The following correspondence belongs to William J. Griffing, son of James and
Augusta Griffing, and pertains to his interest in the Mound Builders and his
fascination with paleontology. Many of his observations helped to solidify the
theory of Coronado's journey into present-day Kansas in search of the cities of
gold. His collections in the vicinity of Wildcat Creek near Manhattan earned him
some recognition in a book that was later published by J. V. Brower on "Quivera"
and "Harahay." See Griffing Village Site link at the top
of this page. This picture of William J. Griffing was taken about the time that
these letters were written.
William Griffing, ca. 1880
University Archives, Special Collections
Kansas State University
Kansas
State Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
June 21, 1880
Wm J. Griffing
Manhattan Kansas,
My Dear Sir:
Your letter is received, inclosing two neat little flint arrowheads for the
State Historical Society. You have the thanks of the Society for the
contributions. I was very much pleased with your collection, so kindly shown me
by your mother. I regretted much that you were not present. This Society aims to
make a record of prehistoric discoveries and researches in Kansas. I hope you
will keep a record of your explorations. I shall try to see you soon and procure
from you an account of the mounds you have examined and to visit some of them
with you. Would it be convenient for you some time within a month to spend a
little time with me? Please write me at your convenience. Yours truly, --
F[ranklin] G. Adams, [Secretary]
Kansas
State Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
July 5, 1880
Wm J. Griffing
Manhattan Kansas,
My Dear Sir:
Your favor was received mentioning the stone circles seen by you. I am much
interested in what you are seeing and doing and will by next week visit you and
go out with you. I hope you will make memoranda of all your observations:
marking the localities of the tunnel, opened, their size and form, and the
situation of each object taken out. Note the material of each mound. Make a
drawing – no matter how made – of each mound.
I mail you for
your reading a small book on the Mound Builders belonging to our library. You
can keep it till I see you. Yours, -- F. G. Adams, [Secretary]
Kansas
State Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
October 13, 1880
I will come up
to Manhattan next week, most any day towards the latter part that will be most
convenient for you to go out with me. I will spend two days with you looking at
points you have visited and making openings. I could not well come sooner and
hope you are not tired of waiting or me. – F. G. Adams
Columbus,
Ohio
October 25, 1880
Mr. W. J.
Griffing
Manhattan, Kansas
Dear Sir,
Your welcome
letter of the 2nd inst. reached me here yesterday evening only. You addressed it
through on to the Smithsonian Institution; and though I have some indirect
connection with the Institution, I never lived at Washington but at Columbus,
Ohio.
I am now
preparing the text for the VIII’th Volume of the U.S. Geological Reports of
which I suppose you have the VI’th and VII’th. This eighth volume which will
be the last of my contributions to Hayden’s Surveys, begins with descriptions
and figures of the Cretaceous plants discovered since the publication of the 6th
volume are what refers to the flora of Cretaceous, is therefore of the greatest
interest to me just now. Just through the plates, all are ready and printed (60
including those of the tertiary). I give descriptions of all the new recently
found species. I would therefore be very glad to see anything you may have found
which you think is not figured in the VIth Vol. I have no collection of specimens myself as I have no place
for them and generally return specimens to the owners except if they dispose of
them in any other way, either by sale or donation. The Smithsonian Institution
would like to have yours, I am sure, for the National Museum. Also Professor
Agassiz of Cambridge for his own museum. Also another friend of mine – a Mr.
Leuse – who makes large collections. This lad and perhaps also Mr. Agassiz
would buy them if they are valuable. But they must be determined first and
nobody can do that but myself. Now, if you will send me your specimens for
determination, I will tell you after examination what should be done with them,
or if you desire it, will return them immediately after examination. In this
case you will have to pay expenses of transportation. If you will dispose of tem
in any other way, the purchaser will have to pay costs. That’s not much if the
specimen’s are heavy and as many as they may be sent per freight and in this
care. I will advance a pay cost. But per express, I could not pay charges, as I
have no means whatever and have always worked science without adequate
remuneration. If you send the specimens, I may also afford to exchange them for
books.
I have lately
examined for the Museum of Prof. Agassiz, Cambridge, a large number of
vegetaceous specimens got by Mr. Charles
H. Sternberg. I found some new species in the lot. Of course, if you have
found something new and if I describe the species, as I like to do, the
discovery will be credited to you. Even your name may be given to a new species
if there is any. Yours truly, -- Leo
Lasquereux
Prof.
