David W. Davies Correspondence

Finding aid prepared by Gina C Giang.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Manuscripts Department

The Huntington Library

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2191

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Descriptive Summary

Title: David W. Davies Correspondence

Dates: 1919-1983

Bulk dates: 1938-1945

Collection Call Number: mssDavies correspondence

Creator: Davies, David W., 1908-1984

Extent: 14 boxes

Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2191

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Abstract: This collection primarily contains personal correspondence sent by David William Davies (1908-1984) to his wife, Thelma Davies, while working as a librarian and serving in the United States Army Corps during World War II.

Language of Material: The records are in English.

Administration Information

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Publication Rights

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.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], David W. Davies Correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Acquisition Information

The collection was a gift from Suzanne L. Dibbler, December 30, 2013.

Biography

David William Davies was born in 1908. He held three PhDs, (history, library science, and education). Before arriving at the Claremont Colleges as the first Head Librarian at Honnold Library, Davies was the former assistant librarian in the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. In August 1941 he was appointed as librarian at Utah State University, College of Agriculture.

On May 21, 1943, Davies joined the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Initially he was assigned as librarian at a technical library; however, the library closed on September 30, 1943. He was reassigned to a technical school at Chanute Field, Illinois for cryptography and graduated on October 23, 1943 as a cryptographer.

During his time in the Army, Davies was selected as the enlisted man in charge of the cryptographic section of a signal center. While overseas, he was stationed in England, France, and Germany. Davies accepted the position as Director of Libraries at the University of Vermont in September 1946. In 1948 Davies became the librarian at Claremont and director of the joint library activities of the four colleges. He passed away in 1984.

Scope and Content

The majority of the collection consists of personal letters sent by David William Davies to his wife, Thelma Davies, while working as a librarian and serving in the United States Army Corps during World War II from 1941 through 1947. Most of the letters were sent while Davies was serving in the military, which included his cryptographic preparation at Chanute Field Air Force Base, work at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and his deployment in Europe. The correspondence begins in December 1938 when Davies was an assistant librarian in the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. Much of the correspondence during this time concerns his wife's health; she was in a tuberculosis sanatorium in Altadena, California. Other common topics include work in the library, social life, and a project renovating a house. In August 1941 the correspondence begins in Logan, Utah where Davies was appointed as librarian at Utah State University, College of Agriculture. As an ambitious librarian, Davies "... made several proposals to the President and the Dean of Education for improving the curriculum in library science, but they do not want to do anything. Well if they do not want to do anything I guess it is all right on account it is their college" (August 21, 1941).

Davies was accepted for active military service on May 21, 1943. He was inducted at San Francisco Army Induction Station #2 and his reception center was in Monterey, California. After Monterey he moved to Kearns, Utah to a "rugged camp" where he "have never seen a such a bunch of hard guys" (May 31, 1943). The bulk of the correspondence during this time is related to military life and training. In regards to military life, Davies states, "This life is so easy it is hard to believe. No work tomorrow either - I shall read another book" (June 21, 1943).

Before being assigned to a training school, Davies was appointed as a librarian at the Intelligence Technical Information Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. He complains, "Well the worst has happened but I guess I will not commit suicide. Tomorrow I have to report to Post Intelligence to start their goddamn technical library" (June 27, 1943). Fortunately for Davies, the technical library closed on September 30, 1943 to become a basic training center.

In September 1943 Davies trained to become a cryptographer at Chanute Field Air Force Base in Chicago, Illinois. In November 1943 he was stationed for work at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Davies describes in one letter, "I am actually enjoying this bloody camp. Its informality is very appealing. We wear what we please and lead an easy life - comparatively" (September 15, 1943). Similar to his camp experience in Kearns, Utah, military life and training is a common topic during this time.

Davies deployed to Europe in January 1944 and arrived in England later that month. He later was stationed in France and Germany. Although Davies was not on the front lines, he did meet locals with their own stories about the war. "Last night I met a Pole who was in the Warsaw revolution. He says that there were 100,000 Poles in that revolution and that 88,000 were killed. He said the remaining 12,000 were taken prisoner and spent the rest of the time in concentration camps" (May 17, 1945). The bulk of the letters during this time describe military and social life among the Europeans. The United States Army censored some of the letters by cutting out certain words and sentences throughout the correspondence.

