Physical Description: 0.08 Linear feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

This series contains two letters from Pvt. Jacob L. Feldman, USA to his cousin Jennie Vasterling during the First World War.

In the letter dated July 27, 1918 Jacob writes that he is having a good time in France, "I can also say that I am feeling ok and am having as good a time as I possibly can under the conditions here." He also wrote, "We are getting pretty good eats here and get enough sleep and also enough hard work. I get more work than is usual as one morning I happened to forget my gas mask and our Company Commander gave me a hundred hours of extra Duty that means a hundred hours of work after drilling all day and that keeps me busy all day from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. And that is why I cannot answer my mail any sooner so don't worry if you don't hear from me as soon as you would like too." He also discusses his insurance, writing, "I have fixed up about the insurance and have fixed it so that Uncle Ben Aunt Pauline and your mother will benefit through it." At the end of this letter has a signature from a war censor.

The letter dated August 3, 1918 he writes "Our trip across was pretty nice but it could have been a whole lot better as far as enjoyment is concerned and as for myself if I was looking for enjoyment I'd find something else besides a trip on the ocean during war times." He adds, "I only want you to write to me as often as is possible and also tell everybody in the family to do the same as you cant imagine how it livens a fellow up to hear from home." The letter does not have Jacob's signature but it is his writing in the letter.

On September 29, 1918 while on daylight patrol near Xammes, France, Feldman engaged a machine gun nest and was killed. He was 29 years old.

Physical Description: 0.08 Linear feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

This series contains two letters from Jennie Vasterling to her cousin Pvt. Jacob L. Feldman, USA during the First World War. Both of these letters were within the envelope with the postage stamp dated October 16, 1918 and with the "deceased verified" stamp but it has been deemed to belong to the letter dated October 16, 1918 due to the liquid marks located on the envelope and the letter itself.

In the letter October 1, 1918, Jennie asks him to write her back, "I haven't rec. a letter from you for a long time so I wish you would write me soon I am anxious to hear from you." She also talks about food, "Ive been kept pretty busy putting up things I just got through putting up some crab apple jelly and now I am putting up some catsup this makes the 2nd bushel of tomatoes."

In the letter dated October 16, 1918, pleading with him to write back, "I guess you think I have forgotten all about you but I haven't. I don't understand why you don't write and let us know how you are getting along everybody at home is worry about you so I wish you would write a few words anyhow." She adds, "If you don't hurry up and tell us what you want for Christmas you won't get any for the time is growing short we have until the 15th of Nov. to get all packages to New York. I want you to have some thing and you might as well tell us what you want I guess by the time you get this letter it will be too late but I wrote to you early and gave you plenty of time." She writes about a dream she had, "I dreamed about you the other night I dreamt you where back home and you looked so well better then I ever seen you look but you where here for a short while for you where going back."

Jennie also mentions the 1918 flu pandemic writing, "Everything is still closed on account of the influenza this evening paper states that there has been 69 deaths here in St. Louis but they expect the schools and picture shows and everything that they closed to open next week."

Physical Description: 0.08 Linear feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

This series contains three photographs: two of Feldman's dog tags and one of his military record card.