Alexander Agassiz
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
October 26, 1880
My Dear
William,
I enclose you
two dollars, which you ought to and must accept for your services and on account
of the accommodations given me by your folks. You see the Society has a fund to
meet just such expenses incurred in such trips as I made, and it would not be
right for me to receive gratuities for the Society [for] all that your kind
mother and yourself did for me in the trip last week.
I don’t
think it will be best for you to take a membership of the Society in the way I
mentioned. You can have all the privileges of the Society for our gifts made to
it. I have picked out an “axe” for you. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
October 26, 1880
William J.
Irving [Griffing]
Dear Sir: The
Kansas Historical Society acknowledges receipt from you of the following relics
of the mound builders. Lot of shell beads found in a mound on Mount Prospect,
four miles below Manhattan on the south side of the Kansas River; also one large
shell bead found at the same place; also two large stone beads found in mound on
Gov. N. Green’s farm near Stockdale, Riley County.
Lot of long
bone beads, found in mound on Mount Prospect. Also piece of bone instrument
found at same place. Also 10 flints found by you in Governor Green’s field
during our trip October 22 & 23 instants; also other relics found in mounds
and fields during the trip.
The Society is
under great obligations to you for favors in connection with the trip spoken of.
Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams, Secretary
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
November 1, 1880
My Dear
William,
I find that in
the address of my letters written you a week ago I made a singular mistake. I
addressed you as “Wm. J. Irving.” And you will find the letters, two of
them, in one envelope at your post office so directed. Call and inquire for
letters to Wm J. Irving and get the package out. They are intended for you.
Owing to some kind of freak, the name of my friend Wm Irving slipped off my
pencil while making a memorandum the evening I left your home and so it seems
into my letters to you. You must have expected to have heard from me before this
time. Please give my best regards to your parents. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Topeka,
[Kansas]
November 3, 1880
Wm J. Griffing
Dear Sir,
I received
your postal some time ago and & as I have been traveling the greater portion
of the time, I have deferred writing.
I collected
some very perfect shells in the Cottonwood Falls country. I failed to find any
stone relics. They are very scarce there and also at Topeka. Those that are
found at Topeka and vicinity are found in many eastern states. My brother spent
some three months in New Mexico and found many fine specimens of arrow points
– some very small, some not larger than this. He found a fine war club blade
in perfect condition of red agate.
I have about
50 arrowheads, 10 scrapers, 5 or 6 spearheads made from flint – Agates, Moon
Agates, Jaspers, flints in colors, and Quartz. 1 pipe, 2 pestles, 6 or 7 Axes
and Wedges & many small ornaments of stone. Skin dresses &c, &c.
I have some
fine old pottery, one piece just obtained from a friend on my last trip. If you
wish, I can spare you some small pieces of old Agates pottery made from India
Clay. I would like to purchase one bone hook, 1 flint knife, and 1 fine pipe. I
will pay a reasonable price or will give minerals & fossils in exchange.
I hear that
Manhattan has made a wonderful discovery lately. Please send me particulars
&c &c. Are the spears for
sale? Please state what you have and describe locality found, shape &
material & condition. Very truly, -- George H. Hughes, North Topeka
Ellsworth,
Kansas
February 15, 1881
W. J. Griffing
Dear Sir,
Yours of the
7th inst. is just at hand. In reply, I would say that I conduct a party into
Western Kansas this summer for Prof. Agassiz, but am sorry to say that I will be
unable to enlarge my party. I have employed two men to act as general
assistants. Besides, I could not in justice to Prof. Agassiz have any one who
collected for himself. As he would doubtless get specimens that I would procure
myself, I think I can get you an Indian Skull. They are worth $7 each – at
least that is what Prof.
[Henry Augustus] Ward of Rochester pays. Do you want one at that price? I am
glad [your brother] John is doing so well. I also am a married man. Yours truly,
-- Charles H. Sternberg
My kind
regards to your parents & [brother] John when you write. C. H. S.
Charles
H. Sternberg
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
May 3, 1881
My Dear
William,
Yours
received. I am greatly pleased with your proposal. We must try and set you at
work in some way. The pay is the only thing in the way. Not many in our Society
appreciate the value of such work. But I can get you passes over some of the
roads I think, and must contrive in some way to pay a small amount for expenses
and services. What do you think you could work for, for a few months? My aim is
to take a run up the Blue [River] this month. When can you go with me?
