Edward R. Marcellus First World War correspondence
Content Description
This collection contains 130 letters between Pvt. Edward Marcellus and his wife Goldie, father, siblings, friends, and business contacts while serving with the American Expeditionary Force in France and Germany during the First World War. Marcellus was part of a small contingent of American soldiers tasked with overseeing the administration of an ex-German prisoner of war camp of Russian prisoners. The collection also contains military documents, personal records, and ephemera.
Dates
- Creation: 1918 April 21 - 1919 June 2
Language of Materials
The materials in this collection are primarily in English. One series contains materials in German.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Biographical / Historical
Private Edward Richardson Marcellus, American Expeditionary Force registered for the draft at the age of 22 in 1917, listing his occupation as an accountant. He claimed that he fully supported his parents, but did not claim exemption from the draft. He married Goldie L. Brown and shared an apartment with her and her twin sister Gladys. In 1918 he began his service with the 5th Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Battalion in the American Expeditionary Force. He served in both France and Germany. In the summer of 1919 he returned home. Goldie gave birth to a stillborn child in December of 1921. Shortly thereafter they divorced and Edward remarried Bertha "Birdie" Elizabeth Hundley. They had one daughter, Virginia, in 1924. In 1925 they moved to Decatur, Illinois and lived there for the duration of his life. For the rest of his career he worked as a salesman for Check Protector Machines. Edward died on March 20, 1970 and is buried at the Fairlawn Cemetery with Birdie, who died in 1980.
Extent
0.5 Linear Feet (1 document box)
Abstract
This collection contains the correspondence, records, and ephemera of Pvt. Edward R. Marcellus, AEF during the First World Warfrom his time in France and Germany during WWI.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by material type, author, and date.
- Series 1, Correspondence from Edward Marcellus
- Series 2, Correspondence from Goldie Marcellus
- Series 3, Correspondence from Peter "Papa" Marcellus
- Series 4, Other correspondence with Edward Marcellus
- Series 5, Military correspondence and documents
- Series 6, Personal records
- Series 7, Ephemera
- Series 8, German language materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of R.E. Leggee. This is a legacy collection from Andrew Carroll.
Topical
- Basic training (Military education)
- Influenza Epidemic (1918-1919)
- Military training camps
- Prisoners of war
- Prohibition -- United States.
- United States -- American Red Cross
- United States -- Army -- American Expeditionary Force.
- United States. -- Army. -- Field Artillery
- World War (1914-1918)
- World War (1914-1918) -- France
- World War (1914-1918) -- Germany
- World War (1914-1918) -- Homefront
- World War (1914-1918) -- Prisoners and prisons.
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Edward R. Marcellus First World War correspondence
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Lauren Menges
- Date
- 7/7/2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Center for American War Letters Archives, Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives Repository
