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PICKLER MEMORIAL LIBRARY & E. M. VIOLETTE MUSEUM
Manuscript Collections

Photocopies, Copyright and Acknowledgements

Annotated Table of Contents

| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
 

Adair County Infirmary Records, 1881-1942  (A2)

 

Transcripts & photocopies of the County Home Record Residents Roster, 1881-1934; the Adair County Infirmary Patient Registers (2), 1881-1942; and the Adair County Infirmary Grave Register, 1920s (incomplete).

Ross C Allen Letters, Sept 4 – Nov 14, 1945 (A3)

 

Sixty-six letters from Cpl Ross C Allen, Herington Army Air Field, KS, to his parents in Kirksville, MO, written as the base was being deactivated at the close of World War II. Ross chats about things he is doing at work and leisure, places he goes on his weekends away from base, popular radio shows, the latest movies, his musical activities and friends at home, at the college and on base.
Samuel Washington (Wat) Arnold Papers (A4)

 

Letters, memos, telegrams, newspaper clippings, and photographs accumulated during Wat Arnold's terms as Representative  in the House of Representatives, U.S. Congress (1943-1949).  Includes correspondence gathered on the radio station KIRX, flood control, the Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery, postal matters, elections, rural electrification administration, speeches, and more.
Biswell Family Papers, 1795-1912 (B1 Musdp)

 

Approximately 130 documents from the Biswell family of Randolph & Linn Counties, MO, including letters, financial documents, military papers from the early 1800s and newspapers containing family obituaries. Of particular interest are the letters written by brothers Jonathan & Norvell Biswell on their way to and while in the California gold fields, 1850-1852.
Helen Cole Dissertation: The Story of Vézelay, 1948 (C2)
  Helen Rosemary Cole (1906-1964) was Professor of French at Northeast Missouri State from 1959 until her death in 1964. This collection is a typed working draft of the dissertation she submitted for her PhD (University of Iowa, 1948) along with some of the materials she collected while studying and traveling in France.

Central Wesleyan College Archives, 1864-1941 (C3)

 

Correspondence; business, legal, and financial  records; and institutional histories of Central Wesleyan College and Orphan Asylum and merging institutions, Mt. Pleasant German College and Ozark Wesleyan College. Includes some student organizations' records and college publications as well as some records of the St. Louis German Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church.  Many documents are in German. 
The Sherod Collins Files, Jan-May 1945 (C6)
  Correspondence, clippings and photos relating to Collins’ appearance in the original Broadway production of  “Dark of the Moon”.  He was NMSC Speech Instructor and Director of Debate, 1937-1969.

William E Connelley Interviews, 1906 & 1909 (C4)

 

Connelley’s interviews with five persons who knew William Clarke Quantrill or who survived his August 21, 1863 raid on Lawrence Kansas.  Each has a different perspective of Quantrill or of the raid. Connelley was Secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1914-1930, and author of Quantrill and the Border Wars (1909).

Crittenden Family Bible, 1773-1868  (C3 Musdp)

 

Births and marriages from the Bible of the Iairus & Eunice (Sprague) Crittenden family of New York. The Bible was a gift of Hazel Gehrke, a life-long resident of Adair County and a graduate of Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College. Her grandfather, Albert I Crittenden (1841-1919), is not among the names listed but was of an age to be a child of one of the couples shown.

