Abijah Wells
Creator: Purnelle Brothers
Date: Between 1880 and 1885
This is a carte-de-visite showing Abijah Wells who was an early pioneer, lawyer, and financier in Nemaha County, Kansas. He was born June 12, 1840, the son of William R. and Betsy K. Skinner Wells. The family came to Kansas in 1857, and soon after their arrival, William became involved in the free-state movement. Abijah attended Centralia College and later attended Kansas State Agricultural College. Early in life, Abijah decided to enter the legal profession, and after college, he entered the law office of J. E. Taylor, where he studied law. He was admitted to the Nemaha County bar in 1866 and practiced law all his life except for four years while a member of the Kansas Court of Appeals. In that same year, he married Loretta C. Williams, the daughter of Captain Arthur William Williams and Mary Angeline Nordyke. In early 1881, he became the editor and owner of the Seneca Tribune and later that year sold the paper. Wells held many offices including clerk of the district court, register of deeds, superintendent of education, mayor of Seneca, and the Seneca school board for a number of years. In addition to his legal career, he was vice-president of the National Bank of Seneca and involved in various financial interests. Abijah Wells died March 1, 1915 in Los Angeles, California.

Abstract of census returns
Creator: Undersigned Citizens of Kansas Territory, John Stroup (first signature),
Date: 1859
This 1859 abstract of census returns shows information at the township level for most Kansas counties. Some counties are listed without data. The census lists the number of voters in three different ways--the number of votes cast June 7, 1859; number of voters on June 7, 1859 who were under 6 month provision; and number of voters under 3 month provision. It also lists the number of inhabitants. The election on June 7, 1859, was to elect delegates to the Wyandotte constitutional convention.

Agnes Kelly Henry
Date: Between 1910 and 1912
This is a photograph of Agnes Kelly Henry, who was born October 18, 1902 in Wymore, Nebraska, the daughter of Nicholas J. and Elizabeth Freeman Henry. The family lived in Wymore until 1908 when they moved to Valley Falls, Kansas. In 1918, the family moved to Kampler Switch, close to Seneca, Kansas. Agnes was one of eleven children. Her siblings were: Mary Anna, twins Rose and Elizabeth, Cecilia, John, Agnes, Tim, Catherine, Anthony, and Joe. On October 11, 1921, Agnes married Leo Henry, a farmer and stockman. Agnes and Leo had eleven children: Rita Fienhage, Eileen Huls, Betty Kramer, Mary Chelemedos, James, Norma Heiman, Arlen, Cecil, Damian, Sonja and Nick. Agnes died September 8, 1994 in Seneca, Kansas.

Albert and Lizzie Ehrsam residence, Bern, Kansas
Date: Between 1920 and 1930
This is a photo of Albert and Lizzie Ehrsam standing in front of their home in Bern, Nemaha County, Kansas.

Albert R. Greene to Franklin G. Adams
Creator: Greene, A.R.
Date: August 18, 1897
In this letter to Franklin G. Adams, Albert R. Greene explains that he recently met with Charles C. Haynes, with whom he discussed the waning days of the Overland Stage. Greene explains that Haynes was old but that his eye was as "keen as when he ran the gauntlet of hostile Indians and brought his coach into the home station bristling with arrows."

A. L. Coleman to Governor John St. John
Creator: Coleman, A. L.
Date: September 10, 1880
In this letter, attorney A.L. Coleman of Sabetha, offers belated congratulations to Kansas Governor St. John on his nomination, pledging his support for prohibition. The letterhead is for Sargent & Coleman: Law, Loan, Real Estate, Collecting.

A. L. Coleman to Governor John St. John
Creator: Coleman, A. L.
Date: August 10, 1880
In this letter, Kansas Governor St. John is requested to attend a "Grand rally" in Sabetha, Kansas, in order to "fully settle the Prohibition matter" in Northern Kansas. It is on letterhead for Sargent & Coleman, Law, Loan, Real Estate, Collecting, Insurance, and Tax-Paying Agency. The company was established in 1857.

American Legion baseball team from Silver Lake, Kansas
Date: 1975
These photographs feature the 1975 American Legion Post 160 baseball team from Silver Lake, Kansas. The photos were taken during the American Legion's Class AA state baseball championship tournament held in Seneca. The Post 160 team won the state championship that year by defeating Lyndon in the title game. Members of the 1975 Post 160 team were: Bobby Bowers; Randy Brown; Alan Cunningham; Mark Elliott; Donald Francis; Brett Hamilton; Darrel Harden; Mike Kruger; Ken Martinek; Ronnie Martinek; Jon McCormick; Chuck Ross; Kevin Ward; Cecil Hamilton (manager and head coach); C.J. Hamilton (assistant coach); Kent Hamilton (assistant coach); and, David Boyd (batboy). Digital reproduction of the photos was accomplished through a joint project sponsored by the Kansas Historical Society and the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame.

