Guide to George A. Crawford Papers

Collection Summary

Title:	George A. Crawford Papers
Call Number:	MS 75-07
Size:	1.0 linear feet
Acquisition:	Gift of Colonel Harrie S. Mueller
Processed by:	DAO, 5/1975; Reprocessed by: SMC, 3/1998

Literary Rights

Literary rights were not granted to Wichita State University. When permission is granted to examine manuscripts, it is not an authorization to publish them. Manuscripts cannot be used for publication without regard for common law literary rights, copyright laws and the laws of libel. It is the responsibility of the researcher and his/her publisher to obtain permission to publish. Scholars and students who eventually plan to have their work published are urged to make inquiry regarding overall restrictions on publication before initial research.

Content Note

The George Addison Crawford Collection of papers is composed of correspondence, excerpts from speeches, and news clippings from 1854 to 1861. The collection deals with a period in Kansas politics characterized by anarchy and violence and indecision as to whether Kansas would be admitted to the Union as a pro-slavery or a free-soil state. A sizeable portion of the correspondence involves Crawford and his associates' land speculations involving Indian lands in Kansas connected with the railroad's expansion. Another facet involves George Crawford's election to the Kansas governorship in 1861 which was subsequently declared illegal by the Kansas State Supreme Court (State of Kansas ex rel. Crawford vs. Robinson, I Kansas 17). Know-Nothingism comprises a prominent part of the collection with extensive portions of speeches, notes and editorials given by Crawford in opposition to the anti-foreign and anti-Catholic policies perpetrated by the secret organization of Know-Nothings. One of the basic doctrines of the "Sons of the Sires of '76" was that Americans must rule America. A premise further expanded on by the final section of the clippings which deal primarily with the politics of Know-Nothingism and opposition to it in the 1850s. A comprehensive eulogy of George A. Crawford concludes the collection.

Biography

The Papers of George Addison Crawford have been acquired by the Department of Special Collections of the University Library through the generosity of Mr. Harrie S. Mueller of Wichita. The Crawford Papers consist of correspondence to and from Crawford concerning Kansas Indian land sales which involved governors, bankers, investors and railroad entrepreneurs, and letters concerned with border ruffian terror, claim jumpers, Kansas Territorial politics, and his political writings. The files contain letters from Kansas governors Samuel Medary and Charles Robinson and United State senators James Lane and Sidney Clarke, and a host of other including such national figures as William Bigler, who was Governor of Pennsylvania, later a United States Senator from the same state and president of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad.

Crawford arrived in Kansas by steamboat via the Missouri river in 1857. Landing at Leavenworth he proceeded onto Lawrence, in the company of Dr. Norman Eddy, the United States commissioner for the sale of the Delaware and other Indian lands. There is little doubt as to their conversation as they traveled west to Lawrence, since Crawford became directly involved in Indian land and land procurement when he settled in Fort Scott. He became embroiled in the slave and anti-slave factions during the years of 1857-1860 which marred the Territory of Kansas with violence and anarchy. Crawford was elected governor of Kansas in 1861, to have the election declared invalid by the State Supreme Court of Kansas. Ten years later, President U. S. Grant appointed him United States Commission for the Centennial in 1871 and he functioned in that position for five years.

After many years of being involved in land development in Kansas, he cast his eyes westward to the Centennial State and settled in Mesa County, Colorado where he founded the town of Grand Junction. There he continued his lifetime work of land promoting until his death in January of 1891.

The Crawford Papers demonstrate the real problems that existed for Kansans during the territorial and early statehood days. Judge John Williams of Fort Scott wrote in May of 1858:

I write a few lines to inform you of passing events in this region. It would seem as though our beautiful section of Kansas has been made the receptacle of all the villains and outlaws who have been sent forth from the various portions of the Union, to perform the work, of robbery, murder and treason.

Governor Samuel Medary expressed similar fears: "I would write to my friends at Fort Scott very frequently, but I have been afraid my letters would be Jay Hawked." There is little doubt as to the serious nature of the border problems as Colonel James Montgomery wrote: "To Arms! Rally! Information deemed reliable has us to believe that a force of the Enemy is now advancing into Kansas. Now is the time to meet him on his own ground, before he reaches Kansas."

Political conspiracies and feuds were common and Crawford was part of the James Lane and Governor Charles Robinson political conflict. When Kansas joined the Union on January 29, 1861, Charles Robinson became the first state governor, under the provisions of the Wyandotte Constitution, when elected in 1859. This was most unsatisfactory to James Lane. United States Senator Lane decided to hold a "trick" election during November of 1861, running George Crawford for governor. Robinson's name was not on the ballot. Naturally, Crawford won and on November 16th, Crawford wrote Robinson stating:

My term of office commences, according to the interpretation of those who voted for me, on the second Monday of January A.D. 1862. You claim, as I understand, to hold until the second Mondayof January, A.D. 1863. Thus, you perceive, an issuewill be presented between us involving the title to the office of Governor of Kansas.

Robinson's reply:

You assume that you have been elected Governor of Kansas, that your term of office commences on the 2nd Monday of January next, and that I intend to retain the office after my successor shall have been legally elected and qualified, or else you expect to secure your office without regard to law.

The Lane forces were so positive of the election results letters of introduction were written in Crawford's behalf. The most important by far was that of Colonel M. W. Delahay, a relative to President Lincoln. On December 5th, 1861, Delahay wrote to Lincoln:

This will introduce to you Honorable G. A. Crawford, our Governor elect; he comes to Washington in the hope that he can so secure the favour of the present administration as that, it will do no act whereby the Political influence of Governor Robinson shall be made any more potent to the evil in Kansas, the people have spoken out decidedly against him, he is using every means as Governor with his military patronage to control every thing necessary to perpetuate his Executive rule in opposition to the clear provision of the State Constitution and the Expressed will of our people, I hope you will hear him...

In writing to Major General David Hunter, James Lane expressed his opinion regarding Crawford and Robinson:

Mr. Crawford is the Governor elect on the Union ticket. He represents the loyal men of the State and is entitled to speak for their interests. He will certainly exceed Governor Robinson on the 2nd Tuesday of January next, after which time our State Administration will harmonize with the United States Senators of Kansas and the Administration of President Lincoln.

These quotes represent only a small portion of the far reaching importance of the Crawford Papers. Seldom does a University have the opportunity to acquire such historical documents and having the support of an individual who desired to see the manuscripts of George Crawford return to the State of Kansas.

Series Listing

Box and Folder Listing