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W.T. Sherman to Robert Campbell

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

A letter to Robert Campbell regarding the debt that Sherman, Ewing & McCook were trying to collect. As with similar correspondence, this letter conveys a sense of the legal and financial transactions that played a major part in the firm's business activities in the territory.

Samuel Tappan to Ellen Douglas Denison Goodnow

Tappan, S. F. (Samuel Forster), d. 1913

Samuel Tappan wrote from Barker's Mission on the Shawnee Reserve in present-day Johnson County, Kansas Territory, to Ellen Goodnow, Isaac Goodnow's wife, near Manhattan. Tappan updated Ellen on the status of some misplaced luggage, providing a good description of local shipping and travel procedures. He praised the land of Kansas, " a glorious country to try 'men's soles' (sic)". Tappan also described the recent scuffle between Governor Reeder and Benjamin Stringfellow, an incident which embodied the tension between anti and proslavery supporters.

William H. Russell

A formal portrait of William H. Russell, who was a proslavery supporter and businessman. In the winter of 1858-1859, Russell, with Alexander Majors, William Waddell, and John Jones, founded the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Company, a freight and stage company that operated between Leavenworth and Denver, Colorado. In February, 1860, it was reorganized as the Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company. In 1860, Russell, with partners Majors and Waddell, created the first Pony Express, which connected St. Joseph, Missouri, across 2,000 miles to the state of California.

Theodore Hyatt to William Frederick Milton Arny

Hyatt, Theodore

Theodore Hyatt of New York wrote this letter to W. F. M. Arny, an agent of the National Kansas Committee and friend of his brother, Thaddeus Hyatt. The main focus of the letter revolved around his brother Thaddeus, who was currently involved in a struggle with the government over whether he would testify in court regarding his support of John Brown. Theodore wrote, "I much fear my good brother has an exaggerated conception of the importance of his position." Apparently, he felt that his brother was attempting to make himself a martyr. The letter also included a brief mention of problems with freightage to Atchison, and the competition between Atchison and Leavenworth.

Theodore Hyatt to Thaddeus Hyatt

Hyatt, Theodore

This letter, written by Theodore Hyatt of New York, was sent to his brother, Thaddeus, president of the National Kansas Committee, to keep Thaddeus informed about business dealings in Atchison, Kansas Territory. He reported that S.C. Pomeroy and Benjamin Stringfellow were attempting to attract the freighting business to Atchison through "inducements" in the form of town lots. Theodore also discussed Thaddeus' imprisonment in Washington, D.C., for aiding John Brown and collecting funds to support the Brown family after Brown's death in 1859. Theodore wrote that he was "laying low" on that issue until he could collect all the funds obtained and pay them to Thaddeus.

Governor Bill Graves interview

Beatty, Bob, 1966-

Click the thumbnail images below to play clips of Kansas Governor William Preston "Bill" Graves discussing his experience as governor of Kansas from January 9, 1995 to January 13, 2003. Bob Beatty, Political Science Department, Washburn University, conducts the interview as part of the Kansas Governors Recorded History and Documentary Project. A complete transcript of the interview is available by clicking Text Version below.