Pioneer and Frontier Life

Letters, diaries, and other papers associated with exploration, the westward movement, overland travel, the gold rush, homesteading and settlement, and daily life on the frontier in the U.S.

A

  • Alderman, James R., Papers, 1838-1876, (C3153)
  • Allen, William R., Letter, 1851, (C0545)
  • Allison-Ingram Family, Papers, 1840-1873, (C3593)
  • Appleby, John (1814-1852), Letter, 1848, (C0498)
  • *Applegate, Lisbon (1803-1875), Collection, 1819-1903, (C0996)
  • Ashley, William Henry, Letter, 1825, (C1939)
  • Aull Family, Business Papers, 1841-1843, (C0592)
  • Ayer, Edward Everett (1841-1927), Reminiscences, 1924, (C2694)

    B

  • Baer, Eleanora A., Books, Newspapers, and Libraries in Pioneer St. Louis (1808-1842), 1961, (C3519)
  • Bailey, David, Land Grant, 1804, (C0535)
  • Bargdoll, Amos, Letter, 1851, (C0543)
  • Barnes, Sarah Holcomb Randleman, Reminiscence, 1909, (C3167)
  • Bates, Moses, Deed, 1812, (C0485)
  • Beall, Samuel W., and Ira Town, Agreement, 1859, (C2065)
  • *Bedford Family, Papers, 1849-1870, (C2610)
  • Berry, J. Calvin, Letter, 1842, (C1461)
  • *Berry-Thomson-Walker Family, Papers, 1830-1893 (C0074)
  • Bishop, Z.C., Letters, 1850-1851, (C3782)
  • *Bode Family, Papers, 1754-2010, (C3999)
  • Boone, Daniel (1734-1820), Affidavit, (C1467)
  • Branstetter, Peter L., Diary, 1850-1851, (C2983)
  • Breckenridge, Thomas E. (1825- ), Memoirs, 1894, (C0691)
  • Brenneman Family, Letters, 1849-1888, (C0220)
  • *Bridgford, Jefferson, Papers, 1850, (C3793)
  • Brouster, George Washington (1830-1887), Letters, 1850-1851, (C1832)
  • Brown, Lawrence Robert, Papers, 1949, (C3214)
  • *Brown, Nellie Fisher, Papers, 1831-1874 (C0212)
  • Bryson, John, Articles of Agreement, 1817-1819, (C1585)
  • *Bullard, James (1848-1925), Diary, 1876-1878 (C0219)
  • Bumgardner, James, Jr. (1835- ), Reminiscences, (C1061)
  • Bundy, S.G. (1836- ), Autobiography, 1912, (C2985)
  • Burke, George William, Papers, 1850-1857, (C3796)
  • Burris, Edith S., Patsy the Pioneer, (C2947)
  • *Bush Family, Papers, 1819-1923, (C3887)

    C

  • Caldwell, John Boyd (1822-1870), Family History, (C2172)
  • *Carpenter Family, Papers, 1796-1851 (C0237)
  • Carter, William A., Letter, 1850, (C0542)
  • Chilton, Octavia Blackwell, Letter, 1842, (C2059)
  • Chouteau, Auguste A. and Constance, Deed, 1818, (C1491)
  • Christopher, Adrienne Tinker, The Story of Daniel Yoacham, (C2927)
  • *Clarkson Family, Papers, 1810-1870, (C1705)
  • *Cleghorn, Daniel B., Family, Papers, 1848-1892, (C0252)
  • *Cockrell, Ethlyn, Collection, 1846-1859 (C0254)
  • *Coles, Edward, Papers, 1818-1866 (C0258)
  • *Colman-Hayter Family, Papers, 1839-1900, (C0084)
  • Colt, Miriam Davis, Diary, 1856, (C2755)
  • Cooley, Polly, Letter, 1851, (C0838)
  • *Crain, Ada (1904-2003), Papers, c. 1860-2003, (C3067)
  • *Crutcher, Spencer, Letters, 1847-1917 (C0242)
  • Culp, Henry C. (1844- ), Diary, 1874-1879, (C3736)

