World War II

Research Ready: March 2020

Posted on April 3, 2020

March’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Assistant Director and Processing Archivist

Michael Kaelin papers (#4043): Contains photographs of Behren’s Drug Store following the 1953 Waco tornado.
Peerless Wire & Fence Company (#4009): Publicity materials for the company based out of San Angelo, Texas, including letters and pamphlets.
Harry L. Woodyard papers (#394):Includes materials related to the activities of the 131st Field Artillery during World War I.
Staggs and Company records (#4008): Consists of materials promoting the sale of Staggs and Company’s branding table.
Midland County Abstract records (#4050): Four title abstracts to tracts of land in Midland County.
A.C. Bowles papers (#371): Contains a single transcribed letter from Bowles near the end of the American Civil War, describing conditions in camp, possible upcoming troop movements, and rumors of peace
BU Records: University Research Committee (#BU/302): Includes reports regarding funds distributed by the committee in 1975-1981.
BU Records: Museum Studies Department (#BU/355): Consists of a variety of materials from the museum studies department at Baylor University; primarily correspondence as well as administrative records.
BU Records: Emmy Parrish Lectures in American Studies Series (#BU/326): Contains materials relating to speakers at past lectures, including correspondence and programs.
BU Records: Recreational Sports Department (#BU/344): Includes the 1996-97 Year End Report produced by the department.
BU Records: Center for Community Research and Development (#BU/269): Consists of copies of community needs assessments for Corpus Christi, Burnet, Llano, and Abilene Baptist Associations.
BU Records: Aerospace Studies Department (#BU/5): Correspondence, scrapbooks, photographic material, and literary productions produced by the Baylor University Aerospace Studies Department, a University-sponsored military preparation program in partnership with the U.S. Air Force.
Zadock Woods Family papers (#4014): Contains two manuscripts about the Woods family in Texas, including details about frontier and family life, Texas history, and religion.
L. L. Sams and Sons Company Records (#2921): Records highlight the works of the church furniture company through project photographs, catalogs, advertisements, and business records.
L. L. Sams Stained Glass Studio records (#3223): Include project files, renderings, and slides that document the creation and installation of stained glass windows in Texas institutions such as churches, schools, and military installations. Correspondence, sketches, photographs, product samples, oversize drawings, and colored renderings are included.
Waco Chapter American Institute of Architects records (#240): Provides insight into the organization from its inception in 1962 until 1971. Materials include meeting minutes, membership applications, support documents issued by the national organization, correspondence, and financial documents.
BU Records: International Programs Office (#BU/341): Contains materials largely related to Baylor’s international partnerships and programs. Materials contain correspondence, pamphlets, research materials, photographs, and administrative materials.
Military Order of the World Wars (Central Texas Chapter) records (2923): A variety of records on servicemen from Central Texas who gave their lives in conflicts from 1917-1975.
Ronald W. Matthews papers (#4042): Consists of certificates of baptism, marriage, and confirmation from German-Americans in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.
Howe Family papers (#2648): Transcribed letters from George Plummer Howe back home during his service in the World War I.
Alexander Gordon Walsh papers (#3694): Contains memoirs and photographs from the World War I.
George Green papers (#580): Diary and photographs from George Green’s time serving in World War I.
George C. Burch papers (#356): Includes letters written by Burch during the American Civil War. Burch was a member of the 1st Florida Infantry, captured at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, and imprisoned for the rest of the war at Fort Delaware.

Each month, we post an update to notify our readers about the latest archival collections to be processed and some highlights of our print material acquisitions. These resources are primed for research and are just a sampling of the many resources to be found at The Texas Collection!Continue Reading

Research Ready: February 2019

Posted on March 1, 2019

Research Ready: November 2018

Posted on December 3, 2018

Research Ready: July 2018

Posted on August 1, 2018

Today in Texas: January 24th

Posted on January 24, 2018

by Leanna Barcelona, University Archivist

Seventy years ago on January 24, 1948, three Texas cities became one. Formerly known as the “Tri-Cities,” the towns of Baytown, Goose Creek, and Pelly unified as what is known known as the city of Baytown.

