Search

McPherson collection includes a multitude of documents pertaining the McPherson extension office as well as the 4-H program. Documents range from executive files such as financial records, meeting minutes, membership lists, and construction plans to documents such as photographs, slides, and program guides.

The Munger Family papers documents three generations of correspondence within the family, on topics regarding their businesses, health, weather, and current events.

Part one includes correspondence between George Munger Sr. and his daughters Martha and Belle while they attended St. Mary’s in Notre Dame, Indiana. George Sr. corresponded with his wife, Susan while she was in the hospital for rheumatism during 1903. Other letters to George are from his father, Lyman Munger and his brother, Pliny Munger.

Part two is comprised of Belle Munger Riggle’s correspondence, which makes up the bulk of the collection. Letters between Belle and her husband, Edward, discuss business at Catalpa Knob and other places he worked as well as the welfare of their children. After Edward died in 1910, Belle married Irvin Hays Rice.

These letters provide historical information about the locations they were written from, which include Kansas, Illinois, California, and Indiana. Topics covered include business and economic matters, social and cultural life, family relationships, and conditions of the United States during the span of this collection.

The Nellie Kedzie Jones series is part of the College of Human Ecology historical files at Kansas State University. Nellie Sawyer Kedzie Jones was an 1876 alumna who returned to lead domestic science instruction from 1882 until 1897. This series reflects papers related to her and her relatives and friends.
The first subseries pertains to Nellie Sawyer Kedzie Jones with dates between 1889 and 1955. Contents include developments in human ecology and are reflected in publications, printed materials, published works, manuscripts, typescripts, awards, and correspondence. Materials are organized chronologically within each group.
The second subseries is devoted to Howard Murray Jones, Nellie's husband from 1901 until his death in 1953. He was a minister, including time as a professor and administrator at Berea College. Contents include minimal correspondence along with writings, sermons, and printed materials. His sermons are arranged chronologically divided between typed and handwritten. Because he often used sermons twice, there are two dates on the manuscripts. The bulk of the materials pertains to religion and Christianity.
The third through ninth subseries contain information about friends and relatives of Howard and Nellie. Included are documents associated with the Fairchild family (Frank, David, and George Fairchild), Abby and Charles Marlatt, Gertrude and Theodore Jessup, Robert Clark Kedzie (Nellie's first husband who died in 1882), Addison Jones, his father, Ada Alice Tuttle, and Helen M. Jones. Types of material include news articles, correspondence, memoranda, printed materials, scrapbooks, and biographical information.
The tenth subseries includes five items relevant to Nellie: an autograph book, a scrapbook, a personal Bible, an award ribbon, and a leather pouch or wallet (unknown origin or ownership).
The final subseries includes photographs of Nellie and those associated with her. They are divided by group photos, photos of her, and photos of others who include Robert Clark Kedzie, Howard Murray Jones, the Fairchilds, and others.

These thirty-four (34) volumes of letterpress copybooks document presidential and college administration correspondence at Kansas State Agricultural College, now Kansas State University, between 1871 and 1901. Only one volume is incoming correspondence and the remaining volumes are copies of outgoing correspondence. The following is a list of the volumes with the order of each line thus: current volume number and type of correspondence, description and date(s), and old volume number.

