1855 map of Richardson (Wabaunsee) County, Kansas
Date: 1855
This map shows the original Wabaunsee (Richardson) County boundaries which existed prior to a realignment of the borders with Morris County in 1870 and Riley County in 1871. Approximately 72 square miles were removed in the first action and 54 square miles in the latter. Notice the Potawatomi Reservation in the upper right section of the county and the Kaw Reserve in the lower left portion.

1855 rescue of free stater Jacob Branson
Creator: Abbott, James Burnett, 1818-1897
Date: Between 1855 and 1860
James Abbott, a free state activist who participated in several Kansas Territory conflicts (including the rescues of John Doy and Jacob Branson), wrote this account of the 1855 rescue of Jacob Branson. In his account, Sheriff Jones, supported by the proslavery "bogus" legislature, had arrested Jacob Branson, a free state man who witnessed the murder of Charles W. Dow by Franklin Coleman, a proslavery neighbor. Abbott and his cohorts successfully rescued Branson, although their actions were controversial even among fellow free state supporters. Certain aspects of Abbott's account of these events disagreed with an earlier account provided by Samuel Wood, and Abbott addressed those discrepancies in this document. [Abbott's account, obtained either by handwritten manuscript or personal interview, is presented here as an annotated typed transcript.]

$200 Reward! for runaway slaves
Creator: Williams, G.D
Date: June 7, 1860
Wanted poster offering a reward of $200 for the capture of two slaves from Saline County, Missouri. It includes the names and descriptions of the two slaves.

Aaron D. Stevens to Jennie Dunbar
Creator: Stevens, Aaron D.
Date: December 3, 1859
From his jail cell at Charles Town, Virginia, abolitionist Aaron Dwight Stevens, 1831-1860, wrote his dear friend, Jennie Dunbar, regarding his actions and prospects ("Slavery demands that we should hang for its protection") and that he regretted nothing except that he would not live to "see this Country free." Stevens, reported to be one of abolitionist John Brown's bravest men, used the alias Captain Charles Whipple while following Brown. Stevens was convicted of treason and conspiring with slaves for his part in Brown's October 16, 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and was hung at Charles Town on March 16, 1860.

Aaron Dwight Stevens
Creator: Hinton, Richard J. (Richard Josiah), 1830-1901
Date: 1856
A pen sketch of Aaron Dwight Stevens, 1831-1860, published in Richard Hinton's book, "John Brown and His Men." Stevens, reported to be one of abolitionist John Brown's bravest men, used the alias Captain Charles Whipple while following Brown. Stevens was convicted of treason and conspiring with slaves for his part in Brown's October 16, 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and was hung at Charles Town, Virginia on March 16, 1860.

Aaron Dwight Stevens
Creator: Moore, J. S.
Date: 1856
A cabinet card of Aaron Dwight Stevens, 1831-1860. Stevens, reported to be one of abolitionist John Brown's bravest men, used the alias Captain Charles Whipple while following Brown. Stevens was convicted of treason and conspiring with slaves for his part in Brown's October 16, 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and was hung at Charles Town, Virginia on March 16, 1860.

Aaron Dwight Stevens
Creator: Reader, Samuel James, 1836-1914
Date: 1856
A cyanotype of Aaron Dwight Stevens, 1831-1860, from a drawing made by Samuel J. Reader of Shawnee County, Kansas Territory. Stevens, reported to be one of abolitionist John Brown's bravest men, used the alias Captain Charles Whipple while following Brown. Stevens was convicted of treason and conspiring with slaves for his part in Brown's October 16, 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and was hung at Charles Town, Virginia on March 16, 1860.

Abbott Howitzer
Date: 1850s
This black and white photograph shows the artillery piece known as the Abbott Howitzer. The cannon, manufactured by the Ames Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was purchased in 1855 by free-state activist James Burnett Abbott. The howitzer protected Lawrence, Kansas, during the sacking of the city on May 21, 1856. It was later used during the Civil War by James Henry Lane's brigade in Missouri. At the end of the war, the cannon was returned to Lawrence where it remained until Abbott donated the artillery piece to the Kansas Historical Society.

