Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection is made up of correspondence related to Stephen M. Klima and his wife, Mary Samut Klima. Stephen Klima reported on his experiences with the United States Army's 16th Infantry Regiment at various camps in the United States and in North Africa. Mary Klima continued to write letters to her husband after he was reported killed in action in April 1943, and many items pertain to her bereavement and widow's allowances.

This collection is made up of the World War II-era correspondence of Stephen M. Klima and his wife, Mary Samut Klima. Stephen Klima reported on his experiences with the United States Army's 16th Infantry Regiment at camps in the United States and in North Africa. Mary Klima continued to write letters to her husband after he was reported killed in action in April 1943, and many items pertain to her bereavement and widow's allowances.

The Personal Correspondence series (approximately 1.75 linear feet) comprises the bulk of the collection. The majority is personal letters to and between Mary Samut and Stephen Klima (January 26, 1939-January 7, 1952). Items include manuscript and typed letters, telegrams, V-mail, and picture postcards.

The earliest letters are incoming correspondence to Mary Samut from several acquaintances and, after July 1940, from Stephen Klima, her friend, fiancé, and husband. He wrote about his work with the Civilian Conservation Corps in Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon until January 1941, when he enlisted in the United States Army. Klima, who served with Company F of the 16th Infantry Regiment for his entire military career, described his experiences at Fort Wadsworth, New York; Fort Devens, Massachusetts; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Camp Blanding, Florida; Fort Benning, Georgia; Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania; and in England and North Africa. He commented on their romantic relationship, his feelings about being separated from his wife and young son, training and military life, travel, and local people (particularly in England). He repeatedly encouraged Mary not to worry about him. His final letter is dated March 15, 1943; he was reported missing in action a short time later.

From March 3, 1943-February 12, 1944, Mary Klima continued to write to her husband. Though she acknowledged that he had been formally reported dead, she believed that he would one day receive her letters and write back. She provided updates about their son, discussed her religious and social activities, and shared her hope for her husband's return. The envelopes from this period have stamps from military post offices indicating that Klima had been reported as killed in action.

Mary Samut Klima received letters from friends and family members throughout and after the war. Joan O'Hara (later Nelson), one of Mary's most frequent and consistent correspondents, wrote about her life in New York, California, and Pennsylvania. Her letters from the late 1940s and early 1950s largely pertain to her family life and her daughter Linda. Klima's other correspondents included military personnel, such as John C. Kulman (Company G, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines), Michael Desko (Company B, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment), and Donald J. Crocker (Naval Air Technical Training Center, Chicago, Illinois). These men reported on their experiences in the military and usually signed their letters affectionately; Desko wished her luck in her romantic endeavors. Mary's brother Edward ("Eddie") wrote about his training with Company B of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 1946. Enclosures include photographs and a matchbook (July 26, 1944).

The Military Correspondence series (approximately 0.25 linear feet) consists of typed and manuscript letters that Mary Klima received from organizations including the United States War Department, United States Army Finance Office, American Red Cross, American Legion, and Army Relief Society. Many items are responses to Mary's repeated requests for information about her husband, who was reported missing in action in late March 1943 and killed in action in April 1943. Other materials concern her pension and her husband's medals.

The Ephemera and Printed Items series (approximately 0.25 linear feet) is primarily comprised of greeting cards for Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and other occasions. Other items include a newspaper clipping with a humorous essay about World War I army service, Mary's manuscript notes begging for censors to let it pass through the mail, an advertisement and order form for a history of the United States Army's 1st Division, and a humorous permit allowing Stephen Klima to associate freely with both men and women.

This collection consists of 17 letters Marinus Heyboer wrote to his brother Harry while training with the United States Army's 308th Field Artillery Regiment and 310th Field Hospital at Camp Dix, New Jersey, between February and April 1918. Heyboer discussed his training exercises, food, and other aspects of military life, in addition to responding to news of Harry's wife and young child.

This collection consists of 17 letters Marinus Heyboer wrote to his brother Harry while training with the United States Army's 308th Field Artillery Regiment and 310th Field Hospital at Camp Dix, New Jersey, between February and April 1918. Heyboer discussed his training exercises, food, and other aspects of military life, in addition to responding to news of Harry's wife and young child.

