Old West – The Texas Collection

Research Ready: January 2019

Posted on February 4, 2019

Each month, we post an update to notify our readers about the latest archival collections to be processed and some highlights of our print material acquisitions. These resources are primed for research and are just a sampling of the many resources to be found at The Texas Collection!Continue Reading

Research Ready: May 2018

Posted on June 5, 2018

Research Ready: March 2018

Posted on April 3, 2018

Research Ready: February 2018

Posted on March 1, 2018

Research Ready: January 2018

Posted on February 1, 2018

January’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

Photo at Harry S. Truman Birthplace State Historic Site, Lamar, Missouri — Photo of Dr. Lois Marie Sutton, professor at Baylor University, at the Truman Birthplace State Historic Site. It was one of Sutton’s lifelong goals to see the birthplace of each United States president, and there are many pictures of her at these presidential sites in the collection. Lois Marie Sutton photographic collection, Accession #4035, box 1, folder 25, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Lois Marie Sutton photographic collection, 1940-1976 (#4035): Contains photographs of Sutton’s travels in the United States and abroad, together with a few clippings. Sutton was a professor of foreign languages at Baylor University.
BU Records: Phi Delta Phi, 1946-1971, undated (#BU/129): Administrative records, correspondence, and literary productions related to the Hemphill Inn chapter at Baylor University.
Mamie Boone papers, 1867-2006 (#3780): Includes materials on Boone’s travels in Europe and the eastern United States, plus recipes and scrapbooks. Boone was principal of John H. Reagan Elementary School in Dallas, Texas, during the 1950s.
BU Records: Graduate Council, 1959-1963 (#BU/99): Meeting minutes for Baylor University’s Graduate Council.
BU Records: Delta Delta Delta, 1947-2001, undated (#BU/274): Collection contains items pertaining to the Beta Tau Chapter of Delta Delta Delta at Baylor University, previously known as the Peer Club and Kappa Theta.

January’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Part of the Adams-Blakley collection, the volumes below recount the lives and legends of outlaw brothers Frank and Jesse James.

James, Edgar. The Notorious James Brothers: the latest and most complete story of the daring crimes of these famous desperadoes ever published : containing many sensational escapades never before made public. Baltimore: I. & M. Ottenheimer, 1913. Print.

Click here to view in BearCat.

The James Boys. A complete and accurate recital of the dare-devil criminal career of the famous bandit brothers, Frank and Jesse James and their noted band of bank plunderers, train robbers and murderers, specially compiled for the publishers. Chicago, Henneberry Co. [date of publication not identified]. Print.

Click here to view in BearCat.

Frank James and His Brother Jesse: The Daring Border Bandits. Baltimore, MD: I. & M. Ottenheimer, 1915. Print.

Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: September 2017

Posted on September 29, 2017

September’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

- Horton Foote Screenplay collection, 1954-1988 (#4006): Includes five scripts and screenplays composed by Texas-born playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote.
Two historical markers now commemorate Long Branch Cemetery: one recounting the history of the cemetery and the other honoring a former slave named Sylvia King who is buried there. Long Branch is one of the oldest cemeteries in central Texas. You’ll find these items in the Long Branch Cemetery collection, 2009-2016, undated (#4020), box 1 OVZ, folder 4, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.
- Joe Lett Ward, Jr. papers, 1953-1972, undated (#4029): Materials about Waco civic organizations that Ward was a member of through the years.
- Long Branch Cemetery collection, 2009-2016, undated (#4020): Collection contains materials about the dedication for two Texas state historical markers in Long Branch Cemetery, a historically African American cemetery in Falls County, Texas.
- BU records: Office of the President, Chancellor, and President Emeritus (William Richardson White), 1936-1977, undated (#BU/142): Contains correspondence, literary productions, photographs, clippings, and other materials related to White’s personal life and his role as Baylor University president and chancellor 1948-1963.
September’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print MaterialsEllis, Edward Sylvester. Lightning Jo: The Terror of the Santa Fe Trail. New York: Beadle and Adams, [1874]. Print.