Goose Creek Oil Field was discovered in the 1910s, which allowed for rapid growth in both the economy and population in neighboring communities, Pelly and Baytown. With the construction of an oil refinery, jobs were created and many people flocked to the area. Around the time the oil was found, Humble Oil and Refining Company built their refinery in the Baytown area. Today, this refinery is one of Exxon-Mobil’s largest refineries. The oil company, in conjunction with World War II, helped bring the Tri-Cities together.

Ralph Fusco, in his chapter titled “World War II’s Effects on Consolidation” in the book, Baytown Vignettes, describes how Baytown came to be:

“Despite such storm beginnings, these feelings slowly subsided and the construction and subsequent wartime expansion of the refinery proved the beginning of a stable community. Even with the seeds of unity planted by the formation of the Humble Oil and Refining Company, sectionalism hung on in several towns that survived. It took the drastic and rapid changes brought about by World War II to weld these separate districts into a single homogeneous city. While these changes initiated the breakdown of the old social, economic and geographic barriers, they also encouraged the ultimate consolidation of Goose creek, Pelly and Old Baytown into the present day city Baytown. Through precipitating these changes, World War II provided the catalyst that sped this consolidation.

From *Pictorial History of the Baytown Area*, Edited by Gary Dobbs. p. 4

The many changes in this community due to the war effort included the government funded expansion of the Humble Oil and Refining Plant. The company received the first government contracts for toluene (toluol) production, an intrinsic part of the make up of TNT, in 1941. The toluene project, built on Humble Refinery sites at the cost of twelve million dollars, employed two hundred people, and included a barracks that would accommodate three hundred workers.

World War II, with its rationing, increased demand for industrial output, and creation of new employment opportunities caused the Tri-Cities area to grow and served to unite the area. New people coming into the area helped combine the separate groups that existed before the war into a single more homogeneous group. old geographic boundaries were being rapidly erased, and old community isolationism disappeared. Rapidly occurring changes lent a feeling of oneness to the area. In this sense World War II became a major contributing factor for change when earlier attempts at consolidating the Tri-Cities had failed. In 1949 the are communities joined and incorporated into one city, the City of Baytown.”

At The Texas Collection, we collect materials related to any Texan town. Click here for more resources available on Baytown, TX and stay tuned for more Today in Texas blog posts to come!

Remembering Their Sacrifices: Baylor Faculty and Students During World War II

Posted on January 9, 2018

by Thomas DeShong, Project Archivist

World War II witnessed the rise of the United States as a global superpower and the establishment of a new world order. Historians, amateur and professional alike, devote their entire lives to studying the complexities and intricate details of “The Good War” including its battles, politicians, military commanders, causes, effects, etc.

BU Records: Armed Services Representative, Accession #BU/12, Box #2, Folder #25, The Texas Collection, Baylor University.<br /> — Ray Priolo wrote this letter to Merle McClellan after his transfer from Baylor. Note that he only has kind words to say concerning Merle, Baylor students, and the campus. He even gives BU President Pat Neff a vote of approval.

While seeking to comprehend the broader historical and social implications of World War II, we sometimes forget how these events impacted the life of an individual. Activities that we might take for granted, such as teaching and learning in a peaceful collegiate setting, were dramatically altered in a nation at war. Over the past few months, I have processed two small but fascinating collections concerning Baylor University during World War II. As a result, I have come to appreciate the sacrifices made by some of Baylor’s faculty and students during that time.

Merle Mears McClellan was one such remarkable faculty member. Merle had earned a double major in history and science from the University of Texas in 1917 and had taught for years in the Gatesville area. Following the death of her husband William, she earned her Master’s degree in 1941 at Baylor University where she taught various history courses over the next few years. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Baylor University President Pat Neff appointed Merle as the university’s Armed Services Representative in the spring of 1943. In this role, she acted as a liaison between the university and the military.