Marinus composed 7 dated letters at Camp Dix between February 23, 1918, and late April 1918, as well as 10 undated letters covering the period between his arrival at Camp Dix and his departure for Europe. After initially joining Battery B of the 308th Field Artillery Regiment, Heyboer began medical training with the 310th Field Hospital. He told Harry about several training exercises, such as drilling, attending lectures, practicing with field guns, and experiencing gas in the "gas chambers." He also commented on his experiences with horses, which included cleaning up after the animals and witnessing a fatal accident. Heyboer frequently responded to news of his parents and inquired about Harry's wife and baby, Marie and Harry Jr. In one letter, he described two African American regiments that were also training at Camp Dix (March 16, 1918).

The Lippincott family carte-de-visite albums contain formal carte-de-visite portraits of members of the Lippincott, Thorne, and Taylor families of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, many in the traditional dress of Quakers. Two photographs show men in military uniform.

The two Lippincott family carte-de-visite albums (both 14cm x 11cm) contain portraits of members of the Lippincott, Thorne, and Taylor families of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Volume 1 has 18 cartes-de-visite and 1 tintype, and Volume 2 has 24 cartes-de-visite and 1 lithographic card. Most photographs are formal studio portraits taken by Philadelphia photographers of men, women, children and elderly women. Many are in the traditional dress of Quakers. Civil War soldiers Joshua and Powell Thorne appear in military uniforms. Several photos have revenue tax stamps. A portrait of activist Lucretia Mott by H.C. Phillips is included. Each of the volumes has a brown leather cover decorated with geometric designs. Both albums had two metal clasps; the first is missing one of two clasps and the second has both clasps intact.

This collection is made up of letters and postcards that Second Lieutenant Lewis Douglas Lacy, a master engineer, wrote to his family while serving in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. Lacy was deployed to France around July 1917. He wrote regular letters about his experiences overseas, which included service at the front lines and at the army's general headquarters.

This collection contains about 100 letters and postcards that Second Lieutenant Lewis Douglas Lacy, a master engineer, wrote to his family while serving in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. Lacy was deployed to France around July 1917. He wrote regular letters about his experiences overseas, which included service on the front line and at the army's general headquarters.

The Correspondence series is comprised of Lewis Lacy's letters to his mother and sister, who lived in Webster Groves, Missouri. His first letters describe his experiences traveling through Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., and traveling overseas to England in the summer of 1917. While stationed in England in early August, Lacy participated in a large parade in London (August 15, 1917). After his arrival in France, he described the country, complained about censorship restrictions, and discussed his experiences, including service on the front line in November and December 1917. While at the front, he mentioned a recent successful push by the Allied military forces, and shared his pleasure at having helped capture German positions. In early 1918, Lacy was transferred to general headquarters, and he was promoted to second lieutenant in July 1918; his mother received a formal notice of the promotion (July 10, 1918). After the armistice in November 1918, Lacy wrote about life in Neufchâteau, France, where he was stationed until around April 1919. He then traveled to Brest, where he wrote his last letter on March 23, 1919. The final item is a letter that a soldier named "Bob" wrote to Lewis Lacy from Walter Reed Hospital on June 9, 1919, providing news of mutual military acquaintances.

The collection's Printed Items include a card encouraging French victory loans, German and French currency (2 bills), and a copy of the Windy City Echo, the 13th Engineers Regiment's newspaper (December 13, 1918).

This collection is made up of typescripts and copies related to Lewis C. Mead's service in the 22nd Michigan Infantry Regiment, Company I, during the Civil War, including his time as a prisoner of war. He wrote letters home while serving in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, and during his imprisonment in Libby Prison and other Confederate prisoner-of-war camps.

This volume (177 pages) contains typescripts and copies related to Lewis C. Mead's service in the 22nd Michigan Infantry Regiment, Company I, during the Civil War. The collection includes an introduction by Mead's youngest daughter.