Abbott Howitzer
Creator: Leonard & Martin
Date: Between 1880s and 1890s
This sepia colored photograph shows the artillery piece known as the Abbott Howitzer. The cannon, manufactured by the Ames Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was purchased in 1855 by free-state activist James Burnett Abbott. The howitzer protected Lawrence, Kansas, during the sacking of the city on May 21, 1856. It was later used during the Civil War by James Henry Lane's brigade in Missouri. At the end of the war, the cannon was returned to Lawrence where it remained until Abbott donated the artillery piece to the Kansas Historical Society.

Abelard Guthrie
Abelard Guthrie was a member of the Wyandot tribe through his marriage to his wife Quindaro Nancy. He was elected as the Wyandot delegate to Congress in 1852. He was involved in the development of the town of Quindaro and had business dealing with numerous early territorial settlers.

Abelard Guthrie to Hiram Hill
Creator: Guthrie, Abelard
Date: January 18, 1859
Abelard Guthrie wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Guthrie reported that there had been "considerable progress" in Quindaro lately: a railroad was being constructed, telegraph wires were hung, and a factory and foundry had been established. Guthrie told Hill that if Hill would forget the Kansas Avenue grading disagreement and repay him his debt, Guthrie would travel to Washington to obtain a railroad grant.

Abelard Guthrie to Hiram Hill
Creator: Guthrie, Abelard
Date: November 11, 1858
Abelard Guthrie, a member of the Quindaro Town Company, wrote from Quindaro, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts, rebutting Hill's accusations that he had acted in bad faith regarding certain enterprises of the Town Company. Guthrie stated that he had intended to begin the grading work on Kansas Avenue and other roads, but had found that the Company's funds were depleted; he suspected a swindling. He defended himself in light of other land purchases and business transactions and expressed extreme frustration at his bleak financial situation.

Abraham Burnett
Date: Between 1850 and 1870
A portrait of Chief Abraham Burnett, 1812-1870, of the Pottawatomie Nation. Also known by his birth name, Nan-Wesh-Mah, and as Abram B. Burnett, in 1838 he and other Pottawatomies were removed from their homes in Indiana to the Mission Band Pottawatomie reservation in southeast Kansas Territory. In 1848, Burnett established a large farm in what was to become known as the Burnett Mound area along Shunganunga Creek in Topeka, Kansas, where he and his family farmed and traded horses until his death in 1870.

Abraham Lincoln
Creator: Jackson, Calvin
Date: Oct. 01, 1858
A photograph of Abraham Lincoln taken at the time of the Douglas- Lincoln debates.

Abraham Lincoln
Date: 1850s
A portrait of Abraham Lincoln. In December 1859, Lincoln traveled to the Kansas Territory and spoke at Elwood, Troy, Doniphan, Atchison, and Leavenworth. His speeches covered several issues including preventing the expansion of slavery, the theory of popular sovereignty, and the evils of states seceding from the Union. In 1860, Lincoln received the Republican party's nomination for president. Although Kansans liked him the delegation from the territory did not support his nomination. He won the election, and on February 22, 1861, at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Lincoln raised the United States flag bearing a 34th star, honoring Kansas as the newest state.

Abraham Lincoln
Creator: Hesler, Alex, 1823-1895
Date: June 3, 1860
This black and white photograph shows Abraham Lincoln during his campaign for the U.S. Presidency. A lawyer from Springfield, Illinois who began his political career as an Illinois state legislator and later was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He became the sixteenth President of the United States on November 6, 1860. As commander in chief he guided the country through the difficult years of the Civil War and signed into law legislation that respected and maintain human freedom for all individuals.

Abraham Lincoln
Date: Between 1859 and 1860
This sepia colored photograph shows Abraham Lincoln. A lawyer from Springfield, Illinois who began his political career as an Illinois state legislator and later was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He became the sixteenth President of the United States on November 6, 1860. As commander in chief he guided the country through the difficult years of the Civil War and signed into law legislation that respected and maintain human freedom for all individuals.