My best
regards to your parents. Yours, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
June 3, 1881
My Dear
William,
Will it be so
that you could collect for us during your vacation in connection with some other
work we may perhaps get for you to do? I had a conversation the other day with
an agent of the Chicago Inter Ocean with reference to correspondence and the
obtaining of subscribers – the correspondence to be made to be made up by you
and me jointly and to be devoted mainly to showing up mound builders work in
Kansas. You to make say $25 per month over your expenses to be paid in part by
subscriptions which might procure for the paper. What you collect would go into
our collection. I would aid you in making up the correspondence. You might
sometimes travel by railroad, sometimes by pony, soliciting among farms in the
neighborhoods you might visit. Would you like to do something of this kind?
Could you do such canvassing for subscribers as a part of your work not to
interfere very much with your time in exploring? If you feel like undertaking
such a thing, I will run up and talk it all over with you and your folks.
Kind regards
to your father and mother. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
June 9, 1881
My Dear
William,
I inclose you
passes so that you may come down here to make our arrangements. I hope you can
come for I am too busy to get away from home just now. I have sent a proposition
to the Inter-Ocean folks, which I think will enable you to make the wages I
mentioned and I hope to hear of their acceptance soon. If you can spare a couple
of days in the meantime to come down, we will write up an introductory letter on
the mound builders of Kansas. Come by Monday and bring with you data as to the
mounds and collections in Riley County. Write me at once if you can come. You
can take the horse car at the depot and it will bring you to 9th Street, within
a square of the State House. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
June 16, 1881
My Dear
William,
I have just
received the inclosed. Please to return it to me or send me a copy of it. The
terms are quite as favorable as I expected, though the commissions are rather
low. I hope you will be able to start out next week. I have just heard of a
locality in Douglas County near Shawnee County, which I would like to visit with
you soon. We will see when I can go with you.
You had better
retain the letter as a kind of credentials. It might be well for you to find out
at your post office who are subscribers to the Inter-Ocean and see at once if
you can add to the list. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
June 25, 1881
Dear William,
Yours of the
22nd was duly received. You seemed to have done very well for the time you had
been out. I hope this will find you at home, having made a successful trip, both
as to collections and subscribers. I have written to Mr. Robbins to ask him to
get a pass for you over the Kansas Pacific Railroad. The general ticket office
of the company is at Omaha and he lives there. You should address him at that
place. We should get up another letter and as I can not well leave home for a
few days to come, perhaps you had better come down again for that object. I will
try and send you passes tomorrow – [or] Monday I should say – so that you
can come down Tuesday. We will go right to work at the letter so that you can
return Wednesday unless we should go out to make an exploration together here.
Please to have as full memoranda as possible of your trip, explorations, notes
of crops, description Garrison &c. &c. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
June 27, 1881
Dear William,
Inclosed find
passes to Topeka. I have not yet heard from my application for pass for you over
the Kansas Pacific [Rail] Road. It is time we should prepare another letter and
probably you had better come down at once. I will be at the State House so that
no time need be lost to you this time. Maybe you can do some exploring from this
place while you are down. Bring all the information you can for letter. Yours
truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
July 13, 1881
My Dear
William,
I inclose you
a monthly pass on the Union Pacific Railroad and branches in Kansas to August
11th. My own pass has but just now come. I have been quite discouraged about our
enterprise for want of these passes. I put that paragraph in the Commonwealth
about your contribution for the object of influencing the Railroad officials. I
have not yet completed and sent the letter to the Inter-Ocean, waiting to see
whether we could get passes. I will now send it off in a day or two. Can you
make that exploration near Louisville [Kansas] early next week? If so, I will
get ready and meet you there Monday. I fear you must be uneasy about the
compensation you should be getting. Do the best you can in the matter of
subscriptions and next week we will get about the letter writing in earnest. I
think we can yet make our enterprise succeed.
Have you saved
the rest of the Kaw skeleton? If necessary to visit the locality again for that
object, please do so. At the same time you might see if you can get that
manuscript of Mrs. Allen. I inclose a note for you to use when you see her.
Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
July 22, 1881
Dear William,
Your received.
I hope you have had a good trip. Do you not think we had better work up the
matter near Louisville [Kansas] first, or the mounds you saw near Junction City,
or go to some other point on the Union Pacific Railroads. – this while you
have your pass on these roads? I can spend some days with you next week, if you
want me to do so. Write me what you think best. It will be best to examine the
mounds near Burlingame [Kansas] as you suggest at no distant day. Yours truly,
-- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
July 30, 1881
Mr. Wm J.