Pages 1-148 largely consist of letters that Mead wrote to his parents and sister during his military service. He described camp life, marches, and scenery in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia (particularly in and around Lexington, where the regiment was stationed for much of the winter of 1862-1863). He mentioned Lexington's African American population, his African-American servant in Nashville (shared with his tent mates), promotions and officer elections within his company and regiment, executions of deserters, and a skirmish with Confederate forces. From October 1863 to November 1864, he wrote from Libby Prison and other Confederate prisoner-of-war camps. Mead discussed his health and his possible release or exchange. By the time he resumed his correspondence in March 1865, he had returned to the regiment. He remained with the unit until at least May 1865.

A small number of letters by other writers include an early order by J. W. Trueman authorizing Mead to raise a company for a regiment of lancers (October 3, 1861) and several written to the Mead family during the war. E. S. Woodman, an acquaintance, and other soldiers provided news about Lewis C. Mead's capture and imprisonment in October 1864. Postwar correspondence includes family letters and a letter from H. S. Dean to Lewis C. Mead regarding a visit to the Chickamauga battlefield by Michigan veterans (October 25, 1893).

The letters are followed by Mead's ca. 1886 reminiscences of his Civil War service, including his experiences during the Battle of Chickamauga and his subsequent imprisonment (pp. 149-164); a speech by Mead about the 22nd Michigan Infantry Regiment's Civil War service (pp. 165-172); and additional reminiscences written after a 50th anniversary visit to the Chickamauga battlefield, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and other locations related to Mead's wartime experiences (pp. 173-177).

The volume contains a photocopy of a newspaper obituary for Lewis C. Mead, published in The Daily Press. Photocopied photographs include Lewis C. Mead around the time of his enlistment and as an older adult; "Johnny Clem," a 12-year-old soldier who was embedded with Mead's regiment (pictured in uniform holding a gun); James Arthur Gallery wearing Mead's dress uniform; and Owen Carlisle Frost in a World War I-era army uniform.

A typescript copy of a letter by William Hayden Smith regarding his experiences with the 1st Michigan Infantry Regiment around the time of Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox is pasted into the volume's back cover (April 9, 1865).

This collection is made up of correspondence, legal and financial documents, and other items concerning several generations of the Lee family of New York and New Jersey from the early 18th century to the late 19th century.

This collection is made up of correspondence, legal and financial documents, and other items concerning several generations of the Lee family of New York and New Jersey from the early 18th century to the late 19th century.

The earliest items (1701-1840) largely consist of legal and financial documents, receipts, accounts, and other financial records related to Thomas Lee, his nephew Thomas (ca. 1728-1804), his grandnephew William (1763-1839), and, to a lesser extent, other members of the Lee family. Many pertain to land ownership in New York and New Jersey. Some legal documents, such as Thomas Lee's will (May 16, 1767), concern decedents' estates. In the 1820s and 1830s, the Lee siblings, including Henry, William, Cyrus, and Phebe, began writing personal letters to one another. Cyrus Lee and his wife Emily Fisher received letters from her mother, E. Fisher of Humphreysville, Connecticut. One letter contains teacher Samuel Squier's response to accusations of drunkenness and inappropriate behavior (February 25, 1774). Additional early materials include a contract related to the establishment of a singing school in Boston, Massachusetts (ca. 1745), medicinal recipes (October 31, 1789), poetry (undated), articles of apprenticeship (February 25, 1796), a daybook reflecting construction costs for a school house in Littleton, New Jersey (October 2, 1797-May 1, 1799), records of William and Isaac Lee's labor at a forge (September 5, 1809-October 24, 1914), and a manuscript copy of an act to incorporate part of Derby, Connecticut, as Humphreysville (May [4], 1836).

After 1840, the bulk of the collection is made up of personal letters between members of the Lee family. Incoming correspondence to Cyrus and Emily Fisher Lee makes up the largest portion of these letters. Emily's mother wrote about life in Humphreysville, Connecticut, frequently discussing her health and that of other family members. Emily's sister Elizabeth discussed her travels in Indiana and Ohio and her life in Ogden, Indiana. After the mid-1850s, many of the letters pertain to Cyrus and Emily's son Robert. He received letters from his grandmother, aunt, and cousins. He sent letters to his sister Emily while he lived in Ogden, Indiana, in the late 1850s and early 1860s. A cousin, also named Emily, wrote to Robert about African-American and white churches in Princeton, New Jersey, and her work as a schoolteacher (February 15, 1858).