    D

  • *Daniels, Agnes Powell (1827-1894), Letters, 1876-1899 (C0302)
  • Davis, Joseph (1804-1871), Diary, 1825, (C1096)
  • Davis, Winchester, Deed, 1871, (C0517)
  • *Defoe Family, Papers, 1840-1867 (C0309)
  • Denslow, William R., (1916- ), Collection, 1841-1929, (C0822)
  • *Doble-Lucas Family, Letters, 1856-1865 (C0305)
  • Doniphan, Alexander W. (1808-1887), Letters, 1859, (C3520)
  • Dowell, Samuel, Military Land Grant, 1819, (C0486)
  • Draper, Lyman Copeland (1815-1891), Nathan Boone Interview, 1851, (C1212)
  • *Draper-McClurg Family, Papers, 1838-2009, (C3069)
  • Dresser, Thomas, Letter, 1839, (C2067)
  • *Duncan, Henry Timberlake, Papers, 1838-1844 (C0304)
  • *Dunlap Family, Papers, 1780-2002, (C4004)

    E

  • Elliott, Sidney S., Letter, 1850, (C2644)
  • Estes, Minerva, Land Titles, 1854-1859, (C0570)
  • Evans, James W., Letter, 1850, (C1872)
  • EVENING STAR Records, 1867, (C0903)
  • *Eversmann Family, Papers, 1810-1982, (C3743)

    F

  • *Farrar, John C., Diaries, 1852-1859, (C2580)
  • Farrar-Caldwell Family, Papers, 1823-1859, (C2093)
  • *Faurot, Don (1902-1995), Papers, 1920-1996, (C2971)
  • Ferguson, Russell, Letters, 1855-1856, (C0316)
  • Field, Gabriel, Journal, 1819, (C1891)
  • Fitzpatrick, James M., Letters, 1848-1857, (C2711)
  • Fogle, Daniel, Letters, 1867, (C2613)
  • Fort D'Orleans Photographs, 1933, (C0786)
  • France, Charles B., (1835-1895), Papers, 1856-1890, (C1012)
  • Fresh, James, Letters, 1833, (C0491)
  • Fresh, John H., Letter, 1851, (C0501)
  • Fry, A.P., Papers, 1828-1883, (C0497)

    G

  • *Gallaher, William Houston (1840- ), Journal, 1865, (C3924)
  • *Garr, Mary Elizabeth "Mollie" Slusher (1844-1927) and Alice (1866-1957), Papers, 1875-1896, 1991, (C3987)
  • Gentry, William R., "Robert Levi Todd," n.d., (C0697)
  • Gillespie, Robert, Diary, 1849, (C1101)
  • Goodwin, J., Letter, 1837, (C1542)
  • *Graves, David William (1837-1918), Autobiography, 1916, (C0158)
  • Grinstead, William, Papers, 1850-1924, (C2921)
  • Gunther, Charles, Papers, n.d., (C0695)

    H

  • Haley Family, Papers, 1864-1867, (C0337)
  • Hall, John, Abstract of Title, 1836-1876, (C1547)
  • Hamilton, Henry W., Papers, (SUNP2633)
  • Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, Land Promotion Circular, 1860, (C0904)
  • *Hardeman, Glen O. (1825-1905), Collection, 1777-1922, (C3655)
  • Harrison, Thomas, Sr. (1765-1840), Letters, 1831, 1835, (C1553)
  • Harvey Family, Papers, 1834-1873, (C0338)
  • Harvey, Thomas, Jr., Papers, 1852-1865, (C0336)
  • Headen, Ben F., Letter, 1853, (C0546)
  • Herndon Family, Letters, 1859-1879, (C0669)
  • Hill Family, Papers, 1819-1863, (C0320)
  • Hitt, William Y., Santa Fe Trail Memories, n.d., (C0698)
  • Horton, R.F., Papers, 1903-1910, (C0330)
  • Howell, Elijah Preston, Diary, 1849, (C1675)
  • Hudgins, John, "California in 1849," n.d., (C2189)
  • Hughes, Sarah F. Hickman (1857- ), Reminiscences, 1942, (C1889)
  • Hull, Laban, Letters, 1850-1851, (C2737)
  • *Hutchinson-Salisbury Papers, 1843-1867, (C3779)

    I

  • IDAHO STATESMAN Story, 1876, (C3278)
  • Irwin, William Laird, Letter, 1859, (C2099)

    J

  • Jefferson, Brooker S., et al., Contract, 1849, (C1808)
  • Jones, Carlton (1817-1899), Papers, 1820-1850, (C0348)
  • Jones, Hezekiah, Land Grant, 1835, (C0493)
  • Judson, Phoebe Newton Goodell (1832-1926), Travel Note, n.d., (C2770)

    K

  • Kasson, Archy, Letter, 1831, (C1880)
  • Keith, Clayton, "Judge Thos. J.C. Fagg," 1905, (C0682)
  • Kelley, Henry S. (1832- ), Autobiographical Sketch, n.d., (C0681)
  • *Kensinger Family, Papers, 1856-1910, 1920, (C3712)
  • Keyes, Willard (1792-1861), Journal, 1817-1855, (C2748)
  • King, Elijah, Papers, 1873-1888, (C0351)
  • Kunkel, G.S. (1836-1926), Autobiography, 1918, (C0463)

