Thomas Griest World War I collection
Access and use
- Location of collection:
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2400 Fenwick LibrarySpecial Collections Research CenterFenwick Library MS2FLGeorge Mason UniversityFairfax, VA 22030
- Contact for questions and access:
- POC: Mieko PalazzoEmail: speccoll@gmu.eduPhone: (703) 993-2220Fax: (703) 993-2669Web: scrc.gmu.edu
- Restrictions:
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There are no access restrictions.
- Terms of access:
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All materials created up to 1928 are in the public domain.
The following statement applies to materials created from 1929 onward: The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)
- Preferred citation:
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Thomas Griest World War I collection, C0515, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries
Collection context
Summary
- Extent:
- 10 Linear Feet 19 boxes, 1 map case
- Creator:
- Griest, Thomas Haines, 1884-1947
- Abstract:
- The Thomas Griest World War I collection contains correspondence, photographs, military field orders, and ephemera created and collected by American soldier Thomas Griest primarily during and immediately after his time serving with the 406th Telegraph Battalion during World War I, 1917-1919.
- Language:
- English French
- Preferred citation:
-
Thomas Griest World War I collection, C0515, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Thomas Griest World War I collection contains correspondence, photographs, military field orders, and ephemera created and collected by American soldier Thomas Griest primarily during and immediately after his time serving with the 406th Telegraph Battalion during World War I, 1917-1919, with additional materials created between 1899, 1910-1921, and 1940-1944. The collection contains 3 series.
Series 1: Personal correspondence (1910-1944) includes sent and received personal correspondence, including letters, telegrams, and postcards. The bulk of the correspondence covers Griest's time serving with the 406th Telegraph Battalion from June 1917 – March 1919 and are between Griest and his wife Mary Cooper Griest. Many of these letters also contain pressed flowers which have been rehoused but retained in context and noted at the folder level. Additional correspondence includes letters from Mary prior to her marriage to Thomas, as well as correspondence with family, friends, and various businesses and military officials related to personal matters. Several contain newspaper clippings or forwarded letters from others and a number of letters are written in French. This series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent last name, organization title, or type of correspondence.
Series 2: 406th Telegraph Battalion (circa 1900s-1920s) includes materials created by and related to members of the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps and the First Army Corps American Expeditionary Forces. It is further divided into three subseries. Sub-series 1: Official materials (1917-1920) includes reports, bulletins, field orders, rosters, and other materials and ephemera created by the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps and the First Army Corps American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) as well as draft materials for the The First Battalion, the history of the 406th Telegraph Battalion. Items are arranged alphabetically by document title or material type. Sub-series 2: Soldier personal accounts (circa 1918-1921) includes handwritten and typed first-person accounts from members of the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps gathered by Griest for use in the 406th Telegraph Battalion history The First Battalion. Folder dates reflect when the account was written and items are arranged alphabetically by soldier last name or by description of the content where no name is given. Sub-series 3: Photographs and negatives (circa 1900s-1919) includes official press and personal photographs and negatives related to the 406th Telegraph Battalion and the United States military during World War I, as well as proof pages for the The First Battalion. Some photographs include inscriptions or identifying information, including photographer stamps. This sub-series also includes a small number of personal portraits depicting members of the Griest family, Division of Picture photograph order forms, and official lists of photograph titles and identification numbers. The bulk of the materials cover 1917-1919 and items are arranged based on print size, topic, or material type.
Series 3: Periodicals and ephemera (1899, circa 1911-1944) includes magazines, newspaper clippings, poems, souvenir postcards, programs, and general World War I and personal ephemera collected by Griest, as well as a personal daily diary for 1899. Several volumes of Bruce Bairnsfather's cartoon collection Fragments from France and the Bell Telephone Company's employee magazine "The Telephone News" can be found in this sub-series. Items are arranged alphabetically by title or material type.
A 1921 edition of the The First Battalion was cataloged and available for researchers as part of our rare books collection. Full title information available at this link: The First battalion : the story of the 406th telegraph battalion, Signal Corps, U.S. Army.
