James S. Rollins (1812-1888), Papers, 1546-1968 (C1026)

3.3 linear feet

MICROFILM

INTRODUCTION

The papers of James S. Rollins, a Boone County, Missouri, lawyer, politician, business man, and curator of University of Missouri include correspondence with family, business and political associates, and George Caleb Bingham and other friends. The papers covers state, national, and Whig party politics from 1830 through the 1880s, the Civil War in Missouri, internal improvements and the North Missouri Railroad, and education at University of Missouri.

DONOR INFORMATION

The James S. Rollins Papers were donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri by Curtis B. Rollins, Sr. in 1933 (no accession number). From 1933 through 1973 Ruth Westfall Rollins also donated material (see information folder for further information). Ellen Westfall Mering and David Westfall donated material on 20 April 1981 (SHS Accession No. 2364).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

James Sidney Rollins was born in Richmond, Kentucky, on 19 April 1812 and died in Columbia, Missouri, on 9 January 1888 at the age of 76. His parents were Anthony Wayne and Sallie Harris Rodes Rollins. He married Mary E. Hickman on 6 June 1837, and they had eleven children.

Rollins studied at Washington College in Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Indiana in 1830 and from the law department at Transylvania University in Kentucky in 1834. In 1832 he served in the Black Hawk War and received the title of major.

Rollins practiced law in Columbia, Missouri, and became involved in Whig party politics. He was elected to the state legislature in 1838, 1840, 1846, and 1854 and devoted his efforts to the establishment of the University in Boone County, worked for railroad construction and river improvement, and opposed extension of slavery to the territories. In 1848 and 1857 he was the unsuccessful Whig candidate for governor.

He served two terms in the U.S. Congress, 1860-1864. He was a strong unionist, introduced railroad and telegraph construction legislation, supported land grants for agricultural colleges, and advocated the 13th amendment. In 1866 and 1868 he was again elected to the state legislature and worked to establish an agricultural and mechanical college at the university. In 1872 he lost the Democratic nomination for governor and retired from political life.

Rollins was president of the board of curators of the University of Missouri for nearly 25 years, until his retirement in 1886. He played a vital role in the foundation, location, growth, and development of the university and its agricultural college.

As a businessman, Rollins was involved in agriculture, real estate, and improving railroad and river transportation. He helped establish the North Missouri Railroad Company and was involved in numerous other railroad ventures.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Because Rollins was active in so many fields, this collection is a valuable historical source for mid-nineteenth century Missouri. The three main areas he was involved with were politics, especially the Whig party; business, especially real estate and railroads; and education, specifically the establishment and growth of the University of Missouri in Columbia. The papers are arranged into five series, with the correspondence series comprising the bulk of the papers:

The Rollins papers are a rich source of information about mid-nineteenth century politics. Rollins was active in the Whig party on both the national and state level; he was often a candidate for state office; and he served in both the Missouri and U.S. legislatures. He corresponded with prominent national politicians such as Thomas Hart Benton, Cassius M. Clay, Henry Clay, Carl Schurz, John Sherman, and William T. Sherman.

On the state level he was influential in selecting candidates and advising elected officials. He corresponded with prominent state politicians and businessmen such as Frank P. Blair, Lewis V. Bogy, Samuel M. Breckenridge, James O. Broadhead, B. Gratz Brown, Thomas Crittenden, Charles Drake, Odon Guitar, Thomas T. January, Abiel Leonard, and Isaac Sturgeon. The collection contains letters and memorandums that state Rollins's political views on various issues. Many letters also deal with political patronage and contain requests for aid in obtaining government positions.

Rollins was an active businessman involved in a wide variety of business ventures. He owned a great deal of land in central Missouri and was involved in agriculture. He supported internal improvements and worked to improve river transportation, build bridges, and extend government aid to finance railroad construction in the West. He was interested in the construction of railroads in Missouri and was a major stockholder and director of the North Missouri Railroad. He also had financial interests in mining operations in Montana, and he financed trading expeditions to Santa Fe and California.

