John Embree Hinshaw Papers

Abstract: The collection includes incoming and outgoing correspondence, notably letters between John Embree Hinshaw and his future wife Elizabeth B. Smith, as well as a copy of the court document noting their divorce in 1930; also incoming correspondence from other family and friends. The majority of the collection consists of notebooks of handwritten poetry; it also includes receipts, bills, and some other financial records; deeds and other paperwork related to real estate sold by Andrew and Sarah Ann Hinshaw to railroad companies; newspaper clippings and full journals or magazines of interest and/or containing articles written by John Embree Hinshaw; photographs, etc.

Summary:

The collection includes personal correspondence, notebooks of poetry, and some miscellaneous items. The personal correspondence contains letters from Lawrence C. Jones about Mr. Hinshaw's book donations to The Piney Woods Country Life School's library and from other staff that thank him (1933-1934); from William Wade Hinshaw, a cousin, looking into Mr. Hinshaw's genealogy and about poetry (1931-1934); from James Searson, President of The Kansas Authors' Club, about poetry (1921-1925); from Sadie Mott, love letters (1888-1892); and from Elizabeth B. Smith, also love letters (1891-1894). Other correspondence is from other family members and friends.

The notebooks contain Mr. Hinshaw's poetry, including volumes 3 through 93, although a few are missing. Volume 3 begins in 1882 and Volume 93 ends in 1948.

Miscellaneous items include divorce papers (Mr. Hinshaw and Elizabeth B. Smith), checks, newspaper clippings, journals/newsletters, blank postcards, coins, a passport, and a box of items relating to Anna L. Mott.

Language note: English

Biog. Sketch (Full):

John Embree Hinshaw was born on January 24, 1862 in Emporia, Kansas. He grew up on a farm near Emporia and farming became his occupation as an adult. He married Elizabeth Bertha Smith on December 26, 1894 in Stillwater, Ohio. She was born on November 11, 1869 in Barnesville, Ohio. According to the census from 1900 to 1925, John and Elizabeth lived in the Emporia Township. By 1900 they had 2 children, Howard Barclay and Bertha Anna. By 1910 John and Elizabeth had 4 more children, Elba Mabel, Lena Nettie, Arthur Embree and Edwin Andrew. Their firstborn moved out of the household by 1920. The 1930 census shows John living separately from Elizabeth and two of their children, Bertha and Edwin. They divorced in 1930.

Mr. Hinshaw authored Thomas Hinshaw and Others, Pioneers, and other books and articles that included prose and poetry. Some of his published articles are included in the collection as well as poems he wrote in notebooks throughout his life.

Elizabeth died on April 4, 1939, in Emporia. She was buried there in Maplewood Cemetery. Mr. Hinshaw died on January 16, 1954, also in Emporia, and was buried in the same cemetery.

Scope and content:

These items present a narrow portrait of John Embree Hinshaw. The collection gives no indication of Mr. Hinshaw's occupation as a farmer, revealing his more artistic, personal characteristics. Most of the collection emphasizes poetry he wrote throughout his life. These poems are presented in volumes of notebooks. Volumes 3 through 93 are included in the collection, although a few are missing in between. Also emphasized are love letters from two women: Sadie Mott and Elizabeth B. Smith. He later married Elizabeth in 1894. Mr. Hinshaw's responding letters to Elizabeth are included in the collection, but not to Sadie Mott. However, a box of personal items given to Mr. Hinshaw from an Anna Mott are included, with a note saying should he die the items should be returned to her. Whether Anna is related to Sadie or they are the same person is unknown. Mr. Hinshaw divorced Elizabeth in 1930, and the divorce document is included in the collection.

Gleaning from other correspondence, such as the letters from James Searson, Mr. Hinshaw donated books to school libraries, indicating an investment in students' education. Having lived most of his life in Emporia, Kansas, a town known for its recognition of teachers and education, his donations seem fitting.

The rest of the collection contains some miscellaneous items. For example, there is documentation of the partial selling of Andrew and Sarah Ann Hinshaw's (Mr. Hinshaw's parents) real estate to the Santa Fe Railroad Company; a certificate stating Andrew and Sarah Ann an annual pass on the Kansas City, Emporia, and Southern Railway; and a map of where the railroad tracks cross their land. Other miscellaneous items include checks Mr. Hinshaw wrote to the Emporia Savings Bank; newspaper clippings of other writers or poems published; a piece of paper written by John G. Kean, Justice of Peace, asserting Mr. Hinshaw as qualified to be Clerk of District 23, Lyon County, State of Kansas; a copy of The American Friend newsletter of poetry, published September 26, 1929; and a copy of the Kansas Womans Journal: The Western Womans Journal, from June, 1926, that published an article Mr. Hinshaw wrote about his mother, Sarah Ann.

The collection's value as a school research topic is low, but individuals who are interested in poetry and looking at examples of written love letters in the late 19th century would value this collection greatly.

Contents: Ser. 1. Correspondence, 1886-1934 (box 2) -- ser. 2. Poetry notebooks, 1882-1948 (boxes 1-2) -- ser. 3. Miscellaneous papers (box 2).

Associated materials: 7 photographs/images were removed from this collection to the KSHS photograph collection. These images include a cloth with an image of an unidentified farm (no date), a portrait of Anna L. Mott (June 6, 1887), a photo of John Embree Hinshaw (Cambridge, Ohio; October 7, 1923), a family portrait of Anna L. Mott and her family (?) (June 20, 1920), a portrait of Elizabeth B. Smith (Barnesville, Ohio; no date ), a 3x4 portrait of Anna L. Mott in a velvet frame (May, 1887), and a 4x6 portrait of Anna L. Mott in a velvet frame (June 18, 1889).

Finding Aid Bibliography: http://www.rawbw.com/~hinshaw/cgi-bin/id?1428

Action note: Collection arranged and described by Sara Shupe, intern, 2011.