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Lyman Underwood Humphrey correspondence, documents, and memorabilia

 Collection
Call Number: RH MS 27

Overview

Humphrey was governor of Kansas, 1888-1892. This collection of correspondence and documents, which is arranged chronologically, covers the period from 1872 to 1906.

Dates

  • Creation: 1872 - 1906

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 Lyman Underwood Humphrey (1844-1915)

Lyman Underwood Humphrey was governor of Kansas from 1888 to 1892. Born in New Baltimore, Ohio in 1844, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a law degree in 1867. During the Civil War he served as a lieutenant with the 76th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Company I, being wounded twice before mustering out in 1865. A few years later he moved to Kansas.

Before entering politics as a member of the Republican Party, Humphrey edited the South Kansas Tribune (Independence, Kansas) with W. T. Yoe from 1871-1873. He established a law practice in Independence in 1873. In 1876 he was elected to the House of Representatives in the Kansas Legislature and Lieutenant-Governor for an unexpired term, and in 1878 was elected to that office for a full term. He served in the Kansas State Senate from 1885-1889.

Humphrey ran for election to Congress from the 3rd District (Independence, Kansas) in 1892, but lost. He retired from public service after finishing his term as governor, and he died in 1915.

Extent

.5 Linear Feet (1 document case containing 325 items)

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

This collection of correspondence and documents, which is arranged chronologically, covers the period from 1872, shortly after Humphrey arrived in Kansas, to 1906. There are 325 items which were arranged into four large groups. Topics found in the correspondence and other documents include politics at the state and national level, including the Republican Party (of both Kansas and Oklahoma), the Populist Party, and the Democratic Party; temperance and prohibition; African Americans in Kansas; women's suffrage; the Kansas militia; the Kansas Farmers Fire Insurance Company of Abilence and other insurance companies; the Christian Arbitration and Peace Society; the U.S. Presidential election of 1876, won by Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes; the Kansas Board of Police Commissioners; the Kansas department of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR); and events in several towns and counties in Kansas, including Mongomery County, Bird City, Gray County, Cimarron, Neosho County, and Leavenworth County, as well as events in El Reno, Oklahoma. There's also some material related to the Synidate Lands and Irrigating Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri.

Physical Location

RH MS 27

Other Finding Aids

A listing of correspondents by date is available at ksrl.kc.humphreylyman.ead.pdf.

Title
Guide to the Lyman Underwood Humphrey Collection
Subtitle
Lyman Underwood Humphrey correspondence, documents, and memorabilia
Author
Finding aid prepared by nk, 1971; lgg ,11 January 1973. Finding aid encoded by mg, 2004. Finding aid revised by cmp, 2021.
Date
2004
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/10407/2935153603
Preferred citation
Lyman Underwood Humphrey Collection, Kansas Collection, RH MS 27 , Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas

Revision Statements

  • 2021-08: Converted part of pdf inventory, cmp

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