Vol. 1 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1879–1884 (and Regents Secretary Elbridge Gale, 1871–1873) (old vol. 1), available at https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/34956.
Vol. 2 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1880–1882 (old vol. 2).
Vol. 3 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1882–1883 (old vol. 3), available at https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/34957.
Vol. 4 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1883–1885 (old vol. 4).
Vol. 5 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild and secretary, 1884–1886 (old vol. 5).
Vol. 6 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1885–1886 (old vol. 6).
Vol. 7 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1886–1888 (old vol. 7, possibly not numbered).
Vol. 8 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1886–1889 (old vol. 8).
Vol. 9 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1888–1889 (old vol. 9).
Vol. 10 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1889–1890 (old vol. 10).
Vol. 11 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1890–1891 (old vol. 11).
Vol. 12 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1891–1892 (old vol. 12).
Vol. 13 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1892 (old vol. 13).
Vol. 14 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1892–1893 (old vol. 14).
Vol. 15 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1894 (old vol. 15).
Vol. 16 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1894–1895 (old vol. 16).
Vol. 17 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1895–1896 (old vol. 17), available at https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/34958.
Vol. 18 outgoing presidential correspondence, President George T. Fairchild, 1896–1897, and President Thomas E. Will, 1897–1898 (old vol. 18).
Incoming correspondence, former president George T. Fairchild, 1897–1899 (old vol. 19), available at https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/34959.
Vol. 19 outgoing presidential correspondence, President Thomas E. Will (Will, Vol. I), 1897 (old vol. 20).
Vol. 20 outgoing presidential correspondence, President Thomas E. Will (Will, Vol. II), 1897 (old vol. 21).
Vol. 21 outgoing presidential correspondence, President Thomas E. Will and secretary (Will, Vol. III), 1897–1899 (old vol. 24), available at https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/34960.
Vol. 22 outgoing presidential correspondence, President Thomas E. Will and secretary (Will, Vol. IV), 1898 (old vol. 22).
Vol. 23 outgoing presidential correspondence, President Thomas E. Will and secretary (Will, Vol. V), 1898–1899 (old vol. 23).
Vol. 1 outgoing secretarial correspondence, Secretary (to president) Ira Graham, 1888–1891 (old vol. 25).
Vol. 2 outgoing secretarial correspondence, Secretary (to president) Ira Graham, 1890–1897 (old vol. 26).
Vol. 3 outgoing secretarial correspondence, Secretary (to president) Ira Graham, 1891–1893 (old vol. 27).
Vol. 4 outgoing secretarial correspondence, Secretary (to president) Ira Graham, 1897–1898 (old vol. 28).
Vol. 5 outgoing secretarial correspondence, Secretary to president, 1898–1901 (old vol. 29).
Vol. 6 outgoing secretarial correspondence, Secretary to president, 1899 (old vol. 30).
Vol. 1 outgoing loan commissioner correspondence, KSAC loan commissioner, 1871–1872 (old vol. 31).
Vol. 2 outgoing loan commissioner correspondence, KSAC loan commissioner, 1872–1879 (old vol. 32).
Vol. 3 outgoing loan commissioner correspondence, KSAC loan commissioner, 1882–1891 (old vol. 33).
Outgoing treasurer’s correspondence, KSAC treasurer's office, 1893–1895 (old vol. 34).

