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

This collection consists primarily of outgoing correspondence written by David C. Cottrell of the American Expeditionary Forces while he served in France during the First World War. He wrote most letters to his sweetheart, Ethel M. Jury of Stockton, California, and discussed the weather and local scenery, life in the army, and other aspects of his experiences overseas.

This collection consists primarily of correspondence written by David C. ("Dave") Cottrell of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during the First World War. The majority of the letters are addressed to his sweetheart, Ethel M. Jury of Stockton, California, with a handful addressed to her mother, Annis. Most of the letters are numbered, and Cottrell wrote almost weekly between October 11, 1917, and April 13, 1918, the week of his death. He noted his intention to write every Sunday, as that was the only day on which the soldiers regularly had leisure time. His letters focus on his daily life in France and include descriptions of the rainy weather, scenery, and townspeople. He also frequently commented on the mail service between soldiers and their correspondents in United States and on the slow speed of transatlantic mail steamers, which occasionally caused letters to arrive out of order. Though he was aware of censorship, he nevertheless described life in the army and commented about soldiers' attitudes on a range of topics, including a generally negative opinion of the YMCA (November 9, 1917). He also frequently wrote about dogs and news received from Ethel, who mentioned her siblings and mutual friends; the later letters reflect a temporary rift in the couple's relationship, apparently mended by early April. Cottrell's letters to Ethel's mother have similar content, with an increased focus on some of her English acquaintances, who also corresponded with Cottrell during the war. Ed B. Hall of Company D, "319th Engineers," wrote the final letter (September 1, 1918) to Annis Jury; he mentioned his recent quarantine and desire to visit Stockton on a furlough.

The non-correspondence items are three newspaper clippings related to potential German propaganda in Stockton's libraries, to conditions at Camp Kearney, and to the death of David C. Cottrell, as well as several pressed flowers, all but two of which are attached to letters.

This collection holds the family and business papers of George Croghan, a hero in the War of 1812 and the inspector general of New Orleans from 1825-1845.

The Correspondence series holds the family and business papers of George Croghan. The earliest item is a brief letter from Christopher Clark to Francis Meriwether, May 26, 1794, regarding land. The items from 1814 to 1840 are primarily official missives to Croghan, when he served in military and governmental capacities as a major, postmaster, and inspector general. These concern enlistments, operational expenses, and debts. Beginning in 1837, many of the letters are addressed to George's brother, Dr. John Croghan, including 27 letters written by George. Another personal item is a brief letter from Croghan to his mother, dated 1837.

The Documents and Financial records series consists primarily of Croghan family land purchases and transactions in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. An item from May 28, 1817, contains a small map of a plot of Kentucky land being sold. Other documents include receipts for baggage transportation; an account for the income and expenses of the New Orleans Post office, dated 1825; and a number of debtors’ notes and bank receipts that document his money problems from 1825 until his death.

The Printed Material series contains three items: a memorial pamphlet printed by Croghan Bank, Fremont, Ohio, honoring Colonel Croghan for his heroism at Fort Stevens, with a portrait of Croghan as a young man; an informational circular, addressed to Dr. John Croghan (1846), from Lyman C. Draper, advertising his book, Lives of the Pioneers, a biography of prominent pioneers of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the western borders of Pennsylvania, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia; and a brief from the Edmonson Circuit Court on George Croghan's petition for the removal of Nicholson and others as trustees of the Mammoth Cave estate, 1902.

The Crossman papers contain correspondence between Ferdinand Crossman, Union solder, and his wife, Adelaide, between 1862 and 1864. The letters describe army life, fighting, military duties, pay, food, clothes, health, and personal news. Adelaide also received letters from her sister and friends that concern family life in Massachusetts.

The Crossman papers are comprised of 95 letters and 4 tax documents.

The Correspondence series contains approximately 60 letters from Ferdinand while he was in the army, from 1862-1864. In his letters, Ferdinand inquired about Adelaide's day-to-day activities, and described his own in the army. Many letters mentioned their children, though not by name. He wrote about army life, fighting, military duties, pay, food, clothes, health, and personal news. In a letter dated May 15, 1863, Ferdinand refuted inaccurate news from Adelaide that the Union Army had taken Richmond. In one of his final letters, that of April 18, 1864, Crossman wrote that he sensed a major battle brewing and predicted that he might not make it home again, and that Adelaide should do her best to get on with her life, if he should die. Crossman would die of disease on August 9, 1864, at the Andersonville, Georgia, prison.

