Finding Aid for the Hepburn family Second World War correspondence 2017.194.w.r
Wynter Salazar
Center for American War Letters Archives
April 25, 2018
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Hepburn Family Wartime correspondence
Creator:
Hepburn, William, Sr.
Creator:
Hepburn, William, Jr.
source:
Hepburn, Robert
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.194.w.r
Physical Description:
.08 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1916 January 4 - 1942 September 24
Abstract: This collection contains a post card from William Hepburn Sr. during the First World War and a postcard and military documents
from PFC William Hepburn Jr. during the Second World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 7
Container: 15-16
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Robert D. Hepburn.
This collection is arranged chronologically by material type:
- Series 1, William Hepburn Sr. First World War postcards
- Series 2, William Hepburn Jr. Second World War papers
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Hepburn Family Wartime correspondence (2017.194.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 one postcard from William Hepburn Sr. during the First World War. Also in this collection is an unsent
postcard with the photo of Roy L. Nelson whose relation to Hepburn is unknown. This collection also contains a postcard and
military documents from Private First Class William Hepburn, Jr. during the Second World War.
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. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1914-1918)
Correspondence -- World War, 1914-1918
World War II
World War (1939-1945)
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Hepburn, Robert
box WWII 7, folder 1
Series 1, William Hepburn Sr. First World War postcards 1916 January 4
Physical Description: 0.08 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains two postcards. One postcard was written by William Hepburn, Sr. on January 4, 1916 to a woman named Jane
Ralph. Hepburn's relationship to Ralph is unknown. Hepburn was born in Elgin, Scotland in 1884 and emigrated to Canada at
an unknown date. He emigrated to the United States in 1923 and died in Galesburg, Illinois in 1964. The postcard features
a soldier with a letter in his hand and a woman in an oval on the right hand corner with the inscription, "Bringing my Love
My sweetheart just a card I post
To tell the girl I love the most
That I am thinking every day
Of you, just you, while I'm away"
In the postcard, Hepburn simply says that he has landed back, presumably England given the return address, and that he hopes
she recovered from New Years. The other postcard features a man by the name of Roy L. Nelson. The postcard is undated and
the person on the photograph to the left of Nelson is unknown. Nelson was born in Henderson, Illinois in 1895 and died in
Galesburg, Illinois in 1935. The nature of Nelson's and Hepburn's relationship is unknown but they could have known each other
given they both seemed to live in the same town.
box WWII 7, folder 2
Series 2, William Hepburn Jr. Second World War postcard 1942 September 24
Physical Description: 0.08 Linear feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
This series contains one postcard and military documents from PFC William Hepburn, Jr. during the Second World War. He was
born in Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada, March 6, 1921. He emigrated to the United States in 1923 and died in Galesburg, Illinois
on April 2, 1983. Hepburn was a truck driver and an Ammunition Handler during the war. The postcard, dated September 24, 1942,
features a cartoon image of soldiers firing field artillery pieces with the a soldier carrying a shell saying " Hey! Don't
shoot so many ---- My back is almost busted carrying these blankity things- D--!" In the postcard Hepburn simply tells his
parents that he was still going and he does not know when will stop but he thinks it will be soon. What he means by this statement
is unknown and the context is unknown. This series also contains photocopies of Hepburn's Separation qualification record,
Honorable discharge certificate, and Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge documents.