Research and Course Guides: Dolph Shaner Collection: Home

Collection Information

Collection Number: SC#8

Title:
Dolph Shaner Collection

Dates:
1905-1953

Collection Size:
1 Box

Biographical History

Dolph Shaner

Historian, realtor, insurance agent and Rotarian from Joplin, Missouri. Dolph Shaner was the author of the book The Story of Joplin, published in 1948. In addition to this publication he authored and published pamphlets, booklets and articles about the history of Jasper County.

Scope and Content

The Shaner collection includes copies of his pamphlets and articles on the history of southwest Missouri. This includes a collection of historical photographs of Joplin, Missouri, Webb City, Missouri, and Lakeside Park, Missouri that were used in his book The Story of Joplin. In addition to his work in the history of his local area, this collection includes personal correspondence and personal financial information, as well as financial information pertaining to his work as an insurance agent and realtor. Finally the collection contains many newspaper clippings dealing with Dolph Shaner's social life and business dealings in the Joplin, Missouri area.

Creator(s)

Dolph Shaner

Acquisition Information

Collection donated in the summer of 1972, donator unknown.

Preview the Collection

Sherwood: The Ghost Town (download link below)

Old Peace Church and Cemetery (download link below)

Roanoke: Joplin's Beautiful Residence District (download link below)

Stories of Shoal Creek Valley: Old Reding's Mill

Collection Preview

Postcard from Langston Hughes, July 30, 1953

Come to Joplin, by Dolph Shaner

My Social Security Number, by Dolph Shaner

Preview the Collection

Old Peace Church and Cemetery: Centennial Celebration
1956 booklet about Peace Church Cemetery.
Roanoke: Joplin's Beautiful Residence District
1944 booklet about the Roanoke District in Joplin, Missouri.
Sherwood: The Ghost Town
1934 booklet about Sherwood, Missouri.

Series List

The records have been arranged in four series and organized chronologically within those series.

Series 1: Jasper County History Work
- Subseries 1: Jasper County History Creative Works
- Subseries 2: Other Jasper County History Work
Series 2: Personal Documents/Correspondence
- Subseries 1: Correspondence
- Subseries 2: Rotarian Documents
- Subseries 3: Creative Work
Series 3: Financial Information
- Subseries 1: Personal Financial Information
- Subseries 2: Business/Real Estate Financial Information
Series 4: Newspaper Clippings

Series 1: Local History Work

Subseries 1: Jasper County History Creative Works

Folder 1 Pamphlets/Booklets About Local History, Written or edited by Dolph Shaner
- Stories of Shoal Creek Valley: Old Reding's Mill, 1925
Sherwood: The Ghost Town, 1934
- Old Peace Church and Cemetery, 1943
- John Baxter of Baxter Springs: Picturesque Character of Frontier Days, 1943 (copy)
- Roanoke, Joplin's Beautiful Residence District (1944)
- Old Peace Church and Cemetery Centennial Celebration (1956)
Folder 2 Articles by Dolph Shaner
- “The James Boys”
- “Point of Historical Interest: Sherwood”
- “Sketch of Royal Heights History”
- “The Missionary Trace” – March 16, 1935
- Article about the “Katy” and “Frisco” railroad lines
- “Points of Interest at Muskogee” – March 14, 1935
- “The Indian Territory” – March 14, 1935
- “The Empire District” – November 5, 1933
- “Kansas-Missouri Border East of Present Line” – November 5, 1933
- “A Unique Ozark Library”
- “Webb City, MO”
- “History of Mining in the Granby Area”
- Local history trivia questions (no answers)
Folder 3 Research for Articles
- Kirkpatrick, Arthur Roy. “Missouri’s Secessionist Government, 1861-1865” Missouri Historical Review.
- Crotty, Henrietta. A History and Economic Survey of Webb City Missouri, 1937
- Miscellaneous notes from research
Folder 4 Advertisements for Dolph Shaner’s books/articles
- Article about Dolph Shaner’s “The Story of Joplin”
- Article about Dolph Shaner’s pamphlets about local history, 1944
- Advertisement for The Story of Joplin by Dolph Shaner
Folder 5 Copies of photographs of Joplin and the surrounding area
- Some photographs used in Shaner’s “The Story of Joplin,” including:
- Eagle-Picher Central Mill, 1945 ; Eagle-Picher Joplin Plant, 1945 ; Connor Hotel and Annex ; Christman's Department Store, 1948 ; Newman's Department Store, 1948 ; Ramsay's Department Store, 1948 ; Fourth & Joplin Streets, 1893 ; Mining display ; 2407 Hampton, Springfield, Missouri