The Correspondence Series (1834, 1845-1966) consists of twelve boxes and four sub-series.
The first sub-series are correspondence between family members and friends between the years 1834, and 1845 and 1966. It consists of nine boxes and twenty additional file folders in box 10.
The second sub-series is Education and made up of one file folder. Correspondence in this sub-series contains “pressure notes” to Olive and Mary Page when they attended Mt. Holyoke-Female Seminary wanting the twins to change their religious beliefs.
The third sub-series is Medical and is comprised of 33 file folders that contains correspondence that deal with Dr. William H. Page’s medical practice.
The fourth sub-series, Military, contains two file folders of World War I letters to Olive Page between 1918 and 1919.
The Art Series (1851-1852) consists of one cartoon that was created by Daniel Page when he was sent home from the Phillips Exeter Academy “because he did not know enough to enter the academy.”
The Cookery Series (ca. 1910-1920, undated) includes Mary Page Hastings undated manuscript cookbook. This cookbook includes recipes for cream pies, feed for 40 hens and washing fluid. Also in this series is a score card when Olive Page Rogers judged butter contests between 1910 and 1920.
The Education Series (1844-1929, undated) consists of school transcripts for Daniel Page from Phillips Exeter Academy, Florence Page from Newark Art School of Fine & Industrial Arts and Kingman Page from Bowdoin College. Essays by Mary Page, Nina Page, and William Page are included.
The Family Series (1817, 1943-195[2], undated) consists of eighteen file folders. These folders include genealogical information, garden records, church membership, wedding gifts, funerals, marriages and school medical examination.
The Financial Series (1821-1948) is housed in fourteen file folders contains ledger books with minutes and legal information, receipts for payments to teachers, individual accounts, and financial documents pertaining to organizations and society pins. A flat box includes an account book for pigs/hogs, horses, cattle, hens, sheep, wall paper for the Portland Street House, feed supplies, clothing, utilities, labor expenses, etc.
The Legal Series (1789-1947, undated) is comprised of real estate documents, deeds, a law suit that Alice Page filed against Daniel Page and Benjamin Page in the 1840s, and wills and estates.
The Literary Series (1823-1923, undated) consists of essays by William H. Page, Poetry by Beatrice Page, Mary Page Hastings and Minnie Hastings and Valentines to William Page and Huldah Page.
The Medical Series (1840s-1885) is made up of documents from William H. Page’s medical practice. Items included are record books of patients, records of military recruits examined by Page at Boston during the Civil War, prescriptions, cures, and documents Page’s eye injury.
The Military Series (1861-1863) contains a discharge record book of Civil War soldiers from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. This book provides the rank, company, regiment, state, residence, date of discharge, volume number and page number.
Printed Material (1839-1927) includes advertisement, announcements, annual reports, booklets about agriculture, medical, mining, silver ware and travel; a New Testament Bible belonging to Daniel Page; broadsides; calling card; invitations, and newspaper clippings.
Diaries Series (1854-1988) consists of 26 diaries. The most prominent diaries in the collection were written by Nina E. Page, daughter of Dr. William H. Page, from 1911 to 1942.
Memo Notebooks Series (1874-1881; 1909; 1973; undated) is comprised of two Page family address books (1909 and 1973), an undated events book, and an autograph book.
Correspondence Series, Alphabetical, 1972-2004 and undated consists of correspondence to Carolyn Page and Roy Zarucchi and their business The Nightshade Press.
Correspondence Series, Chronological, 1834-1946 and undated is made up of handwritten correspondence between Page Family members. These letters were not included in the original collection as Carolyn Page was using them for research. This series also includes correspondence, 1847-1878 and undated, that are typewritten because they had been transcribed onto a CD.
Subject, 1851-2002 and undated, is comprised of information relating to some of the Page family members and information pertaining to The Nightshade Press such as press releases, poetry book reviews, and some authors who wrote for the journal.
The Financial Series, 1850-1947, is made up of Account and Note Books and financial information kept by Victor E. Page and Olive Page Rogers. These accounts include prices of food, clothing and other household items purchased as well as crops and livestock bought and sold.
Legal Documents II, 1822-1912, consists of real estate records and deed, marriage records, wills, and estate records. The most interesting items in this series are the wills and estate documents of Benjamin and Huldah Page.
Literary Works II consists of an incomplete manuscript by Carolyn Page titled Homesteading in Desperate Times. It was to be a book about the twins, Mary and Olive Page. Mary married and moved to Missouri, while Olive taught school in Boston. Often Mary wrote home asking Olive to send her old clothes so that she could sew clothes for her children.
Printed Material II, 1839-2000, includes articles, books published by The Nightshade Press, book reviews, hymn lyrics, The Nightshade Press journals from 1989 to 2000.
The Photograph Series consist of three (3) photographs: Daniel and Maggie Page, Dannie, Lilli and Nettie, and an unidentified person.
The Media Series consists of one Compact Disk (CD, undated). This CD contains Page Family correspondence that has been transcribed. Researchers should try to match the transcribed letter to the original handwritten if all possible for accuracy.
The Art Series II, 1930 and undated, consists of artwork by Carolyn Page, Anne Croom, Wilma Fulkerson, Ray Gengenbach, Florence Page Woodes, and Roy Zarucchi.
The Oversize Series, 1865-1889, 1986 and undated, is made up of three Physician Record books belonging to Dr. William H. Page and to Nina A. Page and some art work by Anne Croom, Ray Gengenback, Joe McLendon and Carolyn Page.
The Artifacts Series, 1889-1890, 1915 and undated includes a birthday card, calling card case, a medical prescription pad, two wallets – one black and one brown, and a wooden letter box. There are also empty envelopes in this series that did not have correspondence attached.

