Finding aids provide further information for each of MGC’s archival collections. Each will include the following elements:
Collection Summary
Collection Inventory
Rights and Access to each archival collection
Name and folder indexes are available for some of MGC’s archival collections. Name indexes display first, maiden, middle, and last names as well as any notes that may help identify individuals. Folder indexes display the folder title and additional information.
The Bible was presented to Harry Vickers by Patricia Vickers in 1956 upon becoming a Master Mason in the Freemasons. The Bible has a section for family history, military service, and pertinent masonic information.
This collection consists of the family Bible for Nannie (Johnson) Turner. This Bible contains the family records for births, marriages, and deaths for her parents and siblings and half siblings. She also recorded the names and birth dates of her grandparents as well as her children and grandchildren.
This collection consists of a family record book for the William Lafayette Thomas family. The book begins with genealogical information for William and continues this family’s genealogy through great-grandchildren. There is also genealogy information for those who married into this family line.
This collection contains historical documents pertaining to the telephone industry in Kansas City, including: history, council documents, photographs, and a map. There are significant gaps for which no records exist from 1919-1934 and 1952-1967.
This collection consists of the family Bible for the Swisher family. This Bible contains the family records for births, marriages, and deaths for Micheal Sylvester Swisher, his Cleopatra Gertrude Vanwinkler, and their children and other relatives.
This collection consists of a family Bible and supplemental materials. The Bible was printed in German, contains notes written by the family, also in German, and dates from 1699. The supplemental materials include; history of Striffler Bible, photocopies of Striffler records, genealogy information, oral history, Striffler family history, and a descendant chart of William and Elizabeth Striffler. These supplemental materials are undated.
This collection contains correspondence of Carl Busch and family obituary information. Included are: letters; cards; funeral transcript; postcards; funeral program; and obituaries.
Documents in this collection pertain to the law offices of Simrall & Simrall from the 1930s through the 1950s. Much of the collection is correspondence between the law office and clients regarding legal matters. The files are not complete. Sometimes only notes on envelopes or receipts for payments made give clues as to the people involved in the cases. Other documents include items pertaining to the business itself such as bank receipts, tax receipts, and insurance information. The folders are arranged alphabetically and the items within the folder are arranged chronologically.
This collection contains genealogical descendant charts for the Olthoff, Keefe, Puterbaugh, Krase, Brown, and Chandler families. The Pleasant Poteet family group also has a descendant chart included.
This collection contains ephemera related to Maude Sanders, including: photographs, discharge records, letters, Notice of Classification, bond, marriage licenses, certificate of registration, receipts, and an obituary. Significant gaps exist from 1886-1898, 1903-1918, 1924-1938, and 1942-1951.
Among the books in this collection are several hand written journal style books that contain information about the lots and burials. Information may include name, date of birth, date of death, burial date, address, obituaries, funeral home, and lot number. A blue journal, red journal, and another journal contain burials by lot number. A typed alphabetical index referencing the lot and page number in the journal was created as a finding aid for the records by the Association. Sales and deed books include a gray journal (1945-2004), and a red journal (1984-2017). Mixed in with other records are some deeds and receipts. The Association created a collection of obituaries from 1975 to 2017 clipped from the newspaper with added notes on the burial location within the cemetery.
The original records are in possession of the Salem Cemetery Association. Items in this collection were digitized by the Midwest Genealogy Center.
The Rorer Family Papers consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, some biographical information, a photograph, and miscellaneous papers relating to the Rorer and Thrasher family. Among the items are two Civil War letters written by Clinton to his mother. Shortly after the letters were written, Clinton died and a letter was written to Samantha notifying her of her son’s death. Other letters are written on company stationery by her sons during the late 1800s. Obituaries give information about the family as well as names of descendants.
The binders are collections of history, both written and in pictures, of Raytown and many of the families who have lived here. Each binder comprises a subject or family.
