Thompson-Charles Family Papers, 1890-1993
Microfilm rolls MF 202 – MF 203
Introduction
Abstract
Farm, merchant, banker families; of Republic County, Kan.
Diaries of Eugenia Ann (Thompson) Charles, 1890-1944 (ser. 1). There are also excerpts and annotations of her diaries; a history of the Thompson family; pedigree charts for the Charles, Benedict, Gregory and Thompson families; and photocopies of Tudor John Charles and Eugenia Ann (Thompson) Charles photographs. This collection, consisting of 22 items, provides a good view of the lives of Kansas farmers at the turn of the 19th/20th century. Ser. 3, the F .E. Thompson Family, consists of a history of the Thompson and Charles families mostly in the form of anecdotes.
Dates
1890-1993
Quantity
2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
Title
Thompson-Charles family papers
Identification
Microfilm MF 202-MF 203
Ms. collection no. 5043
Language
Text is in English
Notes
This finding aid describes materials on microfilm held by the Kansas Historical Society. Microfilm may be used in the State Archives and Library during regular research hours. Microfilm may also be borrowed through interlibrary loan for your use at a participating public, academic, or research library. Information on interlibrary loan is available from the Kansas State Historical Society and on its web site, http://www.kshs.org. Support for telephone, mail, and online reference and research is limited.
In a continuing effort to improve the completeness and accuracy of finding aids, revisions are made as more or new information becomes available. Consequently finding aids in paper format, on microfilm, and on the Society’s web site may differ slightly.
Repository
Kansas Historical Society (Topeka)
History
Aside from information that can be gleaned from genealogical charts of the Thompson and Charles families, the information provided in this collection indicates that Eugenia “Genie” Ann (Thompson) Charles was descended from Francis Edward (Frank) and Mary Jane (Caswell) Thompson. Frank came from Walton, New York, and Mary Jane came from Canada, not far from the Vermont border. These two families moved to Kilbourn, Wisconsin, where Frank and Mary Jane met and married despite her father’s objections. Soon after their marriage, in 1870, they moved to Republic County, Kansas, where the soil provided significantly better agricultural yields than Wisconsin for an industrious farmer.
The newly wed couple made their first home in a dwelling that was half dug - out, half sod house, built into a hillside. Eugenia Ann Thompson was born in 1873. Fifteen years later, the Thompsons moved into a new house in the town of Republic. Once the family moved to Republic, Frank tried his hand at a furniture and undertaking business. Even so, he still spent a great deal of his time working the family farm, which he enjoyed.
Eugenia married Tudor John Charles in 1893. They typified the life of the Kansas farm family. They had six children in all — four at first, and two more later — all born at the Republic County farmhouse. These children were William Kamp Charles (1894-1979), Esther Charles (1896-1987), Ethel Charles (1898-1920), Frances Eugene Charles (1900-1980), Tudor John Charles, Jr. (1908-1940), and Donald Evans Charles (1913- ).
Tudor Charles was described as being temperamental with a quick mind but rather emotional. Genie (Thompson) Charles balanced Tudor’s moodiness with a more stable personality. Genie thought of herself as being not as quick to figure things out as her husband. Yet she was deeply philosophical and was an avid reader. Genie brought a soft touch to Tudor’s periodically hot temper, which he needed. Tudor was one to be somewhat concerned about having status in the community in which he lived. Genie, an introvert, was just the opposite.
In the late 1920s Tudor Charles was the director of a bank for a brief period of time. Like so many other banks at the time, his bank failed. This failure, aside from the emotional turmoil it caused him, also indebted him, a debt from which he never fully recovered. Farming became ever increasingly difficult as a source of income. By the time of their deaths, Tudor and Genie Charles were in a worse financial situation than when they were first married.
Contents List
Oerganization of the Papers
Organized into 6 series by type of material.
Roll 1 (MF 202). Diaries (ser. 1): no. 1-10, 1890-1902 — roll 2 (MF 203). Diaries (ser. 1): no. 11-16, 1903-1944 ; Excerpts from the diaries of Genie Thompson Charles / by her son, Wm. Kamp Charles, 1971 (ser. 2); The F. E. Thompson family, 1961 (ser. 3); Pedigree charts, 1993 (ser. 4) ; Family group sheet (ser. 5) ; photocopies of photographs, [189-]-1904 (ser. 6).
