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Harbison, Lewis D. (First World War correspondence)
2018.160.w.r
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Lewis D. Harbison First World War correspondence
Creator:
Harbison, Lewis Dwight , Private, 1889-1969
source:
Tobitt, Rebecca
Identifier/Call Number: 2018.160.w.r
Physical Description:
0.2 Linear feet
(2 folders)
Date (bulk): 1908 December 12 - 1924 January 24
Date (inclusive): 1890 - 1950
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from PFC Lewis D. Harbison, AEF during the First World War era. Also included are
photographs, photocopies with transcriptions, and one letter from the US Department of the Interior regarding Harbison's time
at the Grand Canyon.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWI 8
Container: 1-3
Container: 1-3
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Family of Lewis Dwight (Jack) Harbison, via Rebecca C. Tobitt.
This collection is arranged by material type and the correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Private First Class Lewis Dwight "Jack" Harbison, American Expeditionary Force (4/29/1889 - 5/4/1969) was born in Mountain
Home, Texas and was the youngest of five children. He was drafted in February 1918 and trained at Camp Cody in Deming, New
Mexico with Company D 133rd Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. He arrived overseas in England October 2, 1918 and stayed at
a rest camp until moving to France, transferring to Company L 164th Infantry, 41st Infantry Division, or the "Sunset" Division.
He returned home February 26, 1919 aboard the USS President Grant from Brest, France to New York and was stationed at Camp
Dix before being sent to a camp in the southwest to be discharged. His trip home was discussed as he enjoyed to ride with
music and women and boxing, as well as an adventure to save a distressed two-mast ship called the Polarbear that ran into
weather trouble.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Lewis D. Harbison First World War correspondence (2018.160.w.r), Center
for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains correspondence from PFC Lewis D. Harbison, AEF during the First World War era. Included in the correspondence
are letters and postcards. Also included in the collection are eight photographs of Harbison and his family from childhood
to adulthood, photocopies of postcards, transcriptions of the correspondence, a biographical note provided by the donor, and
one letter from the US Department of the Interior regarding Harbison's time at the Grand Canyon. Toward the end of the correspondence
there is one empty envelope.
Added 11/13/2018: photocopied Warranty of Deed documents from the a sale to the CO Bar Livestock Company by Lewis D. Harbison
and his wife Nellie on May 27, 1939. (courtesy of Northern Arizona University Special Collections, NAU.MS.296 John G. Babbitt
collection)
PFC Harbison wrote his correspondence while working on ranches in Noble, Oklahoma, Alanreed and Cautillo, Texas, and Flagstaff
Arizona for the Babbitt Brothers. He then was drafted into the AEF in February 1918 and wrote his letters to his mother and
father separately, often telling them different things regarding his activities in training. In April he explains that there
are "no cowboys in the country anymore," and that employers can swear that their business will take a loss to keep a man from
enlisting. After training, Harbison was deployed to England and France though he does not discuss the war in any detail, and
returned home in February 1919. The last two letters are from his time working ranches in Ash Fork, Arizona around Christmas
1923 to his sister Clara.
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1914-1918)
Correspondence -- World War, 1914-1918
World War (1914-1918) -- Photography
Photographs
Adventure travel
Travel photography -- 20th Century -- Pictorial Works.
United States. -- Army.
United States -- Army -- American Expeditionary Force.
Tobitt, Rebecca