Griffing
Manhattan, Kansas
Dear Sir,
I think
perhaps you had better come down to Topeka and we will decide whether you had
better go on with your work; and if not, make a settlement in some way for the
work you have already done. Yours very truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
February 23, 1882
My Dear
William,
I do not see
that I shall have any time for sometime to come to investigate the Rollins
Mound, so you had better let your club attend to it, or do it yourself in any
way you think best. I am very busy and shall be all this spring at work here and
some necessary traveling. I hope you will have good luck in your search through
the mound. Let me know what you find. We are not yet moved into our new room.
When we do get moved, I hope we will get all your things, and everything else in
order. When your vacation comes, maybe I can help you in the way of traveling
again. Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
April 11, 1882
My Dear
William,
Your kind
favor is received. I was pained to hear of the death of your father and
sincerely sympathize with you all in your affliction. A brief acquaintance had
served to give me a very high estimate of your father’s character and to
enable me to learn of the sacrifices he had made in good works in the pioneer
days of Kansas. I hope a very full account of his life and services will be
written by somebody for preservation as a part of the history of Kansas. The
article to which you refer, and which I shall embrace the first opportunity to
get, may in part cover the ground, but of course many things, which ought to be
written, he would not write himself.
You will I
hope find it congenial employment to work your pleasant little farm in the
society of your good mother and sister and in a home, though bereaved, must be
one whose associations and memories will continue to be such as to provoke to
good works and the forming of a stable and upright character. I trust you will
yet have opportunity to pursue at some time your favorite archaeological
researches.
Remember
me kindly to your mother and convey to her from me my heartfelt sympathies.
Yours truly, -- F. G. Adams
Kansas State
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
April 25, 1882
Dear William,
I have
received your card of April 19, and the manuscript. I will give the latter to
the editor of the “Methodist” for publication as you request. Your
brother has not yet called. Hoping that you are well. I am. Yours truly, -- F.
G. Adams
Columbus,
Ohio
October 14, 1882
Mr. W. J.
Griffing
Dear Sir,
The few
specimens you sent with those of Mr. Mason have been delivered to Mr. R. D. Lowe
of Pittston. If matters may be satisfactorily arranged, I intend to have all
what has been found in the Cretaceous of Kansas through last year described in a
separate paper as a contribution to the American Cretaceous flora. Mr. Mason,
like Sternberg, have collected a large number of specimens, the first for Mr.
Lowe [and] the second for the Museum of Cambridge. I do not profit of any
specimens sent to me. I determine them and publish new species but return
specimens to the owner or dispose of them for good collections where they may be
preserved for science. Of my own work, I receive only 20 copies for distribution
and as I have a great many correspondents and friends, the copies are very soon
distributed. I could procure for you the VIII volume in putting your name upon
that list of contributors. [Yours truly, - Leo Lasquereux]
Kansas
Historical Society
Topeka, Kansas
November 17, 1882
My Dear
William,
Your mother
has just called and brought in the interesting relic you spoke of sending –
the blade of stone ax. Many thanks for it. Its form is perfect in symmetry, much
more so than usual in these implements. Your proposition about work and travel
is a very generous one and I wish I could give you encouragement that I could
get you passes. But I cannot. In going east, I have to pay my own fare. Only
Senator Ingalls got me a pass as far as Chicago last summer. I had to pay all
the rest of the way. It used to be that our [rail] roads here would help us with
the roads east, but they won’t do it at all now. I hope time will develop some
way that our society may avail itself of your talents and zeal in antiquarian
research, and pay you for it. Let us live in hopes that the new Dem-anti-anti
legislation will give us an extra thousand dollars to use for all the good
objects we want to. We are now in our new room and will in time get in order,
and will get yours and Mason’s things out of the boxes. Yours truly, -- F. G.
Adams
United
States Senate
Washington, D. C.
August 7, 1883
Mr. W. J.
Griffing
Manhattan, Kansas
My Dear Sir,
I reply to
your favor of August 5th, I would say that I regret I can only supply you with
Smithsonian Reports for 1879-80. All others on my list have been long since
distributed. I shall be very glad to serve you at any time in forwarding to you
any publications ordered by Congress.
Very truly
yours,
John J. Ingalls
