James William Denver letters
James William Denver letters
- Conditions Governing Access
-
No access restrictions
- Dates
- Creation: 1846 - 1865
- Extent
- .25 Linear Feet (1 document case)
- Related Names
- Denver, James William, 1817-1892
- United States. Army. Missouri Infantry Regiment, 12th (1847-1848)
- Denver family.
- Kansas Territory. Governor (1857-1858 : Denver)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Script
- Latin
Letter from J. W. Denver, Platte City, Missouri, to his sister, Mrs. E. A. Johns [Elizabeth A. (Mrs. Samuel) Johns], Wilmington, Ohio, September 1, 1846
- Dates
- Creation: September 1, 1846
Letter to Captain J. W. Denver, Company H, 12th Infantry, Washington, D.C, from Jn. M. McCalla, Second Auditor, Treasury Department, June 9, 1847
- Dates
- Creation: June 9, 1847
Letter to Captain J. W. Denver, 12th Infantry, Camp Gobana?, from Lt. Henry Almstedt, Vera Cruz, Acting Commissary [A___?], July 10, 1847?
- Dates
- Creation: July 10, 1847?
Letter from Captain J. W. Denver, 12th Regimental Infantry, Wilmington, Ohio, to [the] Adjutant General, U. S. Army, Washington, D.C, January 25, 1848
- Dates
- Creation: January 25, 1848
Letter from J. W. Denver, Wilmington, Ohio, to his brother Arthur Denver, Platte City, Missouri, February 9, 1848
- Dates
- Creation: February 9, 1848
Letter from Captain J. W. Denver, 12th Regiment, U.S. Infantry, Wilmington, Ohio, to R. Jones, Adjutant General, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C, April 6, 1848
- Dates
- Creation: April 6, 1848
Letter to Captain J. W. Denver, Company H, 12th Infantry, Washington, D.C, from Jn. M. McCalla, Second Auditor, Treasury Department, June 14, 1848
- Dates
- Creation: June 14, 1848
Letter to Captain J. W. Denver, Company H, 12th Infantry, Washington, D.C, from [__?] Jepp, Quartermaster General, Washington, D.C, September 25, 1848
- Dates
- Creation: September 25, 1848
Receipt issued J. W. Denver by George W. Dye (per Thomas McCarty), for papers from the paymaster at Washington City, D.C, entitling Private Warren D. Blanton to three months' extra pay, August 9, 1849
- Dates
- Creation: August 9, 1849
Letter from J. W. Denver, Washington [D.C.] to Perry Fuller, Lawrence, Kansas, June 26, 1865
- Dates
- Creation: June 26, 1865
These letters were sent by Denver to his wife in Wilmington, Ohio while he was serving as governor of the Kansas Territory. All of the letters, written within two years of Denver's marriage to Louise Catherine Rombach, are addressed to "My dear wife" or "My dear love" and signed "Will"; he occasionally refers to his wife as "Lou."
The letters frequently mention the weather and Denver's health, and Denver often complains about the free staters and Republicans in the territory, as well as other partisans creating trouble. He also had to do all his own writing, having been denied a clerk, and he often states that he will give up the governorship as soon as he is able. He frequently references another Wilmington, OH community member who had come to Kansas, Henry Harvey. He also frequently notes how much he misses his wife and is torn about asking her to join him in the territory when it remains so dangerous. He also discusses members of both their families, particularly his sister Elizabeth (referring to her as Mrs. Samuel Johns) and brother Arthur.
- Dates
- Creation: 1857 - 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. December 21, 1857
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. December 21, 1857
Letters from Denver to his wife, Leavenworth City December 29, 1857
- Dates
- Creation: Leavenworth City December 29, 1857
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton, K.T. January 10, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton, K.T. January 10, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lawrence K.T. January 17, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lawrence K.T. January 17, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lawrence K.T. January 24, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lawrence K.T. January 24, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lawrence K.T. January 31, 1858; continued February 1
- Dates
- Creation: Lawrence K.T. January 31, 1858; continued February 1
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. February 7, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. February 7, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lawrence K.T. February 14, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lawrence K.T. February 14, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. March 7, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. March 7, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. March 14, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. March 14, 1858
Poem by Denver to his wife, [March 1858?]
- Dates
- Creation: [March 1858?]
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. March 31, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. March 31, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. April 11, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. April 11, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. April 18, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. April 18, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. May 5, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. May 5, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. May 9, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. May 9, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. May 23, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. May 23, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. June 6, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. June 6, 1858
Letters from Denver to his wife, Lecompton K.T. June 21, 1858
- Dates
- Creation: Lecompton K.T. June 21, 1858
Citation
Cite Item
James William Denver letters, Kansas Collection, RH MS 1066, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas
Cite Finding Aid
James William Denver letters, Kansas Collection, RH MS 1066, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas https://archives.lib.ku.edu/repositories/3/resources/1138 Accessed March 13, 2025.