    L

  • Lannan, Thomas C., Letters, 1849, (C2205)
  • *Lazear, Bazel F., (1823-1894), Papers, 1851-1904, (C1014)
  • Lea, Ashley, Letters, 1839-1884, (C0354)
  • *Leonard, Abiel (1797-1863), Papers, 1782-1932, n.d., (C1013)
  • Lewis, Ethelbert Wallis (1815-1855), Letters, 1837-1851, (C1674)
  • *Lewis, Meriwether (1774-1809), Astronomy Notebook [1805] (C1074)
  • Litton, Solomon (1820-1904), Letter, 1850, (C2181)
  • Lobenstine, William C. (1831- ), Diary, 1852-1858, (C0525)
  • Logan Family, Papers, 1836-1866, (C0363)
  • Long, William C., Papers, 1859-1891, (C2624)

    M

  • Mahan, Garland Jefferson, Diaries, 1864-1873, 1961, (C2586)
  • Mahan, James F., Authorizations, 1851, (C1594)
  • Manchester, David, Letter, 1819, (C2064)
  • Marmaduke, Mary C., Clippings, n.d., (C0791)
  • Marsh, Elias Joseph, Diary, 1859, (C2599)
  • McCanne, Hugh (1805-1865), Diary, 1850, (C1932)
  • McCormack Family, Papers, 1777-1873, (C2338)
  • McDaniel Family, Diaries, 1836-1843, (C2628)
  • *McKinney, Hayes, Papers, 1789-1897 (C0146)
  • Meeter, William, Letter, 1827, (C2200)
  • Mellon, Jesse, Letter, 1839, (C1730)
  • Merrill, Julius Caesar (c. 1843- ), Diary, 1864, (C0371)
  • Miller, L.C., "Memoirs of the Life of Lee Caruth Miller, M.D.," 1903, (C2718)
  • Missouri, Gayoso, Farmers' Flood Relief Petition, 1898, (C0528)
  • Missouri, Hermann, Clippings, 1945, (C0836)
  • Missouri, St. Charles. Leases, 1831-1835, (C1688)
  • Missouri, Village-A-Robert, Plat, 1794, (C1667)
  • Missouri. Land Office, Ironton, Letter Book, 1867-1871, (C1278)
  • Missouri. Treasurer, Receipts, 1840-1841, (C1536)
  • Montgomery, John, Letter, 1851, (C0544)
  • Morgan, Wick, Journal, 1854, (C3817)
  • Morrow, W.I.I. (1802-1876), Papers, 1839, 1852, (C2051)
  • Murphy, Andrew Lopp, Diary, 1849, (C2723)

    N

  • Neill, John H.B., Papers, 1850-1860, (C1778)
  • Newkirk, Coleman Shelton, Travel Account, n.d., (C3166)
  • Nichols, B.F. (1825-1920), Across the Plains in 1844: "Reminiscences of Oregon," 1906, (C2794)

    O

  • Offutt, Robert J., Diary, 1898, (C3755)
  • Oklahoma, Vinita, Article, n.d., (C3431)
  • *Overland Diary, 1857, (C0413)
  • Overland Mail Centennial Scrapbook, 1958, (C3457)
  • Overland Trail to California, Panorama Notice, 1850, (C2857)

    P

  • Patee, John, Deed, 1860, (C1868)
  • *Patton-Scott Family, Papers, 1836-1983, (C3710)
  • Pearson, Richmond and Elizabeth A., Warranty Deed, 1873, (C1577)
  • Phillips, John, Letter, 1793, (C0534)
  • Philpott, Charles H., ed., "Letters of a Missourian Who Died in the Gold Rush," n.d., (C1206)
  • Philpott, Charles H., ed., "Letters of a Missourian Who Died in the Gold Rush," n.d., (C0387)
  • Pike, Z. (1779-1813), Account, 1812, (C2776)
  • Plummer, Samuel C. (1821-1900), Papers, 1850, (C2750)
  • Pomeroy, E.W., Letter, 1847, (C2042)
  • Pony Express Commemorative Envelope, 1950, (C1883)
  • Pope, Elizabeth Lar (1773- ), Letter, 1875, (C1627)
  • Post, Justus, Letter, 1817, (C1976)
  • Powell, William, Letters, 1839-1840, (C2035)
  • Prince, William R., Papers, 1850-1851, (C2691)