Reflecting on her experiences, Merle was one of the few women who had been appointed to such a task. In explaining why Neff had chosen her, she wrote, “He said, ‘You are a mother of one son in the Pacific. Your normal reaction would be to send everyone to help him fight. So if you say a boy is entitled to exemption no one on the McLennan Co. Draft Board will question your decision. Furthermore, I know you and I know the Baylor boys will get everything to which they are entitled.” Continue Reading

Research Ready: December 2017

Posted on January 2, 2018

December’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

Letter from Charles Wellborn, student at Baylor and future evangelist and pastor, to the Armed Services Representative for Baylor University. In the letter, Wellborn describes drilling for the past week, after enlisting in the United States Army in July 1943.
- BU Records: Armed Services Representatives, 1942-1945, undated (#BU/12): Collection contains correspondence sent by former students, parents, and government officials to Merle Mears McClellan, Baylor University’s Armed Services Representative during World War II. Baylor President Pat Neff appointed McClellan as the acting liason between the university and the military, in conjunction with Baylor University becoming a training site for Army officers prior to World War II.

December’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Cunningham, Eugene. Famous in the West. El Paso, TX: Hicks-Hayward Co., [1926]. Print.

Originally published in El Paso as an advertisement for Rodeo Outdoor Clothes, this volume contains info on cowboys such as “Jim” Gillett, Dallas Stoudenmire, Billy the Kid, and Tom Threepersons. Click here to view in BearCat.

College, Belton: For Women. [Belton, TX?]: [publisher not identified], [between 1925 and 1929?]. Print.

The purpose of this volume is two-fold. The many photographs of the grounds and student body show a beautiful, thriving Baylor College campus while the new development campaign seeks $500,000 to pay university debts and $250,000 to build a permanent endowment. Click here to view in BearCat.

Waco 52 Playing Cards. [Waco, TX]: [publisher not identified], [2017]. Print.

Though not a traditional book, this set of playing cards is unique to Waco. Each card is designed by a different artist and contains images of locations throughout the city, including the ALICO building, Waco Suspension Bridge, Hippodrome, Lake Waco, etc. Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: May 2017

Posted on June 1, 2017

May’s finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

- Waco, Belton, and Georgetown Railroad records, 1909-1910, undated (#1577): Contains correspondence, financial notes, clippings, and the articles of incorporation about the planning and construction of the railroad in 1909-1910. Ultimately, however, the venture failed and the railroad was not completed.

Ordination of Pastor Peter H.H. Lee, 1939 — Annie Jenkins Sallee and her husband Dr. William Sallee were missionaries to the interior of China in the early 1900s. This photograph shows the Sallees as guests at an ordination service in Kaifeng, the capital city of the Henan province. You’ll find these items in the Annie Jenkins Sallee papers, 1897-1967, undated (#715), box 1, folder 13, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Annie Jenkins Sallee papers, 1897-1967, undated (#715): Includes manuscripts, photographs, newspaper clippings, diaries, and letters to and from Annie Jenkins Sallee and William Eugene Sallee, Baptist missionaries to China in the early 1900s through the beginning of World War II.
Waco Conference of Christians and Jews records (#2701), 1980-1996, undated: Speeches, photographs, and records of the humanitarian work done by the Waco Interfaith Conference (formerly known as the Waco Conference of Christians and Jews).
Texas Colony Association collection, circa 1870’s (#3295): Contains a broadside entitled “Texas Colony Association, Rapid Development of a Glorious Country.” It was produced in the mid-1870’s in an attempt to entice Americans to move to Texas, particularly the Kaufman County area east of Dallas
[Temple] Southwestern Traction Company collection, 1918-1927, undated (#1526): Correspondence and legal documents pertaining to the interurban railway between Belton and Temple.

May’s print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Thomas, Henry J., Mrs. The Prairie Rifles, or, The Captives of New Mexico: a Romance of the Southwest. New York: Beadle and Adams, [1868]. Print.

