Johnson, Elizabeth (First World War correspondence), 1917 August 11 - 1918 July 5

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Summary

Title:
Elizabeth Johnson First World War correspondence
Dates:
1917 August 11 - 1918 July 5
Creators:
Dailey, Elizabeth A. and Anderson, Peter A.
Abstract:
This collection contains five letters that were sent to Elizabeth Johnson, written by different servicemen during the First World War.
Containers:
box: WWI 13
folder: 15
folder: 1
Extent:
.08 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Elizabeth Johnson First World War correspondence (2018.171.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.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains five letters that were sent to Elizabeth Johnson by different servicemen in response to her correspondence during the First World War.

The servicemen include (in order):
  • Corporal Francis J. Cassidy from Fort H.G. Wright in New York, August 11, 1917
  • Goodwin Sternberg, Troop F, Seventh Cavalry in Ysleta, Texas, September 27, 1917
  • First Sergeant "Ivan" from Camp Meade, Maryland, December 21, 1917 and July 5, 1918
  • Sgt. Crotinger from Camp Meade, March 20, 1918.

Most of the letters discuss the weather and the locations or bases at from which the soldiers are writing. Cpl. Cassidy and Goodwin Sternberg both mention Sgt. Crotinger as being the reason they are in contact with Elizabeth. Ivan met Elizabeth at Fort Wright and she knows his mother.

Sternberg discusses hunting on a sort of vacation from Fort Bliss, as well as baseball games with a "fine class of Mexicans" where they are training near the Rio Grande River. He also tells Elizabeth to thank all of the girls that are knitting socks and being patriotic. Sgt. Crotinger discusses writing shorthand and typewriting, as well as the drunken soldiers of Fort Meade becoming a problem for the locals in Baltimore.

In Ivan's first letter he talks about the weather and Christmas, and his second letter discusses his impending departure for France. He was at one time with a coast artillery unit, then a finance office, and has since been promoted to First Sergeant of Company D, 304th Division Supply Train.

Biographical / historical:

Edna Elizabeth Johnson was born in 1901 in Elmwood, Connecticut and during the First World War was engaged to a soldier, whom she would later marry, named Gabriel Anderson. While he was away during the war, Elizabeth or "Betty" volunteered with the American Red Cross and wrote friends and acquaintances to help their morale. The materials in this collection are their responses.

Acquisition information:
Gift of the Anderson family, via Elizabeth A. Dailey.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Andrew Harman
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-05-17 13:31:03 -0400 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Elizabeth Johnson First World War correspondence (2018.171.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.

Contact:
(714) 532-7716
privette@chapman.edu
Website