Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lionel Grimes letters
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lionel Grimes letters
- Date
- 1918-1919, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Grimes, Lionel T., 1896-1978
- Extent
- 0.02 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Basic training (Military education)
- Correspondence.
- Family.
- Letters.
- Military bases.
- Soldiers -- Correspondence
- World War, 1914-1918.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0402: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lionel Grimes letters, 1918-1919, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Lionel T. Grimes (1896-1978) was born in Ohio to Simon F. Grimes (1872-1945) and Myrtle Mullen (1871-1937). In June 1918, Grimes enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went to Parris Island, South Carolina for basic training. He was sent overseas to France in September 1918, as part of a machine gun battalion. While there he participated in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign, and then was a part of the army of occupation where he traveled through France, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Grimes returned to the United States in August 1919, and was discharged from service the following month. In 1926, he married Louise Dumford (1893-1971), the couple had no children.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Lionel Grimes letters (dated 1918-1919, undated; 0.02 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprise letters, a newspaper clipping, and two photographs that document the military training and overseas experience of Lionel Grimes during World War I. The letters were sent to Grimes's parents, and they describe basic training, the weather in South Carolina, his bunkmates, the quality of food, military drills, and his personal health. When Grimes moved overseas, he wrote about the different sights he saw in Europe, his participation in battle, and his time as part of the army of occupation. Once back in the United States, Grimes wrote about his efforts to be discharged and return home and of getting affidavits of his military participation due to lost paperwork. The newspaper clipping details basic training at Parris Island. The two photographs show Grimes in uniform and on duty at Parris Island.
- The Lionel Grimes letters are part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