Series 1: Personal correspondence (1910-1944) includes sent and received personal correspondence, including letters, telegrams, and postcards. The bulk of the correspondence covers Griest's time serving with the 406th Telegraph Battalion from June 1917 – March 1919 and are between Griest and his wife Mary Cooper Griest. Many of these letters also contain pressed flowers which have been rehoused but retained in context and noted at the folder level. Additional correspondence includes letters from Mary prior to her marriage to Thomas, as well as correspondence with family, friends, and various businesses and military officials related to personal matters. Several contain newspaper clippings or forwarded letters from others and a number of letters are written in French. This series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent last name, organization title, or type of correspondence.
Two copies of Februrary letter, one in French and one in English. March letter only in French. Folder includes a handwritten poem in English and a magazine clipping in French.
Folder includes a letter from Thomas Bruder with contact information for his son H.J.
Two postcards, one in English and one in French
Mary's uncle (her mother's brother)
Mary's uncle (her mother's brother)
Includes detailed account of his trip to Mexico
Thomas' sister. Includes pressed flower.
Thomas' mother
Letters signed Mary Cooper Johnson
Letters signed Mary Cooper Johnson
Letters signed Mary Cooper Johnson
Letters signed Mary Cooper Johnson
Letters signed Mary Cooper Johnson
Letters signed Mary Cooper Johnson
Letter is a "postscript" to previous letter, but context has been lost
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes an exchange of letters between Thomas from his sister Katharine that he forwarded to Mary on November 1.
Includes pressed flowers
Includes Christmas Greeting letter and card from University of Pennsylvania forwarded to Thomas by Mary.
Includes Application for Insurance dated February 5 and pressed flowers. Newspaper removed from February 11 envelope and stored in Box 19, Folder 7.
Includes pressed flowers and booklet for "The Fellowship of The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia" Annual Exhibition which featured art by Mary.
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Newspaper removed from envelope containing Armistice official army notices and stored in Box 19, Folder 6.
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers, December 21 letter originally had pine needles and stem included, these were removed for storage concerns.
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Includes pressed flowers
Was removed from envelope sent by Thomas to Mary containing Armistice official army notices, see Box 8, Folder 5.
Was removed from February 11 envelope sent by Mary to Thomas, see Box 4, Folder 3.
Thomas' cousin, son of his his uncle Ellwood Griest, member of the House of Representatives, 9th District, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Letters sent to Mary and Thomas, in French
Thomas' father-in-law, folder includes some correspondence sent to Mary
Thomas's brother-in-law, some telegrams possibly intended for Mary
Thomas' nephew, son of his brother-in-law Howard Cooper Johnson, in French
Thomas' mother-in-law, includes correspondence sent to Mary. Includes pressed flowers.
Thomas' mother-in-law, includes corresponden sent to Mary. Includes pressed flowers.
Mary's aunt, her father's sister
Vice President of Bell Telephone Company
Mixed senders, most letters addressed to Thomas.
Letters in French from two or three friends in Vosages and Paris, France. Signatures are unclear, one last name appears to be "Garcin". Folder includes one unaddressed letter from Mary Griest also written in French. Includes pressed flowers.
Letters in French from two or three friends in Vosages and Paris, France. Signatures are unclear, one last name appears to be "Garcin".
Letter regarding sun glasses order
Western Union Cablegram
Mixed senders, most appear to be from fellow soliders
Series 2: 406th Telegraph Battalion (circa 1900s-1920s) includes materials created by and related to members of the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps and the First Army Corps American Expeditionary Forces. It is further divided into three subseries.
Sub-series 1: Official materials (1917-1920) includes reports, bulletins, field orders, rosters, and other materials and ephemera created by the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps and the First Army Corps American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) as well as draft materials for the The First Battalion, the history of the 406th Telegraph Battalion. Items are arranged alphabetically by document title or material type.
Sub-series 2: Soldier personal accounts (circa 1918-1921) includes handwritten and typed first-person accounts from members of the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps gathered by Griest for use in the 406th Telegraph Battalion history The First Battalion. Folder dates reflect when the account was written and items are arranged alphabetically by soldier last name or by description of the content where no name is given.
