From: Archives Reference [archref@sosmail.state.mo.us] Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 4:45 PM To: 'gregkc@earthlink.net' Subject: RE: Research Question, re: Smallwood Noland, Member, Missouri General Assembly rw Dear Gregory, The information found on our website comes from two main sources which we tentatively divide between pre-1837 legislators and post-1837 legislators. The vast majority of all of the names have come directly from House and Senate Journals. Unfortunately, however, not all of the House and Senate Journals have survived. For example, Smallwood Noland is noted as having been elected in 1828, 1832, 1834, 1836, and 1838. The Missouri State Archives holds the appropriate journals for 1832, 1836, and 1838. In each of these journals, the name listed is "Smallwood V. Noland." According to the 1935-1936 Official Manual, the first list of Senators and Representatives was compiled by Secretary of State A.A. Lesueur and published in the 1897-1898 Official Manual. The Capitol fire of 1837 had destroyed many of the traditional sources that would normally compile the list. The 1935-1936 manual notes that, "the information herein, prior to 1837, was therefore obtained from unofficial sources and compiled with great difficulty." This early list, reprinted in the 1935-1936 Manual, lists Smallwood V. Noland as the name of the Representative for all of the years in question. We have no other sources at the Missouri State Archives to verify this information. The Official Manual was not published until 1878, biographical sketches of legislators did not begin until 1879, and for many years the sketches that did exist did not give family information. For example, a person's marital status was noted merely by the words "married" or "single." The only suggestion that we can give if you want to try and locate primary documentation of which Smallwood Noland was elected in 1828 and 1834, is to make a search of newspaper records. Much of Missouri's early governmental history has had to be reconstructed from newspapers when other official records were destroyed. If you find primary documentation which shows that Smallwood T. Noland served in either of these terms instead of Smallwood V. Noland, please make a copy for us and we would be happy to make the appropriate changes in our records. If we may be of any additional assistance, please let us know. Sincerely, Reference Staff Missouri State Archives P.O. Box 1747, 600 West Main Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573)751-3280 archref@sosmail.state.mo.us http://mosl.sos.state.mo.us/rec-man/arch.html -----Original Message----- From: Gregory Swartz [mailto:gregkc@earthlink.net] Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 1:34 AM To: archref@sosmail.state.mo.us Subject: Research Question, re: Smallwood Noland, Member, Missouri General Assembly Requested Information: Biographical information about Smallwood Noland, member of the Missouri General Assembly from Jackson County, 1828 to 1838+, for each term. Background: Your listing of members of the General Assembly on your web site states that Smallwood V. Noland was a representative from Jackson County in the terms beginning 1828 and 1832-1836 and senator representing district 26 in the term beginning 1838. In the time frames listed above, there were two Smallwood Nolands prominent in Jackson County, Smallwood Valentine Noland whose wife was Sarah (aka, Sally) and Smallwood Turner Noland whose wife was Nancy. They were related (second cousins, I believe). I am trying to ascertain whether Smallwood V. Noland served all of the listed terms or whether Smallwood T. Noland might have served one or more of the terms. While I suspect the answer is as you have it and Smallwood V. Noland did serve all of the terms, I have two reasons for questioning this supposition. First, I have found that many Jackson County historians have assumed that there was but one Smallwood Noland and attributed the deeds of both to a single Smallwood. Second, since there is a gap in the representation and the move to the Senate, I am wondering if there might have been a change in the man, also. It seems that this question could be answered fairly easily if I had some basic biographical information of the person serving in each term. Actually, the name of the wife of the representative or senator in each of the terms would probably be enough. Of course, currently one can go to the State Manual or online and get brief biographical information about each senator or representative. If anything like that exists for those early days, that is what I am looking for. Thanks for your assistance!!!!! --- Gregory Swartz --- gregkc@earthlink.net --- EarthLink: It's your Internet.