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Title: J. B. Girard Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1861-1918
Collection Number: mssGirard papers
Creator:
Girard, J. B. (Joseph Basil), 1846-1918.
Extent:
120 pieces in 2 boxes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains diaries, sketchbooks, military appointments, travel orders, and other
documents of J. B. Girard (1846-1918), a surgeon in the United States Army Medical Corps who served
at several different military posts, including Hawaii, between 1867 and 1910.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities.
The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the
researcher.
[Identification of item]. J. B. Girard Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Purchased from Jane Hemphill, Colonel Girard's granddaughter, January 1989.
Related Material
84 drawings and watercolors by J. B. Girard purchased with the collection are kept in the Virginia Steele Scott Gallery of
American Art at the Huntington.
Joseph Basil (J. B.) Girard (1846-1918) emigrated from France to the United States in 1861, at the
age of fifteen. In 1867 he graduated as a doctor of medicine from the University of
Michigan; in that same year he received an appointment to the United States Army Medical
Corps in which he served until his retirement in 1910 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel
and assistant surgeon general. He married Louise Oury in 1875; they had three children,
Agnes, Louise, and Laura. Girard was stationed at several army posts throughout his
military career. He served in Arizona, Wyoming, Missouri, Hawaii, Nebraska, Georgia, and
Washington State. He also served as Chief Surgeon for the Division of the Philippines
from 1904-1906 and for the Department of Texas from 1907-1910. He was a member of the
Scientific Society of San Antonio and the Arizona Pioneers Historical Society. He was
also a skilled amateur artist who produced many pencil sketches and watercolors
throughout his life. These sketches and paintings often included western landscapes and
scenes of army life at military posts. Girard's work also contains several sketches he
did while traveling through Europe. After retirement, J. B. Girard remained in San
Antonio where he died in 1918.
The collection includes Girard's diaries, certificates, military appointments, travel
orders, sketchbooks, photographs, passports and newspaper clippings. The sketchbooks
contain sketches of western landscapes and European landscapes. The photographs in the
collection are of J. B. Girard, his family, and family friends.
There are eight diaries in the collection, which span the years 1900-1907. The diaries
detail the Girard family and their day-to-day activities, including visits with friends
and the extensive traveling they did moving to and from military posts. The diaries also
give detailed accounts of Girard's military duties including inspections of hospitals at
several military posts in the mid-West. The diaries often discuss Girard's failing
health, his depression after his wife's death and his increasing unhappiness with his
life and his service in the U. S. Army. In the memoranda section in the last pages of the
1903-1907 diaries, there is information concerning bonds Girard purchased throughout the
years. These diaries also include several addresses of Girard's family members and
acquaintances.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Girard, J. B. (Joseph Basil), 1846-1918.
United States. Army -- Surgeons -- Archives.
United States. Army. Medical Corps -- History -- Sources.
Artists -- United States -- Archives.
Hawaii -- History -- 19th century -- Sources.
Certificates -- United States.
Diaries -- United States.
Military commissions -- United States.
Orders (military records) -- United States.
Photographs -- United States.
Sketchbooks -- United States.