The Correspondence Series consists of 16 boxes. Twelve boxes are organized in chronological order while two boxes are arranged in alphabetical order and two boxes are transcribed copies of the original letters and are organized in chronological order.
The Subject Series is contained in one box and the contents are arranged in alphabetical orders. This series include information such as the Abijah and Lucy Adams Cady Family, custom forms, land deeds, merchandise lists, and information on the town of Tyingham, Massachusetts.
The Printed Materials are housed in five boxes. Four of the boxes contain almanacs dating from 1779 to 1869. Some of the almanacs included are the 1847 Brother Jonathan’s Almanac, The Cultivator’s Almanac and Cabinet of Agricultural Knowledge of 1840, the 1851-1855 and 1863-1864 Middlebrook’s New England Almanacs, The Old Farmer’s Almanac of 1852 and 1869, and the 1787 copy of the Weatherwise’s Town and Country Almanack.
Other items in the Printed Materials include N. P. Willis’ book, Sacred Poems dated 1851, newspaper clippings reference to Market Prices of 1836-1869, and the Farmer and Mechanic Newspaper and the Niles’ Weekly Register.
The Oversize Series consists of letters by Catherine Pinneo dated 1838 to 1839, a 1954 Agriculture Census Questionnaire, the Farm Field Stockman journals, and three newspapers: Current Events, The Scientific American, and The Youth’s Company.

These photograph albums generally document the history of Kansas State University and Manhattan, Kansas.

Photographic materials in this collection include images of campus buildings, visitors to campus, students, athletic events, and faculty and staff. There also are images of Manhattan and community locations. Dates range from the 1866 to 2007.

The Pillsbury Family Papers (1848-1958), contain a diary, a survey book, correspondence, literary works, research, and printed material. The papers, consisting of approximately 150 items, are housed in two document boxes. The papers are divided into six series l) diary, 1858-1860, 2) survey book, (1860); 3) correspondence, 1848-1958, 4) literary works, 1932-1940; 5) research; and 6) printed material. The major portion of the collection consists of material from Annie Pillsbury Young, daughter of Josiah H. and Alnora (Pervier) Pillsbury. The first and second series containing a diary (1858-1860) and a survey book (1860) of Josiah H. Pillsbury have significant historical information about his life in the Zeandale Township area, as well as his civil engineering pursuits. The copy of the diary has been translated by Mrs. E.M. Platt of Manhattan, Kansas, as it was in Isaac Pittman shorthand of 1850-60 period. The location of the original diary is unknown. The second folder contains page markers containing notes taken from the copy of the diary. Page numbers have been recorded on the markers for future reference. The diary of Josiah H. Pillsbury documents family history of the Pillsbury clan from 1858 to 1860 in the Zeandale Township area. Recorded are trials of illness and disease, weather hazards, and political turmoil of the period. Through the diary, however, Josiah H. Pillsbury remains a devoted family man, dedicated to preserving a community for which a family could be proud to reside. The work ethic was ingrained in him, as exemplified by being a carpenter, farmer, surveyor, newspaperman, political delegate, teacher, assistant clergyman, and postmaster, during his lifetime. Josiah H. Pillsbury was meticulous with numbers. The survey book (1860) has records of transactions for school, house, and fence building. A major portion is devoted to surveying for road construction into the Manhattan, Kansas area. The correspondence of the Pillsbury Family Papers is the third series in the collection. It is basically composed of letters of Annie Pillsbury Young, daughter of Josiah H. and Alnora (Pervier) Pillsbury. The time period ranges from 1848 through 1958. Mrs. Young was a prolific writer with numerous personal as well as business letters in the seven folders. Many of the letters involved correspondence with her sister Nellie on family concerns. Much of the business correspondence pertained to family genealogy. Folder four contains early letters dated 1871, Folder five contains typescript from 1848 to 1872, The location of the originals is unknown. Both sections give insight into the strong commitment to religion and family life of the Pillsbury family. Also, a firm belief that migrating to the Kansas area was the way of the future. Literary Works comprise the fourth series in the collection. Annie Pillsbury Young devoted time to writing essays and poetry. Some of the material appears to be partially autobiographical, such as "When Mother Was A Girl". She presented many of these writings to the newspaper for printing and to the literary societies' reading circles. The series, ranging in years 1932 to 1940, is contained in thirteen folders. The fifth series is devoted to research on the Pillsbury Family Biographical notes, as well as the personal accounts of Annie Pillsbury Young are incorporated in this section of material. The "Civic Center," in particular, should be of interest to researchers wanting insight into her father's dreams of success for Zeandale Township. Five folders house the research series of the collection. Printed Material is the sixth series in the Pillsbury Family Papers. This folder contains newspaper clippings, songs, and a brief excerpt about Josiah H. Pillsbury, by his son, Arthur J. Pillsbury. Four photographs have been removed from the papers and filed in the University Archives photograph collection. A list of the photographs is located after the container list.