Robert Lee wrote one letter about camp life and his poor dental health while serving in the 3rd Indiana Cavalry Regiment (October 3, 1861), and Emily shared news of Littleton, New Jersey, while he was away. Cyrus's sister Phebe wrote to her brother's family during this period. After the war, Cyrus and Emily Fisher Lee continued to receive letters from Emily's mother and sister. Elizabeth Benjamin, living in Lecompton, Kansas, sent letters on January 22, 1871, and March 13, 1871, discussing the death of her son Theodore, who died of a gunshot wound. The final letters, dated as late as 1903, are addressed to Elizabeth M. Lee, likely Cyrus and Emily's daughter. Later items also include a calling cards and a lock of hair.

The collection includes five photographs of unidentified individuals, including cased tintypes of a man and a young child, each with an ornate oval matte and preserver, as well as a third similar tintype portrait of a young boy which no longer has a case. A photograph of a United States soldier is housed in a hard metal frame that includes a fold-out stand; the frame bears the insignia of the United States Army infantry. The final item is a photographic print of a man, woman, and young child posing beside a house.

The collection contains a group of 13 printed and ephemeral items, including sections of the New-Jersey Journal and Political Intelligencer (April 21, 1790), True Democratic Banner (October 9, 1850), and New York Sun (May 9, 1936). Other items of note are a colored drawing of a house (1861 or 1867), printed poems ("Napoleon Is Coming" and "The Lass of Richmond Hill," undated), a price list for the works of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Hungarian Fund bond, and an advertisement for men's shirts and shorts with attached fabric samples. Three additional items pertain to births, deaths, and marriages in the Lee family.

This collection contains 10 letters that Lee and Grace De Graff and their son, Lee De Graff, Jr., received from men serving in the United States Armed Forces during and just after the Second World War.

This collection contains 10 letters that Lee and Grace De Graff and their son, Lee De Graff, Jr., received from members of the United States Armed Forces during and just after the Second World War. The first items are a letter in which Private Frederick T. Davis commented on machine gun training at the Air Forces Technical School at Lowry Field, Colorado (January 2, 1942), and a letter from Staff Sergeant Buddy Montana, a relative of the De Graff family, about his busy schedule and his correspondence habits (January 27, 1944).

The De Graffs' nephew, sailor Hugh Brown ("Hughie"), wrote 5 letters while stationed on P.C. 494 and serving in the Philippines from June 1944-April 1946. He requested information about family members in New York and provided his impressions of the Philippines; in one letter to Lee De Graff, Jr., Brown described local women (June 9, 1945). In another letter, he commented on the recent success of the New York Yankees, whom he followed while recovering from tonsillitis in a Brooklyn hospital, enclosing 5 humorous (unrelated) cartoons (April 6, 1946). By the end of the war, Brown was stationed in Subic Bay, Luzon, and intended to return home and marry a woman named Peggy (undated).

Lee and Grace De Graff also received a letter and a Christmas card from Private William W. Kosboth of the 304th Medical Battalion, as well as a V-mail letter from William H. Whipple, who included a Christmas card from the 14th Air Force ([1945]). The final item is a typed speech by M. A. De Graff urging donations for the Second Red Cross War Fund (undated).

This scrapbook contains correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to the soldiers' canteen that Katharine G. Prest hosted at her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts, between June 1941 and August 1945.

This scrapbook contains around 120 pages of correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to the soldiers' canteen that Katharine G. Prest hosted at her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts, between June 1941 and August 1945.

Soldiers stationed throughout the United States and in both major theaters of war frequently wrote to Prest, expressing their gratitude for her hospitality and sometimes reporting on their experiences after leaving Massachusetts; soldiers' wives and mothers occasionally thanked Prest as well. Emily J. Nichols, who worked for the American Red Cross at Fort Devens, corresponded with Prest about upcoming events for wounded men. The servicemen sent manuscript letters, V-mail letters, postcards, and Christmas cards. Many of the postcards include cartoons and other illustrations, most frequently regarding military life. Snapshots and formal portraits show groups of young men and women relaxing at the Prests' home, often near the pool, and soldiers in uniform at various locations.