Abraham Lincoln
Creator: Brady, Mathew B., 1823 (ca.)-1896
Date: February 1860
This black and white negative shows Abraham Lincoln. A lawyer from Springfield, Illinois who began his political career as an Illinois state legislator and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He became the sixteenth President of the United States on November 6, 1860. As commander in chief he guided the country through the difficult years of the Civil War and signed into law legislation that respected and maintain human freedom for all individuals.

Abraham Lincoln to L. [Levant] L. Jones
Creator: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Date: December 09, 1859
This letter was written by Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois to Levant L. Jones, Lawrence, Kansas. In the letter, Lincoln declines an invitation to meet with Levant L. Jones, a Lawrence attorney, after a speech in Leavenworth, Kansas. During the first week in December, 1859, Lincoln gave speeches in Elwood, Troy, Doniphan, Atchison, and Leavenworth, Kansas. His remarks dealt with the Republican party's efforts to prevent the extension of slavery. In Atchison, Lincoln commented that John Brown was guilty of treason and had paid the proper penalty for his actions at Harper's Ferry. He spoke about the theory of popular sovereignty and about the evils of states seceding from the Union. At the time, he was considering his chances as a presidential candidate in 1860, and his Kansas speeches were a precursor of the campaign. Although Kansas liked Lincoln, the delegation from the territory to the 1860 Republican convention did not support his nomination. Levant L. Jones, a 1st Lieutenant in the 1st Kansas, Company F, was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in 1861.

Abraham Lincoln to Mark W. Delahay
Creator: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Date: May 14, 1859
Lincoln regretfully declines an invitation to attend the Osawatomie convention on May 18, 1859, which was to formally organize the Republican Party in Kansas. Lincoln warns against "the temptation to lower the Republican Standard [in whatever platform the convention might adopt] in order to gather recruits. "In my judgment," Lincoln continues, "such a step would be a serious mistake" that "would surrender the object of the Republican organization-- preventing the Spread and Nationalization of Slavery." This two-page, handwritten copy of a letter sent by Abraham Lincoln to Mark Delahay was probably given to the Kansas Historical Society by Delahay's daughter, Mary E. Delahay, in the early 1900s.

Absalom White territorial loss claim
Creator: Strickler, Hiram Jackson
Date: 1859
Report of H.L. Strickler, Commissioner to Audit Claims of Citizens of the Territory of Kansas, contained in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set of congressional and executive documents. Absalom White filed claim #246 for the loss of an arm as a result of being struck by a bullet at a battle with southerners near the H. T. Titus [probably Henry C.] home in Douglas County. The arm was subsequently amputated. The claim was not allowed on the grounds that White was "engaged in rebellion and making unwarranted attack on the person and property of a private citizen." Each claimant had to submit an itemized list and have two witnesses attest to the losses claimed. Even though many of these claims were approved for payment, no funds were ever appropriated or distributed.

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.

Abstract of Title, Wyandotte Reserve, Kansas City
Date: 1858 - 1954
This is the abstract of title prepared by Guarantee Abstract Company for 3471 N. 27th, Kansas City, Kansas, on lot 13 in the Windy Cliff subdivision of the Wyandotte Reserve in Wyandotte County.

A census of residents on Big Sugar Creek, Kansas Territory
Creator: Hyatt, Thaddeus
Date: 1857
This account identifies the names and origins of both free-state and pro-slavery settlers who lived on Big Sugar Creek, Kansas Territory. The account, presumably collected by Thaddeus Hyatt or some other member of the National Kansas Committee, begins with a brief description of the area, and mentions particular cases of settlers who had noteworthy experiences. Of the 25 pro-slavery residents identified, only two owned slaves.

A census of residents on the Little Osage River, Kansas Territory
Date: 1857
This brief report describes the settlers along the Little Osage River, Kansas Territory, and notes that it is occupied mostly by proslavery settlers (there are only three or four free state residents identified). The report mentions Enoch Osbourne (presumably a free-state settler) who was driven from his land, and suggests that there is a need for free-state men to settle on this creek.