James Smith misc. collection
Creator: Smith, James, 1837-1914
Date: 1861-1914
Level of Description: Coll./Record Group
Material Type: Manuscripts
Call Number:
Misc.: Smith, James
Unit ID: 443166
Biographical sketch: Civil War Union soldier, officer; politician; Kan. secretary of state (1879-85, Republican). Of Vermillion Township, Marshall County; Topeka, Kan.
Abstract: Documents relating to James Smith's Civil War service, letters, and newspaper clippings with information about him. The items relate to Smith; Kansas politics including the Supreme Court & governors; and individuals including Kan. Supreme Court Chief Justice William A. Johnston & Kan. Governor John A. Martin. Correspondents include Pa. Governor James A. Beaver, U.S. Senator John James Ingalls (Kan.), and Martin.
Space Required/Quantity: 1 folder (14 items)
Title (Main title): James Smith misc. collection
Language note: Text is in English.
Biography
Biog. Sketch (Full):
James Smith was a native of Elder's Ridge in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, having been born 29 July 1837. His parents were believed to have been Robert (d. 1906?) and Sarah Wray Smith (d. 1860?). His eight siblings were George T. (b. 1853?), Robert W., John W., Matthew, Daniel, Mary, Eider, and Henry. James was educated in schools in his home area and graduated from Jefferson College, now Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington, Pennsylvania.
He came to Kansas in March 1860 and settled in Vermillion Township of Marshall County. In August 1861 he enlisted in Company A of the 2nd Kansas Cavalry Regiment, later transferred to its successor, the 7th Kansas Cavalry. He was promoted to first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster.
After the Civil War, he returned to Marshall County. In November 1865 he was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives. He married Jennie, possibly Jane, Edgar in Vermillion Township on 23 January 1868. In January 1870 he became Marshall County clerk for two terms. Afterward he was county treasurer, also for two terms. In 1878 he was elected as Kansas secretary of State and re-elected in 1880 and 1882, serving until January 1885. Afterward he was the private secretary for Governors John A. Martin and Lyman Underwood Humphrey. He also served as Kansas quartermaster general for four years.
He and Jennie had three children: Mary, Clarence, and Ida. He was a member of the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Grand Army of the Republic, and the Knights of Heraldry. He remained in Topeka after his term of secretary of State ended and died there on 28 May 1914; he was buried in Topeka Cemetery.
Portions of Collection Separately Described:
- Letter : ALS, Atchison, Kan., to James Smith, Topeka, Kan.
- Letter : ALS, Atchison, Kan., to James Smith, Topeka, Kan.
Locators:
No Locators Identified
Related Records or Collections
Related materials:
7th Kansas Cavalry Regiment
Brown, John, 1821-1895. Papers of John Brown, Jr., 1830-1932; 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm; MICROFILM: MS 204; http://www.kshs.org/archives/48670
Moses, Webster W. (Webster Wiggins), 1838-1912. Webster W. Moses diaries and letters [microfilm], 1856-1960 (bulk 1856-1896); 1 microfilm reel (ca. 740 images) ; 35 mm; ms. collection no. 455; http://www.kshs.org/archives 40455
Pomeroy, Fletcher, 1841-1926. Pomeroy, Fletcher [papers], 1861-1865; 0.4 ft. (1 box) + 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm; ms. collection no. 475; http://www.kshs.org/archives/40475
Kansas politics and government
http://www.kshs.org/dart/units/search/keywords:Kansas%20politics/mattype:9/begyr:1870/endyr:1900/level:A
Kansas secretary of State
Kansas. Secretary of State. Records of the Office of the Secretary of State, 1861-[ongoing]; record group 622; http://www.kshs.org/archives/216312
Kansas governors