Subseries 2: Other Jasper County History Work

Folder 6 Programs from Local Events
- “Commemorating the Sixty-Five Years of Service of the First Presbyterian Church, Joplin, Missouri” – December 4-7, 1938
- 50th anniversary: Young Men's Christian Association – January 23, 1941
- Joplin Gridiron Club presents Draftease, Hotel Connor Roof – February 25, 1941
Folder 7 Jasper County Historical Society (JCHS)
- Jasper County Historical Society Membership Card – Dolph Shaner, President
- Flier about JCHS Membership Dues
- Meeting Minutes (unknown dates)
Membership List (unknown date)
- Various notes about the organization
Folder 8 Jasper County Historical Society, 1953-1956
- Newsletters, correspondence and information about the Jasper County Historical Society

Series 2: Personal Documents/Correspondence

Subseries 1: Correspondence/Historical Documents

Folder 9 Dolph Shaner Correspondence, 1926-1961
- Correspondence to Dolph Shaner about various subjects, from 1926-1948
Folder 10 Dolph Shaner Correspondence, 1919-1954
- Correspondence to Dolph Shaner about various subjects, from 1919-1954
Folder 11 Langston Hughes Postcard
- Correspondence from Langston Hughes to Dolph Shaner from 1953, about an article Shaner wrote on Hughes
Folder 12 Joplin High School Senior Class Roster, 1930

Subseries 2: Rotarian Documents

Folder 13 Rotarian material
- 1917-1953
- Correspondence, speeches, financial information and other papers
- Joplin Chats: Official Publication of the Rotary Club of Joplin
  - Vol. 1 No. 29, March 25, 1948
  - Vol. 2 No. 6, September 24, 1925
  - 1936
  - Vol. 13 No. 45, 1940
  - Vol. 14 No. 18, 1941
  - Vol. 18 No. 5
- The Concentrator: Leased and Operated by the Rotary Club of Joplin
  - Vol. 2 No. 1, January 16, 1917
- Bank book: Conqueror First National Bank, Joplin, Missouri

Subseries 3: Creative Work

Folder 14 Poetry and Short Stories by Dolph Shaner
- “Where the Silvery Sugars Meet”
- “Come to Joplin”
- “Onward, Rotary”
- “Ode to the Harris (Knight)”
- “Reply to toast of Agnes Miller”
- “My Social Security Number”
- “Some Choice Selections from the Garbage Can: Discoveries” – June 26, 1931
- “Minutes in Varied Jingles” – October 12, 1933
- “To the New Year’s Day Bride”
- “The Old Man Learns Golf”
- “To Ned on His Birthday”
- “To Give or Not to Give”
- “The Gas Situation”
- “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo.”
- “Prevention of Cruelty to Audiences”
- Miscellaneous untitled poetry
Folder 15 Poetry sent to Dolph Shaner
- “I’d A Went” by Ida Wendt
- Untitled Poem by Laurella Bailey – September 12, 1933
- “On Dolph’s Birthday” by Betty Pratt – September 12, 1933
- “Gift from Heaven” by Edgar A. Guest (copied from newspaper)
- “Who’s Who and Why?” by Rudolph Shoeuherr
- “New Year’s Eve” by Evelyn E. Parker
Folder 16 Writer’s Guild
- A roster of the Writer’s Guild in Southwest Missouri, date unknown
Folder 17 Miscellaneous Documents
- Main Street, Joplin, Missouri Postcard
- Conoco Passport, Season 1935-1936
- “Arkansas” (Official State Song), Compliments of Fort Smith Rotary Club
- Dolph Shaner’s home address
- Correct Accessories for Spring, (Men’s) Dress Chart
- Table d’Howell Dinner, The Conner, 7:00-?
- 3 cards with quotes, Reprinted by The American Insurance Company of Newark, NJ
- Philander P. Claxton, United State Commissioner of Education, Joplin, Missouri – June 10, 1920
- A Friendly Church: First Presbyterian Church program – January 2, 1944
- “The Passing of the Backhouse” by James Whitcomb Riley
- Clippings of “light verse” poetry from various sources
- Scottish Rite Banquet, October 23, 1942
Folder 18 Notes
- Handwritten notes on various subjects

