Collections : [West Virginia and Regional History Center]

West Virginia and Regional History Center

West Virginia & Regional History Center
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6069
1549 University Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26506
Primary Collecting Areas:
West Virginia and Appalachia History and Culture
Description:
The West Virginia & Regional History Center preserves and provides access to the records that document the history and culture of the state and the central Appalachian region. The Center is part of West Virginia University Libraries.
POC: Lori Hostuttler
Phone: (304) 293-3536
Start Over Repository West Virginia and Regional History Center Date range 1977 Subjects United States Navy - USS WEST VIRGINIA.

Milton Cohen Papers, 1946/2006 10.25 Linear Feet 10 ft. 3 in. (10 records cartons, 1 flat storage box)

Cohen, Milton, 1906-2008
Papers of Milton Cohen, a Morgantown resident, businessman, World War II veteran, and community activist. The collection contains records in 11 series, including: 1.) Biographical Information, 2.) USS West Virginia, 3.) Tree of Life Synagogue, 4.) Sidler's Department Store, 5.) Morgantown, 6.) Monongalia County, 7.) Charities and Non-profit Organizations, 8.) CLOLA [Concerned Love Ones and Lotowners Associations], 9.) Environmental Issues, 10.) Audio-Visual Material, and 11.) Oversize. Series 2, USS West Virginia, includes historical narratives, clippings, and photographs regarding the USS West Virginia, its bell, mast, and the bell ringing ceremony on the West Virginia University campus. Series 5, Morgantown, regards projects and protests by Cohen and citizens groups involving BFI Waste Management, Century Cable, the Morgantown City Council, and building, zoning, and planning pertaining to Morgantown. Series 8, CLOLA [Concerned Love Ones and Lotowners], includes records regarding CLOLA suing the Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens owner Richard Pence and Sandridge Coal Company for strip mining cemetery land. Series 9, Environmental Issues, includes records related to Cohen's involvement in several environmental issues and protests. See the scope and content note for a complete listing and description of series.
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Reverend C. Shirley Donnelly Collection, 1731/1992, bulk 1860/1980 2.34 Linear Feet (3 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 document case, 2.5 in.); (1 flat storage box, 3.5 in.); (2 flat storage boxes, 3 in. each); (1 flat storage box, 1 in.); (1 oversize folder, 0.1 in.)

Donnelly, C. Shirley, Reverend

Reverend C. Shirley Donnelly, a Baptist minister and local historian, collected these materials for his own research and interest in West Virginia history. The collection contains various materials pertaining to coal mining and West Virginia history, especially in the New River area and Fayette County. It includes correspondence, land grant and deed records, pamphlets, journals, local histories, records, photographs, and art relating to mining and life in the New River area. One set of correspondence includes recollections, a yearbook, and newspaper clippings by a World War II sailor from the USS West Virginia. Another series of correspondence includes the antebellum, wartime, and postwar letters and personal receipts of Charles Dequasie, a Confederate soldier from Fayette County, West Virginia, and Robert Edward Dequasie's personal and business correspondence. Other ephemera includes West Virginia and mining journals and certificates belonging to Donnelly and others. A scrapbook and notebook of newspaper clippings pertain to early court hangings and executions in West Virginia. Political posters include those for West Virginia Governor William C. Marland and West Virginia Senators Harley Kilgore and Robert Byrd.

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USS West Virginia, Navy Uniform of Granville R. Williams, 1941/2001 0.25 Linear Feet Summary: 3 in. (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.)

Jacobs, Martin
Dress white U.S. Navy uniform that belonged to Granville R. Williams, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class, who served aboard the USS West Virginia during the attack at Pearl Harbor. Williams survived the attack and was awarded the Purple Heart. His Purple Heart medal and five campaign and achievement medals adorn the uniform. There is also a photograph of Williams and a copy of the article 'The Horror of Pearl Harbor' from Militaria International magazine (May 2001) which includes a reminiscence by Williams of his Pearl Harbor experience.
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USS West Virginia Papers, 1967/1988 0.25 Linear Feet Summary: 2 1/2 in. (1 document case)

Alpha Phi Omega

Materials concerning the dedication of the bell of the armored cruiser U.S.S. West Virginia, December 7, 1967. Items include program, invitation, diagram of proceedings, and newspaper clippings of dedication.

