The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-04

1.-THE year 1906 has been of special
interest TO the Kansas State Historical
society" said Mr.. Martin in beginning
his report. "All the favors bestowed
| by the legislature of 1905 have ma
terialized, which have in a variety of
ways strengthened the society, added
/ to the importance of its work, and en-
Unused its friends"
Mr.. Martin then discussed the mem
| bership. It is considerably larger this
year than ever before. On December
there were $50 annual members,
whose membership extends to June 80,
1907, and 80 life members. as against
| 128 annual and Is life members on
mem bership dues amounted to
$37S.40. which under the constitution
/ of the society is set aside each year for
historical research. On two occasions
in the past Mr.. Martin has use@ per
sonally a sufficient sum to attend the
annual meetings of the American HIS
torical society. This year the national
organization meets in Providence. r.
l., and Mr.. Martin said that it was his
intention of sending Miss Zu Adams to
represent the local society.
1.-The department of archives" Mr..
Martin reported, established by the
legislature of 1905, has made some
progress, enough to show that if the
idea is carried out completely it will
be the most valuable feature of this
historical work because all OF the ma
GInOIdCSQ IS O1IICldl- OUI4l1R the
year ending June 80 1905, q new rec
ord book was opened up entitled
Archives Accessions No. l. There
have been classified, entered and card
catalogued according to the subject,
5,521 letters and papers from the adj
jutant generals Office. Since the be-
ginning of the current year we have
received from Hon J. r. Burrow, sec
rotary of state, fully a wagon load of
the richest sort of material. much of
it going back to territorial days. 1t has
not been found possible to classify this
stuff as yet. No contributions have
come to the archives department from
counties or municipalities.
1.-The contribution from the secre-
tary of states office embraces about
10 600 manuscripts and record books
of great variety. Among them are the
original proceedings of the Wyandotte
constitutional convention; the census
returns for 1855, 1860. 1866 and 1870.
and also the election returns from the
soldiers in the field in 1854 and a great
variety of other interesting material.
The executive council ordered room
IN the cellar shelved and prepared for
these archives but it was discovered that
there were no funds available for this
purpose" Mr.. Martin argued strongly
on the utmost Importance of space be-
ing provided for these archives and that
adequate space could be found and
made ready for use a a small expense
in the cellar of the state house.
Mr.. Martin called attention to the
Kansas battle flags which have been
cased during the last year and also
to the first centennial celebration of
any event occurring in Kansas, which
the ZebulOn N. Pike celebration in
Republic county marked He also an
nounced that the society had been ad-
mitted to membership in the Topeka
circle Of the American Archaeological
institute.
The next thing to be taken up by
Mr.. Martin was the question which has
been discussed N the newspapers of the
state more or less continuously for a
year and that is as to who was the first
white child born in Kansas. Mr. Mar
tin has made up a list of Is of the
nearly correct. The first three on this
list are Napoleon Boone, born at the
Kaw agency, Jefferson county, August
a. 1873: son of Daniel Morgan Boone
and grandson of the historic Daniel
Boone. Boone died In California in
1856. Lewis B. Dougherty, born at Fort |
Leavenworth, December z, 1928. and |
still living at Liberty, No; and susan |
sion in Johnson county in 1880. and is
still living at Kansas City, Mo.
Mr.. Martin said that there is a con-
slant demand from libaries and schools
local sources as well, for Kansas /
books from the duplicate rooms Dur I
ing the year T. 400 of these volumes have |
been shipped out.
tin that perhaps the attendance at the I
annual meeting of the society would be /
stimulated II the date was changed. He /
suggested that 1t be placed at some
open to be fixed by the executive COM
n1ttee.
He also called attention to the Kan
sas Day club which was organized on
the state and which promises to be 3