Recent donations to the Jackson County Historical Society

 

The Jackson County Historical Society is grateful to the people who support its mission to collect, preserve and make available to the public, materials that document our county’s rich history.  Here are quarterly listings of some of the most recent items that we have accepted into the Society's two-and three-dimensional collections since January 2001:

 

January – March 2001

 

Six photographs of George E. Cole and family.  Cole was a stockyard commissioner in Kansas City.  He and his family lived at 3034 Garfield.  Photos show Cole's home, family, and livestock commission office.  Cole was a friend of O.J. Majors, the donor's grandfather.  Donor: Robert Majors

 

Jackson County, Missouri, Report on Examination, December 31, 1923, detailing the County's financial situation as audited by Arthur Young & Co. Donor: Katheryn Shields, Jackson County Executive

 

Papers of Jane Fifield Flynn relating to the redevelopment of Union Station (and creation of Science City), Liberty Memorial, UMKC's Volker Campus, Longview Farm, and other historic endeavors in Jackson County, Missouri.  Also included in the collection are the photographs used in preparing her book, "Kansas City Women of Independent Minds."  Donor:  Jane Flynn

 

Three folders of items relating to Uptown Independence, Inc., 1989-1992.  Donor:  Mary Shaw Branton

 

Papers of Mrs. Horace S. (Georganne) Hedges, relating to her political life from ca. 1952-late 1980s.  The largest component pertains to her involvement as Arrangements Chair for the Host Committee at the 1976 Republican National Convention held at Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Mo.  Included in the collection is a large, wooden gavel, and a section of the gavel block used at the Convention.  Donor:  Chris Hedges

 

A duplicate copy of "Jackson County Missouri:  Its Opportunities and Resources," 1926.

Donor:  Dr. Novella Perrin

 

A photograph that includes a David Jackson’s, Director of Archives & Education,  great grandmother, who worked downtown at Nelly Don's as a seamstress.  1 black-and-white photograph of Donnelly Garment Co. Employees Christmas party, 1949.  Donor: Forrest Swetnam

 

Two black judges robes and one suit jacket/vest once belonging to Judge Jensen, Circuit Court from 16th District.  He was the first judge to use Courtroom 13 (now No. 5) in the Independence Courthouse Annex, until 1970 or thereabouts.  His wife gave these to the donor when Jensen died in the early- to mid-1990s.  Donor:  Judge Stephen Nixon, Jackson County Courthouse

 

Papers of John Landon and Mary Graham Minor Laird relating to their careers in the Kansas City entertainment business during the 1930s and 1940s.  Landon was a theater critic at the Kansas City Star and originated and wrote for many years the "About Town" column.  Mary Graham Minor's career as a dancer culminated when she became one of the Tower Adorables at the Tower Theater in downtown, Kansas City.  Of particular interest are original photographs of the Tower Adorables; Landon Laird posing with various entertainers and Hollywood motion picture stars; a special collection of memorabilia relating to one of Mary's long-time friends, Sally Rand; and, letters and cards from notable entertainers. Donor: Mary Laird

 

 

April – June 2001

 

The Lykins Neighborhood Guidebook:  Everything You Need to Live in or Visit the Lykins Neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri,” by Lykins Neighborhood Association, 2000. Donor: Harold Dellinger on behalf of the Lykins Neighborhood Association

 

One folder of items relating to Missouri (and Jackson County) school districts and schools, 1942-1949; including, the program for the Eightieth Annual Convention of the Missouri State Teachers Association, 1942; and, Missouri School Directory, 1942-43; two letters from Carl Heuman, teacher in Grain Valley in early 1942 and superintendent at Levasy in later in 42-43.  Donor:  Grain Valley Historical Society

 

Transcript of an “Interview with Ray Selvey,” by William B. House, 1986.  Fifteen pages of dialogue mentions several Jackson County families including: Selvey, Kemper, Burrus, Lightburn, Cowherd, Baird, Hopkins, Wallace and Childs.  Of particular note are Civil War and Quantril stories.  Donor:  William B. House

 

Recollection of donors school days (1924-1932) at the Old Blue Springs School.  Donated by: Donor:  William B. House

