Browse Items (257 total)

The J. Thomas Lumber Company started in Rossville in the 1880s. James B. Hall was manager for several years and in 1909 Mr. Vawter became manager. William Hesse started work at the yard in 1925, and in 1932 bought a half interest in the business and,…

C.C. McPherson opened the McPherson Livery barn in October of 1879. In 1883, he kept three buggies, two spring wagons and nine head of horses. He expanded his business to house more in the early 1900s and had a “carry-all” which was particularly…

The Post Office at Willard, Kansas, which no longer exists.

Peter Navarre and his wife, Minnie, served as owners and editors of the Rossville Reporter for 40 years, purchasing it in March of 1913. Peter Navarre was born March 26, 1884, in Rossville. He worked at the Rossville News office, then owned by U.G.…

Velda O'Donnell worked as a Rossville, Kansas, operator in 1953. Public telephone service started in Rossville in 1900.

Mr. and Mrs. U.G. and Lillian Stewart are pictured inside the Rossville, Kansas, Post Office, where Mr. U.G. Stewart was postmaster from 1908-1911. The location of the Post Office at that time is unknown.

The Rossville State Bank (the building on the right side of the picture) was established in 1893.The original officers were E.P. Merrian, President; I.B. Alter, Cashier; Dr. Henry H. Miller, Wesley Davis, and C.W. Higginbotham, Directors. The bank…

Edgar G. Griswold was born in Santa Rosa, California, on May 23, 1870. He moved to Rossville in 1902. He was a teacher and farmer as well as served as the Rossville, Kansas, mayor for six years. He died June 27, 1963, in Rossville.

Mr. LaVerne H. Spears was born on a farm near Wamego, Kansas, on September 20, 1906. He married Edna Vilven in 1927. They moved to Rossville, Kansas, in 1928. He was mayor from 1955-1965. He was elected to the Kansas State Legislature in 1964 and…

The corner stone of the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church was laid by Bishop Fink on June 18, 1899. The dedication of the completed church took place on October 29, 1899. Pictured left to right are Joe DeGraff, Charles Bixby, Mr. Roberts, Ben Mileham,…