    Q

  • *Quirk, Patrick J. (1845-1921), Diary, 1865, (C3943)

    R

  • *Rea, Peter Goodman (1819- ), Papers, 1838-1899 (C0152)
  • Rector, William, and Angus L. Langham, Document, 1819, (C1631)
  • Rice, Edwin Stanton, Papers, 1851-1947, (C0397)
  • Richards, William A., Letters, 1841-1854, (C1759)
  • RoBards, John Lewis (1838-1925), Papers, 1832-1922, (C3609)
  • Rogers, Isaac W., Diary, 1865, (C0897)
  • Ross Family, Papers, 1844-1888, (C0392)
  • Rowland Family, Papers, 1844-1893, (C2244)

    S

  • Sawyer, Samuel L., Papers, 1838-1849, (C1833)
  • *Schermerhorn, John Freeman (1787-1859), Papers, 1809-1909 (C0160)
  • Seiter, Ernestine Ernst, Collection, (SUNP2711)
  • Seymour, Robert B., Military Land Grant, 1853, (C0504)
  • Sheppard, Thomas, Papers, 1854-1860, (C0950)
  • Simmons, Joseph R., Diary, 1849-1850, (C1259)
  • *Smith, Thomas Adams (1781-1844), Papers, 1798-1864, (C1029)
  • *Smith, Thomas Adams (1858-1919), Papers, 1852-1919, (C0166)
  • Sortore, Abram, Memoirs, 1909, (C2357)
  • Spalding, Thomas A., Letters, 1855-1858, (C0548)
  • SQUATTER SOVEREIGN, Atchison, Kansas, 1855-1857, (C0800)
  • St. Gem, Gustavus, Papers, 1901-1904, (C1642)
  • Standley Family, Papers, 1852, 1996, (C3432)
  • Standley, William, Papers, 1852-1853, (C2717)
  • Starr, Frederick, Jr. (1826-1867), Papers, 1850-1863, (C2073)
  • *State Historical Society of Missouri, Typescript Collection, (C0995)
  • Stauder, John A., Diary, 1850, (C0459)
  • Sterett, Smith A. ( -1887), Papers, 1861-1899, (C2074)
  • Summers, Joseph R., Letter, 1850, (C2746)

    T

  • *Tate Family, Papers, 1786-1871 (C0174)
  • Tate, James A. (1795-1849), Diary, 1849, (C2720)
  • *The Missouri Collection, (C3982)
  • Thompson, Mary and Eliza, Quietus for Delinquent Taxes, 1852, (C0502)
  • Toler Family, Papers, 1856-1882, (C0949)
  • Travel Account of Journey from Indiana to Washington, ca. 1850, (C3415)
  • Trudeau, Zenon, Decree, 1796, (C1653)
  • Tucker, Dennis, Deeds, 1860-1864, (C0509)

    U

  • U.S. General Land Office, Grants, 1869-1873, (C1562)
  • U.S. General Land Office, Papers, 1859-1869, (C1282)
  • U.S. States of the United States, Records, Missouri, 1762-1870, (C2968)
  • U.S. Superintendency of Indian Affairs, St. Louis, Records, 1807-1855, (C2969)
  • U.S. Superintendency of Indian Affairs, St. Louis, Records, 1824-1851, (C2970)

    V

  • Van Meter Family, Papers, 1834-1968, (C3242)
  • Vantine, Thomas Jefferson (1837- ), Memoirs, 1860, (C2378)

    W

  • Warnock, John, Papers, 1846-1850, (C0420)
  • Wayland, Jeremiah, Accounts, 1837-1851, (C2937)
  • WESTERN CENSOR AND EMIGRANTS GUIDE, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1823, (C3202)
  • Wiggins, Eliza Johnston, "John Brown, 1855-1858," n.d., (C0775)
  • Williams, Walter (1864-1935), Santa Fe Trail Scrapbook, 1911, (C1443)
  • Willis Family, Papers, 1843-1908, (C0419)
  • Wilson, Samuel S. ( -1850), Letters, 1849-1852, (C2692)
  • Wisconsin Company of Gold Seekers, Roster, 1849, (C3512)
  • *Wolff, Theodore H. (1905-1999), Papers, 1865-1979, (C3057)
  • Wood, Grace, Papers, 1859-1895, (C0441)
  • *Woods-Holman Family, Papers, 1805-1906, (C0191)
  • Woolf, John Marion, "Navigators of the Old West," n.d., (C2125)

    Y

  • Yates, William, Diary, 1859-1860, (C0460)


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