 

Church bulletin celebrating the merger of the Prospect Avenue Presbyterian Church with the Covenant Church, September 15, 1929.  Donor:  James Tharp

 

“The Story of America Bryant Christopher, 1821-1907,” by Byron Shutz, 1992; “Terror at the Back Door:  A Story of the Missouri-Kansas Border Conflict, 1859-1861,” by Byron Shutz, 1998; and a “Transcription of a Civil War letter dated August 25, 1862, from Turner Anderson Gill to his parents Marcus and Mary Jane Gill,” transcribed and annotated by Byron Shutz, 1998.  Donor:  Byron Shutz

 

“The Spring at Pollys Pop Park,” by William B. Bundschu, 1999.  Sixteen page manuscript, a portion of which may appear in a future JCHS JOURNAL article.  Donor:  William B. Bundschu

 

Papers of John G. Paxton, including family letters of donor’s parents and grandparents, property records, certificates, speeches, estate-related files, etc.  Donor:  John G. Paxton

 

Ruthie, by Charlotte Belger.  The Rhoads Press: Grandview, Missouri, 1995. The life stories of Ruthie Ransom Rhoads, including the Ransom and Rhoads families of Jackson County, Missouri.  Donor:  Charlotte Belger and Shirley Rhoads

 

Three reproduction fire arms.  Donors: Bob Hodgdon, on behalf of Hodgdon Powder Co., Inc.

 

Abstracts of Title for three properties located in Jackson County, Missouri.  Donor:  Lola Tann

 

Independence Young Matrons yearbooks, Children’s Theater programs, Holly & Mistletoe tour tickets, and “The Mirror,” dating from the 1940s.  Donor:  Shirley Antrim on behalf of the Independence Young Matrons

 

“Kansas City Sesquicentennial:  A Celebration of the Heart,” by Whit MaClaughlin and J. Gordon Kingsley, Ph.D.  The Newcomen Society of the United States, 2000. Donor: Johnathan Kemper, Commerce Bank of Kansas City

 

Mr. Anonymous: The Story of William Volker by Herbert C. Cornuelle, 1951; Donor: Greater Kansas City Council on Philanthropy

 

The Longview We Remember, by Linda Newcom Jones, 1990.  Donor: JCHS Administration.

 

City of Independence records, including: City Council Office-Beautification Commission general correspondence and photos, 1991-1995; Finance Department-Real Estate Tax books, 1949-1961; Finance Department-Personal Property Tax books, 1949-1961; Health Department-Environmental Survey-U.S. 24 Highway and Truman Road, 1993. Donor:  City of Independence

The Papers of Phil K. Weeks, including five scrapbooks covering his tenure as Independence Third District Councilman, 1964-1968 and Independence Mayor, 1970-1974.  One scrapbook is devoted as a memorial to President Harry S Truman, created when he died in 1972.  Another scrapbook is devoted to the City’s home rule charter, adopted in 1961.  Donor:  Phil K. Weeks

 

July – September 2001

 

Letter from William L. Landahl to donor, December 1970, relating to the saving of 138 acres of Jackson County park land from being sold for $10/acre.  Donor:  Lynn Cheatum

 

Books: A Peek into the Past, by Helen Wnuk (Washington, Mo.: Missourian Publishing Co., 2000); Old Time Cooking for Home and Campfire: Civil War Era Cooking for Modern Cooks, by Friends of the Anderson House (Lexington, Mo.: undated); Outlaws: The Illustrated History of the James-Younger Gang (Montgomery, Al.: Elliott & Clark Publishing, 1997). Donors: Complimentary copies from authors and publishers

 

Book: Moments in Time, by John K. Hulston (Cassville, Mo.: Litho Press, 2000), including a story about the author’s relationship with Harry S Truman. Donor: John K. Hulston

 

Bound Independence Examiner newspapers, 1940-1942; Two Abstract of Title for properties in Jackson County, Missouri. Donor:  Mid-Continent Public Library Genealogy and Local History Branch

 