Roll List
Roll 1 (MF 202):
-
Series 1) Diaries, 1890-1944, of Eugenia Ann (Thompson) Charles.
- 1) Sept. 7, 1890 – July 26, 1891
- 2) July 27, 1891 – Dec. 31, 1891
- 3) Jan. 10, 1892 – Sept. 1, 1892
- 4) Sept. 4, 1892 – May 19, 1893
- 5) July 29, 1893 – Dec. 30, 1894
- 6) Jan. 8, 1895 – Dec. 15, 1895
- 7) Jan. 1, 1896 – Dec. 31, 1896
- 8) Jan. 4, 1897 – Nov. 20, 1897
- 9) Nov. 25, 1897 – Dec. 31, 1899
- 10) Jan. 2, 1900 – Dec. 29, 1902
Roll 2 (MF 203):
-
Series 1) Diaries, 1890-1944, of Eugenia Ann (Thompson) Charles.
- 11) Jan. 5, 1903 – Dec. 13, 1908
- 12) [1909] – Dec. 31, 1912
- 13) 1913 – Jun. 14, 1937
- 14) Jun. 1, 1938 – Apr. 17, 1940
- 15) Jan. 1, 1942 – Dec. 27, 1943
- 16) Jan. 2, 1944 – Jan. 28, 1944
- Series 2) Excerpts from the diaries of Genie Thompson Charles / by her son, Wm. Kamp Charles, 1971.
- Series 3) The F.E. Thompson Family
- History of the Thompson family beginning with Francis Edward Thompson and Mary Jane Caswell in 1870. Written by William Kamp Charles in 1961.
- Series 4) Pedigree Charts [Charles, Thompson, Benedict, and Gregory families, dating back to the sixteenth century]. Compiled in 1993.
- Series 5) Family Group Sheet [Tudor John Charles family].
-
Series 6) Photocopies of photographs:
- Tudor John Charles, [ca. 189-].
- Eugenia Ann Thompson Charles, 1904.
Index Terms
Individuals
Charles, Tudor John, 1871-1936(subject and co-creator)
Charles, Eugenia Ann Thompson, 1873-1944(subject and co-creator)
Family Names
Benedict family
Charles family
Gregory family
Thompson family
Geographic Names
Kansas.
Republic (Kan.)
Republic County (Kan.)
Subjects
American diaries–Kansas–Republic County
Diaries (Art and Architecture Thesaurus)
Farm life–Kansas–Republic County.
Rural families–Kansas–Republic County.
Women in agriculture–Kansas–Republic County.
Occupations
Farmers–Kansas–Republic County.
Additional Information for Researchers
Restrictions on Access
None. A prior access restriction expired on Dec. 16, 2005, in accordance with the Declaration of Gift.
Restrictions on Use
Notice: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The user is cautioned that the publication of the contents of this microfilm may be construed as constituting a violation of literary property rights. These rights derive from the principle of common law, affirmed in the copyright law of 1976 as amended, that the writer of an unpublished letter or other manuscript has the sole right to publish the contents thereof unless he or she affirmatively parts with that right; the right descends to his or her legal heirs regardless of the ownership of the physical manuscript itself. It is the responsibility of a user or his or her publisher to secure the permission of the owner of literary property rights in unpublished writing.
The Kansas State Historical Society does not own copyright to this collection.
Preferred Citation
Citations referring to this collection should include Thompson-Charles Family Papers, Kansas State Historical Society microfilm rolls MF 202 – MF 203.
Acquisition
Loan: Homer E. Socolofsky, 1995.
Processing Information
Papers prepared for microfilming and finding aid written by Robert A. McInnes, 1995.
Accruals
No additions to the collection are anticipated.
Location of Originals
Originals were in the possession of the lender at the time of microfilming.
Notes
Microfilm. Topeka, Kan. : Kansas State Historical Society, 1995. Microfilm rolls MF 202-MF 203.
