Naval History and Heritage Command

Minnesota Historical Society
345 W. Kellogg Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55102-1906

Calhoun, James E.
Papers, 1823

1 volume

Calkins, Joyce and Family
Papers, 1938-1943

Letters mainly to Joyce Calkins (Virginia, Minnesota) from her three sons, Keith, Graydon, and Bill, regarding Keith's and Graydon's service with the Civilian Conservation Corps (1938-1940) and the U.S. Navy (1942-1943) and Bill's service with the U.S. Coast Guard (1942-1943). They include comments on experiences at Civilian Conservation Corps camps, at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, and in Naval Diesel Training School. Also present is Joyce Calkins' inventory of personal property (1943).

53 items

Cathcart, Alexander H.
Papers, 1850-1921

Family letters (1850-1876) and genealogical data of Cathcart, a St. Paul merchant, and his family. Letters (1903-1921) of Cathcart's grandson, Lewis Henry Maxfield, describe a naval cruise around the world (1907-1909), naval duty in the Caribbean and South America (1910-1912), World War I service as a dirigible pilot (1917-1920), and development of the ZR-2 dirigible in England (1920-1921). Also included are clippings and letters concerning Maxfield's death in the unsuccessful trial flight of the ZR-2 (August 24, 1921).

1.25 feet

Cheever, William H.
Papers, 1853-1854

2 items

Furber, Pierce P.
Papers, 1841-1997

Papers of a prominent early Cottage Grove, Minnesota family whose members started arriving in that agricultural hamlet, then located in Wisconsin Territory, in the 1840s.

Genealogies trace the ancestry of the Pierce Powers Furber family and several related families from the 1600s through 1975. They are supplemented by two diaries of social and family life in Bangor, Maine, 1855-1856, kept by Lucy Metcalf (Mrs. Samuel W.) Furber; a diary kept by Samuel R. Furber during his attendance at the U.S. Naval Academy (1902-1904); Joseph W. Furber's certificates, appointments, and a letter from Henry H. Sibley pertaining to politics and government in St. Croix County (Wisconsin Territory) and in Minnesota Territory (1841-1849); and other family miscellany. There is also some information about a 1997 reunion of the Furber family.

0.25 feet

Gile, Chester A.
Papers, 1917-1919

Letters to Harold Clark, describing Gile's service in the U.S. Navy during World War I while at Newport, Rhode Island, New York City, and on board USS Kittery, which made regular runs between the Antilles and New York. Gile describes shipboard life and experiences ashore in New York, and advises Clark on how to conduct the Episcopal Sunday school class that he had formerly taught in Minneapolis. Also included are a letter (April 17, 1918) from Harold R. King, stationed at Atlanta, Georgia, and two menu-programs for Christmas (1918) and New Year's (1919) dinners on board USSDixie in the Azores.

11 items

Griffin, James S. 
Papers, 1920-1991

The papers contain information on Griffin's career with the police department, his school board service, information on Black activities in St. Paul, on the dedication of the James S. Griffin Stadium at St. Paul Central High School (1988), and on the World War II Black Navy Veterans of Great Lakes (1990), of which Griffin was a member.

0.4 feet

Hannon, John and Family
Papers, 1883-1967

The papers contain extensive correspondence (1917-1919) of family members with Emmet and Ignatius, both of whom served as musicians in the United States Navy during World War I. There is detailed information on life at the United States Naval Training Station (Great Lakes, Illinois), including revealing descriptions of food, clothing, inoculations, and trips to Chicago and the surrounding area; tours of the band, under John Philip Sousa, to various U.S. cities; and tours of duty by the two brothers on board USS Vestal to Guantanamo (Cuba), Panama, Virgin Islands, and Jamaica. Letters to the brothers from home contain details on family life, information on friends in the armed forces and in Minneapolis, and life in wartime Minneapolis. Lenore's later correspondence (1959-1967) is with Moira Cole, a friend from Ireland.

1.25 feet

Hodgkin, Henry H.
Papers, 1857-1899

8 items

Jones, Carl R. and Erwin J. and Family
Papers, 1917-1952

Letters of Carl and Erwin Jones discussing army camp life in the United States during World War I (1917-1918) and their experiences with the American Expeditionary Forces in France (1918-1919), and of other family members describing wartime conditions and influenza outbreaks in the United States. Included also are letters (1917-1926) of Marine Corps officer Omar T. Pfeiffer written from Virginia, the Dominican Republic, and Shanghai.

4 folders

Keskinen, Kenneth
Papers, 1996

Typescript memoirs of Keskinen's service in the Navy during World War II, The Taken and the Takers: Being the Modest War Memoirs of Kenneth Keskinen.

32 leaves

Lafot, Edward
Papers, 1832-1939

Reminiscences (1860-1892) of this Swedish immigrant tell of his life in Sweden and his experiences in New York, Illinois, and Lakefield, Minnesota. Correspondence (in Swedish) between Lafot and his family (1885-1939) discuss Minnesota agriculture and life in the U.S., including references to oyster dredging in New York and the Eagle Roller Mill Company of New Ulm (Minnesota). Letters from his son Lloyd tell of life at the U.S. Naval Academy (1917-1920) and duty with the Pacific fleet (1920-1923). Included also are several Swedish almanacs (1832-1887), articles by Lafot, and family photographs.

