A Kansas Memory Podcast

Listen to stories of Kansans -- some famous, some infamous and some just average folks -- that are contained in documents preserved by the Kansas Historical Society Library and Archives. The letters, diaries, and other documents used in A Kansas Memory podcasts provide fascinating glimpses into the past by sharing the words of the people who lived through these events.

The documents used in our podcasts are part of . Earlier Kansas Memory podcasts used documents from Territorial Kansas Online: A Virtual Repository for Territorial Kansas History, 1854-1861.

Listen to these podcasts on your computer or MP3 player free of charge. To listen, simply click the "Play" link next to the episode listed below or subscribe to the biweekly podcast with your favorite podcasting tool.

37. Over There! Martha Farnsworth was a prolific diary writer, recording her daily experiences from 1882 through 1922 with only minor gaps. Martha and her second husband Fred taught a Sunday School class of boys. These boys became their family, including serving in World War I. This podcast will feature entries from Martha’s diaries for 1917 and 1918 that record the activities of her “boys” serving in the military, activities on the home front, and Martha’s emotions about the this war.
36. Grasshoppers! Plague of the Prairie In the mid 1870s, settlers trying to establish homes and farms in Kansas had to deal with grasshopper invasions that would destroy crops. This pod cast will feature excerpts from a reminiscence that provides a word picture of an invasions in 1874 and from a diary that contains numerous references to these insects in May of 1875.
35. Shawnee Missions, 1830-1854 After the treaty of 1825, the Shawnee Indians were removed from Ohio to the Indian Territory west of Missouri. In response, three Christian missions were built in the vicinity of the Westport Landing on the Missouri River. The records of these missions are some of the earliest manuscripts in the Kansas Historical Society collections.
34. Child Labor: "...it is better for children to learn to work when they are little Children's lives have changed dramatically in America in the last hundred years. Today we take it for granted that children will attend public school and not work full-time, but in the early 1900's, laws regulating child labor were still evolving. Hear what Kansas parents and business owners had to say about these laws when they first took effect.
33. Before they were famous Henry Raymond hunted buffalo in the Dodge City area in 1873-1874. His diary provides a look at the daily activities of buffalo hunters and of young men on the western frontier. Raymond and his brother Theodore were hunting with the Masterson brothers--Bat, Jim, and Ed.
32. The B-B-Blizzard, Kinsley, Kansas In conjunction with the museum exhibit, "Forces of Nature," opening this month, this podcast features excerpts from a newspaper published by travellers stranded in Kinsley during an 1886 blizzard.
31. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka: "...you see everything as done good is done by white people" Our third podcast featuring oral histories from the Brown v. Board collection contains excerpts from an interview with Christina Jackson of Topeka, whose children were moved from Monroe into the inegrated State Street grade school as a result of the Brown decision. Jackson discusses what it was like to attend segregated schools as a child and how integration affected her children
30. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka: Part 2 This podcast features an interview with Maurita (Burnett) Davis, whose father McKinley Burnett headed the NAACP during the time Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka went before the Supreme Court. Davis attended Monroe school, and discusses her father's work as well as some of her personal experiences.
29. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka: “What bothers me now is that it didn’t bother me then.” From 1991 to 1996 the Kansas Historical Society participated in a grant project that funded eighty oral interviews with people involved in or affected by U.S. school desegregation cases that culminated in the U. S. Supreme Court case, Brown versus Board of Education Topeka. This podcast features excerpts from interviews with former Assistant Attorney General and Topeka School Board member, Fred Rausch, and NAACP Executive Board member, Charles Baston..
28. The Buffalo Hunt It's difficult today to envision the Great Plains of America in the early 1800's when somewhere between 30 to 60 million Buffalo roamed wild. By 1891 that population had been reduced to an astonishingly small number of 540 animals. Listen as James R. Mead describes his first buffalo hunt in November, 1859 to his family in Iowa; and missionary Harriet Bidwell witnesses a hunt along the Santa Fe Trail in 1851.