This collection contains obituaries, death notices, and other newspaper articles from the Neshoboa Democrat newspaper in Philadelphia, Mississippi from 1990 to 2001. The obituaries were clipped and organized chronologically. Some of the obituaries were photocopied while others are the originals. The obituaries have been mounted onto paper and the pages are numbered. Each page has been put in sheet protectors and organized into binders. During the processing of this collection, the sheets were removed from the binders and put into acid free folders. Each year includes an alphabetical index.
This collection contains family history information for the Petree and Plumb families, including: a manuscript, name index, notes, genealogy charts, and a diary. Significant gaps for which no records exist: 1895-1927 and 1927-1996.
This collection contains correspondence, family genealogical information, genealogical registers, name indexes, and reproductions of legal documents. The family names covered within this collection include Owsley, Poyntz, Newdigate, Spencer, and others (please see name indexes).
This collection consists of the genealogical research done by Neva Flippen Beyer. Her collection includes genealogical charts and forms for both her family; the Flippen family, and her husband’s family; the Beyer family. Additionally, research notes, correspondence, and documentation such as birth, death, marriage, census, and military records are included.
This collection contains Nadine Hodges’ manuscripts with research notes. These manuscripts cover counties in Missouri and quit rent rolls in Virginia. The majority of the manuscripts were published between 1960 and 1970. Significant gaps for which no manuscripts exist: 1706-1820.
The Midwest Genealogy Center receives donations relating to family history and genealogy. Photos that do not fit into existing collections become a part of the photo collection. Many photos have identifiable information with the photos or on the backs of the photos while others are unidentified. Many photos have come from estate sales or from donors who have no connection to the family. A large number of photos were purchased at estate sales and donated to the library. The photos from that donation were received in a large tote and were not separated clearly by family. An attempt has been made to organize by family from the donor’s notes, but errors in grouping may exist.
The following wars are included in this collection:
Civil War (1861-1865)
Spanish-American War (1898)
World War I (1914-1918)
World War II (1939-1945)
The dates reflect the entirety of the war, not necessarily the time that the United States was involved in the war. Items contributed to this collection came from various donors. The common theme to the items is that they all relate to military service. Most items were donated to the Midwest Genealogy Center with little information about the original owner of the items. Some do contain names and genealogical or background information. The series within the collection are arranged chronologically by war. Not all items in the series fall within the dates of the war, but relate to the war in some way. Items include photographs, ration books, military patches, flags, and printed materials. This collection represents contributions made by individuals and families to the war through the items that they kept.
This collection contains scrapbooks and photos found in a 1920s house in Kansas City, Missouri. The scrapbooks were created by Martha S. Jacobson. One scrapbook contained newspaper clippings, letters, dance cards, post cards and other personal memorabilia. Photos signed by Martha’s classmates were mounted on the pages of another album. A scrapbook was full of vacation photos from Sarasota, Florida. Because the albums pages are acid and had become brittle, the items were removed from the pages and placed in sheet protectors as well as acid free folders. Newspaper clippings that were glued to the pages were photocopied and the originals discarded. In addition to the scrapbooks, Martha kept many cards and photographs.
The collection mainly consists of funeral programs and obituaries. The dates on the documents range from the late 1960s through 2017 and some contain clipped obituaries. Many other obituaries were kept as well. The obituaries were primarily obtained from The Leavenworth Times and have been photocopied due to the acidic nature of the newspaper. The majority of the funeral programs come from individuals whose funeral service or burial was in Leavenworth County, Kansas. The programs are divided by letters of the alphabet, but have not been alphabetized within each folder.
This collection contains family history documents for the Kraft family, including: family group charts, autobiography, oral histories, research images, journal pages, and photographs.
This collection contains mostly photographs ranging in date from the early 1900s into the 1960s. These photographs concern the Kleitz, Boothe, and Hukill families who are related through marriage.
Accompanying some photographs are genealogical information and newspaper clippings.