The rest of the letters are to Adelaide from her sister and friends. These concern daily life in Massachusetts, as well as family and personal news such as marriage, children, health, and death.

The Receipts and Tax Document series contains a 1859 tax record and three receipts for subscriptions to the True Flag weekly newspaper.

This collection contains 77 letters that members of the Disosway and Wilkins families of New York, Maryland, and Virginia wrote and received between 1861 and 1864. Correspondents include several Union soldiers who wrote about their military experiences, women who commented on wartime life in Maryland and Virginia, and southern sympathizers.

This collection contains 77 letters that members of the Disosway and Wilkins families of New York, Maryland, and Virginia wrote and received between 1861 and 1864. Correspondents include several Union soldiers who wrote about their military experiences, women who commented on wartime life in Maryland and Virginia, and southern sympathizers. The collection also includes 2 reflections on the death of William W. Disosway and the lyrics to a military song.

The bulk of the Correspondence series is made up of letters that Annie R. Disosway received from her brother, First Lieutenant William Wilkins Disosway of the 1st New York Cavalry Regiment and 1st New York Mounted Rifles; from a friend, Captain Richard H. Lee of the 1st New York Cavalry Regiment and 16th Independent Battery of the New York Light Artillery; and from several aunts and cousins living in Baltimore, Maryland, and in Virginia. In his 16 letters (13 to Annie R. Disosway and 3 to Eliza Disosway), William Disosway described camp life, particularly at Camp Kearney, Virginia, and related his experiences in the army; he occasionally mentioned participating in skirmishes or other actions in southern Virginia, such as the Union Army's move into Yorktown, Virginia (May 6, 1862), an action at Blackwater, Virginia (December 14, 1862), and "Spear's Raid" (August 4, 1863). On March 30, 1863, he mentioned his intent to join the French invasion of Mexico.

Richard Lee's 8 letters concern similar military topics and details about camp life, including his vow to remain temperate while in the Army (September 29, 1861). Lee enclosed a carte-de-visite portrait in one letter (August 14, 1862). Another Union soldier, Russell P. Forkey, wrote 2 letters in late 1861; in one, he mentioned the case of a fellow soldier charged with an intention to defect (December 22, 1861).

Most civilians' letters pertain to the impact of the war on daily life, particularly in Maryland and Virginia, where several members of the Wilkins family lived. Annie and Eliza Disosway also received letters from Annie's aunts, Achsa and Louise, and from Annie's cousin Rebecca C. ("Beck") Davis, a Southern sympathizer. In addition to providing family news, the women discussed the impact of the fighting on local churches, noted their personal interactions with the armies, and shared their opinions on the war. Davis described an encounter with Burnside's army and reported the soldiers' apparent dissatisfaction with military life (September 25, 1862), and others mentioned Baltimore's struggles under martial law. Other letters refer to Fort Sumter (April 11, 1861) and to Union supporters living among Confederate supporters in Virginia (October 27, 1862).

The Disosway family also received approximately 20 condolence letters following William Wilkins Disosway's death, including Captain L. W. Bates's description of the man who shot Wilkins (November 11, 1863) and a letter from Isabella Hurry, who enclosed a newspaper obituary (December 17, 1863). The collection also contains a letter from congressmen Harrison Gray Otis Blake, Benjamin Franklin Wade, and John Hutchins, asking President Abraham Lincoln to appoint Reverend J. W. McFarland of Wooster, Ohio, as a chaplain for contrabands at Port Royal (April 24, 1862).

The Writings series includes 2 reflections and resolutions respecting the death of William W. Disosway: 1 by Annie R. Disosway, offering sympathy and forgiveness for her brother's killer, and 1 by officers of the First Regiment Mounted Rifles, New York. The series also contains manuscript lyrics to "Punch 'em in the Eye," a song of the 45th Regulators.

The Dorothy Andrew letters consist of 16 letters addressed to her by five of her nephews during their military service in the European and Pacific theaters during the last year of the Second World War.