Part of the Beadle Pocket Novels series, Lightning Jo is the adventure story of a scout leading a party through treacherous Comanche country. Click here to view in BearCat.

Lafrentz, F. W. Cowboy Stuff: Poems. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1927. Print.

Number 98 of 500 copies produced, this special edition volume of Cowboy Stuff, complete with handmade laid paper, is signed by the author, Illustrator, and publisher. Each poem, written by F. W. Lafrentz, who, at 14-years-old immigrated to the U.S. from Germany, has an accompanying etching by Henry Ziegler, noted British artist. Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: August 2017

Posted on August 31, 2017

August’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

- Texas Railroad collection, 1903-1966, undated (#2692): Railroad timetables and manuals from railroads that operated in or around Texas.

Santa Fe Railroad Route Map, undated — Covered with handwritten notes (and safety messages), this employee timetable represents the more practical side of railroad operations in Texas. You’ll find this item in the Texas Railroads collection, Accession #2692, box 1, folder 4, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Jay Presson Allen screenplay collection, 1968-1972 (#4002): Collection contains two screenplays written by Jay Allen Presson entitled The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1968) and Travels with My Aunt (1972).
James Edward Grant Screenplay collection, 1961 (#3997): Includes the final screenplay James Edward Grant composed for the film The Comancheros. The screenplay, finalized in May 1961, was based on the novel by Paul I. Wellman.
David Newman and Robert Benton Screenplay collection, 1967 (#3999): Contains a screenplay written by David Newman and Robert Benton in 1967. Titled Bonnie and Clyde, this story is centered around the infamous couple and their criminal careers.

August’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Fourteenth Annual Panhandle-Plains Dairy Show: Premium List. [Plainview, TX]: [publisher not identified], 1941. Print.

This program for the 1941 Panhandle-Plains Dairy Show contains all the information anyone showing cattle or attending the event might need, including exhibitor’s rules, judges’ rules, dairy products judging contest, officers and directors, etc. Click here to view in BearCat.

The Story of the S·M·S Ranch. [Stamford, TX?]: [Swenson Bros.?], [1919]. Print.

Filled with more than 120 photographs documenting cowboy life on the S. M. S. Ranches, this volume also provides info on breeding, show policy, cattle sales, etc. Click here to view in BearCat.

San Antonio, Tex. New York: Rotograph Co., [1905]. Print. This accordion-style fold-out postcard, which was mailed in 1907, contains photographs of several prominent places in San Antonio including City Hall, Alamo Plaza, San Pedro Park, and several missions. Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: July 2017

Posted on July 31, 2017

July’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

- James Lee Barrett Screenplay collection, 1967 (#4001): Contains one screenplay entitled Bandolero!, written by James Lee Barrett in 1967. The resulting film starred James Stewart and Dean Martin, and centered around a bank robbery in Texas and subsequent chase into Mexican, “bandolero”-held territory.

Autographed title page of play book — Screenplay for the movie “Where the Heart Is,” a film from 2000 starting Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, and Joan Cusack. This screenplay, autographed by director Matt Williams and actress Natalie Portman, was given to Baylor University as a gesture of appreciation for letting portions of the movie be filmed on campus. You’ll find these items in the “Where the Heart Is” Screenplay collection, 1999 (#3384), box 1, folder 1, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