Sub-series 3: Photographs and negatives (circa 1900s-1919) includes official press and personal photographs and negatives related to the 406th Telegraph Battalion and the United States military during World War I, as well as proof pages for the The First Battalion. Some photographs include inscriptions or identifying information, including photographer stamps. This sub-series also includes a small number of personal portraits depicting members of the Griest family, Division of Picture photograph order forms, and official lists of photograph titles and identification numbers. The bulk of the materials cover 1917-1919 and items are arranged based on print size, topic, or material type.
Sub-series 1: Official materials (1917-1920) includes reports, bulletins, field orders, rosters, and other materials and ephemera created by the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps and the First Army Corps American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) as well as draft materials for the The First Battalion, the history of the 406th Telegraph Battalion. Items are arranged alphabetically by document title or material type.
"Signed" by James W. McAndrew, Chief of Staff "By command of General Pershing"
"Signed" by George T. Bartlett, Colonel General Staff, Chief of Staff "By command of Major General Wood"
"Signed" by H.A. Drum, Chief of Staff "By Command of General Pershing". Some have handwritten notes or annotations.
Mounted official memo and includes small snapshot photograph of train derailment
"Signed" by Malin Craig, Chief of Staff "By command of Major General Liggett"
Orginally stored together in black binder. Folder includes handwritten binder cover notes.
Larger signs in Box 18, Folder 2
Smaller signs in Box 11, Folder 21
Orginally stored together in black binder. Folder includes handwritten binder cover notes.
U.S.A.T. Antilles
"Signed" H.A. Drum, Chief of Staff, "By command of Major General Liggett" ; one "Signed" W.M. Fassett, Chief of Staff, "By command of Major General Wright". Some have handwritten notes or annotations.
Official copy and typed letter copy
"Signed" by Malin Craig, Chief of Staff "By command of Major General Liggett"
Three copies, one has notes for history book
Mixed senders and recepients, includes some possible personal correspondece regarding finances
"Signed" by Malin Craig, Chief of Staff "By Command of Major General Liggett" except October which is "By Command of Major General Dickman"; one "Signed" Jens Bugge, Colonel, G.S. Some have handwritten notes or annotations.
Cover memo "Signed" by H.A. Drum, Chief of Staff "By command of General Pershing"
"Signed" Jens Bugge, Colonel, "By command of Major General Liggett" ; "Signed" Malin Craig, Chief of Staff, "By command of Major General Dickman" ; "Signed" J.C. Montgomery, Colonel, General Staff, "By Command of Major General Dickman". No. 1 not dated.
Items are in French
Mounted official memo of radio communication
In French, "Signed" by General Degoutte
Regarding death of 1st Class Private John J. Hollowel. Signed by Joseph Smith, 1st Lieutenanat, S.C., U.S.R. Adjutant, "By order of Captain Wattles".
"Signed" by H.A. Drum, Chief of Staff, "By command of General Pershing"
Sub-series 2: Soldier personal accounts (circa 1918-1921) includes handwritten and typed first-person accounts from members of the Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps gathered by Griest for use in the 406th Telegraph Battalion history The First Battalion. Folder dates reflect when the account was written and items are arranged alphabetically by soldier last name or by description of the content where no name is given.
This event happened on September 6, 1918, account was written on November 14, 1918. Possibly written by Colonel.
Sergeant, First Class, Company D
Company D
Private, 1st Class
Two accounts
Sergeant, 1st Class, Company E
Company E
Private, 1st Class
Corporal, Company D
Company E. Date recorded as written.
Sergeant, First Class, Company E
Corporal, Company D
Private, 1st Class, Company D
Sergeant, 1st Class
Corporal, possibly spelled Hannan
Private
Sergeant, Company D
Identification unconfirmed
Sergeant, Company E
Private, Company D
Company D, name does not appear to be listed in 406th Telegraph Battalion rosters.
Private, Company D
Account starts with page labeled "Page 4"
Private, Company D
Company E
Corporal, Company E
Sergeant, Company D
Private, 1st Class, Company D
Company D
Sergeant
Sergeant, Company D
Company D
Sub-series 3: Photographs and negatives (circa 1900s-1919) includes official press and personal photographs and negatives related to the 406th Telegraph Battalion and the United States military during World War I, as well as proof pages for the The First Battalion. Some photographs include inscriptions or identifying information, including photographer stamps. This sub-series also includes a small number of personal portraits depicting members of the Griest family, Division of Picture photograph order forms, and official lists of photograph titles and identification numbers. The bulk of the materials cover 1917-1919 and items are arranged based on print size, topic, or material type.