Books: Come and Spit on the Floor and Make Yourself at Home: A History of Independence and Jackson County from the News Stories of the Jackson Examiner, 1910-1912, Volumes V, VI, and VIII, by Terry L. Anderson (Independence: Waneek Enterprises, 1988, 1999 & 2000). Donor: Terry L. Anderson

 

2001 Gleam yearbook of William Chrisman High School, Centennial edition. Donor:  Christy Little, on behalf of William Chrisman High School

 

Kresge’s Golden Anniversary Year, 1899-1949: Fifty Years of Achievement booklet and five photographs of Kresge’s employees.  Another 27 photographs are scenes of Robert Lee Hoover’s Jewlery Store, January-October 1956.  Hoover apparently had worked previously at Kresge’s.  Images show signs in windows welcoming the American Royal and F.F.A. Boys.  Donor:  Stafford County (Ks.) Historical and Genealogical Society

 

Five videos.  Uniquely Kansas City KCPT series, Parts 1 through 5.  Donor:  KCPT Public Television 19

 

Book: Following the Santa Fe Trail, A Guide for Modern Travelers, by Marc Simmons and Hal Jackson (Santa Fe: Ancient City Press, 2001). Donor: Complimentary copy from the publisher

 

One Abstract of Title for property in Jackson County, Missouri.  Donors: Trudy Jonas and Chris Petrovic

 

29 volumes of school yearbooks for schools located in Jackson County, Missouri; 3 church history books.  Donors:  Henry and Charline Marnett

 

Book:  And Then There Was Me: A Family Portrait, by T. Brian Hudspeth (Marceline, Mo.: Walsworth Publishing Co., 2001).  Donor: T. Brian Hudspeth

 

Papers relating to Harriet Porter Copple’s mothers family, including the 1867 and 1879-1919 diaries of Jonas S. Ferguson, Bible record of the Ferguson family, and adoption papers for Harriet Ella Peterson Herold (donor’s grandmother, who was adopted by her aunt and uncle—the Fergusons—and raised on the Walton Farm in Lafayette County, just across the county line from Jackson County, Missouri.  (Slave cabins from the Walton Farm were previously transferred to Missouri Town, 1855; and the Walton Farm is part of the Ferguson-Herold Conservation Area.)  Donor: Estate of Harriet Porter Copple

 

Photographs of donor’s grandparents, Mary Elizabeth (Campbell) and William Perry Horne.  Horne is pictured with other Independence police officers in front of Independence City Hall, ca. 1890s.  Donor:  Fred Chappelow

 

The Papers of Alexander Petrovic, documenting his Jackson County political career between ca. 1960 and 1970, including his service as City Treasurer for the City of Sugar Creek, Missouri; Missouri State Representative; and Eastern Jackson County Judge.  Personal papers and photographs are also included in the scrapbook collection.  Donor:  Alex Petrovic

 

Antique clothing, archival materials (photographs and certificates) relating to the Noland and Love families of Independence.  Donor:  Mrs. Ted (Elizabeth) Sawyer

 

Copy of an original portrait of Jabez Smith painted in St. Louis in 1857.  Donor: Elizabeth Smith Berg; Reproduction courtesy: Bill Curtis.

 

Letter and postcard sent from the trenches in France in 1918 from Sgt. Charles Fredrick, who served in Company C, 140th Infantry.  He lived in Kansas City before and after the Great War for many years. Donor: Betty Davison

 

Booklet: “The Billion Dollar Flood—That Should Never Have Happened,” by Hallmark on the occasion of the 1951 flood.  Donor: Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Booklet:  “Independence Power & Light Centennial History,” August 2001.  Donor:  Independence Power & Light

 

October – December 2001

2000 Jackson County, Missouri Polk City Directory.  Donor: Jon Taylor

Curtis, Annette W. City of Independence Fire Department Records, 1894-1946: Log Book 1894-1926, transcribed and indexed, 2001.  Unpublished heretofore. Donor: Annette Curtis

 

Photograph booklet of the 1951 flood in Kansas City, Missouri, titled Black Friday the 13th, July 1951. Donor: Brian Snyder

 

Copy of William Liggan Lacy business journal, 1847-1848.  Lacy, who came to Missouri from Virginia in the 1840s, was a member of the Salem Baptist Church.  Lacy operated a tobacco business in Independence, Missouri.  Donor:  Carol Castro