Series 3: Financial Information

Subseries 1: Personal Financial Information

Folder 19 Joplin National Bank and Trust Company papers
- Joplin National Bank shareholder letters, 1932-1944
- Typical Floor Plan, Joplin National Bank Building
Folder 20 Allis Building Company Correspondence, 1937-1946
- Correspondence to and from Dolph Shaner about stock held in the Allis Building Company, which owned the Allis Hotel of Wichita, Kansas and the Hotel Connor of Joplin, Missouri
Folder 21 Financial Information
- Bills, receipts and other financial information from Dolph Shaner
Folder 22 The Webb Corporation Correspondence, 1948-1951
- Correspondence from The Webb Corporation from 1948-1951 about the corporation’s stock
Folder 23 Certificate of Copyright Registration, January 22, 1943
- A certificate of copyright registration from January 22, 1943 for Dolph Shaner’s “Old Peace Church and Cemetery as Linked With Early Jasper County History”

Subseries 2: Business/Real Estate Financial Information

Folder 24 Real Estate Correspondence, 1929-1948
- Correspondence to Dolph Shaner about real estate and property management in the Joplin area from 1929-1948
Folder 25 Joplin Realty Company Correspondence, 1949
- Correspondence from the Joplin Realty Company from 1949 about the company’s stock
Folder 26 Wilgus forged deeds evidence, 1914
- Evidence of forged deeds by A.B. Wilgus, a notary public in Jasper County in 1914
Folder 27 Legal Documentation
- Corporation Warranty Deed from 1945
- Court summons for Dolph Shaner from 1948

Series 4: Newspaper Clippings

Folder 28 Newspaper clippings, Miscellaneous
- Miscellaneous newspaper clippings from unknown sources and dates, including:
- Banks of Carterville ; Adolph Schoenherr ; Lakeside Park property ; Over the Cruel Mountain Trail Where Fremont Met Disaster ; Life of Famed Belle Starr, a Carthage Native, Was Colorful and Full of Trouble ; Joplin Globe chart of the lead and zinc Joplin markets
Folder 29 Newspaper articles, 1905-1938
- Miscellaneous newspaper clippings from the “Joplin Globe,” the “Joplin News Herald,” and the “Kansas City Star,” including headlines about:
- Progressive Girls Club ; What you'll find in Joplin list, 1905 ; Schoenherr-Walton Mining Co., Carterville, Missouri (envelope) ; Adolph Schoenherr asks for new name of Dolph Shaner ; A.B. Wilgus Jr. realty dealer arrested today on charge of forgery ; It's in the air, Joplin originated the Ozark advertising plan ; Forty acres of land in the city limits at the northwest corner of county line and Range Line purchased by Dolph Shaner ; Complete property deal to pave way to Connor annex ; Protect trees on Shoal Creek ; Shaner billboards ; Growth of city and outlook for future outlined, 1926 ; City's traffic changes praised by business men, 1926 ; New addition to St. John's hospital, 1927 ; Egyptian theater, 1928 ; Review of life in Joplin way back in the gay nineties, Joplin Globe special issue 1930 ; Meeker Company ; Webb City Main Street article ; Lakeside Park photographs and history, 1895-1934 ; Rothanbarger House ; Joplin businessmen biographies ; Scenes at Pineville as plans go ahead for filming "Jesse James" picture, 1938 ; Three old pictures in the life of Jesse James, 1938
Folder 30 Newspaper articles, 1940-1973
- Miscellaneous newspaper clippings from the “Joplin Globe,” including headlines about:
- Roanoke ; Reviews of Langston Hughes' The first book of negroes ; Joplin Rotarians portraits ; Native Joplin negro now famed as an author, James Langston Hughes, 1953 ; First National Bank of Joplin open house, 1953 ; Koehler home ; Zelleken home ; Automobile stable ; Grand Falls history ; Burning of two negroes at Carthage ; Joplin, metropolis of famed Tri-state mining district, Joplin Globe special issue, 1973)