Archives of Corporal Dix Post No 22, Grand Army of the Republic, 1882-1934 (D1)

 

... and of its Auxiliaries: Corporal Dix Post No 14, Woman’s Relief Corps, Kirksville Camp No 119,  Sons of Veterans & Captain T.C. Harris Camp No 41, Sons of Veterans  
The Kirksville post of the GAR, Civil War veterans’ organization, was reorganized in 1882 and disbanded in 1934 when only a few elderly members were still living.  The collection contains the GAR membership applications, and miscellaneous, but by no means comprehensive, records for all 4 organizations; also some member information for the Sons of Veterans.
John M Davis Civil War Military Papers, Dec 1861-Dec 1863 (D3)
  Personal military & pension records and documents created by Davis as Company Commander, Company H, 63rd Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  Bi-monthly muster rolls contain enrollment, discharge, promotions & other status changes for all company members Dec 1861-Dec 1863.
Darold K Davis - David T Stump Music Library (D4)
  An extensive collection of over 270 music books and sheet music,1880s-1940s, and more than 340 recordings,1910s-1970s.   The scores are primarily classical and popular arrangements for music students, while the records which are mostly pop, also include classical,  juvenile, jazz and county-western.

Darrow Papers, 1812-1825, 1864 (D1 Musdp)
  This collection includes Joseph Darrow’s 1812-25 account book, an 1847 court summons, and an 1864 Civil War diary and account book maintained by his grandson, Lt. Edwin Darrow.
DAR Scrapbooks Collection (D6)
  World War I era scrapbooks & photo album compiled by members of the Ann Haynes Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
Forest Cemetery Association Records, 1832- 1974 (F1)

 

Four ledgers of records for Forest-Llewellyn Cemetery and the  “Old” City Cemetery:
(1) Forest Cemetery Association Minute Book, 1940-1962, 1964, 1974
(2) Forest Cemetery Association Payment Records, 1926-1951
(3) Cemetery Records of Kirksville Cemetery, 1880-1895, 1904-05, 1932-52
(4) Llewellyn Cemetery Register, 1832 [1880s-1910s] 1950

James Mickelborough Greenwood Papers, 1874-1914 (G1)

 

Greenwood, Superintendent of the Kansas City Public Schools, 1874-1913, was a leading figure in state and national public school education. Papers include personal & business correspondence; correspondence & documents of the National Education Association and other professional & civic organizations; his own articles & speeches, research and speaking notes; items related to public school administration, particularly to the Kansas City School System; and publications on educational topics. 

WC Handy Autographs, 1957 (H1)

  William Christopher Handy was one of the originators of the music form known as the “Blues”, one of his most famous compositions being “The Saint Louis Blues”.  Collection includes signed photos and sheet music as well as miscellaneous items from the Handy Brothers Music Co.
Records of the Highway 63 Transportation Corporation, 1999-2006 (H3)
  Archives of the H63TC which was incorporated “to fund, promote, plan, design, construct, maintain and operate, the construction of two additional lanes on Highway 63 in Adair County [&] Macon County ... [in] a Cooperative Agreement with the Missouri Highways & Transportation Commission, the County of Adair and the City of Kirksville.” 
Records of the Hazel Creek Concerned Citizens Committee, 2004-2006 (H5)
  Archives of the Hazel Creek Concerned Citizens Committee, a group composed of Kirksville and Adair County, Missouri citizens concerned about the water quality of the Hazel Creek Reservoir. Formed in 2004, the group attempted to return a portion of the land surrounding the reservoir to the public after it was sold to a private owner by the Kirksville City Council.

Kirksville Photos by Drake, 1893: The Clifford Henry Album (K1 Musdp)

 

An album of 35 photos of Kirksville buildings, businesses and people created by “Drake, Fotografer” and originally owned by Clifford Elmore Henry.  Using Kirksville city directories, local histories and articles in Kirksville newspapers of the day, we have been able to determine that most of the photos in this album were taken Jan-Apr 1893, the only period when all the pictured businesses were in operation simultaneously.

Leon Karel Business Forms Collection, 1868-1922 (K2)

 

Leon Charles Karel (1919-2001) was Professor of Music at Truman from 1948 to 1983.  His small collection consists primarily of late 19th and early 20th century illustrated letterheads and business forms for Missouri firms and 1913-15 display ads clipped from The Kirksville Journal

Kirk Family Papers (K3)

 

This collection, primarily photographs and diplomas belonging to the children of John R & Rebecca (Burns) Kirk, supplements the personal photos and documents of the Kirk Presidential Papers in the University Archives.  Kirk was President of this school from 1899 to 1925.

