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PREFACE.

     It is now almost twenty years since I commenced the collection of original documents relating to the early history of Nebraska Territory. Those published in this work are a portion of the collection which I have made. They were obtained principally from the Wyandots, now either dead or living in the Indian Territory; for few of them remain yet at the old home at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. I found them anxious to have these papers preserved; for this purpose they gave them to me. I have been given all the assistance that the Wyandots could render as well in this as in all matters pertaining to their history, manners, customs, and ancient religious beliefs. It was my good fortune to have the confidence of Matthias Splitlog, H. M. Northrup, Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong, the Walkers, the Zanes, the Longs and other prominent Wyandot families, for the whole time of my residence in the Wyandot Purchase at the mouth of the Kansas River.
     When there was nothing remaining to be learned on these subjects from one person or family I took up the work with another, and this led me to visit the Indian Territory to see and talk with the Wyandots on the Reservation at the Quapaw Agency. I was kindly received by the Wyandots there, and they assisted me to the full extent of their ability. I wish to mention particularly the services and aid that Mr. Alfred Mudeater and his excellent wife gave to this work. In addition to the generous hospitality which I enjoyed in their home, Mr. Mudeater was always ready to take me to

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any part of the Wyandot Reserve that I desired to visit, or to send for and bring any Wyandot to his house that I desired to see and converse with. In the matter of recollections of the customs, manners, and history of the Wyandots, I am more indebted to Mrs. Sarah Dagnett than to any one else there; but Hon. Silas Armstrong was of great assistance to me. I have never asked a single Wyandot for information that was not freely given to the extent of his knowledge and ability.
     In addition to those mentioned above and in another part of this work, I desire to mention the following persons that have aided me in this work: William Walker McMullan, of Kansas City, Kansas, grandson of Governor Walker; Miss Jessie S. McAlpine, granddaughter of Joel Walker; Miss Carrie Hamlin, granddaughter of Isaiah Walker; Jacob Guthrie, of Coffeyville, Kansas, and James Guthrie, of Chetopa, Kansas, and their wives; Mr. Russel B. Armstrong1 and wife; Miss Mina Lane1; Mrs. Frank H. Betton1; M. T. Betton1; Miss Florence Betton1; Rev. C. W. Backus1; Mrs. A. B. Northrup1; Kenneth L. Browne1; John A. Hale1; James S. Gibson1; J. B. Garrett1 (married Governor Walker's daughter Martha); John S. Stockton1; Mrs. Carrie Lofland2; John R. Matney3; the Robitaille brothers, Wyandotte, Indian Territory; and William Bearskin. Eldredge H. Brown and his family were very obliging and gave me valuable assistance. The Cotters, Zanes, and many other Wyandot families aided me.
     Hon. F. G. Adams, Secretary of the Kansas State Historical Society, has been particularly helpful to me; and I am indebted for aid to Hon. John Speer, President of the Society.
     Mordecai Oliver, one of the members of the Congressional Committee to investigate the Border Ruffian troubles, gave

1 Kansas City, Kan.
2 Seneca, Mo.
3 Argentine, Kan.
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me much valuable information of those incidents and transactions on the border that so aroused the whole country.
     Judge William Cecil Price, of Springfield, Mo., gave me much very valuable information concerning the political conditions existing in Missouri during the period covered in this work.

     As to the historical value of the documents published herein I prefer to let them speak for themselves. That they supply a want in the history of Nebraska and Kansas which has been felt by all writers on the subject, will, I believe, be readily admitted. For some of them I searched unsuccessfully for fifteen years both in Wyandotte county, Kansas, and the Indian Territory.

     As a large part of this work is devoted to the Journals of Governor William Walker a few words here in relation to them may not be amiss.
     Governor Walker did not write his Journals for publication. While be would Dever have objected to having them made public be never once thought of' their becoming valuable historical documents and records. If he had, the record would have been written much more full and complete than it was. On the subject of preparing papers of this character for the press a very eminent authority says:
     "It would seem to be an editor's privilege (if, indeed, it is not his duty) to correct verbal and grammatical mistakes or inaccuracies, in bringing forth the letters of a person after death, written without any design of publication; but, in doing this, great caution should be observed that the writer's meaning and purpose are not changed or affected."--C. W. Butterfield, in Preface to Washington-Irvine Letters.

     In preparing Governor Walker's Journals for the press I have made few corrections, by no means going to the limit allowed by the above conservative rule. I have:
     1. Corrected any errors that haste or inattention caused

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in orthography. These were rare. Governor Walker was a remarkably accurate writer in this respect.
     2. Supplied punctuation marks where they were omitted if, in so doing, Governor Walker's full meaning could be preserved.
     3. In some instances separated an entry into paragraphs other than those made by the writer.
     4. Occasionally supplied capital letters, but in no instance have I substituted small letters for superfluous capitals used by the writer. In Governor Walker's day more capital letters were found in MSS. than at the present time.
     5. Enclosed in brackets words supplied to complete the evident meaning.
     6. Written the names of the days of the week in full. Sometimes Governor Walker abbreviated them.


     This is a special publication of the Nebraska State Historical Society.
     At the request of H. W. Caldwell, Secretary, and Jay Amos Barrett., Assistant Secretary and Librarian, I attended the Annual Meeting of the State Historical Society, at Lincoln, January 12, 1898. 1 laid the papers published herein before the Society's meeting held in the evening of that day. The President of the Society, Hon. J. Sterling Morton, and all members who had opportunity to examine them recognized their historical value. The Society believed that in the interest of the history of the State the papers should be published. A committee was appointed to arrange for their publication. The committee is as follows:

     Ex-Governor Robert W. Furnas, Vice-President of the Society.
     Prof. H. W. Caldwell, Secretary.
     Mr. Jay Amos Barrett, Assistant Secretary and Librarian.
     Hon. C. H. Gere, Treasurer.
     Hon. A. J. Sawyer.
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     An agreement to publish the papers was reached. The committee have stood ready, willing, and anxious at all times to do anything possible to help me make the work all that it should be, and I have availed myself freely of their assistance. For their generous aid, their kindness and courtesy, I here tender my grateful acknowledgment.
     It is fitting, too, that I mention the labor performed and the attention bestowed upon this work by my wife. She encouraged me to persevere in the collection of the material for this volume. She also, with painstaking care, deciphered many a page of difficult manuscript and prepared it for the press.

WILLIAM E. CONNELLEY.

BEATRICE, NEBRASKA, May 7, 1898.

 

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© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller