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Genealogy Tour

Genealogy resources of the Cornette Library.

Library Tour 2014

The Cornette Library welcomed members from the Amarillo Genealogical Society in 2014.  Visitors were given a special behind-the-scenes tour featuring resources available in the Special Collections department. 

For more information about Special Collections, please contact Sidnye Johnson, Special Collections and University Archives Librarian.   Email:  sjohnson@wtamu.edu  Phone:  (806)651-2209

Additional Special Collections resources are listed on the Genealogy InfoGuide page of Print Resources.

Special Collections

Some highlights from the Special Collections:

Item Collection Call Number
Frontier Times (1923 - 1954; nonfiction magazine articles about the American West, including oral histories about Texans) Special Collections - Sheffy No call number-- Shelved at end of Sheffy Collection
A Complete Guide to Hunter's Frontier Times (an index) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 381 .F86 B76 2000
The Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, 1825-1916 (5 vols.) Special Collections - Texas Poets' Corner E 78 .S8 T49 1995
Letters of Hard Times in Texas, 1840-1890 Special Collections – Rare F 386.5 .H6
Story of a Texas County: It Occurred in Kimble, and How Special Collections - Sheffy F 392 .K4 F57
Wilderness Calling: The Hardeman Family in the American Westward Movement, 1750-1900 Special Collections - Texas Poets' Corner CS 71 .H259182 H37 1977

Draper Manuscript Collection

Available at Cornette Library in microfilm.  Usually not available in any format in most libraries in the United States.

  • A collection gathered by Lyman Draper, early historian and former Corresponding Secretary of the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
  • About the history of the trans-Allegheny West, a region including the western areas of the Carolinas and Virginia, some portions of Georgia and Alabama, the entire Ohio River valley, and parts of the Mississippi River valley.
  • Bulk of materials pertain to time frame from the French and Indian War (1754-1763) through the War of 1812.
  • Genealogists might be interested in the collection’s original historical documents, interviews, handwritten letters, maps, and newspaper extracts.
  • Includes letters, interviews, and other documents pertaining to Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark, William Clark, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, the Frontier Wars, and much more.
  • Has military records related to the Revolutionary War.
  • Cornette Library owns the 1949 microfilm.  Print set comprised of 469 volumes.

Comprised of 50 “Series,” such as:

  • Series B: Draper’s Life of (Daniel) Boone (5 vols.)
  • Series J: George Rogers Clark Papers (65 vols.)
  • Series U: Frontier War Papers (24 vols.)
  • Series CC: Kentucky Papers (37 vols.)

Easy to browse, but challenging to locate specific items or to read the hand-written documents.

One-Volume Overview

There is not a single, detailed index to the entire Draper Manuscript Collection.  The guide below describes the collection, each series, and the contents of each volume.  Some names and places are indexed.

Item Collection Call Number
Guide to the Draper Manuscripts (Includes index) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves Z 6616 .D72 H37 1983

Draper Calendar Series

The volumes below have in-depth descriptions of 11 of the 50 series in the Draper Manuscript Collection.  Also included is an index of the main names of people and places.

Item Description Collection Call Number
The Preston and Virginia Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts Covers Series QQ (Preston Papers) and Series ZZ (Virginia Papers) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 576 .W82 v. 1
Calendar of the Kentucky Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts Covers Series CC (Kentucky) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 576 .W82 v.2
Calendar of the Tennessee and King's Mountain Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts Covers Series XX (Tennessee) and DD (King's Mountain) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 576 .W82 v.3
Calendar of the George Rogers Clark Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts Covers Series J (George Rogers Clark) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 576 .W82 v.4
Calendar of the Thomas Sumter Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts Covers Series VV (Thomas Sumter) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 576 .W82 v.5
Calendar of the Frontier Wars Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts Covers Series U (Frontier Wars Papers), SS (David Shephard Papers), TT (SouthCarolina Papers), & UU (South Carolina in the Revolution Miscellanies) Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves F 576 .W82 v.6

Draper Series

The Draper Series consists of five volumes of documents selected from the Draper Manuscript Collection, annotated and edited by the Wisconsin Historical Society.  The volumes cover the period just before and during the American Revolution.