F.P. Leavenworth Confederate ordnance book, 1862-1865 (#4025): Collection consists of one order book written by F.P. Leavenworth during his command of the Confederate arsenal in Shreveport, Louisiana, and ordnance depot in Jefferson, Texas.
BU records: Baylor/Paul Baker Controversy, 1961-1963 (#BU/394): Includes materials about the production of Eugene O’Neill’s play “Long Day’s Journey into Night” at Baylor University by director Paul Baker, and the university’s subsequent cancellation of the play. The collection contains thousands of letters in response to the controversy, among other files.
Texas Navy records, circa 1970’s-1980 (#2201): The Texas Navy records consist of a brief history of The Texas Navy as well as various artistic prints produced in the 1970’s and 1980s.
Betty Wilke Cox papers, 1896-2007, undated (#3860): Cox was a writer, editor, and publisher based out of Austin, Texas. Her collection includes manuscripts, correspondence, personal journals, research material, photographs, and biographical information.
National Railway Historical Society, Central Texas Chapter records, 1887-1983, undated (#2519): Contains books, articles, photographs, maps, and other materials collected and produced by the Central Texas Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. This research was used for a self-published book, The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway: The Story of the Famous “SAP” Railway of Texas (1983).
Richard D. Donner and Ronald L. Buck Screenplay collection, 1967 (#3998): Includes a single screenplay written by Richard D. Donner and Ronald L. Buck in 1967. Entitled Deaf Smith, the work chronicles the life of a frontiersman in Texas.
“Where the Heart Is” Screenplay collection, 1999 (#3384): Collection consists of a screenplay for the film Where the Heart Is. The finished product contains scenes shot on Baylor University’s campus.
San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway Company collection, 1891-1983 (#2448): Contains photocopies of annual reports and timetables produced by the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway Company from the 1890’s to the 1930s.
Rose Franken Screenplay collection, 1936-1946 (#3967): Consists of four scripts and screenplays written by Rose Franken. Franken was a novelist and playwright best known for her “Claudia” stories and for their stage and film adaptations.
Gerald Drayton Adams Screenplay collection, 1953 (#4000): Includes the “Shooting Final” screenplay, written by Gerald Drayson Adams in 1953, and related materials. Titled Three Young Texans, the story is set in the 1870s and centered around a train robbery in Texas.

July’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Sullivan, John H., Jr. “Gun-play” by the World’s Fastest Revolver Shot “Texas Jack.” [United States]: [publisher not identified], [between 1932 and 1937]. Print.

“Texas Jack” Sullivan, who claimed to be the world’s fastest revolver shot, analyzes the skills of other accomplished gunmen such as “Broncho John” Sullivan, “Wild Bill” Hickok, and “Bat” Masterson. Sullivan also offers advice on handling weapons and what one should do if involved in a “stick-up.” Click here to view in BearCat.

West-Texas: Das “Land der Gelegenheiten.” [Dallas, Texas?]: [publisher not identified], [1906?]. Print.

Written in Fraktur, this promotional booklet was produced by the Texas & Pacific Railway to entice Germans to West Texas. Like most promotionals, this one provides information on farming, climate, and opportunities. Click here to view in BearCat.

Texas Prohibition Songs. Waco, Texas: Published and for sale by B. H. Simpson, [between 1900 and 1935?]. Print.

This two-sided pamphlet contains songs such as “Prohibition Battle Hymn” and “Vote the Whiskey Out,” all with a clear warning about demon liquor. Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: May 2017

Posted on June 1, 2017

May’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

- Waco, Belton, and Georgetown Railroad records, 1909-1910, undated (#1577): Contains correspondence, financial notes, clippings, and the articles of incorporation about the planning and construction of the railroad in 1909-1910. Ultimately, however, the venture failed and the railroad was not completed.

Ordination of Pastor Peter H.H. Lee, 1939 — Annie Jenkins Sallee and her husband Dr. William Sallee were missionaries to the interior of China in the early 1900s. This photograph shows the Sallees as guests at an ordination service in Kaifeng, the capital city of the Henan province. You’ll find these items in the Annie Jenkins Sallee papers, 1897-1967, undated (#715), box 1, folder 13, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Annie Jenkins Sallee papers, 1897-1967, undated (#715): Includes manuscripts, photographs, newspaper clippings, diaries, and letters to and from Annie Jenkins Sallee and William Eugene Sallee, Baptist missionaries to China in the early 1900s through the beginning of World War II.
Waco Conference of Christians and Jews records (#2701), 1980-1996, undated: Speeches, photographs, and records of the humanitarian work done by the Waco Interfaith Conference (formerly known as the Waco Conference of Christians and Jews).
Texas Colony Association collection, circa 1870’s (#3295): Contains a broadside entitled “Texas Colony Association, Rapid Development of a Glorious Country.” It was produced in the mid-1870’s in an attempt to entice Americans to move to Texas, particularly the Kaufman County area east of Dallas
[Temple] Southwestern Traction Company collection, 1918-1927, undated (#1526): Correspondence and legal documents pertaining to the interurban railway between Belton and Temple.