Andrew Henry and Mary Gudenkauf Zind Henry
Date: January 7, 1896
This is a photograph showing Andrew A. Henry and Mary Gudenkauf Zind Henry on their wedding day. Andrew A. Henry was born in Bavaria, Germany on December 31, 1860, and his parents were George Heinrich Henry and Eliza (Iva) Dougle Henry. Andrew immigrated to the United States in 1881 at the age of 21 and settled in Kingman County, Kansas. He worked for the railway company in Kingman for a few years before coming to Nemaha County in 1893 where he settled on a farm near Goff, Kansas. In 1896, he married Mary Gudenkauf Zind at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca, Kansas. They had six children Frank, Antone, Leo, Catherine, Joseph, Bernard and Clemens Zind, Mary's son from a previous marriage. On September 18, 1910, Mary died of peritonitis. On January 21, 1914, Henry married Josephine Dreier and they had one son Vincent. In 1924, Andrew and Josephine moved from the farm to a home in Seneca, Kansas. Andrew Henry passed away December 12, 1947. Mary Gudenkauf Zind was born November 14, 1869 in Minster, Auglaize County, Ohio and her parents were Henry Clemens and Maria Catherine Barhorst Gudenkauf. Mary's parents moved to Seneca, Kansas in 1886 after their flour mill was destroyed by a fire. In 1890, Mary married Antone Zind, and they had two children Margarite (who died at the age of 2) and Clemens. Antone Zind died in an accident on a farm just east of Seneca on August 29, 1893, at age 31.

Andrew Henry family
Date: 1913
This is a photograph of the Andrew Henry family. People in the photograph are: front row: (left to right) Joe Henry (August 10, 1903-October 1, 1996), Frank Henry (December 1, 1896-April 4, 1988), Katheryn Henry (October 21, 1901-February 6, 1990), Tony Henry (June 13, 1898-August 3, 1984), Ben Henry (March 2, 1907-April 9, 1978); and back row: Clemens Zind (October 5, 1892-February 12, 1932), Mary Guden Kauf (photo added) (November 14, 1869-September 18, 1910), Andrew Henry (December 31, 1860-December 12, 1947), and Leo Henry (January 7, 1900-September 27, 1984).

Appeal for the Kansas sufferers!
Creator: Foster, Daniel, 1816-1864
Date: 1860
This pamphlet, written by Daniel Foster, general agent of the New England Kansas Relief Committee, attempts to dispel any doubts about the severity of the nine-month drought in Kansas Territory. Many settlers had left Kansas Territory, and those remaining needed relief. Foster calls on people to provide aid to those in Kansas by contributing money or goods. The pamphlet lists names of people serving on a Boston committee who had met to discuss relief efforts in Kansas, including such well-known individuals as John A. Andrew, George Luther Stearns, Samuel Gridley Howe, and Thomas H. Webb.

Appointments Justices of the peace
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1863-1865 : Carney)
Date: 1863 - 1864
This folder on Appointments Justice of the peace comes from the Correspondence series of the Governor Thomas Carney Papers. Thomas Carney was Kansas' second state Governor, serving from 1863 to 1865. He was born near Tipton, Delaware County, Ohio in 1824 and came to Kansas in search of better health care and new business opportunities. Thomas Carney and his business partner Thomas C. Stevens were the first to open a wholesale house in Leavenworth, Kansas. This record includes two written bonds and oaths of office for the appointments of Justice of Peace of Marysville, Marshall County in April of 1863, for John Laclure and William Hess. A letter from S. M. Strickler of Junction City relating to the organization of Clay county on April 7, 1863. The letter discusses Clay county's attempt at an election and requests that D. H. Myers and D. W. Shepperd be appointed as Justices of Peace. The following letters also pertain to filling the appointments of Justice of the peace for the following counties: Brown, Douglas, Nemaha, Shawnee, Riley, Johnson, Bourbon, Coffey, Atchison, Davis, Ottawa, Franklin, Jackson, Allen, and Leavenworth between 1863 to 1864. This is important because Justice of the peace are appointed or elected by citizens of the area in which they serve in and at the time it was not required for them to have any formal legal education to qualify.

Architectural building blocks
Creator: American Manufacturing Concern
Date: 1914
The American Manufacturing Concern in Jamestown, New York made these wooden building blocks. Alice Elizabeth Bouse (1912-2002) of Centralia, Kansas received the set as a Christmas gift in 1914.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail Road. The new and direct route to the San Juan gold and silver mines
Creator: Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Date: 1870s or 1880s
This broadside promotes travel to the Colorado mines via the AT&SF railroad. The route began at Kansas City and traveled to Denver with various stops in between. This item demonstrates railroad companies' involvement in the promotion of mining activities and a perception of the Rocky Mountains as a tourist destination.