Volume 1. Documentary History of Dunmore's War, 1774

Volume 2. The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777

Online at: http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/476423.html

Periodicals Dept. - Reference Shelves
E 230.5.O3 T6 1970

Volume 3. Frontier Defense on the Upper Ohio, 1777-1778

Volume 4. Frontier Advance on the Upper Ohio, 1778-1779

Volume 5. Frontier Retreat on the Upper Ohio, 1779-1781

Table of Contents - Draper Manuscript Collection

  • Series A. George M. Bedinger Papers
  • Series B. Draper's Life of Boone
  • Series C. Daniel Boone Paper
  • Series D. Border Forays
  • Series E. Samuel Brady and Lewis Wetzel Papers
  • Series F. Joseph Brant Papers
  • Series G. Brant Miscellanies
  • Series H. Daniel Broadhead Papers 
  • Series J. George Rogers Clark Papers 
  • Series. K. George Rogers Clark Miscallanies
  • Series L. Jonathan Clark Papers
  • Series M. William Clark papers
  • Series N. William Croghan Papers
  • Series O. Daniel and Benjamin Drake Papers  
  • Series P. Draper's Biographical Sketches
  • Series Q. Draper's Historical Miscellanies
  • Series R. Draper's Memoranda Books
  • Series S. Draper's Notes
  • Series. T. Thomas Forsyth Papers 
  • Series U. Frontier Wars Papers
  • Series V. Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina Papers
  • Series W: Josiah Harmar Papers
  • Series X: William Henry Harrison
  • Series Y. Thomas Spottswod Hinde Papers 
  • Series Z. Illinois Papers
  • Series AA. William Irvine Papers
  • Series BB. Simon Kenton Papers
  • Series CC. Kentucky Papers
  • Series DD. King's Mountain Papers
  • Series EE. London documents at Albany, NY
  • Series FF. Mecklenburg Declaration, by Draper
  • Series GG. Mecklenburg Declaration Papers
  • Series HH. Mecklenburg Declaration Miscellanies
  • Series JJ. Newspaper Extracts
  • Series KK. North Carolina Papers
  • Series LL. Paris Documents at Albany, NY
  • Series MM. Robert Patterson Papers
  • Series NN. Pittsburgh and Northwest Virginia Papers
  • Series OO. Pension Statements
  • Series PP. Potter Papers
  • Series QQ. William Preston Papers
  • Series RR. Rudolph-Ney Papers
  • Series SS. David Shephard Papers
  • Series TT. South Carolina Papers
  • Series UU. South Carolina in the Revolution Miscellanies
  • Series VV. Thomas Sumter Papers
  • Series WW. John Cleves Symmes Papers
  • Series XX. Tennessee Papers
  • Series YY Tecumseh Papers
  • Series ZZ. Virginia Papers

Amarillo City Directory

Historic editions shelved in Special Collections - Rare.

Not just a telephone directory.  Modern editions include a reverse or “criss-cross” section that lists residents in order by street address.

1910 – 1916

1923 - 1976 (with gaps)

WT Theses

Theses written by WT students. Some local topics might be of interest to genealogists. Location: Archives. Some titles also available on microfilm.

Author Theses Call Number Microfilm
Riley, Glyndon M. The History of Hemphill County LD5901.W754R55 1939 Thesis Roll 5, no.63
Paine, Clinton Leon The History of Lipscomb County LD5901.W754P35 1941 Thesis Roll 7, no.110
Tinkler, Estelle D. Nobility’s Ranche:  A History of the Rocking Chair Ranche LD5901.W754T56 1941 Thesis Roll 8, no.118
Brooks, Una M. The Influence of the Pioneer Women Toward a Settled Social Life on Llano Estacado Thesis 378.764B87i 1942 Roll 8, no.122
Reisdorph, F.S. A History of the German People in the Panhandle of Texas and Ellis County, Oklahoma Thesis 378.764 R37h 1942 Roll 9, no.138
McCarty, John L. The History of Tascosa, Texas LD5901.W754 M12 1945 Thesis Roll 11, no.167
Phelps, LaVerne Pollard A History of the Little Theater Movement in Amarillo From 1888 to 1946 Thesis 378.764 P53h 1946 Roll 11, no.171
Phillips, Frances The Development of Agriculture in the Panhandle-Plains Region of Texas to 1920 Thesis 378.764 P55d 1946 Roll 11, no.172
Curl, Carroll A. A History of Amarillo College, 1929-1946 Thesis 378.764 C97h 1947 Roll 11, no.175
Rampley, Oliver Coleman Early Education in the Texas Panhandle Thesis 378.764 F17e 1947 Roll 12, no.181
Brown, Clois Truman The History of Deaf Smith County, Texas Thesis 378.764 B87h 1948 Roll 12, no.186
Flanagin, Charles P. The Origins of Nazareth, Texas Thesis 378.764 F58o 1948 Roll 12, no.189
Sparks, Mrs. T. C. A History of the Amarillo Public Schools, 1889-1949 Thesis 378.764 S73h 1949 Roll 14, no. 245
Holt, Clarence R. A History of Gaines County, Texas Thesis 378.764 H75h 1953 N/A
Kaul, Leta Stoner Use of Local Folklore as an Aid to Teaching Thesis 378.764 K21u 1954 N/A
Thompson, Robert L. Selected Aspects of the Political and Economic Development of the Texas Panhandle to 1890 Thesis 378.764 T47s 1957 N/A
Lindsey, Jo Carol (Birch) A Comparison of Selected Aspects of Frontier Social Life in East Texas (1822-1836) With That in the Panhandle of Texas (1800-1900) Thesis 378.764 L75c 1958 N/A
Lowe, Ida Marie Williams The Role of the Railroads in the Settlement of the Texas Panhandle Thesis 378.764 L91r 1962 N/A
Hughes, Pollyanna Badgett The Role of The Canyon News in the Development of Randall County Thesis 378.764 H89r 1965 N/A
Fanning, James Donald The History of Goodnight College LD5901.W754F367 1967 Thesis N/A
Palmer, James O. History of the Landergin Brothers Company Ranch LD5901.W754P3 1967 Thesis N/A
Eubank, Janice Rector A History of Swisher County LD5901.W754E93 1970 Thesis N/A
Stuart, Patricia Gosh, Ma’am (History of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch) LD5901.W754S89 1970 Thesis N/A
Andrew, Catherine Frontier Women of the Texas Panhandle LD5901.W754A52 1973 Thesis N/A
Moore, Jane The Legendary Charles Goodnight LD5901.W754M66 1973 Thesis N/A
Edwards, Mildred The History of Racial Integration in the Amarillo, Texas, Public Schools, 1915-1973 LD5901.W754E3 1974 Thesis N/A
Lee, Georgia E. A History of the Canyon, Texas, Independent School District from 1889 Through 1923, with an Analysis for 1973-1974 LD5901.W754L4 1974 Thesis N/A
Ross, Richard J. A Study of Historical Dwellings in Sherman, Motley, Ochiltree, and Childress Counties in the Panhandle, 1860-1920 LD5901.W754R62 1974 Thesis N/A
Furnish, Patricia L. Separate and Unequal:  Women in the Texas Panhandle During the 1930s LD5901.W754F87 1992 Thesis N/A