May’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Thomas, Henry J., Mrs. The Prairie Rifles, or, The Captives of New Mexico: a Romance of the Southwest. New York: Beadle and Adams, [1868]. Print.

This dime novel, one of nearly 400 in The Texas Collection, contains the fictional tale of two women who are captured by Comanche Indians. Click here to view in BearCat.

Catalogue of the West Texas Military Academy: a Church School for Boys. San Antonio, TX: The Academy, 1904-. Print.

This catalog was produced just eleven years after the 1893 founding of the West Texas Military Academy in San Antonio. Two-thirds of the volume explains rules and regulations, administrative information, and academic standards. The remainder is devoted to athletics. Click here to view in BearCat.

Some of the Things 1909 Farmers Buy. Volume 1. Texas. New York: Crowell Publishing Company, 1909. Print.

Published as a special issue of the national publication Farm and Fireside, this volume highlights a group of Grayson County, Texas farmers randomly selected from the publication’s subscription list. Included in the volume are photographs of homes and descriptions of farms. Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: February 2017

Posted on March 2, 2017

February finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

Loading tires at the General Tire Plant, Waco, Texas, 1983 — For over forty years, General Tire and Rubber Company ran a plant in Waco, Texas, that produced tires and other rubber products for the U.S. Army and domestic consumers. The old tire plant building was renovated in 2010 for use as a research facility. Currently, the building hosts scientists from Baylor University, Texas State Technical College, and various businesses. Rosemyrtle McLaughlin General Tire and Rubber Company photographic collection, 1957-1986, undated, Accession #3968, box 1, folder 5, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Rosemyrtle McLaughlin General Tire and Rubber Company photographic collection, 1957-1986, undated (#3968): Administrative files and photographs of the General Tire plant.
Victor Marion Rose papers, 1805-1972, undated (#2885): Includes correspondence and records on Rose and Williamson family history.
McGregor Plan records, 1936-1942 (#171): Consists of materials documenting the Baylor University Texas Collection’s participation in the McGregor Plan. The McGregor Plan assisted smaller libraries who lacked resources and access to book dealers in purchasing rare Americana to add to their holdings.
BU records: Donald I. Moore, 1939-2003 (#BU/383): Correspondence from World War II, letters relating to Moore’s compositions and work as director of the Golden Wave Band at Baylor University, marching band diagrams, photographic materials, programs, and film of the band’s performances.
Lily McIlroy Russell papers, 1897-1968 (#717): Contains collected materials, literary productions, photographs, and personal correspondence.

Donald I. Moore directing Golden Wave Band practice — This undated photograph features Donald I. Moore, longtime director of Baylor University’s Golden Wave Band, directing band practice. BU records: Donald I. Moore, 1939-2003, Accession #BU/383, box 18, folder 12, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

February print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Neal, Dorothy Jensen. The Cloud-Climbing Railroad: A Story of Timber, Trestles, and Trains. Alamogordo, NM: Alamogordo Print. Co., 1966. Print.

Dorothy Jensen Neal provides a close look at the construction history of the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway, which connects Alamogordo and Russia, New Mexico. Filled with photographs and maps, The Cloud-Climbing Railroad explores the challenges of building a railway that climbs nearly 5,000 feet in 32 miles. Click here to view in BearCat.

Lomax, John A. Cowboy Songs and other Frontier Ballads. New York: The Macmillan Company [1945]. Print.

Noted folklorists and musicologists John A. Lomax and his son Alan compiled this expansive volume containing sheet music, lyrics, and annotations of cowboy and frontier songs. This volume is revised from the original 1910 edition, which can also be found in The Texas Collection. Click here to view in BearCat.

Corpus Christi: The Ideal Summer and Winter Resort of Texas. Corpus Christi, TX: Noakes Brothers, [1920]. Print.

Like similar promotional books printed in the early 20th century, this volume is filled with beautiful full-color images that highlight the many resources found in Corpus Christi, including the abundance of game, fish, and fruit. Click here to view in BearCat.