27. To His Excellency The Governor No collection of state records can create as varied a snapshot of an era as the correspondence the governor receives. Constituents write about any current topic that they believe needs the governor’s attention. These letters become part of the permanent collections at the Kansas Library and State Archives. Listen as years later, the history of Kansas comes alive again through their words.
26.A Gift of Opportunity: Harry Colmery and the G.I. Bill of Rights Harry Colmery, a Topekan, is credited with writing the initial draft of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the GI Bill of Rights. He was part of a committee formed by the national American Legion to secure benefits for those men and women who served in World War II. This pod cast features Colmery's testimony to Congress about what the United States owed to the men and women who had fought for the freedom and liberty of their country. Many historians credit the GI Bill with the rise of a college-educated middle class and with the increase in home ownership among U.S. citizens.
25. Christmas in the 1870s Harriet Adams wrote about her memories of the Christmas when she was seven years old. This story conveys her anticipation of this holiday in a delightful way. She outlines the family's various traditions through her childhood eyes including the family Christmas tree, the reading of "Twas the night before Christmas," and her concern that Santa could not get down their chimney. This reminiscence is part of the Lilla Day Monroe Collection of Pioneer Stories.
24. Immigrant Guides Immigrants flocked to Kansas in the 1870s in response to the opening of vast tracts of land for white settlement. Their excitement was fueled in no small part by brochures the railroads were distributing, claiming the state had the "best and cheapest farming and grazing lands in America" and touting Kansas as "the garden of the West." Listen and marvel at the words these promoters used to lure settlers to the midwest!
23. Dwight D. Eisenhower: General or Admiral? Dwight D. Eisenhower—a sailor??? In 1910, Dwight D. Eisenhower requested an appointment to West Point or the naval academy from his U. S. Senator Joseph Bristow of Salina, Kansas. This podcast features the letters he wrote to Senator Bristow and allows the listener to speculate on how the course of history may have been changed if Eisenhower—the future Allied Supreme Commander and President of the United States—had served in the U. S. Navy rather than the U. S. Army. The text for this podcast was written by Jerry Veatch, KSHS volunteer.
22. Elam Bartholomew Diaries In many ways, Elam Bartholomew was a typical Kansas settler as he encountered most of the challenges facing those settling on the Great Plains. He is an extraordinary Kansan because he recorded his life's events for 60 years in his daily diaries. He settled in Kansas in 1874. He returned to Illinois to marry and returned to Rooks County, Kansas, with his new wife Rachel in 1876. This podcast is based on excerpts from the diary for 1877 and 1878. It details his farming activities and those of his neighbors, with whom he traded work. It includes his comments on the birth of his first child, a land dispute among neighbors, organizing literary societies and a church, fighting prairie fires, and reports of an Indian raid.
21. Indian Removal in Kansas Before statehood, Kansas was part of the original “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River--envisioned as the permanent home for Indian tribes that were removed from the eastern United States to open land for white settlements. Hear accounts of what happened from the correspondence of William Clark, the U. S. Superintendent of Indian Affairs in St. Louis, from 1807 up to his death in 1838. Music featured in this podcast are performed by: The Free Staters , Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose , Sweet Honey in the Rock and Paul and Win Grace
20. The Never Ending Struggle for Equality As the citizens of Territorial Kansas were writing constitutions that would determine whether or not slavery was allowed in Kansas, they were also debating the issues of voting rights for blacks (in the versions that excluded slavery) and women. This debate was occurring across the nation among abolitionists and supporters of the woman's suffrage movement. This podcast features documents that address the arguments in favor of allowing most adults to vote in elections. Music featured in this podcast are performed by: The Free Staters , The Discovery String Band, and Red Raod Crossing
19. The Exodusters After the Civil War, freed slaves in the South faced an uncertain future. Economically destitute, they struggled to establish schools and buy their own land. The establishment of the sharecropping system, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the entrenchment of segregation made their chances for success remote. When Reconstruction ended, and federal troops withdrew in 1877, Black families began to leave the South by the thousands, looking for a better future. They were called "Exodusters," in reference to the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from Egypt. Excerpts from letters written in 1879 help tell the story of the Exodusters journey to Kansas. Musical clips featured in this podcast are performed by: The Free Staters , Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose , and Sweet Honey In The Rock
18. Investigating Election Fraud: The Howard Committee The url for the entire report is http://www.archive.org/details/reportofspecialc00unitrich. The music featured in this podcast was performed by Curly Miller and Carol Anne Rose and The Free Staters. The text for this podcast was written by Jerry Veatch, KSHS volunteer.
