Due to growing business around his trading post near the junction of the Little and Big Arkansas Rivers, Mead and others, including Governor Sam Crawford and Darius Munger, organized the Wichita Town Company. Two years later, Wichita was formally incorporated; Mead and other men, namely, N. A. English, William “Dutch Bill” Greiffenstein, and William “Buffalo Bill” Mathewson, were instrumental in filing plats for residential and business developments in the growing township.
Letters from James R. Mead to his family, January-December 1870
Correspondence from James R. Mead to his parents, Enoch and Mary E. Mead, and his sister Lizzie. Notable items include a letter to his parents (Jan. 6, 1870) regarding his claim in Wichita and his business arrangement with Mathewson at Fort Sill; a letter (Mar. 29, 1870) informing his parents that he has sold his trading post at White Water (Towanda) and that his main interests now are in Wichita.
Letters from James R. Mead to parents and to an associate, January-December 1871 and May 7, 1907
Correspondence from James R. Mead to his parents, Enoch and Mary E. Mead, and to L. B. Murdock. Of interest are Mead's letters concerning his dealings in Wichita property and the effort to bring the railroad to the town. Note: the Murdock letter is dated 1907, but does refer to Mead's association with Jesse Chisholm, William Greiffenstein, and others during the 1860s.
Biographical sketch of James R. Mead, 1888
Taken from book, Portrait and Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kansas, published by Chapman Brothers, Chicago.
Maps of Mead's and Hilton's Additions, n.d.
Manuscript map of Mead's Addition and printed map of Hilton's Addition, both in Wichita, Kansas