Atlas of Nemaha County, Kansas
Creator: Anderson Publishing Company
Date: 1922
This atlas contains maps of the townships of the county and maps of the state, the United States and the world. Farmers directories are listed by township, there is an analysis of the system of U.S. land surveys.

Bicycle racing. Seneca fair
Date: September 08, 1896-September 11, 1896
Bicycle races are promoted on this Seneca, Kansas, fair poster. Only amateurs are allowed to participate with an entry fee of 50 cents a race. Prizes are displayed at Walter Sperling's, jeweler. J. J. Knepp is the president and John Stowell is the secretary of the fair association.

Big Blue River Basin
Date: 1968
This map shows the Big Blue River Basin, covering parts of Kansas and Nebraska. It is a letter size map and the map's scale is unknown.

Birthday postcard
Date: 1913
Birthday postcard. Greeting on obverse reads "I surely vish dat your birthday brings just vat you vant of eferytings" above a cartoon of a Dutch girl. Sent to Mrs. Fred Cot of Goff, Kansas. Green one cent stamp postmarked November 13, 1913 Amesville, Ohio.

Businesses on Main Street, Centralia, Kansas
Date: Between 1890 and 1909
This photograph shows a view of Main Street in Centralia, Kansas. A drug store can be seen on the right side of the street and an outdoor bandstand is visible in the background near the middle of the picture. A few men are partially visible in the shade of the buildings on the left, and a few carriages and wagons are partially visible along the street.

Carl Friend with his wife and son Paul
Creator: Bristow, Sam
Date: 1896
This is a cabinet card showing Carl Friend, his wife and their son Paul. Carl Friend was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1869. After graduating from Kansas State College in 1888, he worked as a civil engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1889, Friend entered the lumber business in Jackson County, Kansas. He was appointed to the State Board of Regents in 1902 and in 1909, he moved to Lawrence and started a lumber business and owned a farm. Friend was a member of the Advisory Council of Alumni Association of Kansas State College and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees to the Kansas University Endowment Association. He began his political career in 1933, serving as a state senator from 1933 to 1937. In 1939, Friend was elected Lieutenant Governor and served with Governor Payne Ratner until 1943.

Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad offers land from Atchison to Kirwin and Bull City
Creator: Union Pacific Railroad, Central Branch
Date: January 1880
This brochure encourages the purchase of land twenty miles either side of the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad. The Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad lies primarily from Atchison to Concordia and north. There is a full map of the area on the reverse side of the brochure. Also included are brief descriptions of Marshall, Brown, Jackson, Riley, Pottawatomie and Nemaha counties. There is a drawing of the Blue Rapids Woolen Mills and power plant.

Charles A. Richard
Date: 1945
This is a photograph of Charles A. Richard. He married Lula Jerusha Ford on September 14, 1902, and they had four sons: Glen U. (born May 9, 1905), Quentin L. (born June 25, 1907), Wilbur O. (born December 19, 1910), and Charles A, Jr. (born May 14, 1916). Charles A. Richard was a minister and lecturer in Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas. Later, he was a minister at the First Christian Church in Lawrence, Kansas. Also, he was a Republican and served in the Kansas State Senate in 1937, SS1938, and 1939 representing District 17.

Charles A. Richard
Date: Between 1920 and 1929
This is a photograph of Charles A. Richard. He married Lula Jerusha Ford on September 14, 1902, and they had four sons: Glen U. (born May 9, 1905), Quentin L. (born June 25, 1907), Wilbur O. (born December 19, 1910), and Charles A, Jr. (born May 14, 1916). Charles A. Richard was a minister and lecturer in Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas. Later, he was a minister at the First Christian Church in Lawrence, Kansas. Also, he was a Republican and served in the Kansas State Senate in 1937, SS1938, and 1939 representing District 17.

Charles A. Richard and Lula Jerusha Ford Richard
Date: Between 1902 and 1905
This is a photograph of Charles A. Richard and Lula Jerusha Richard. She was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Ford and they settled in Nemaha County, Kansas. Charles and Lula were married September 14, 1902, and they had four sons: Glen U. (born May 9, 1905), Quentin L. (born June 25, 1907), Wilbur O. (born December 19, 1910), and Charles A, Jr. (born May 14, 1916). Charles A. Richard was a minister and lecturer in Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas. Later, he was a minister at the First Christian Church in Lawrence, Kansas. Also, he was a Republican and served in the Kansas State Senate in 1937, SS1938, and 1939 representing District 17.

Chas Howard and Matt Alip, prisoners 7869 and 9146
Creator: Kansas State Penitentiary
Date: February 19, 1901
This photograph shows inmates Chas Howard, prisoner #7869 and Matt Alip, prisoner #9146. Chas Howard was received at the Kansas State Penitentiary on October 1, 1896 from Nemaha County, Kansas for larceny. An alias he used was Dad Doe. Inmate Matt Alip was received at the penitentiary on December 4, 1899 for robbery. Varient spelling of his first name includes Mathiew.