The John A. Beauchamp collection was transferred from New Mexico State University to LaBudde Special Collections, UMKC Libraries, in 2009. This collection dates from May 5, 1851, to January 11, 1934, and consists of: a bill of sale for Isaiah, a thirteen year-old enslaved boy (May 5, 1851), a copy of the Kansas City Price Current (August 29, 1876), correspondences from John A Beauchamp Sr. to family and bank (May 26, 1856; September 1859; May 12, 1872), letters from John A. Beauchamp Jr. to family (October 1917-March 1919), John A. Beauchamp’s official military record, and a correspondence between Mrs. Lee Beauchamp and Mrs. Leslie Putnam (January 11, 1934). The bulk of the collection are the letters sent from John A. Beauchamp Jr. to his family. These letters were written while John was at boot camp at Ft. Sill (October 1917-May 1918), while he was stationed throughout France during World War I (August 1918-November 1918), and while he was waiting to return home after the war concluded (December 1918-March 1919).



Of note are the letters sent from John during the war. Although these letters were censored by the government and some are damaged, the information contained within them details John’s location, and therefore which battles John was involved in. They also contain information about how American troops were received by both French and British soldiers. The letters highlight notable events and milestones in the war; for instance, the details surrounding the surrender of Turkey and the time – to the minute – that the fighting ended on November 11, 1918.