17. Samuel Reader's Diary When Samuel Reader moved to Kansas Territory in May of 1855, he continued chronicling his life and adventures during the "Border Wars". He was a self-trained artist and included illustrations and watercolor paintings in his journal. Reader joined General James Lane's militia and participated in the Battle of Indianola in September, 1856. His journal provides a unique look at the violence that erupted long the Missouri and Kansas border preceding the Civil War Music featured in this podcast performed byPaul and Win Grace, and The Free Staters
16. John Brown: Compassionate or Violent? John Brown was an ardent anti slavery proponent. Because of his well know acts of violence including his raid on the government arsenal at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, he is often portrayed as a terrorist or madman. He was also a dedicated and compassionate family man. The excerpts used in this podcast show the private side of Brown. However, his personality was extremely complicated and a few letters can only serve to encourage the listener to learn more about this complex man. A letter from Lydia Maria Child indicates that she does not approve of his actions but she supports his cause. Musical selections performed byPaul and Win Graceand The Free Staters. The text for this podcast was written by Jerry Veatch, KSHS volunteer.
15. Andrew Reeder, Territorial Governor Andrew Horatio Reeder was appointed the first Governor of Kansas Territory in 1854. He started out supporting the pro-slavery government, but shifted to the opposition, and eventually had to flee the state in disguise. He remained involved in Kansas politics after he left the territory. Hear about the situation in K. T. in his own words. Music featured in this podcast performed by The Free Staters, Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose and Paul and Win Grace.
14.John James Ingalls: "Fast track... from Law to Politics" John James Ingalls came to Kansas Territory as a young man. He was raised in Massachusetts and trained as a lawyer. He first settled in Sumner, Atchison County. The letters home to his father in this podcast describe his growing success as a lawyer. He also becomes involved in territorial politics as part of the free state movement. His letters are articulate and humorous. Ingalls became a prominent Kansan, ultimately serving as one of the state's U.S. Senators. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters, Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose, and Paul and Win Grace. The text for this podcast was written by Jerry Veatch, KSHS volunteer.
13. Rocky Road to Kansas, Part Three: The Letters of Joseph Trego Trego settled near Sugar Mound, Kansas in 1857 and helped construct and operate a sawmill on Little Sugar Creek and a grist mill. His writings record the early growth of the town that was later called Mound City, Kansas. Musical seclections featured in this podcast performed by The Free Staters and Paul and Win Grace
12. Searching for “heroic stuff in my mould:” John James Ingalls in Kansas Territory John James Ingalls came to Kansas as a young man and became one its most prominent citizens. His letters home question his fortitude to endure the hardships he is experiencing, describe his efforts as a new lawyer, and contain a very entertaining description of Kansas mud. Musical sections performed in this podcast include: Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose, The Free Staters, and Paul and Win Grace. The text for this podcast was written by Jerry Veatch, KSHS volunteer.
11. The Rocky Road to Kansas, Part 2: Ellen Goodnow and Maria Felt These women sent encouraging reports back east about their journeys to Kansas Territory and the new settlements there. Maria Felt, who traveled to Lawrence in 1858 to teach school, writes ". it seems or would if it were a little cleaner, very much like New England." Musical selections performed by The Free Staters.