The Dorothy Andrew letters consist of 16 letters addressed to her by five of her nephews during their military service in the Second World War. Her nephew Francis Earl Smith, a frequent correspondent, reported on his life in Belgium and England in 1944 and 1945. His letters reflect an interest in local currency; when he was in Belgium, he enclosed two local coins in a letter; one was Belgian money and the other was German invasion money (January 12, 1944). In the same letter, he remarked that even though he saw only a "fraction of what is happening," he found no glory in war. In England during the June 1944 "invasion of Hitler's Fortress [Europe]" (June 9, 1944), he expressed his hopes for a quick end to the war and, later, told her of his life in Germany in the early days of the occupation (August 14, 1945). He shared his fear of the atomic bomb following the conclusion of the war in the Pacific: "That new bomb makes one realize how quickly this world could be destroyed. Let's hope they put it to good use instead of destructive power for another war." (Germany, August 14, 1945)

Dorothy's other nephews related similar aspects of military life, including a dislike of the tedium of the army. Richard frequently complained of the swamps near the air base in Alexandria, Virginia, and Dale K. Smith mentioned the weather in the central Pacific. Several of the letters referred to another relation, Dewey; Dale encouraged him to stay out of the army, but Robert (Bob) wanted to know, "what the hell are you waiting for?" (March 23, 1945). Bob described his impression of Indians' opinions of America in his December 1944 letter, written from "somewhere in India," and in a later letter enclosed Chinese money and Japanese invasion money as souvenirs (March 23, 1945).

This collection contains 27 letters and 1 postcard that Private Earl H. Hobson wrote to his wife Maybell while serving at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, and in France during World War I, as well as 1 letter that he wrote to his mother-in-law, Harriet A. Kingsley. In addition to describing his experiences while working behind the front with the 301st Ammunition Train, he reacted to news of his wife's pregnancy and shared his excitement about fatherhood.

This collection contains 27 letters and 1 postcard that Private Earl H. Hobson wrote to his wife Maybell while serving at Camp Devens, Massachusetts, and in France during World War I, as well as 1 letter that he wrote to his mother-in-law, Harriet A. Kingsley. In addition to describing his experiences while working behind the front with the 301st Ammunition Train, he reacted to news of his wife's pregnancy and shared his excitement about fatherhood.

Hobson wrote his first letter on illustrated stationery from Camp Devens, Massachusetts, shortly before embarking for France in July 1918, and sent Maybell a printed form postcard announcing his safe arrival in mid-August. He composed his remaining letters while serving with the 301st Ammunition Train near Montrichard, France, between August and December 1918, and while working for a classification camp in Saint-Aignan-des-Noyers between December 1918 and February 1919. He commented on aspects of military life in France, including his visits to the Y.M.C.A. He also described the scenery, weather, and some of the differences between life in France and in the United States. After the armistice, he shared his disappointment that he had not been sent to the front before the end of the war.

In September 1918, Hobson received news that Maybell was pregnant, and many of his later letters reflect his thoughts about fatherhood. He expressed his joy about the prospect of becoming a father and the ways the news affected him. After receiving a letter from his mother-in-law that Maybell had lost the baby in early 1919, he attempted to provide consolation and support (February 27, 1919). Hobson transferred to a classification camp by 1919, one of the last stops for American soldiers leaving France for the United States. He discussed aspects of the discharge process and expressed hopes that he would be returning home soon.

This collection is made up of letters that Private First Class Earl Seitzinger wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army's 8th Infantry Regiment in El Paso, Texas, from July 1916-January 1917. He wrote about border tensions between the United States and Mexico, military activities at Camp Stewart, and leisure activities.

This collection is primarily made up of 28 letters that Private First Class Earl Seitzinger wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army's 8th Infantry Regiment in El Paso, Texas, from July 21, 1916-January 6, 1917. The remaining items are a photographic portrait of an unidentified soldier, housed in a folded paper frame, and a real photo postcard showing bodies being burned on a Veracruz street.

Seitzinger wrote most frequently about his daily experiences in Texas, including military and leisure activities. The soldiers drilled, built roads, and went on hikes, such as a 4-day trek that Seitzinger described in his letter of September 29, 1916. He occasionally commented on political tensions between the United States and Mexico, reporting on exchanges of fire and his belief that the United States soldiers could easily overpower Mexican troops. Seitzinger enjoyed the warm weather and considered the possibility of moving west permanently to work on a railroad, though he intended to return to Pennsylvania to be near his mother. He and other soldiers frequently encountered rattlesnakes and other Texas wildlife. Seitzinger's letter of January 1, 1917, regards New Year's celebrations at Fort Bliss, which included firing the fort's guns. Some of the letters were written on stationery from the Young Men's Christian Association; one was written on the back of a printed advertisement for El Paso.