This collection also includes correspondence and manuscript drafts related to Davies' book Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press, Scott E. Haselton and his Abbey Garden Press, and Ralph Lloyd and the Lloyd Corporation. Ephemera (organized by genre) include brochures, pamphlets, drafts of catalog cards, invitations, programs, photographs, medals, periodicals, and a print from the United States of America Panama-Pacific International Exposition San Francisco.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically. There are a number of letters that appear to be dated incorrectly; they are arranged according to the cataloger's best judgment.

Indexing Terms

Personal Names

Brown, Charles Harvey, 1875-1960.

Browne, Clyde, 1872-1942.

Davies, David W., 1908-1984.

Franklin, Sidney, 1903-1976.

Haselton, Scott E. (Scott Edson), 1895-1991.

Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961 -- Appreciation.

Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961 -- Characters.

Corporate Names

Abbey Garden Press (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

American Legion.

Bancroft Library.

United States. Army -- African American troops -- Social conditions -- 20th century -- Sources.

United States. Army -- Military life -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.

University of California, Berkeley.

Utah State University. College of Agriculture.

Subjects

Collection development (Libraries)

Cryptography.

Forced labor.

Librarians -- Attitudes.

Librarians -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Correspondence -- Sources.

Military libraries -- United States.

Science and technology libraries.

Soldiers -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Correspondence -- Sources.

Strategy.

Tuberculosis.

World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, African American.

World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, American.

World War, 1939-1945 -- Prisoners and prisons.

World War, 1939-1945 -- Public opinion.

Geographic Areas

Berkeley (Calif.) -- Social life and customs.

Chanute Field (Ill.)

Fort Knox (Ky.)

France -- Description and travel.

France -- Social life and customs.

Kearns (Utah) -- Social life and customs.

Warsaw (Poland) -- History -- Uprising, 1944.

Genre

Correspondence United States 20th century.

Manuscripts United States 20th century.

Negatives United States 20th century.

Personal correspondence United States 20th century.

Photographs United States 20th century.

Correspondence

Box 1

California Historical Society - Davies, David W. (-1941 July)

Folder 1

California Historical Society 1 letter to Thelma Davies. (1941, February 14)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 1 letter to Thelma Davies. (1938, December 2)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 10 letters to Thelma Davies. (1940, July)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 7 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, April-May 19)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, May 24-31)

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 7 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, June 1-8)

Folder 7

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, June 9-19)

Folder 8

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, June 20-29)

Folder 9

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, July)

Box 2

Davies, David W. (1941 August-1942)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 15 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, August 1-12)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, August 13-25)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, September 3-13)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, September 15-29)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1941, October)

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1942, January)

Box 3

Davies, David W. (1943 May-July)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, May)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, June 1-8)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, June 9-18)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 10 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, June 19-30)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 7 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, July 1-8)

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 10 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, July 10-18)

Folder 7

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, July 19-31)

Box 4

Davies, David W. (1943 August-October 14)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, August 2-9)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, August 10-18)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, August 19-31)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, September 1-15)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, September 16-29)

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, October 1-14)

Box 5

Davies, David W. (1943 October 15-1944 January)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 15 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, October 15-31)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, November 14-21)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, November 22-30)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, December 1-16)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 15 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943, December 17-30)

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, January 1-15)

Folder 7

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 10 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, January 27-31)

Box 6

Davies, David W. (1944 February-May 14)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, February 1-13)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, February 14-29)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 25 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, March)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 17 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, April)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, May 3-14)

Box 7

Davies, David W. (1944 May 16-August 12)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, May 16-30)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 15 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, June)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, July 3-16)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, July 17-30)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, August 1-12)

Box 8

Davies, David W. (1944 August 14-October)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, August 14-31)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, September 1-14)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, September 15-30)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, October 1-14)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, October 15-31)

Box 9

Davies, David W. (1944 November-1945 January 13)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, November 1-15)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, November 16-29)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, December 1-13)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1944, December 14-31)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, January 1-13)

Box 10

Davies, David W. (1945 January 15-April 16)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, January 15-30)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, February 1-13)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 10 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, February 14-25)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 6 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, March 1-13)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, March 14-30)

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, April 1-16)

Box 11

Davies, David W. (1945 April 18-June)

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 11 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, April 18-30)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, May 2-11)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 13 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, May 15-30)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 7 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, June 1-8)

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 9 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, June 9-30)

Box 12

Davies, David W. (1945 July-) - Z and unidentified

Folder 1

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 8 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, July)

Folder 2

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 12 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, August)

Folder 3

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 6 letters to Thelma Davies. (1945, September-1947)

Folder 4

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 14 letters to Thelma Davies. [undated]

Folder 5

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 1 letter to Scott [E. (Scott Edson), 1895-1991] Haselton, (1895-1991). (1982, November 13)

With copy and enclosure of manuscript draft.