Prest collected newspaper clippings about her wartime activities and about the war, particularly related to soldiers' experiences in the European Theater. Some clippings include photographs of Prest. The scrapbook contains a small number of printed programs, song lyrics, insignia patches, and a pin from the 101st Cavalry Regiment. One page consists of several soldiers' drawings, including a caricature of Adolf Hitler with target values printed on various parts of his body. A colored illustration commemorating the 101st Cavalry Regiment and several portraits of unidentified individuals are drawn directly into the volume. Later items include awards and certificates of thanks that Prest received from various organizations (undated, WWII era), an award celebrating her commitment to fighting cancer (1951), and a birth announcement (written on a photograph) (January 25, 1954).

Two items pre-date United States involvement in the war: a 1930 group photograph of the "Lawyer's Club" (including William M. Preston), and a 1940 book entitled Yuletide in Many Lands.

The Julius Bromet papers are made up of letters, postcards, and a diary that Bromet wrote while serving with the 305th Field Hospital (later the 305th Ambulance Company) during World War I. In his letters to his parents and brother, Bromet described his experiences at Camp Upton, New York, and in France; his diary pertains to his time in France during and after the war. The collection has four photographs.

The Julius Bromet papers are contains 145 letters and postcards and a diary that Bromet wrote while serving with the 305th Field Hospital (later the 305th Ambulance Company) at Camp Upton, New York, and in France during and after World War I. The collection also has 4 photographs: 2 photographs attached to the letter of December 7, 1917, and 2 in a separate series.

The Correspondence series consists of 145 letters and from Julius Bromet to his parents, Solomon and Annie Bromet; his brother, Louis Bromet; and "Minnie and Baby;" all letters were sent to his father's home in Brooklyn, New York. From March 7, 1917, to March 14, 1917, and again from December 9, 1917, to April 2, 1918, he wrote from Camp Upton on Long Island, New York, about his training and equipment. He also related rumors of his unit's upcoming transfer to Europe. After a brief period with the 152nd Depot Brigade in December 1917, Bromet returned to the 305th Field Hospital, which traveled to France via England in April 1918. In one 10-page letter from April 1918, he described his transatlantic voyage.

After his arrival in France around April 21, 1918, Bromet wrote about aspects of life near the front, including his account of witnessing a German and French "aeroplane fight" (July 26, 1918), and reported rumors that an armistice was imminent. After the war, he was stationed near Chaumont and Solesmes, France, where he described the scenery and conveyed the pleasures of sleep unhindered by the sounds of airplane raids and machine guns (November 12, 1918), though he admitted having an eerie feeling about the silence (November 14, 1918). He left France in May 1919. Two photographs of a soldier are enclosed in his letter of December 5, 1918. Illustrated postcards of various French scenes; new recruits at Camp Upton, New York (4 items, December 4, 1917); and several uniformed soldiers (3 items, undated). Bromet's co-workers sent him a postcard wishing him a safe return from the war (December 7, 1917).

Julius S. Bromet kept a Diary (53 pages) between April 6, 1918, and May 7, 1919, during his service in France. In daily entries, he noted the weather and interesting occurrences, such as a burial at sea during the voyage to France (April 18, 1918) and a close encounter with falling shrapnel (May 9, 1918). He also witnessed occasional air raids and unfavorably compared U.S. Army quarters to British quarters. He wrote his final entry just after arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey, on May 7, 1919, and expected to be mustered out within the next two days; he wrote down "Thurs May 8" but did not complete the entry. The diary also contains addresses and a list of letters that Bromet mailed home.

The Photographs series includes a portrait of a soldier, which is housed in a frame with the word "Welcome," illustrations of American flags, and the date (May 10, 1919), and a picture of a man and three women in a domestic environment. Two additional photographs are attached to the letter of December 5, 1918.

This collection is made up of 4 items related to poet Joyce Kilmer and his poem "Trees," including its first printed appearance, a holograph manuscript of the poem, a partial musical setting by Oscar Rasbach, and a real photograph postcard portrait of Kilmer in uniform.

This collection is made up of 5 items related to Joyce Kilmer and his poem "Trees." Items include a holograph manuscript of the poem; an original copy of the magazine Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, in which the poem was first published; a partial manuscript musical setting of the poem signed by its composer, Oscar Rasbach, who set it to music in 1922; and a real photo postcard portrait of Kilmer. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.