This collection contains 7 letters that Private Jacob Klein wrote to his cousin, Charles F. ("Carl") Meitzler of Strasburg, Ohio, while serving in the United States Army's 17th Infantry Regiment in the Philippines in 1901.
Klein's letters, each around 4 pages long, concern aspects of life in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War. In his second letter, he described his trip to the Philippines via the Atlantic Ocean, Suez Canal, and Indian Ocean (April 18, 1901). He often commented on local scenery and weather, particularly in his letter dated June 9, 1901. He wrote a detailed letter about Filipino customs and daily life in response to Meitzler's request that Klein's letters be published in an Ohio newspaper (July 7, 1901). In more personal letters, Klein sometimes provided his opinions about Filipinos. Though Klein often wrote of his everyday experiences, he also discussed the status of military operations, including news of recent engagements, updates on the progress of the war, and stories of Filipinos hanged for criminal activity.
Jacob Klein, a native of Baltic, Ohio, was born around 1875. He enlisted in the United States Army in September 1900, and served in the Philippines with Company F of the 17th Infantry Regiment. He was stationed in Dagupan, San Carlos, and Manila.
Charles F. ("Carl") Meitzler, Klein's cousin, was born in Baltic, Ohio, on December 17, 1871, the son of Louis Meitzler and Mary Miller. He worked as a store clerk and enamel worker in Strasburg and West Lafayette, Ohio. On May 26, 1903, he married Myrtra E. Leas. Charles F. Meitzler died on January 14, 1950.