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984 1 letter to Dorothy -----. (1944, March 14)

Copy.

Folder 7

Greene, James C. 1 letter to “ALL ROXBURGHERS AND ZAMORANANS.” (1982, September 1)

Folder 8

[Haselton, Scott E. (Scott Edson), 1895-1991] 2 letters to David Davies, 1908-1984. ([1982], November)

Folder 9

Markett, D. Lane 1 letter to William H. Wilson. (1946, July 16)

Folder 10

Peterson, E.G. (Elmer George), 1882-1958 1 telegram to David W. Davies, 1908-1984. (1941, July 18)

Folder 11

United States. War Department 3 letters to Thelma Davies. (1943-1944)

Folder 12

University of Vermont 1 letter to David W. Davies, 1908-1984. (1946, October 18)

Signed by Orville Dahl.

Folder 13

University of Vermont 2 letters to David W. Davies, 1908-1984. (1946)

Signed by John Schoff Millis.

Folder 14

Valle, H. Hartman de 1 letter to [Thelma Davies]. [1945, February 10?]

Folder 15

Vance, Gerry 2 letters to David W. Davies, 1908-1984. (1982)

With enclosures.

Folder 16

Zuber, D. 1 letter to Thelma Davies. [undated]

Folder 17

-----, Jenny 1 card to Thelma Davies. [undated]

Folder 18

-----, Lula and Harry 1 card to Thelma Davies. [undated]

Folder 19

“Mama” 1 card to Thelma Davies. [undated]

Folder 20

-----, Owen and Edith 1 card to Thelma Davies. [undated]

Manuscripts and Ephemera

Box 13

Manuscripts and Ephemera

Folder 1

Brochures and pamphlets. (1947-1948)

2 items.

Folder 2

[Catalog cards?]. [undated]

Draft? 8 items.

Folder 3

Greeting cards. [undated]

6 items.

Folder 4

Invitations and programs (organizations). (1935-1946)

4 items.

Folder 5

Ludlow Composition Company: [ephemera]. [undated]

5 items.

Folder 6

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. “Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press:” [manuscript]. [before 1982]

Folder 7

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. “Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press:” [manuscript]. [before 1982]

folder 8

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. “Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press:” [manuscript]. [before 1982]

Folder 9

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. “House Olson. Printer:" [manuscript]. [before 1983]

Preliminary draft. Incomplete.

Folder 10

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. "Ralph Lloyd and the Lloyd Corporation, 1923-1973:" [manuscript]. (1974)

Second version, revised.

Folder 11

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. ["Scott E. Haselton:"][manuscript]. (1983)

Incomplete.

Folder 12

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. "Scott E. Haselton Printer, Publisher, Editor, Writer:" [manuscript]. (1983)

Folder 13

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. "Scott E. Haselton and his Abbey Garden Press:" [manuscript]. (1983)

Folder 14

Davies, David W., 1908-1984. "Scott E. Haselton and his Abbey Garden Press:" [manuscript]. (1983)

Box 14

Ephemera

Folder 1

Medals. [undated]

3 items.

Folder 2

Miscellaneous ephemera. [undated]

7 items.

Folder 3

Miscellaneous notes. (1919-1956)

4 items.

Folder 4

[David and Thelma Davies]: [negatives]. [approx. 1944]

8 items.

Folder 5

Cactus and Succulent Society of America: [periodicals]. (1966-1979)

2 items. Incomplete.

Folder 6

Buildings and places: [photographs]. [undated]

18 items.

Folder 7

People: [photographs]. (1929-1950)

9 items.

Folder 8

The United States of America Panama-Pacific International Exposition San Francisco: [print]. [undated]

1 item.