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.
This collection documents research work Joyce Kindred created for her clients. Records contained in the collection include: genealogical family sheets, photographs, copies of obituaries, census records, and legal documents from the state of Missouri. This collection also contains correspondence between Joyce Kindred and her clients. The following family names are contained within this collection: Ambers, Arnote, Barnes, Black, Bradish, Breeding, Briant, Clark, Collins, Cowsert, Creason, Fowler, Funk, Hannah, Johnson, Madden, Marley, McCrary, McCrorey, McQuery, McRainey, Menefee, Morrow, Patton, Pohl, Pullman, Robinette, Scearce, Schapel, Shouse, Sloan, Smith, Sproul, Taylor, Waer and Wright.
This collection consists of the family Bible for the Joseph A. Johnson family. This Bible contains the family records for births, marriages, and deaths for Joseph A. Johnson, his wife Senora J. Johnson, and their children.
This collection contains items relating to Jackson County, Missouri history. These items cover a wide range of the county with the cities of Independence, Kansas City, and Raytown separated into series. Included within this collection are ephemera from these cities’ school districts and events/programs. Items include commencement programs, reproductions of images, graduation invitations, performance brochures, reunion packet, student directory, football program, and school publications.
This collection contains the diary, war record, and muster-out roll of Civil War soldier Isaac Toot. Also included are a transcription of the diary, family chart for Martha Magdalene Toot, letters, and background history on Isaac Toot. The majority of this collection is from 1862-1865. The background history was obtained August 2012.
This collection includes fraternal records from Odd Fellows and Rebekah lodges in the Jackson County, Missouri area ranging from as early as 1857 to as recent as 2000. A few of the records are from Encampments, a higher branch, and from the Grand Lodge of Missouri. The collection includes correspondence, financial records, membership records and other materials relating to the organization and operation of the various lodges. The membership records often contain valuable genealogical information such as the members’ birth or death dates. The financial information in the collection consists of ledgers, receipts, and financial reports. Many of the lodges have organizational records such as minutes and roll call books. One journal entitled, Trustee Term Commencing July 1, 1928 contains information regarding payments for burial and payments made to widows or children of lodge members. These records include death dates and widows and children’s names. Certificates in this collection were issued by lodges to members for various reasons, such as membership or transferring to another lodge or for dismissal.
This collection contains the research of Clyde Clinton Hawthorne on the Hawthorne and related families. When the collection was donated, most of the items were covered in dust and dirt. Due to the poor condition, some items were not kept. Most of the items were in binders. Some binders were labeled with family names, but multiple binders were labeled with the Hawthorne name. Binders had divider tabs indicating a generation number. It is not clear from the material if all started from the same common point or from various individuals. The items were removed from the binders and put into acid free folders. When possible, the generation number is indicated. The collection consists of genealogical information includes charts and forms, photographs, vital records, and other supporting documentation.
This collection documents the life of Harold Clute, the Clute family and other related families. Records within the collection include: correspondence, official documents, family genealogy journals, and photographs.
This collection contains correspondence between Guy Lee Tinder, Jr. and Agatha Lorene Lentz Tinder. Most of the items within this collection are dated from July 1951 to June 1953 and are written by Guy Tinder during his military service. The envelopes precede the corresponding letters.
This collection contains various documents relating to the history of G.A.M.E. including membership, agendas, minutes, newsletters, publications, programs and activities, and conferences.
This collection consists of photos, and a history of the Gleaner Manufacturing plant in Independence, Missouri. Many of the photos in the collection are digital. Several of the photos have been enlarged and mounted onto foam board for displays. The collection also contains a model tractor and a model combine.
This collection contains ephemera from the Gilbert family, including: newspapers, poem, and Daughters of the American Revolution certificate. There are significant gaps between the years 1930-1945.
This collection contains three items from Gentry County, Missouri. The first is an index to court records. The index book to court records is titled Index to the Demand Records 3 Gentry County and is undated. The second item is a tax receipt book from October of 1888 that gives the name, lot, and block number as well as the value of the property and the amount of taxes paid. The third item is a store ledger from an unknown local business dated 1881 that records names, items purchased and the amount. This collection is digital only.