Rollins was instrumental in the establishment of the state university in Columbia in 1839 and the agricultural college at the university in the 1870s. As president of the board of curators he was closely involved with university affairs and played an important role in getting support for the university from the state legislature. He corresponded frequently with presidents of the university Daniel Read and Samuel S. Laws, and these letters give insight into problems at the university and the personalities and politics involved with the management of a state university.

Rollins carried on an active correspondence with his family, especially his wife Mary and son James H. Rollins while the latter was a cadet at West Point. Curtis F. Burnam, a brother-in-law in Kentucky, wrote often about both family news and political events. Thomas E. Tutt, also a relative by marriage, was a banker in St. Louis who had many business dealings with Rollins. Because they held real estate in common and were partners in railroad ventures, their correspondence, in addition to family news, included much communication about business and politics.

Another important correspondent was Rollins's close friend, the painter George Caleb Bingham. Bingham's letters contain information about his paintings, his political views and aspirations, as well as things of a more personal nature. As close friends, Rollins and Bingham named their sons after each other and often wrote about intimate personal and family problems.

During the Civil War Rollins served in Congress. Although he owned slaves, he supported the Union, emancipation, and the 13th amendment. His correspondence and papers shed light on his views, on some battles and civilian problems, and other events in central Missouri during the Civil War period.

For the social historian, there are account books and statements of household and personal goods, as well as several interesting wills dealing with the disposition of slaves. There are also numerous letters giving accounts of the deaths of relatives which provide insight in nineteenth century attitudes toward death and bereavement.

FOLDER LIST

Correspondence Series

f. 11809 February-1833 May.
f. 21833 June-1834 December.
f. 31835 January-1836 August.
f. 41836 September-1838 August.
f. 51838 September -1839 February.
f. 61839 July-1840 December.
f. 71841 January-1842 September.
f. 81843 March-1845 June.
f. 91845 July-1846 November.
f. 101846 November-December.
f. 111847 January-March.
f. 121847 April-1848 February.
f. 131848 March-1849 January.
f. 141849 January-February.
f. 151849 March-1850 August 1850.
f. 161850 October-1851 July.
f. 171851 September-November.
f. 181851 December-1853 April.
f. 191853 May-October.
f. 201853 November-1854 March.
f. 211854 March-May.
f. 221854 June-September.
f. 231854 October-November.
f. 241854 December-1855 January.
f. 251855 January-February.
f. 261855 February-March.
f. 271855 March-April.
f. 281855 April-June.
f. 291855 June-July.
f. 301855 August-October.
f. 311855 November-December.
f. 321855 December-1856 January.
f. 331856 February-April.
f. 341856 May-July.
f. 351856 August-September.
f. 361856 October-December.
f. 371857 January-March.
f. 381857 March-May.
f. 391857 May-July.
f. 401857 July.
f. 411857 August.
f. 421857 August-September.
f. 43-451857 October-December.
f. 46-481858 January-March.
f. 49-521858 April-August.
f. 53-541858 August-October.
f. 55-591858 November-1859 March.
f. 60-631859 March-September.
f. 641859 September-November.
f. 65-661859 December-1860 February.
f. 67-681860 March-May.
f. 691860 May-July.
f. 70-711860 August-December.
f. 72-731861 January-March.
f. 74-751861 May-July.
f. 76-771861 July-December.
f. 78-791862 January-February.
f. 80-821862 March-1863 February.
f. 83-841863 February-October.
f. 85-861863 November-1864 February.
f. 87-881864 February-August.
f. 89-901864 September-1865 February.
f. 91-941865 March-1866 July.
f. 95-981866 September-1867 July.
f. 99-1011867 August-1868 December.
f. 102-1051869 January-1870 August.
f. 106-1071870 September-1871 June.
f. 108-1091871 July-December.
f. 110-1111872 January-March.
f. 112-1131872 April-September.
f. 1141872 November-1873 June.
f. 115-1161873 August-1874 April.
f. 117-1191874 May-December.
f. 1201875 January-April.
f. 121-1221875 May-December.
f. 123-1241876 January-May.
f. 125-1261876 June-September.
f. 127-1291876 October-1877 March.
f. 130-1311877 April-June.
f. 132-1331877 June-September.
f. 1341877 October-November.
f. 135-1361877 December-1878 February.
f. 137-1381878 March-May.
f. 139-1401878 June-October.
f. 1411878 November-December.
f. 142-1431879 January-May.
f. 144-1451879 June-September.
f. 146-1481879 October-1880 May.
f. 149-1501880 June-October.
f. 1511880 November-December.
f. 152-1531880 December-1881 January.
f. 154-1551881 February-March.
f. 156-1581881 April-September.
f. 159-1611881 October-1882 April.
f. 162-1631882 April-September.
f. 164-1651882 October-1883 February.
f. 166-1681883 March-December.
f. 169-1711884.
f. 172-1741885 January-May.
f. 175-1761885 June-September.
f. 177-1781885 October-1886 April.
f. 179-1801886 May-1888 March.
f. 181-1821902 March-1937 August, n.d.

