Name/Title
Beshears, Rufus P., D.D.S: Dental Practice Miscellaneous Documents File FolderEntry/Object ID
AM2018.8.42Scope and Content
Beshears, Rufus P., D.D.S: Dental Practice Miscellaneous Documents. File folder containing various papers, news clips, desk blotters, dental news letters, listed below related to his dental practice at 411½ Francis St. in St. Joseph, where he practiced for over 50 years.
Dr. Beshears (1888-1961) was a local black dentist with offices at 411½ Francis St., St. Joseph, MO. He served as a dentist during World War I and in his post-war practice served as contract dentist for the Veterans Administration. A widower, he married Kelsy Beshears, a noted female black activist, who became important in St. Joseph's struggle for civil right.
He was a leader in the black community and a Director of Laurence Jones' Piney Woods Country Life School in Mississippi.
Includes:
----Desk Blotters (10), "For the Desk of Dr. R.P. Beshears" from Credit Bureau of St. Joseph, Kirkpatrick Building. Hillbilly cartoon scenes at top of each.
----Newsletters (2), Prosthetic Service News, Strategy in Handling Patients, Parts 2 & 3., Feb/Mar, 1951
----News Clippings, National Dental Association Auxiliary news photos, undated, newspaper not identified.
----News Clipping, Dentists Make Good Will Tour to Caribbean, news photo. Participants not identified. undated, newspaper not identified. '
----Hand written dental school notes on lined school paper. Topic is heart sound, Physiology, dated Jan. 21, '07. Poor condition, dirty, fragile, separating at folds.Lexicon
Search Terms
Francis Street, 411½, Beshears Family, Black History in St. Joseph, Black Dentists, Francis StreetRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Rufus P. Beshears
