Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts and Archives Department

SAMMY GIRLS
COLLECTION, 1914-1926

Collection #
M 0453

Table of Contents

Collection Information
Historical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Box and Folder List
Cataloging Information

Processed by
Kim Rivers
June 1986

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION:

1 manuscript box

COLLECTION DATES:

1914-1926

PROVENANCE:

Gift of the Henry County Historical Society, New Castle, Indiana, March 1986

RESTRICTIONS:

none

REPRODUCTION RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE FORMATS:

none

OTHER FINDIGN AIDS:

none

RELATED HOLDINGS:

  

ACCESSION NUMBER:

1986.0253

NOTES:

  

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The "Sammy Girls," a local women's organization centered around Lewisville, Indiana, wrote letters and sent useful articles to servicemen at home and abroad during World War I. Writing always as Sammy Girls and never under their own names, the members corresponded mainly with army men (rather than sailors) from Franklin Township and Henry County. The group was most active from early 1918 to July 1919, although a letter in September 1914 indicates that it was already organized.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Most of the nearly 200 letters and postcards are servicemen's replies to the Sammy Girls' letters and packages, dated from May 1918 to July 1919. As such they shed much less light on the women's organization itself than on the soldiers' army life. Their letters describe camp life in the states, especially in Kentucky, New York, Michigan and Virginia. Some of the men relate their overseas adventures in England, France, and Belgium and provide an interesting commentary on the American soldier abroad. Very few actually mention seeing action. The letters show a sense of community among the correspondents as they inquire after other soldiers (some of whom also have letters preserved), beg for news from home, or tell stories about other local boys at camp. Also included in the collection are some of the group's bills and a few letters from individuals outside the army who knew of the group.

BOX AND FOLDER LIST

Box 1 Correspondence, 1914-1926, Miscellaneous items

FOLDER

CONTENTS

1

Correspondence, Sept. 14, 1914; Jan. 27-June 11, 1918. 25 items.

2

Correspondence, June 12-July 15, 1918. 19 items.

3

Correspondence, July 16-August 10, 1918. 15 items.

4

Correspondence, Aug. 12-Sept. 8, 1918. 21 items.

5

Correspondence, Sept. 8-Oct. 10, 1918. 16 items.

6

Correspondence, October 11-21, 1918. 11 items.

7

Correspondence, Oct. 22-Nov. 11, 1918. 12 items.

8

Correspondence, Nov. 12-Dec. 3, 1918. 16 items.

9

Correspondence, December 5-29, 1918. 11 items.

10

Correspondence, Jan. 13-Feb. 19, 1919. 13 items.

11

Correspondence, Feb. 25-July 26, 1919; Oct. 19, 1926. 18 items.

12

Miscellaneous and no date items. 18 items.

13

Postcards from Europe transferred to Visual Collections. Not located, 15 Aug. 1994

 

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

  1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog
  2. Click on the "Local Catalog" icon.
  3. Search for the collection by its call number, using the letter or letters designation and four digits (e.g., M 0715, SC 2234).
  4. When you find the collection, go to the "Holdings" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.

END