 

Copy of Civil War discharge of Charles S. Blankenship.  Donor:  Jane Mallinson

 

One photograph of the interior of donor’s photographic studio Reflection Studio, ca. 1948, located at 9 East 39th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.  "A Tribute to An Artist: Dick Millard," 1968 oversized calendar by GLEN inc. Stunning photographs by Dick Millard  Sr., with commentary. Donor:  Bill Williams

 

24 Abstract of Title, and personal papers relating to donor’s involvement in several local organizations and initiatives relating to historic preservation.  Also, Reed, Laura Coates, ed.  In Memoriam:  Sarah Walter Chandler Coates (Kansas City, Mo.: The Press of Hudson-Kimberly Publishing Co., 1899). Donor:  Jane Fifield Flynn

 

Abstract of Title; O'Connor, Richard.  Sheridan The Inevitable. (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., 1953); Raytown Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages, May 2000/2001; Raytown Area McLeodUSA Telephone Directory, 2001; Photograph of the Dedication of Blessed Sacrament Church, Kansas City, Missouri, October 1928; The Register, Jubilee Edition commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of the Diocese of Kansas City, October 28, 1955; information on how area Catholicity grew from small French settlement, and on various Catholic church histories.  Donor:  Henry and Charline Marnett

 

Items from Donnelly Garment Company, including: more than 50 dresses, miniature dress samples, jackets, vests, and accessories; fashion brochures; photographs; color advertisements; letterhead; personnel files; and newspaper clippings.  Donor:  Mrs. Gretchen VanHorn, from items once belonging to former Donnelly employee, Helen Swope

 

Kansas City Star staff.  William Rockhill Nelson:  The Story of a Man a Newspaper and a City. (Cambridge: The Riverside Press, 1915).  Donor: Bruce Burstert

 

William Chrisman High School. The Gleam: "X" Marks the Spot. (Independence, Mo.: William Chrisman High School, 1994). Volume 93. Donor: Francie Brock

 

Goode, Delmar T.  Three Little Goodes of Truman Town: Childhood Experiences While Living in Independence, Missouri, the First Quarter of the 20th Century. (Lamoni, Ia.: Satellite Printing, 1985).  Donor: Susan Kisslinger

 

Clipping files the donor has collected and organized over the years relating to a number of topics of Jackson County's history. Donor: Evelyn Bartlow

 

Independence Music Club, 1997-1998 consisting of news clippings, programs, forms, By-Laws, program booklets, notices and miscellaneous club records.  Also, Church Women United records, 1955-1992, comprising of history, meeting minutes, financial reports, programs, and newspaper clippings.  Donor: Alberta Hitch

 

Pen and ink on parchment (and colored from behind) of Watts Mill by Howard Deardorff, ca. 1950s or 1960s.  This was salvaged by the donor from a June 2001 garage sale at Cure of Ars Church. Donor: Mary K. Fogarty

 

The Papers of Harry Wiggins.  56 cubic size boxes of materials involving Wiggins' involvement in Missouri State and local government from approximately 1964-1974, consisting of meeting notes and agendas; reading, subject and reference files; County Court orders; speeches; and, articles.  Wiggins was the last elected Judge of the Western District for the County Court in Jackson County, before the adoption of the home rule charter form of local government.  Donor:  Sen. Harry Wiggins

 

Baptiste Junior High School Leprechaun, 1963, 1964, and 1965; Ruskin High School Mirage, 1966 and 1968.  Donor:  Marcia Campbell

 

Matheny, Edward T., Jr.  The Pursuit of a Ruptured Duck:  When Kansas Citians Went to War . . .  (Leawood, Ks.: Leathers Publishing, 2001).  Inscribed by the author, December 5, 2001.  Donor:  Ed Matheny

 

Approximately 2 cubic feet of research materials dating from the 1960s.  These files once belonged to Fred Lee, which donor acquired at his death.  Topics include Westport history; house histories and building studies for structures in Kansas City.  A few files pertain to the Kansas City Posse of the Westerners, and some genealogy records on Westport area families.  Donor:  Joanne Eakin