, Missouri.

These are yearbooks for 1986 and 1991 for Abou Ben Adhem Temple, a chapter of the Ancient Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine "Shriners", at Springfield in Greene County, Missouri.

These are a souvenir program for the Third Annual J-Bar-H Ranch Championship Rodeo held on July 7-10, 1954, a promotional brochure for the rodeo held in July 1958, and a souvenir program for the 13th annual J-Bar-H Championship Rodeo, held on June 24-July 4, 1964 at Camdenton in Camden County, Missouri.

This is a booklet containing the amended articles of agreement, constitution, and bylaws of Holy Cross Lutheran Church at Cole Camp in Benton County, Missouri. The booklet is dated April 1, 1955, although the amended articles were adopted on December 15, 1953. Booklet includes amended articles, the congretation's constitution, and its bylaws. Also included is a list of officers.

These are records of the Lawrence County Bank in Pierce City, Missouri. Included are an account book, ca.1880-1896; an Exchange Register, 1891-1893; and a few miscellaneous papers, 1881.

This is "The World's Greatest Zinc and Lead District, as seen through the Camera." It was published for the Tenth American Mining Congress, which met at Joplin in Japser County, Missouri on November 11-16, 1907. Included are a transportation map of the mining district and many photographic views of mines, mills, towns and cities in the area.

These are letters dated August 11 and 19, 1899 from R. H. Angwin at Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, to T. J. Scott & Sons at Montgomery, Alabama. The letters concern proposed real estate transactions in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

This is a letter of July 17, 1907 from George Thom Smith, president of Dexter Christian College at Dexter in Stoddard County, Missouri, to the Anderson-Tully Lumber Company in Memphis, Tennessee. The letter concerns a lost shipment of shooks.

These are the byLaws of Blendville Lodge No. 573 in Joplin, Missouri, approved on April 17, 1922. Also included is an official certificate of good standing for member R. A. Barton, indicating all dues and fees were paid through July 1, 1926. Blendville Lodge No. 573 was located at Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri.

These are programs for teachers' meeting held at Sarcoxie and and Carl Junction, in Jasper County, Missouri. Teachers from area schools attended. The meetings were called by County Superintendent L. W. Kost.

This is a booklet of timetables for July 1944 for Dixie Greyhound Lines, Inc., which operated in southeastern Missouri between St. Louis and Arkansas through Flat River, Farmington, Fredericktown, Jackson, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, New Madrid, Portageville, Hayti, Caruthersville, and Steele.

This is an illustrated booklet containing a centennial history of the First Baptist Church at Mountain View in Howell County, Missouri. The congregation was founded as Mount Olivet Baptist Church in 1875.

This is a program booklet for the "Red Stocking Revue," a fund-raising amateur variety show presented by the Woman's Club of Joplin on November 10, 1960, at Memorial Hall in Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri. The General Chairman for the event was Mrs. Tom M. Leggett and the Director was Harry Miller.

This is the family history of Joe Charles Robinson of Richland in Pulaski County, Missouri. The family descended through Samuel, William, and Archibald Robinson of Botetourt County, Virginia. Archibald and wife, Mary Ann Garrett, came to Missouri in 1854. The primary related families included Duncan, Shelton, and Zimmerman.

These are printed broadside invitation to B.A. McAllaster of the Union Pacific Railroad to attend the National and International Good Roads Convention to be held in St. Louis, Missouri, from April 27 to May 2, 1903, and a letter from A. S. Mann to Charles H. Scott, dated April 11, 1904, concerning the financing of a ship canal.

This is a cancelled six-month promissory note due on September 1, 1855 and issued by the Central Plank Road Company of St. Louis County, Missouri. The note was signed by Treasurer, Charles L. Hunt and endorsed by George R. Harrington.

This is a brochure promoting the 1967 season at the Austin Wood Auditorium at Lake Ozark in Miller County, Missouri. Featuring starts from the "Grand Ole Opry," the country music venue featured namesake Austin Wood and such well-known performers as Loretta Lynn, Roy Acuff, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Tex Ritter, Ralph Emery, and Ernest Tubb.

This is a biennial catalog for 1902-1903 for the Weaubleau Christian College at Weaubleau in Hickory County, Missouri. John Whitaker was president of the school, which was operated under the auspices of the Christian Church.

These are the record books, yearbooks, correspondence, and miscellaneous papers of the Friendship Homemakers Club in Rolla, Phelps County, Missouri. The home economics club for adult women was organized in 1946 under the auspices of the University of Missouri Agricultural Extension Service.

These are published minutes of annual sessions of the Ozark Association of Primitive Baptists, which consisted of member congretaitions in Dallas, Greene, Polk, Webster, and Wright Counties in Missouri. Minutes are available for meetigns in 1904, 1906-1910, 1913-1915, 1917-1924, and 1941.

The James Synnamon Papers contain photocopies and typescript of three letters written by James Synnamon, a resident of Platte County, Missouri, and Captain of Co. G, 6th Missouri Infantry (CS). Two letters, written in 1865, describe Synnamon's wounding at Franklin, Tennessee, and imprisonment at Fort Delaware, Delaware. The last letter, written in 1902, describes a return to Vicksburg to identify unit positions for the battlefield commission's marking program.

This is a booklet containing the bylaws of Ruth Chapter No. 177 of the Order of the Eastern Star at Joplin in Jasper County, Missouri. The bylaws were approved on July 22, 1942 by Worthy Grand Matron Hazel H. Reppart.

These are five black and white photographs of grade and high school classes at Newburg in Phelps County, Missouri. Included are views of the 1st grade (1928), 2nd grade (1929) 3rd grade (1930), 8th grade (1935) and High school (1937) classes. Students and teachers are identified on the backs of the photographs.

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.

The Lynn Morrow papers contain correspondence and research papers, with an additional significant collection of late twentieth-century promotional and advertising items. The papers reflect major areas of Morrow’s research on the southwest Missouri region; Iron, Shannon, and Washington counties; Theodore Pease Russell and his writings; and the writings of Silas C. Turnbo. The collection also includes a large selection of promotional publications and ephemera associated with late 20th century tourism in Missouri and Arkansas.

This is a photocopy of an illustrated promotional booklet published by the passenger department of the Missouri Pacific Railway. It concerns resorts along the rail lines in the western and southwestern states, especially those in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Texas.