Archives of the Kirksville Kiwanis Club (K4)
  This archive includes documents and publications from the Club's founding in 1920 through 2004. It is composed of two collections, an early one compiled and donated by charter member Paul O Selby and the Club's own accumulation of records. 
Harry H Laughlin Papers, 1910-1939 (L1)

 

Laughlin's professional files from the Eugenics Record Office include institutional correspondence, memoranda, and reports; general correspondence; correspondence and printed materials related to the eugenical organizations; working manuscripts; notes; some photographs; and miscellaneous collected printed materials.
Albert P. Miller Papers, 1869-81 (M1)

 

Albert P. Miller, a merchant from Winchester, Augusta County, VA, was in partnership with N.A. Baylor in Kirksville for about one year from mid-1881 to mid-1882.  The collection is miscellaneous personal documents from prior to his move and letters from Naylor urging him to come to Kirksville; some publicity for the Kirksville store
Missouri Militia Rosters 1864, 1874 (M2)

 

Records of Adair County’s Militia units: Muster Roll, Provisional Detailed Company, 86th Regiment of Enrolled Militia of Missouri, July-Aug 1864; Pay Records for 86th Regiment, Organized Missouri Militia, April-May 1874; Pay Records for 50th Regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia, May 1874; Pay Records for Simler’s Company, Adair Co Militia, April-May 1874.  

Kirksville Methodist Episcopal Church South, 1898-1907 (M3)

 

Partial roster of the pastors, marriages performed, infant baptisms and memberships for Nov 1898 through Aug 1907.

John R Musick’s Scrapbook (M4)

 

Scrapbook of articles, stories, poems, and letters to the editor John Roy Musick (1849-1901) wrote under his own name as well as under pseudonyms Benjamin Broadaxe, Ebenezer Slypole and Don Jenardo.  Musick, was a Kirksville newspaper publisher (The Tattler, Jan-July 1875), attorney and author. His best-known work was the 12-volume Columbian Historical Novels (1892); a 13th volume was published about the time of his death.

Co M, 4th MO Infantry, MO State Guard, 1942-43 Scrapbook & Photo Album (M5)

 

“Till the Boys Come Home: Chronicles of the Activities of the Missouri State Guard at Kirksville During World War II, October 1940-February 1947”, compiled by S/Sgt Paul O Selby.  A 2-volume scrapbook/photo album of the unit’s 1942-43 activities; includes Volume 1 (Dec 1942-Oct 1943) of the Battalion’s newsletter 3rd Battalion Review.
Mulberry School Records, 1904-1910 (M6)

 

Three registers of daily attendance and classification records for the students at Mulberry School in Ninevah Township, Adair County, MO.

Morris-Tull Family Bibles, 1801-1936 (M7)

 

This collection, documenting the births, marriages and deaths in the John H & Frances J (Tull) Morris and Nicholas & Frances (McNeill) Tull families, consists of family register pages from three Bibles as well as the few loose documents and photographs that accompanied them. 

Belle Porter Memorial Presbyterian Church, Sullivan County, MO, 1892-1906  (P2)

 

Record Book containing congregation’s petition for affiliation with the Palmyra Presbytery, Presbyterian Church USA; Session Minutes, Feb 8, 1892 – Dec 4, 1906; Congregational Meeting Minutes, Oct 31, 1905; and Membership Roll, 1892-1906.

Kirksville Presbyterian Churches  (P3)
  The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in Kirksville in May 1846 and the Northern, or Old School, Presbyterians (Presbyterian Church USA) organized during the Fall of 1859. These two congregations merged in 1906 under the name First Presbyterian Church. The documents in this collection represent the activities of all three entities and are widely scattered through the years 1883 to 1968.