The Correspondence Series is comprised of two boxes that extend over an 81-year period, starting in 1913 and ending in 2004 and arranged in alphabetical order. Majority of correspondence relate to the purchase of milling equipment such as elevators, dryers, flour packers, and sifters; the purchase of the Lemon Mill in Bedford, Indiana and the Ginger Feed and Elevator Company, Jeffersonville, Indiana; the sale of the company’s products such as corn meal, dog food, flour, livestock feed, and Glu-X; and the sale of the Seymour Mill. Correspondence between Phil Robertson and G. Terry Sharer, discusses historical milling machinery the Robertson Corporation donated to the Smithsonian in 1979. In 1980, Phil Robertson attended a reception hosted by the Smithsonian on the acceptance of the historical machinery. Equipment donated to the Smithsonian Institute.
The Financial Records are house in six boxes. Five boxes, 1928-2004, are filed in alphabetical order. They include annual meetings with statements of profit and loss, account ledgers, accountant's compilation report, auditors compilation report, balance sheets, cash flow statements, capital investments, estate transfers, financial statements, income tax basis, income tax returns, purchase orders from companies such as Advance Fabricators, Bearings Incorporation, Creason Corrugating, and Insects Limited, and sales and production figures. One box consists of the 1959 Ewing Mill appraisal, a Peoples bankbook, cash books, check stubs, financial ledgers, a payroll ledger from 1916 to 1917, production ledgers, sales slips, and a 1916 shipment register.
Minutes are stored in four boxes. (1960-1997, 2007-2009) are stored in two boxes and give insight on the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals of the Robertson Corporation. Each set of minutes contain travel plans, the price of crops on the market and a general overview of the company. There are two boxes of formal minutes in minute books (1960-2009).
The Subject Series (1874, 1881-2004) is the largest of all of the series. It is housed in nine boxes and contains insurance policies, newspaper clippings and class notes from when Joe E. Robertson attended Kansas State University in the 1940s. Listed alphabetically, the series covers the purchase and sale of mill property and equipment, contracts, events, feed and grain, flour standards, general milling information, history of the companies and employees, inventories, newspaper clippings, patent information, research, and one of the later important pieces of the corporation’s history: how the company eventually turned to Glu-X as a main product. Aerial view of the Ewing Mill in Brownstown, IN.
The Photographs Series (1900-2000) consists of four boxes of photographs and one box of glass negatives. It includes aerial views of the corporation, views of the mills, the after effects of a large snowfall, exhibits, and fires. Some of the photographs date back to 1900. This series is a picture book of change and innovation with photos ranging from horse and buggy to early automobiles, then on to large loading trucks. An interesting set of photos shows construction of the Ewing Blending Plant. With the photos in order, one can see each step of the construction from beginning to end. Not all photographs are business-related as there are family photos of each family member inside and outside the office. Notable family photos include a photo of Phil Robertson at the Smithsonian and photos of the Robertson's as boys and men.
Oversize Materials are stored in three boxes and includes newspaper clippings, Robertson Corporation abstract, loan application, mortgage, feed lists, equipment blue prints and printed material. Ewing, Indiana. Printed Material is the second largest series in the collection and is comprised of eight boxes. The largest section in this series is Articles that includes items from Milling and Baking, The Northwestern Miller, and Random Lengths. Brochures and pamphlets dot the landscape of printed material and include research findings from respected institutions or from attended research symposiums. Many of the magazine articles deal with World War II or the Russian grain embargo. There is also a collection of books pertaining to the history of milling and includes a copy of The Robertson Corporation 1880-2000 written by R. R. Phil Robertson. Family member Richard S. "Dick" Robertson wrote Recollections of My Life in Brownstown, Indiana, included in the collection. These recollections are snap shots of Dick's life in Brownstown. The Artifacts Series is stored in one box and includes flour slicks, commemorative coins, packaging bags for Glu-X and Triple-R dog food, and promotional items.
The Artifacts are stored within the department's Artifact Collection. Box 40 in this inventory lists the artifacts.