1 foot

Maas, Melvin J. 
Papers, 1912-1986

Papers of this Minnesota Congressman (Republican), who represented the Fourth District in 1926-1932 and 1936-1944, and who was a longtime officer (1918-1952) in the Marine Corps Reserve. They provide information on local issues, as well as on his major interests as Congressman, which centered on such matters as the armed forces, national defense, Americanism, opposition to pacifism, and the repeal of Prohibition. There is a report on his stay in Alaska (1923-1925), a report and diary entries on a Congressional trip to Britain (November 1941), a diary account of Maas' experiences on active duty in the South Pacific (1942), and a report on West Coast naval installations (1943). Maas later became blind, and chaired the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped (1953-early 1960s). The papers reflect this service, his service as a reservist and as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association, and his continuing advocacy of military preparedness, veterans' affairs, and similar interests. There are also photographs, and a long run of diaries (1913-1963).

5.5 feet

Maies, William H.
Papers, 1861-1867

Log of USS Cambridge (1861-1863) cruising the coastal waters of Virginia and North Carolina during the Civil War, kept by Maies as acting master's mate. It contains copies of U.S. Navy orders, circulars, and regulations (1861-1863), a list of officers (1862), and daily logs (February-September 1862; November 1863) recording course and meteorological readings and meetings with other ships. Also included in the volume are Maies's journal (January-April 1863) as acting master of USS Nantucket, describing its outfitting and cruise down the coast from Boston; and Maies's log and private journal (1867) of a cruise to China on board USS Oneida, giving data on course and weather and describing shipboard life and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1 volume

Noyes, Frank W. and Family
Papers, 1802-1968

Letters, financial papers, personal memorabilia, genealogical data, and miscellany of St. Paul Hardware Company employee Frank Wright Noyes, his father-in-law Lucien Warner, his son Albert Lucien Noyes, and other members of their families. The collection includes Frank's correspondence (1918) with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, discussing the "Eyes for the Navy" campaign to obtain the use of private citizens' binoculars for the Navy.

1 foot

Pope, William C.
Papers, 1858-1976

There are materials (1904-1953) concerning William Sitgreaves Cox (1790-1874), a U.S. Navy lieutenant on board the frigate Chesapeake during the War of 1812, who was court-martialed following its capture by the British. Also present are the constitution and minutes of the American Church Temperance Society, Minnesota Branch (1883-1892).

2 feet

Remey, George C.
Papers, 1939

In Charles Mason Remey Family history.

35 volumes

Rosen, Milton D. 
Papers, 1946-1947

A diary and related papers of Rosen, a ship's cook on an Antarctic mapping and research expedition commanded by Admiral Richard E. Byrd, describing the weather, ship life and galley work, passage through the Ross Sea ice pack, the operation of Rosen's galley at Little America, and Antarctic skiing.

1 folder

Spreigl Family
Papers, 1940-1952

Manuscript correspondence (1940-1952), newspaper and magazine clippings (1941-1945), and photographs (1940-1945) that reflect the personal lives and military experiences of a St. Paul, Minnesota family during World War II and the early 1950s. Correspondents include Mrs. Elizabeth Spreigl, her five sons, two daughters, and son-in-law. Prior to entering the military one brother worked in Michigan for the Soo Line Railroad (1940) and another served in the U.S. Civilian Conservation Corps (1940-1941). During World War II (1943-1945) three of the brothers and their brother-in-law served in the Army in Europe where one was killed in action in Germany (April 1945). A fourth brother served in the Navy (1944-1947) and survived the sinking of the aircraft carrier USS Princeton (October 1944). The youngest brother served in the Army in California and Alaska (1950-1952). Topics common to the brothers' letters include descriptions of basic training, social and recreational activities, concern for their mother's health and financial welfare, relationships with their siblings, reactions to their father's death (March 1945), personal opinions regarding the inhabitants of the areas where they served, and news of neighbors and friends back home.

1.2 feet

Stassen, Harold E.
Papers, 1910s-1999

Papers documenting the life and career of a former Minnesota Governor, presidential contender, naval officer, United Nations Charter Delegate, and Eisenhower cabinet member. The papers include correspondence and memoranda, speeches, campaign literature, schedules and itineraries, awards and certificates, press releases, press conference transcripts, magazine articles authored by Stassen, news clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, sound recordings, motion films, and video recordings.

212 feet

Tawney, James A. 
Papers, 1876-1919

The papers of this Winona, Minnesota lawyer, state senator (1891-1893), and Representative in Congress (1893-1911) focus on the period of his Congressional service. His correspondence throws light on bills concerning such subjects as salaries of Post Office Department employees, arbitration of disputes between railroad companies and their employees, fortification of the Panama Canal, and appropriations for the U. S. Navy and the geological survey. Letters from manufacturers throughout the United States concern tariffs, especially on sugar, lumber, and tools. There is material on Tawney's disagreement with President Roosevelt regarding the secret service, on his relationship with Speaker Joseph Cannon, and on his work as Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, of its Committee on the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and of the International Joint Commission.

8 feet

Thies Arnold P. 
Papers, 1943-1945

Diary (September 1943-July 1945, with typed transcript) and related papers kept by Thies during his wartime service on board the destroyer USS Picking. They deal mainly with the ship's tour of duty in the Pacific Ocean, and include information on its participation in the bombardments of Paramushiru Island, the second invasion of the Philippine Islands, and the invasion of Okinawa Island; shipboard life, particularly crew liberties; and special details and training and exercise runs.

4 folders

Winona, USS
Records

Materials on operations during the Civil War. Found in the Thomas Hunter Dixon and Family Papers.

1 volume

Zehnder, Dorothea 
Papers, 1936-1946

Letters, postcards, and greeting cards from more than 20 World War II servicemen stationed both stateside and overseas and from their spouses or girlfriends addressed to Dorothea Zehnder (married name, Mrs. Arthur R. Seder), an English and Latin teacher at St. Paul's Washington High School, 1929-1946. Snapshots, news clippings, and foreign currencies are included with some of the letters.

0.5 feet