In Memoriam. Miss Zu Adams, Late Librarian of the Kansas State Historical Society Excerpted from "Collections of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1911-1912", Edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary. Vol XII., State Printing Office, Topeka, Kansas 1912. submitted by Teresa Lindquist (merope@radix.net); (copyright) 2001 by Teresa Lindquist ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- pages xxi-xxii IN MEMORIAM. MISS ZU ADAMS, LATE LIBRARIAN OF THE KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. WHEN we met in our annual session two years ago, for the first time in many years we missed the familiar face of our librarian, Miss Zu Adams. Never physically strong, she had broken down from overwork. Some months of rest and intermittent work seemed to restore her health, and in 1910 she was steadily at her post again. In January of this year she was stricken with what proved to be her last sickness. Her strong will power fought for life many weeks, but in vain, and she passed away on April 12, 1911. She was the second child of Frankin G. and Harriet Adams, Kansas pioneers, and was born at Atchison, Kan., in the stirring days of 1859. Her father was prominent in the work to make Kansas a free state, and from both parents she inherited an almost morbid trait of conscientious and fearless devotion to duty, as well as mental ability of a high order. Judge Adams was the first secretary of this Historical Society, to which he devoted his life for nearly a quarter of a century. As a child, Miss Zu, as she liked to be called, was an industrious scholar. Her early training was under her parents at home; later at the public schools at Waterville and in Topeka high school. When still in her teens she mastered stenography, an accomplishment quite rare in those days. She was a fine story-teller, and her mates and the school children were entranced by the charm of her word pictures. Whatever she attempted in all her life was done so ably and conscientiously, and withal so quietly and sweetly, as to win the admiration of all who knew her. In the early days of this Historical Society it keenly felt the pinch of poverty. It had no funds from which to pay for the necessary work in the office. An so it came about that Miss Zu for several years helped her father, out of school hours, without compensation, receiving her first salary in 1880. During his later life she was made librarian, and when, during his last year, he became too feeble for office duty, she carried the burden both of his and her own work. Growing up in the work as the Society grew, through her labor she became familiar with all its details; her life was builded into every room and nook and cranny of its collections, and no one knew better than she every turn of its affairs. So it came about that she was often called on for work outside of her regular duties, and, as the days were too short, she took it home with her and spent many hours, that should have been given to rest and sleep, in labors that often overtaxed her strength, and, no doubt, hurried her to a premature grave. As a loyal Daughter of the American Revolution, in a position to be of great service to the order, she gave freely of time and strength in its service. That organization will do itself an honor when it places in our new Memorial Building some permanent and beautiful memorial in recognition of her services. During the pastorate of Rev. L. Blakesly she united with the First Congregational Church of this city, and later became a charter member of the Central Congregational Church, and was ever a faithful and consistent Christian. In all her life, as a student, as eldest daughter, taking a mother's place when her mother was called away from a large family, as the stay and comfort of her father in his last years, as well as his efficient helper in the work of this Society, in all her long years in our service, she showed a spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice rarely seen. To see her father's plans and hopes realized and to continue his work was her ambition. Among the works of her pen we note the following: "Catalogue of Kansas Territorial and State Documents," which was published by the Historical Society in 1900. "Chronology of Kansas," for Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History, printed in 1902. "Report on the Marking of the Santa Fe Trail," published in the reports of the American Historical Association for 1906. "List of Kansas State Publications," under the direction of R. R. Bowker, published in New York, 1906. She had made a close study of and was recognized as an authority on Kansas history, and knew more about the aborigines of Kansas than anyone living in the state. In June, 1909, Baker University conferred upon her the honorary degree of Master of Arts. This academic recognition was given because of her competent and scholarly work along the l ne [sic] of Kansas history. Almost the last work she did was on the eleventh volume of Kansas Historical Collections. No cloistered devotee was ever more consecrated to work or brought to it more of zealous service than came to the Kansas State Historical Society with Miss Adams. She rests from her labors, but her works, seen in this Society, in all it is to- day, or all it may become tomorrow, will ever be to those who knew her a reminder of a most useful, faithful life. ----- The Executive Committee of the Kansas State Historical Society deplore the death of Miss Zu Adams, the librarian of the Society, as a public loss. She had been in the service of the state in her line of work for thirty.five years, and in addition to an unbroken record of duty faithfully, conscientiously and most intelligently performed, she had accumulated an experience and knowledge, always in demand, but gone with her, beyond the power of words to measure. Her work was the love of her life, and her associates bear witness that her zeal shortened her days. She was a frail woman, of exceeding modesty, and while there are hosts of Kansas people who know of and have enjoyed her services, she will be known to scholars and students, for all the time that Kansas history will endure, for her patient, painstaking labor as a librarian, a collector of historical material, and for cautious and accurate work on the publications of the Society. Resolved, That the secretary is hereby ordered to secure an oil painting of Miss Adams, to be added to the collections of the Society, and that the sum of one hundred dollars is hereby appropriated out of the membership- ee [sic] fund to pay for the same. W. R. STUBBS J. G. SLONECKER. H. E. VALENTINE. P. I. BONEBRAKE. CLAD HAMILTON.