box WWI 4, folder 10, folder 1
Series 1, Correspondence to Tully family
1918 January 28 - 1919 March 26
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains five letters from Pvt. William G. Clay, AEF to his sister Bessie Tully and brother-in-law Percy Tully
between June 28, 1918 and March 26, 1919. The series discusses his transfer to the 127th Machine Gun Battalion, Company C.
"[His] assignment [was] commonly known in the army as the 'suicide gang,' because the average life span of machine gun [men]
at the front [was] about thirty minutes." -June 28, 1918. He hoped to tranfer out and asked if his family received pictures
that he sent, and asks for items to send him. He later talks about his acute arthitic fever and hospital transfers. He tells
Percy that he believes if he had been properly treated earlier, that his symptoms would not have been so severe.
box WWI 4, folder 11, folder 2
Series 2, Army and medical records
1918 May 23 - 1940 October 12
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains two Army records: an original enlistment/honorable discharge record and a notarized copy from 1940. It
also contains one letter from the American Red Cross, U.S. General Hospital No. 28 discussing Clay's hospital transfer. One
Patient Pass from U.S. General Hospital No. 28, Fort Sheridan, Ill. One hospital record discussing Clay's medical history.
One Army and Navy General Hospital Deposition record and its copy. Dates are between May 23, 1918 and October 12, 1940.
box WWI 4, folder 12, folder 3
Series 3, Correspondence from Tully family
1918 January 23 - 1919 April 13
Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains seven letters from the Tully family to Pvt. William G. Clay, AEF during and after the First World War.
The series discusses the wishes for Clay's well-being and homefront news such as family and neighbor visits. Bessie Tully
glues some newspaper cutouts in one letter that include jokes. Percy discusses a job opening at his firm that pays well, and
asks Clay if he thinks he will be well and out of the army hospital soon, as he needs to fill the position quickly. "The firm
is urging me to very hard to get man started on this and I will be unable to hold it open much longer." It is unknown whether
Clay did take the job later on. This series also includes a holiday card. Dates are between January 23, 1918 and April 13,
1919.
box WWI 4, folder 13, folder 4
Series 4, Correspondence from home front friends
1918 September 25 - 1919 January 20
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains nine letters from female friends on the homefront to Pvt. William G. Clay, AEF during and after the First
World War from Septemebr 25, 1918 to January 20, 1919. There are five separate women writing to Clay, while one is clearly
a former colleague, some may have been friends or love interests. Their letters discuss new events in the women's lives since
hearing from Clay. They all share the sentiment of wishing him well and some send newspaper clippings.
box WWI 4, folder 14, folder 5
Series 5, Correspondence from Acy L. Pearson to his mother, Mrs. W.S. Pearson
1918 May 3 - October 31
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet(1 folder)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains five letters between May 3, 1918 and October 31, 1918 from Acy L. Pearson to his mother, Mrs. W. S. Pearson.
Acy Pearson is the uncle of the donor's husband. His letters discuss his active duty and American and British expeditionary
force. He goes on active leave in Scotland and discusses French people in a transit unit. His rank is not specified.
box WWI 4, folder 15, folder 6, flat-box Specimen box 2, Compartment Compartment 1
Series 6, Ephemera of William G. Clay
1918 - 1919
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet(1 folder and 1 specimen box compartment)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains ephemera and mixed materials dating from approxiamtely 1918-1919. The items belonged to Pvt. William
G. Clay, AEF while in service including a photo, song book, sewing kit with chevron patch, WWI dog tags, mirror, and army
reading material.
Also in this series are small pieces of paper, written by the donor, outlining dates of letters and their corresponding names,
locations, and events.