10. "Those . . .who are fearful or faint-hearted, had better not come": Letters from the Rev. Samuel Adair Samuel and Florella Adair came to Kansas Territory to support the efforts to prohibit slavery in Kansas. Both were natives of Hudson, Ohio, deeply committed abolitionists and graduates of Oberlin Collegiate Institute (now Oberlin College). In 1854, after working several years as a Congregational minister in Ohio and Michigan, the Adairs with their two young children, Charles and Emma, departed for Kansas Territory. The letters used in this podcast describe the family's trials and tribulations in their new home and Rev. Adair's efforts to organize churches. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Paul and Win Grace. The text for this podcast was written by Jerry Veatch, KSHS volunteer.
9. The Rocky Road to Kansas, Part 1: Julia Lovejoy's Diary Some settlers who traveled to Kansas Territory in 1855 to help make it a free state paid a dear price for their convictions. Hear the thoughts of Julia Louisa Lovejoy, a minister's wife and abolitionist, during her family's journey to "New Boston," K. T. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Paul and Win Grace.
8. James Lane: A General and a Politician James Lane was one of the most influential, and controversial, characters in Kansas during the territorial period. Originally a politician in Indiana, he moved to Kansas in 1855 and joined the free state cause. He was involved with the extral legal free state government in Topeka and issued General Order No. 1 to recruit troops that were called Volunteers for the Protection of the Ballot Box. This podcast also features plans to free political prisoners held in Lecompton and a pro slavery newspaper's description of a speech by Lane along with excerpts from that speech. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose.
7. "Here's to you Mrs. Robinson": The Letters of Charles and Sarah Robinson Dr. Charles Robinson and his wife, Sarah , both prominent figures in the battle to make Kansas a free state. But that doesn't mean they always saw eye-to-eye. Hear, in their own words, what it was like to be a "power couple" in the antislavery movement in Territorial Kansas. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose.
6. "...encountering sickness, losses, calumny and prosperity": The Diary of Chestina Bowker Allen Chestina Bowker Allen came to Kansas in December of 1854 at the age of 46 with her husband and five children. This diary chronicles the first three years of her life in Kansas Territory. Entries include descriptions of her journey to Kansas, establishing their first home, and finally settling into their permanent residence near Rock Creek in Pottawatomie County. From the mundane to the dramatic, this diary provides glimpses into the life of a free-state pioneer woman. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters The Free Staters and Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose, and Paul and Win Grace.
5. "The Grossest Outrage Ever Perpetrated": Sheriff Jones and the Sack of Lawrence On May 21st, 1856, Sheriff Samuel Jones entered the town of Lawrence, destroying the newspaper offices and the Eldridge House, leaving the residents destitute. Accounts of Jones' Sack of Lawrence galvanized Free State support in New England. Hear first hand accounts of that day. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Curly Miller and Carole Anne Rose.
4. You and your lady are invited: Social Life in Kansas Territory Life in Kansas Territory was difficult and sometimes dangerous. However, settlers also held dances and started cultural institutions similar to those they left behind. Listen to invitations to social events and an excerpt from a publication by a literary society. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters; Dwight Lamb; J.P., Annadeene, and Danielle Fraley; and the Highwoods String Band. Released 2/21/2007
3. $200 Reward: Runaway Slaves and the Underground Railroad in Kansas Territory Some abolitionists in Kansas were committed to freeing slaves. Wanted posters were printed for escaped slave while others printed messages that urged homeowners to resist those searching for runaway slaves. The Underground Railroad was active in Kansas to help slaves gain their freedom. Listen to documents that illustrate these activities. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Sweet Honey In The Rock. Released 2/7/2007
2. Marcus Freeman and his owner: Slavery in Kansas Territory Slavery in Kansas Territory was a reality. Listen to the penalties imposed for encouraging slaves to escape or rebel and to a "bill of sale" for an African American woman. Hear Marcus Freeman's reminiscence of his life as a slave with his owner who was only three months older and with whom he grew up. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters and Sweet Honey In The Rock. Released 1/24/2007
1. Letters Home: Dangers of Life in Kansas Territory Kansas Territory was a dangerous place to live. Listen to the letters of Cyrus K. and Mary Holliday, John Brown, and Sene Campbell as they describe the real threats experienced by those involved in the events of Bleeding Kansas. Musical selections performed by The Free Staters. Released 1/10/2006