5x7 & 8x10 prints
Photographs on page 78 removed from wallet enclosure and originally stored with pressed leaves. Leaves have been placed in envelopes.
Series 3: Periodicals and ephemera (1899, circa 1911-1944) includes magazines, newspaper clippings, poems, souvenir postcards, programs, and general World War I and personal ephemera collected by Griest, as well as a personal daily diary for 1899. Several volumes of Bruce Bairnsfather's cartoon collection Fragments from France and the Bell Telephone Company's employee magazine "The Telephone News" can be found in this sub-series. Items are arranged alphabetically by title or material type.
No signature, possibly referenced in letter in Series 1 or Series 2.2
Item is in French, folder title is translation
Item is in French
Envelopes were found loose, possibly match existing correspondence in Series 1
Most for Division of Pictures photo orders
Published by The Bystander
Published by The Bystander. A single newspaper clipping was removed from the inside back cover with cartoons and article about Corp. Powers and placed in Box 19, Folder 11.
Published by The Bystander
Items are in French. Some postcards have notes written on back, but none were sent as part of correspondence.
Some items in French
Two copies with signatures
Tile and brickwork catalog in French. Item has extensive damage to spine, stored in folded paper for stability.
Item is in French
Item is in French and is very brittle, care should be taken when handling and paper used when moving for stability
Folder includes St. Genevieve prayer card that was stored inside booklet. Both items are in French.
Item is in French
Most poems without authors, some attributed to Guy Nearing
Item has extensive damage to cover and binding, placed in small envelope in folder for stability, care should be taken when handling.
Item is in French
- Biographical / historical:
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Thomas H. Griest was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 20, 1884 to Joseph Pownall and Mabel Haines Griest, the second of four children. Griest joined the Bell Telephone Company in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1906 as a building inspector and would eventually be named general commercial manager in 1933. During World War I he served with the 406th Telegraph Battalion, starting as a Lieutenant and ultimately attaining the rank of Major. After spending approximately two months, from June - August 1917, in training at the Army Signal Corps camp in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, Griest headed overseas and spent the majority of the war in France. A devout Quaker, he was one of a small number of the typically anti-war members of the Society of Friends to serve in the American Expeditionary Forces. He returned home in early April 1919 and spent the rest of his life living and working in and around Philadelphia with his wife Mary and their two children. He passed away on January 9, 1947 at the age of 62 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
The United States formally entered the conflict now known as World War I nearly three years after fighting began in Europe, declaring war against Germany on April 6, 1917. Only a few short months later, in August 1917, the 406th Telegraph Battalion, Signal Corps became one of the first two telegraph battalions sent to France to join the fighting, later proudly referring to itself as "The First Battalion". Composed entirely of employees of the Bell Telephone Company in Eastern Pennsylvania, the 406th was part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the branch responsible for maintaining all military communications, or signals. Despite the men's lack of prior military experience, the Battalion was able to mobilize quickly, after only four months of military training, due to their existing communications experience and knowledge as Bell Telephone employees. The Battalion served primarily in France for the duration of the war, taking part in several major American offensives, such as the Second Battle of the Marne. A written history of the unit was published in 1921 titled The First Battalion. The Story of the 406th Telegraph Battalion Signal Corps, U. S. Army, with Major Thomas H. Griest gathering and organizing much of the material used in its writing.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased by Lynn Eaton from Caroliniana Rare Books in June 2019.
- Processing information:
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Processing completed by Meghan Glasbrenner from March - December 2024. Finding aid completed by Meghan Glasbrenner from December 2024 - January 2025.
- Arrangement:
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The collection is arranged into three series.
Series- Series 1: Personal correspondence
- Series 2: 406th Telegraph Battalion
- Series 3: Periodicals and ephemera
- Physical location:
- R 73, C 3, S 5-7 Map Case 16.1 OS R 2, C 2, S 4
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard