Finding Aid for the Beverly B. Bealmear First World War correspondence 2017.287.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
7/23/2018
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Beverly B. Bealmear First World War correspondence
source:
Bealmear, John M.
Creator:
Bealmear, Beverly Brown, Private, 1889-1967
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.287.w.r
Physical Description:
.08 Linear Feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1918 August 24 - 1919 May 25
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from Pvt. Beverly "Bev" Bealmear, USA, during the First World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWI 3
Container: 15
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of John M. Bealmear on behalf of the Beverly Brown Bealmear family.
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Private Beverly "Bev" Brown Bealmear, United States Army (12/28/1889 - 4/4/1967) was born in Dodge City, Kansas and worked
as a self-employed farmer before registering for the draft on June 5, 1917. He served in Squadron H at Kelly Field during
the First World War repairing Liberty motors on airplanes and after the war was intent on discharging as soon as possible.
He told his sister that he was interested in getting a promotion to Second Lieutenant but that would keep him in after the
war ended and he did not want that. The influenza outbreak of 1918 also played a role in his correspondence to his sister,
though neither he nor her family came down with the disease.
Pvt. Bealmear married his wife Nellie in 1929 and continued to work as a farmer in Ford County, KS and even registered for
the draft again in 1942 though he was not selected at 52 years old. He passed away in Dodge City in 1967.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Beverly B. Bealmear First World War correspondence (2017.287.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 eleven correspondence from Private Beverly "Bev" Bealmear, U.S. Army, to his sister Edna West and
her family during the First World War. Pvt. Bealmear wrote his letters from Kelly Field as part of Squadron H in San Antonio,
Texas. The bulk of the correspondence is spent discussing his wish to be discharged since the war had ended. Also discussed
is the influenza outbreak, promotions to officer without schooling, Armistice and a parade, working on airplane engines (Liberty
motors), and cadet pilots wrecking twice a day, though few killed. The collection also contains one unit history celebrating
Armistice in a newspaper clipping he sent with one letter.
Of particular note is a description of a speech on trench warfare given to his unit by a famous English evangelist that goes
into some detail, dated October 22, 1918.
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence -- World War, 1914-1918
War stories -- Periodicals
World War (1914-1918)
World War (1914-1918) -- Homefront
World War (1914-1918) -- Hospitals.
World War (1914-1918) -- Newspapers
World War (1914-1918) -- Aerial operations
Airplanes, Military -- Maintenance and repair
Armistice Day
World War (1914-1918) -- Casualties
Bealmear, John M.