Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts & Archives
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Historical Background
Scope and Content Note
Box and Folder Listing
Cataloguing Information
Processed by:
Paul Brockman
7 December 1990
VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 1 box, 1 oversize folder (.3 linear feet)
COLLECTION DATES: Inclusive 1914-1931; Bulk 1918-1919
PROVENANCE: Jean Thompson for Crawfordsville District Public Library, 222 S. Washington Street, Crawfordsville, Indiana 47933, 26 October 1990
RESTRICTIONS: None
COPYRIGHT: Held by Indiana Historical Society
ALTERNATE FORMATS: None
OTHER FINDING AIDS: None
RELATED HOLDINGS: None
ACCESSION NUMBER: 91.0026
Earl Leland Fine was born in Wallace, Fountain County, Indiana around 1896. He was graduated from Wallace High School in 1914. He was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1918 and was sent to France in September of the same year. He contracted influenza in October, 1918, and died on November 1, 1918. His body was returned to Wallace for burial in September, 1920.
Sources: Information obtained from collection
The bulk of the collection contains correspondence between Earl Fine and family and friends while he was serving in the U.S. Army from June-November, 1918. Included are letters written from Earl Fine to mother (Maria), father (Jacob), sister (Flossie), and brother (Clarence) from basic training at Camp Sherman near Chilicothe, Ohio, June-August, 1918, from Camp Mills, Long Island, New York, August, 1918, while on board ship crossing the Atlantic, September, 1918 and from France, September-October, 1918. Topics discussed are of a general nature such as daily events in basic training, waiting to be sent overseas, news from home and the loneliness of being in France waiting to be sent to the front.
There also are letters to Fine from his parents, sister, brother and girl friend, Josephine Hallett regarding news from home and concern over his well being. Some of these were written after Fine had died from influenza inquiring as to why he had not written and of their love for him. Also included are several letters from Earl Fine's fellow soldiers who wrote to his parents and sister regarding his death and the circumstances surrounding it.
Also, there are letters of condolences from friends and relatives regarding Earl Fine's death, memorials and certificates from the government, letters from nurses and hospital administrators regarding his last days and correspondence dealing with removing the body from France and returning it for final burial in Wallace.
BOX 1: Correspondence and Papers, 1914-1931
Folder 1: Letters from Earl Fine, June-July, 1918
Folder 2: Letters from Earl Fine, August, 1918
Folder 3: Letters from Earl Fine, Sept.-Oct., 1918
Folder 4: Letters to Earl Fine, Aug.-Sept., 1918
Folder 5: Letters to Earl Fine, Oct.-Nov., 1918
Folder 6: Letters to family (mostly condolences), Nov.-Dec., 1918
Folder 7: Letters to family regarding Fine's death, 1919
Folder 8: Correspondence, documents and misc. items regarding Fine's death and burial, 1919-1920
Folder 9: Family Correspondence, 1918-1931
Folder 10: Misc. Items, 1914-1925
OVERSIZE MANUSCRIPT BOX (1 Folder):Earl Fine Memorial, 1 November 1918
MAIN ENTRY: Fine, Earl Leland, 1896-1918
SUBJECT ENTRIES: United States. Army. Infantry Division, 84th
World War, 1914-1918--France
World War, 1914-1918--Indiana--Wallace
Soldiers--Indiana--Wallace
Soldiers' bodies, Disposition of--Indiana--Wallace
Wallace (Ind.)
Camp Sherman (Ohio)
END