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USS West Virginia, Records Regarding Bell, Clapper, and Mast, 1967/2002, bulk 1982/1991 0.01 Linear Feet Summary: 1/4 in.

Records regarding the mast, bell, and clapper of the USS West Virginia, from both the World War I armored cruiser put into service in 1903, and the World War II battleship of the same name. Includes correspondence, receipts, loan forms, incident and damage reports, memoranda, newspaper articles (copied and original), and a magazine article regarding West Virginia University's possession of the bell and clapper from the cruiser and the mast from the battleship. This collection details the loan of the bell and clapper from the Department of the Navy, Alpha Phi Omega's stewardship of the bell and clapper, the dedication of the bell, and the story of the mast's acquisition and dedication by West Virginia University. Also includes a proclamation by Governor Bob Wise, affixed with Great Seal of the State of West Virginia, proclaiming Dec 7, 2002 "Captain Mervyn S. Bennion and USS West Virginia (BB48) Day."
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USS West Virginia, Scrapbook and Memorabilia, 1941/1991 0.3 Linear Feet Summary: 3 1/2 in. (1 small flat storage box)

Walsh, Mike
Artifacts, scrapbook, photographs, clippings, and ephemera related to Pearl Harbor, the USS West Virginia, and World War II. The collection includes a 9' x 14' scrapbook labelled 'Logalbum, USS West Virginia, Aloha Honolulu' with a color illustration of the USS West Virginia on the cover, it contains 27 vintage World War II photographs of mostly naval ships (not including the USS West Virginia). There is an 8' x 14' print of a tinted photograph of the USS West Virginia. There are also four World War II service and campaign medals and one ribbon, a Pearl Harbor Survivor Association medal, three naval certificates, two news clippings, and a 1991 collector's edition Life magazine relating to Pearl Harbor, and a Minnesota 'Pearl Harbor Survivor' license plate.
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USS West Virginia, Scrapbook and Other Material of William Hand, 1934/1988, bulk 1934/1937 1.1 Linear Feet 1 ft. 1 in. (1 flat storage boxes, 3 in.); (1 flat storage box, 4 in.); (1 roll storage box, 6 in.)

Hand, William
Scrapbook, hat, neckerchief, ribbons, and pins of United States Navy Seamen First Class William Hand of the Battleship USS West Virginia. He enlisted August 1933 and was honorably discharged July 1937. Scrapbook includes certificates, Christmas menu, clippings, envelope covers, newsletters, photo of whale boat crew, and photo of S-Division of the USS West Virginia. Ribbons and pins include: 1) whale boat crew medal, 1935 (blue ribbon); 2) US Navy good conduct medal, 1937 (maroon ribbon); 3) US Navy sweetheart pins (2 items, anchor and diamond shapes); 4) US Navy honorable discharge pin; 5) USS West Virginia insignia pin ("nickel sized"); 6) small unidentified gold pin; 7) civilian service pins for 15, 25, and 30 years; 8) ID bracelet; 9) Lockheed pins (6 items). A Hand family genealogy can be found in the scrapbook.
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West Virginia University, Student Affairs, Records regarding USS West Virginia, 1937/2002, bulk 1960/1970 0.4 Linear Feet 5 in. (1 document case)

West Virginia University. Student Affairs

Records created by the Student Affairs office at West Virginia University regarding establishment of a campus memorial of mast and bell from the World War II era battleship USS West Virginia and from the armored cruiser USS West Virginia respectively. Records regarding the battleship mast include historical information, dedication information (1963), photographs of battleship and mast, clippings, and correspondence of Joseph E. Gluck and others (1960-2001). Records regarding the bell include dedication information (1967) and correspondence (1966-2002).

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