This collection contains 19 letters written to Margaret Cronin of Queens, New York, by her husband and brother while they served in the United States Army during the Second World War, and one letter to Mark Cronin from Private Murray R. Baxley. Ed Cronin, Margaret's husband, wrote 17 letters, in which he described his loneliness while in training at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, and his court martial and punishment for an unspecified act. The other soldiers wrote of life in England and in the Bronx Area Station Hospital.

This collection contains 19 letters written to Margaret Cronin of Queens, New York, by her husband and brother while they served in the United States Army during the Second World War, and one letter to Mark Cronin from Private Murray R. Baxley. Margaret's husband Ed wrote 17 letters to her between September 25, 1943, and February 24, 1944, while stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina; there, he served with a medical supply unit and, after October 1943, the 74th General Hospital. He described his life on the military base and mentioned specific books he had read, movies he had watched, and radio programs he had heard, which included a show presented by Bob Hope (September 22, 1943). More frequently, he discussed his listlessness and loneliness, and expressed his love for his wife and newborn daughter, Patricia, who lived in Long Island City, Queens. In later letters, he also voiced his concern for his mother's health, especially her recently revealed heart condition. In February 1944, two letters concern his time spent in a "stockade" for an unnamed offense, as well as the resulting court martial, punishment (a 60-day restriction and $18 fine), and repentance (February 11, 1944 and February 18, 1944). In his final letters, Ed complained of increased censorship and mentioned his unit's recent move to a classified location.

The collection also holds two letters written to Margaret by her brother Richard, who served "somewhere in England" during the late summer and early fall of 1943. On August 6, 1943, he mentioned his newly born daughter, Anne Marie (b. June 28, 1943), and described some sightseeing done in London. In his letter of September 14, 1943, Richard shared his longing to return to Astoria, Queens, as well as his reactions to recent family news, particularly to their mother's employment and to a recent proliferation of nieces and nephews. Private Murray R. Baxley wrote to "Miss Mark Cronin" on October 19, 1944, while recovering from malaria in the Bronx Area Station Hospital. He retracted his earlier declaration of love for a woman in Worcester, and requested a future meeting with Mark.

This collection is made up of letters that Private First Class Edgar Denton of La Grande, Oregon, wrote to his friends Frank and Murdle Smith while serving with the United States Army during World War II. Denton discussed his enthusiasm for rifle and machine gun training and concern for his wife and children.

This collection is made up of 4 letters that Private First Class Edgar Denton wrote to his friends Frank and Murdle Smith of Summerville, Oregon, while serving with the United States Army during World War II. He wrote his first two letters from Camp Hood, Texas, and Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, while training for combat and awaiting deployment to Europe. He discussed his enthusiasm for rifle and machine gun training, commented on his correspondence with his wife Peggy, and requested news of mutual acquaintances in Oregon. Writing from Europe in late 1944 and early 1945, Denton expressed his belief that the war would soon end and referred to his hospitalization in England after suffering wounds in the hip and back.

This collection is made up of letters that brothers Edward K. Burdette, Jr. ("Ken"), and Huddleston York Burdette ("York") wrote to their parents during their service in the United States military during World War II. Ken served in the army and York served in the coast guard. Each wrote primarily about their everyday experiences and upcoming assignments.

This collection is made up of letters that brothers Edward K. Burdette, Jr. ("Ken"), and Huddleston York Burdette ("York") wrote to their parents during their service in the United States military during World War II. Ken served in the army and York served in the coast guard. Each wrote primarily about their everyday experiences and upcoming assignments.

Ken Burdette wrote the first 5 letters ([June 2, 1942]-August 2, 1943), often commenting on his various instructional assignments and personal news. In his first letter, he asked his father for an opinion on his girlfriend Mary, whom he later married. After his wedding, he occasionally referred to domestic affairs, such as the couple's search for housing near Washington, D.C., and the high cost of living there (September 11, 1942). He also mentioned Mary's sightseeing in New York City (August 2, 1943). In one later letter, which encloses a memorandum with a religious joke, he discussed an upcoming cross-country train trip from San Francisco to Augusta, Georgia (January 25, 1945).

York Burdette wrote 7 letters to his parents from [September 13, 1945]-[October 29, 1945], primarily about life in the coast guard, his friends, and finances. He trained at the United States Coast Guard Training Station in St. Augustine, Florida, and served near New Orleans, Louisiana, and Pensacola, Florida. While in Louisiana, he often took leave in New Orleans, though he found it difficult to enjoy the city on a limited budget ([November 13, 1943]). In his final letter, he wrote of the various ships in port for the Navy Day celebrations.