This dime novel, one of nearly 400 in The Texas Collection, contains the fictional tale of two women who are captured by Comanche Indians. Click here to view in BearCat.

Catalogue of the West Texas Military Academy: a Church School for Boys. San Antonio, TX: The Academy, 1904-. Print.

This catalog was produced just eleven years after the 1893 founding of the West Texas Military Academy in San Antonio. Two-thirds of the volume explains rules and regulations, administrative information, and academic standards. The remainder is devoted to athletics. Click here to view in BearCat.

Some of the Things 1909 Farmers Buy. Volume 1. Texas. New York: Crowell Publishing Company, 1909. Print.

Published as a special issue of the national publication Farm and Fireside, this volume highlights a group of Grayson County, Texas farmers randomly selected from the publication’s subscription list. Included in the volume are photographs of homes and descriptions of farms. Click here to view in BearCat.

Research Ready: February 2017

Posted on March 2, 2017

February finding aids
By Paul Fisher, Processing Archivist

Loading tires at the General Tire Plant, Waco, Texas, 1983 — For over forty years, General Tire and Rubber Company ran a plant in Waco, Texas, that produced tires and other rubber products for the U.S. Army and domestic consumers. The old tire plant building was renovated in 2010 for use as a research facility. Currently, the building hosts scientists from Baylor University, Texas State Technical College, and various businesses. Rosemyrtle McLaughlin General Tire and Rubber Company photographic collection, 1957-1986, undated, Accession #3968, box 1, folder 5, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Rosemyrtle McLaughlin General Tire and Rubber Company photographic collection, 1957-1986, undated (#3968): Administrative files and photographs of the General Tire plant.
Victor Marion Rose papers, 1805-1972, undated (#2885): Includes correspondence and records on Rose and Williamson family history.
McGregor Plan records, 1936-1942 (#171): Consists of materials documenting the Baylor University Texas Collection’s participation in the McGregor Plan. The McGregor Plan assisted smaller libraries who lacked resources and access to book dealers in purchasing rare Americana to add to their holdings.
BU records: Donald I. Moore, 1939-2003 (#BU/383): Correspondence from World War II, letters relating to Moore’s compositions and work as director of the Golden Wave Band at Baylor University, marching band diagrams, photographic materials, programs, and film of the band’s performances.
Lily McIlroy Russell papers, 1897-1968 (#717): Contains collected materials, literary productions, photographs, and personal correspondence.

Donald I. Moore directing Golden Wave Band practice — This undated photograph features Donald I. Moore, longtime director of Baylor University’s Golden Wave Band, directing band practice. BU records: Donald I. Moore, 1939-2003, Accession #BU/383, box 18, folder 12, at The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

February print materials
By Amie Oliver, Librarian and Curator of Print Materials

Neal, Dorothy Jensen. The Cloud-Climbing Railroad: A Story of Timber, Trestles, and Trains. Alamogordo, NM: Alamogordo Print. Co., 1966. Print.

Dorothy Jensen Neal provides a close look at the construction history of the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway, which connects Alamogordo and Russia, New Mexico. Filled with photographs and maps, The Cloud-Climbing Railroad explores the challenges of building a railway that climbs nearly 5,000 feet in 32 miles. Click here to view in BearCat.

Lomax, John A. Cowboy Songs and other Frontier Ballads. New York: The Macmillan Company [1945]. Print.

Noted folklorists and musicologists John A. Lomax and his son Alan compiled this expansive volume containing sheet music, lyrics, and annotations of cowboy and frontier songs. This volume is revised from the original 1910 edition, which can also be found in The Texas Collection. Click here to view in BearCat.

Corpus Christi: The Ideal Summer and Winter Resort of Texas. Corpus Christi, TX: Noakes Brothers, [1920]. Print.

Like similar promotional books printed in the early 20th century, this volume is filled with beautiful full-color images that highlight the many resources found in Corpus Christi, including the abundance of game, fish, and fruit. Click here to view in BearCat.