Margaret Lee (Hoffman) Rhea Photo Album, 1910s-1920s (R1)

 

Margaret Hoffman of Paris, MO completed the Elementary Course at First District Normal School in 1912. The album contains 125 photographs (1910-1920s, some later) of her family, friends at the Normal, vacations and early teaching assignments in North Dakota.

Book of Jim Rouse, 1904-1913 (R2)

 

Clippings and photos, primarily of the First District Normal School’s football and baseball teams, collected by Jim Rouse during his years as student and member of the faculty.  Rouse was an “All-Missouri” star athlete who joined the faculty as Associate Professor of Agriculture after graduation.

Loyalty Oaths, Jasper Township, Ralls County, MO, Oct-Nov 1866 (R4)

 

Register of 90 loyalty oath questionnaires for Jasper Township, Ralls County, MO taken 22 Sept – 20 Oct 1866. Each questionnaire contains personal information about registrant, his family and his/their loyalties during “the recent war”. 

PO Selby Papers (S1)

 

Personal papers, research notes and writings of Paul Owen Selby, consisting of the files and records he gave during his lifetime as well as those cleared from his campus office after his death; the majority are concerned with Kirksville & Adair County history, genealogies of Adair County families, and Mark Twain.

Ruth Warner Towne Papers (T1)

 

Dr Towne retired from the NMSU faculty in 1988 as Professor of History and Dean of Graduate Studies. Her papers include family records dating from as early as the 1820s, her own personal & professional papers and correspondence, as well as some of the research for her dissertation on Congressman William Joel Stone, and other books and articles. 
Gladys E Tull Scrapbook, 1908-1929 (T2)
  This 189 page scrapbook contains programs, photos and other memorabilia kept by Miss Tull during her high school & college years at Kirksville Jr & Sr High Schools and Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, along with a few childhood photos. 

Enlistment Records, US Army Recruiting Station, 1916-18 (U1 Musdp)

 

These enlistment forms contain personal information provided by prospective soldiers who enrolled at the Kirksville Recruiting Station during World War I, including name, age, occupation, current residence, next of kin and physical description.

Eugene Morrow Violette Papers, 1875-1940 (V1)

 

EM Violette was Professor of History and Head of the Department of History & Government, 1900-23. His papers consist of numerous draft versions of his books & articles, professional files primarily from his years in Kirksville, and personal papers, including diaries, scrapbooks & photos from childhood to shortly before his death.

Violette Collection of WWI Soldiers’ Letters, 1918 (V1 Musdp)

 

Letters written from the field in Europe relating living & battle conditions; many in response to a campaign by the Normal School and Kirksville Rotary Club to see that Adair County soldiers received mail, some donated by the soldiers’ families; nearly all were printed in the Kirksville Daily Express or Normal School Index

Volunteer Registrations, Adair County Women’s Committee, National Council of Defense, 1917 (W1 Musdp)

 

Registration forms Adair County women “who desire to help win the war” completed to provided the Council of Defense with a roster of those willing to help in the war effort if a need arose. Data on the registration card includes: name; address, telephone, age, marital status, race, dependents, country of birth, citizenship status, current occupation and level of education attained; also what type of services the applicant was offering.
Wohlschlaeger Papers, 1862, 1873-1878 (W3 Musdp)
 

During the Civil War, merchant Jacob Wohlschläger of Georgetown, MO, organized a drive to raise money for a United States flag to fly over the village. Jacob’s flag subscription list, the flag itself and a ledger from his store containing the account of President US Grant make up this collection.

Zeigler Civil War Letters, 1864-1865 (Z1)

 

Letters from Samuel and Clark Zeigler written home during military service in  Arkansas with the 7th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, and to John Zeigler from a friend [relative?] serving in North Carolina; added background information and photos from Zeigler family members.

Special Collections  |  E. M. Violette Museum 

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Last Modified 12 March 2008
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