This collection mainly contains correspondence received by Fannie Mae from her family and friends. The correspondence begins when she is a teenager in the 1930s and continues throughout her life. She had lifelong correspondence with many family members, many which lived to be in their 90s. Other items in the collection include notecards and greeting cards that Fannie created. The cards were used by friends to write to Fannie Mae. Over the years Fannie Mae saved invitations to weddings, baby showers, anniversary parties, and class reunions. She kept birth announcements and funeral notices as well. A sampling of the numerous cards that was originally donated represent the types cards mailed to Fannie Mae and Buford. They include some cards given to Fannie Mae as a child in the 1920s as well as to her son, Jimmie, in the 1940s.
The letters not only provide important genealogical information about the family, but include information about the communities in Kansas and Missouri in which the families lived. The letters provide insight into the time in which the individuals lived. Fannie was born in 1918, a year where war and influenza, impacted the country. A 1918 Club was later started for anyone born in that year. Fannie’s correspondence from a friend includes information about that club in the area. The family corresponded through the Depression. Fannie received several “Prosperity Club” chain letters in 1935. This first chain letter encouraged recipients to copy send a dime, copy the letter and send it to five of their friends. The chain letters that year almost shut down post offices across the country. During World War II, Fannie received letters from family and friends serving in the military. One letter kept by Fannie was a letter from a family in her hometown notifying them that their son was missing and presumed dead. Later in life, Fannie received post cards from her family and friends as they traveled throughout the country and the world. As older generations passed away, younger generations of children and grandchildren continued sending letters to Fannie Mae.
This collection contains genealogical and family history information for the Deatherage family. Also contained within this collection is information on the Bates and other families. In addition to the genealogical and historical information, the collection contains numerous photographs from these families, especially the Deatherage family. Also included are legal documents from the state of Texas pertaining to Deatherage family land holdings as well as obituaries for Deatherage family members.
This collection is digital images only. The owner of the original diary and family Bible loaned the items to the library to be digitized. The collection consists of a diary written by D. F. Bone during the year 1900. Both images of the diary and a transcription are included. Several pages from D.F. Bone’s family Bible including all the family record sheets with birth, marriage and death information about the Bone and Cox family have been digitized and included in the collection.
This collection consists of genealogy information for the Cruzen and Thomas families; including family history, oral histories, and photocopied photographs.
Beginning in 1987, the Christian County Library created indexes and transcribed records pertaining to the residents of Christian County Missouri. The digital files have been shared with libraries, archives, museums, historical organizations, and genealogical societies for those researching their family history. The indexed and transcribed records include census, court, land, death, marriage, organizations, and history.
This collection contains materials from middle 1800s to middle 1960s regarding the family lines of Chester Howard Ramsdell, considered by the donor as the family historian. Also in this collection is additional material supplied by Joanne Eakin, a genealogist, as some items are dated after C.H. Ramsdell’s death. Other family names include Allen, Beets, Calhoun, Eaton, Edwards, Gerhardt, Hall, Hardin, Heibel, Hentges, Jarrett, Kickbusch, Kizer, Lynch, McDaniel, Merrill, Pierce, Pollock, Schmidt, Shelby, Sommerhauser, Steiner, Gerhard, Trimble, and Walker.
This collection includes newsletters and miscellaneous information from the Chapel Neighborhood #20 Council. The newsletters contain neighborhood information, upcoming events, future meetings dates, and as well as community information. Also contained within this collection is a map of all Independence neighborhood councils, a member list for #20 council, and invitations to events.
This collection consists of items related to the Blackwell High School (Blackwell, OK) graduating class of 1927. Contents include: report card; The Buckshot-Commencement Edition; yearbook; letter; reunion program; list of alumnus; newspaper clipping. There are significant gaps in information from 1930-1987.
This collection consists of family reunion documents for the Beal family and Beal/Thomas families. Included are: photographs; family newsletters; family reunion newsletter; family reunion programs; family reunion letter; family reunion project questionnaire; letter concerning questionnaire; Beal reunion mailing list; photographs; family record; newspaper articles; funeral program; miscellaneous Irwin/Lincoln family research; letter asking for family stories; Beal reunion guestbook; and Beal reunion minutes. Significant gaps for which no photographs or newsletters exist from 1864-1930 and 1936-1974.
