1859 – Letter from the founder of Fort Scott, Kansas, and a leader of the territory’s abolitionists, who was later prevented from serving as governor after the state’s supreme court declared his election to have been illegal
Blooming Grove, Kansas Territory: 1859. Unbound. This three-page letter, datelined “Blooming Grove. Linn. Co. K.T. / Feb 20. 1859,” was sent by George A Crawford to Henry White and G.W. Lentz. Privately carried; no mailing envelope. In nice shape.
Crawford emigrated to Kansas in 1857, and leading a partnership of several men, purchased the abandoned army post, Fort Scott, which he promptly began to turn into a thriving community.
In this letter, Crawford, although a Free-Stater himself, bemoans the turmoil caused by both Free-State politicking that hurt his business and perpetrated by violent Free-State guerillas, the Jayhawkers. It reads in part:
“I . . . have been leading quite a desultory life . . . owing to our ‘jay hawking’ and other difficulties. I have been absent some weeks from the Fort having been up to Lawrence to testify before the Grand Jury. . .. On my way back to the Fort, I found many things [in Blooming Grove] requiring my attention and . . . was quite relieved to get a breathing spell away from the Fort as all business there is entirely suspended [and] all people were under arms – war is their profession and I got tired of it. . .. Maj. Mirs will tell you more about me. . .. I learn that the forces [at Fort Scott] are all disbanded . . .. You have heard doubtless that the Legislature forgave all the acts of the “jay-hawkers.” It was an outrage – but it may have the effect of quieting them. We are fearful it may exasperate Missourians to come over. I [wanted” to prevent the Legislature from moving the count seat from Fort Scott . . . to a town in which our Republican member was interested. You need not be amazed at this after they have sustained the ‘jay-hawkers.; While I regard this act as an outrage . . . I do not feel that it will do us much injury. We are relieved temporarily of the odium which attaches just now to the administration . . . and their can be no excuse now for their annoying us. . ..”
. Very good. Item #010763That Crawford was outraged by Free-Stater actions was, no doubt, due in part to a recent murderous attack by Jayhawkers upon Fort Scott that centered on his hotel and store. On 16 December 1858, John Brown and his “army” cold-bloodedly murdered a good friend of Crawford who was standing beside him in in the hotel lobby and would have killed Crawford, too, had not a rifle misfired. Subsequently Brown and his men looted and destroyed Crawford’s store. Crawford’s testimony before a grand jury, which he references in the letter, was related to the attack and murder.
Despite being a Free-Stater, Crawford remained a Democrat, and after Kansas became a state, he won election as its first governor. However, before he could assume the office, the Radical Republican dominated legislature convinced the Radical Republican-dominated state supreme court to declare the election.
(For more information, see “George A. Crawford – Free-State Lawyer and Journalist” at the Legends of Kansas website and “Grand Junction town founder George A. Crawford” at the Post Independent website.)
At the time of listing, there are no other original source material authored by Crawford for sale in the trade. The Rare Book Hub and ASBA show one similar letter has appeared at auction. OCLC suggests that several Crawford letters are held by Wichita State University. An important piece of original source material regarding the bloody antebellum turmoil in Kansas.
.Price: $1,750.00