Humphrey, Lyman Underwood, 1844-1915. Lyman Underwood Humphrey correspondence, 1834-1944; 0.6 ft. (27 folders + oversize); ms. collection 11; http://www.kshs.org/archives/40011
Kansas. Governor (1885-1889 : Martin). Kansas Governor John A. Martin records, 1884-1889, 14 ft. (33 boxes + 5 v.); record group 252; http://www.kshs.org/archives/307217
Kansas. Governor (1889-1893 : Humphrey). Records of the Kansas Governor's Office : administration of Governor Lyman Underwood Humphrey (1889-1893), 1889-1893, 18 ft. (15 boxes); record group 252; http://www.kshs.org/archives/226134
Martin, John A., 1839-1889. John Alexander Martin papers, 1856-1886, 0.4 feet (1 box) + 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm; ms. collection 432; http://www.kshs.org/40432
Bibliography
Finding Aid Bibliography:
"All Results for James Smith," et seq., Ancestry.com website: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=allgs&gss=sfs28_ms_f-2_s&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=James&gsfn_x=1&gsln=Smith&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=Topeka%2C%20Shawnee%2C%20Kansas%2C%20USA&msypn=72919&msypn_PInfo=8-%7C0%7C1652393%7C0%7C2%7C0%7C19%7C0%7C2681%7C72919%7C0%7C0%7C&msbdy_x=1&MSAV=1&msbdy=1837&msbpn__ftp=Pennsylvania%2C%20USA&msbpn=41&msbpn_PInfo=5-%7C0%7C1652393%7C0%7C2%7C0%7C41%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C&msddy=1914&msddy_x=1&msdpn__ftp=Topeka%2C%20Shawnee%2C%20Kansas%2C%20USA&msdpn=72919&msdpn_PInfo=8-%7C0%7C1652393%7C0%7C2%7C0%7C19%7C0%7C2681%7C72919%7C0%7C0%7C&msrpn__ftp=Marysville%2C%20Marshall%2C%20Kansas%2C%20USA&msrpn=72196&msrpn_PInfo=8-%7C0%7C1652393%7C0%7C2%7C0%7C19%7C0%7C1913%7C72196%7C0%7C0%7C&gskw=Kansas%20secretary%20of%20state&_83004003-n_xcl=f&catbucket=rstp&uidh=jc2 All results for James Smith (accessed 23 Mar. 2017).
Connelley, William Elsey. Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, v. 3, Ancestry.comwebsite: https://www.ancestry.com/media/viewer/viewer/698ff2a6-03a7-483b-9302-1eb9f753d323/319033/40961780 (accessed 23 Mar. 2017).
Cutler, William G. "Shawnee County, Part 34: Biographical Sketches (Slayton-Swingle), History of the State of Kansas, Kansas Collection website: http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/shawnee/shawnee-co-p34.html (accessed 23 Mar. 2017).
Foster, Emma E. History of Marshall County, Kansas, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Ancestry.com website: https://www.ancestry.com/media/viewer/viewer/eacc3e3a-1e95-446c-9ade-c21273a7c6eb/6317959/-200243239 (accessed 23 Mar. 2017).
Index Terms
Subjects
-
Kansas. Governor
Kansas. Governor (1885-1889 : Martin)
Kansas. Supreme Court
Pennsylvania. Governor (1887-1891 : Beaver)
United States. Army -- Officers
Personal correspondence
Kansas
Kansas -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Kansas -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950
Topeka (Kan.)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Vermillion (Marshall County, Kan. : Township)
Johnston, William A. (William Agnew), 1848-1937
Martin, John A., 1839-1889
Smith, James, 1837-1914
Politicians -- Kansas
Secretaries of State (State governments) -- Kansas
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Creators and Contributors
-
Smith, James, 1837-1914
Beaver, James A. (James Addams), 1837-1914
Martin, John A., 1839-1889
Ingalls, John James, 1833-1900
Kansas. Governor (1885-1889 : Martin)
Pennsylvania. Governor (1887-1891 : Beaver)
Additional Information for Researchers
Use and reproduction: Information on literary rights available from the Kansas Historical Society (Topeka).
Cite as: Smith, James. James Smith misc. ms. collection, Kansas Historical Society.
Action note: Description written by Robert L. Knecht, volunteer, 2017.
Holder of originals: Kansas Historical Society (Topeka).
Notes
General Note: Title supplied by cataloger.
General Note:
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