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Thurman Forrest Railsback legal papers

 Collection
Call Number: RH MS 147

Overview

Thurman Forrest Railsback was an attorney in Kansas City, Kansas from 1905-1956. Railsback went on to serve as assistant attorney general and as acting judge in the Wyandotte County District Court. This collection of his papers are primarily civil case files from 1930-1956, consisting of documents of public record only.

Dates

  • Creation: 1930 - 1956

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

No access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.

Biography of Thurman Forrest Railsback

Thurman Forrest Railsback, the son of Amasa William and Mary Lydia (Holmes) Railesback, was an attorney in the Kansas City, Kansas area from 1905-1956. He graduated in the first class of the Kansas City School of Law (later the University of Missouri-Kansas City law school) of 1905. Railsback began his career in the offices of McAnamy and Alden, remaining with that practice until 1909 when he entered into partnership with James L. Hogin. He then joined the Joseph A. Brady firm until 1929.

Railsback served as assistant attorney general and as a special prosecutor for the state in a 1934 grand jury inquiry. He also served as acting judge in the Wyandotte County District Court and, as a member of the Kansas Bar Association, as a griveance committee member. He ran for a position on the Kansas Supreme Court once as a Republican, in 1930, but was unsuccessful.

Railsback was married to Grace, with whom he had a son and daughter. Thurman Forrest Railsback died January 26, 1956.

Extent

13.5 Linear Feet (27 document cases)

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

This collection consists primarily of open records from civil case files dating from 1930-1956. Railsback's clients included several insurance firms and individuals. Most of the insurance files concern automobile accident and workmen's compensation lawsuits. Individual case files primarily deal with probate and estate administration, as well as real estate, property settlment, and divorce.

Railsback was attorney for at least five cases appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court, including the Redeveloment Authority of the City of Kansas City vs. the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC), for which case Railsback served on the plaintiff's side.

Physical Location

RH MS 147

Physical Location

RH MS R6

Other Finding Aids

Nucmc: 77-560

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, Dorris Railsback Fuller, 1973.

Processing Information

Materials closed due to attorney-client privilege have been removed from this collection.

Title
Guide to the Thurman Forrest Railsback Collection
Subtitle
Thurman Forrest Railsback legal papers
Author
Collection processed by lgg, 1973. Finding aid prepared by kz, mg; rh, 2007. Finding aid encoded by rh, 2007; revised by mwh, 2019.
Date
2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/10407/6757679229
Preferred citation
Thurman Forrest Railsback legal papers, RH MS 147, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository

Contact:
1450 Poplar Lane
Lawrence KS 66045-7616 United States
785-864-4334