Legal, Business, and Political Papers Series

f. 1831816-1831.
f. 1841832-1836.
f. 1851836-1837.
f. 1861837-1839.
f. 1871840-1846.
f. 1881847-1851.
f. 1891853.
f. 1901854-1857.
f. 1911858-1861.
f. 1921862.
f. 1931863-1864.
f. 1941865.
f. 195-1961866-1868.
f. 1971870-1872.
f. 1981873-1881.
f. 1991882-1891.
f. 200-205n.d.

Miscellany Series

f. 206-2091546-1968

Account Books Series

f. 2101869-1886. Lists amounts of money advanced to his children by Rollins; also lists of interest-bearing state, railroad, and other stocks, bonds, and securities held by
f. 211-214Land and Tax Book, 1856-1868. Lists land owned by Rollins in Missouri and Kansas, including location, number of acres, seller, survey description, and maps.
f. 211Land in Audrain, Boone, and Howard Counties.
f. 212Land in Howard, Macon, Moniteau, Newton, Randolph, Monroe, and Ralls Counties, also Nemaha County, Kansas.
f. 213List of land and value of land owned in Missouri and Kansas; list of stocks and bonds, real and personal property.
f. 214List of land and description of land owned in towns of St. Joseph, Mexico, Sturgeon, and Rocheport, Missouri; account of tax paid in 1868; certificate of North Missouri Railroad stock.

Scrapbooks Series

f. 215-216 n.d. Contains newspaper clippings of poems, drawings, stories, and articles.
f. 217-2181868-1874. Contains newspaper clippings, poetry, drawings, stories, speeches by Rollins in the state legislature and other political items, biographical sketch of Rollins, and telegram, clippings, and obituaries on the death of Sallie Rollins in 1872.
f. 219-2221836-1908. Because of the poor condition of the scrapbook, the items were removed and the newspaper clippings were photocopied and placed in folders.
f. 219Poem inspired by a James S. Rollins speech; certificate of membership in American Legal Association, 1850; speech by Rollins, "Memories That Cluster Around the Old Capitol," 1879; speech by Rollins about College of Agriculture Bill, 1869; reprint of letters between Rollins and Anthony Wayne Rollins, 1838; 23-page newspaper, "Boone County, Missouri," about natural, social, educational, and cultural resources of the county, 1880.
f. 220Newspaper clippings including obituaries of Odon Guitar, 1908, and George Caleb Bingham, 1879; biography and sketch of wedding of Vinnie Ream; speech by Governor Horatio Seymour; page from "The University Bumble Bee," 1879; account of the assassination of James Garfield, 1881; articles about politics.
f. 221 Newspaper clippings about state and national politics in the 1870s and 1880s; Rollins's campaign for governor, 1872; county bonds; list of candidates for state and national offices for all states, 1880.
f. 222Newspaper clippings including obituaries for Anthony Wayne Rollins, 16 November 1878, Caroline Randolph Wilson, 1879, and Clifton R. Rollins, 1836; list of judges of the Missouri Supreme Court; national politics; College of Agriculture farm, 1870.
v. 1 Scrapbook, 1844-1848. Contains newspaper articles and letters, Congressional speeches and resolutions about the Mexican War and the annexation of Texas; clippings about the Whig party; reports, speeches, and debates about internal improvements and an independent treasury system.

INDEX TERMS