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Eugene T. Lowther World War I letters to family members
Creator: Lowther, Eugene
Date: 1917-1919
This collection of World War I letters was written by Eugene T. Lowther to his parents or his sister Kathleen (Tattie). Lowther (1893-1969) grew up in Emporia, Kansas, attended Kansas University, and worked for the Emporia Gazette. He served in the 35th Division, 137 Infantry, Company G, though he later changed to the headquarters company. He was at Camp Doniphan at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from Oct. 1, 1917, through April 16, 1918. The early letters generally discuss the mail he has received, including newspapers and newspaper clippings, mention people he has seen from Emporia, and the boxes he has received with cookies, etc. He worked as a clerk and occasionally was near the fighting. He writes about support from the Red Cross and the Y.M.C.A. And mentions that Henry J. Allen and W. Y. Morgan came to Europe to support the troops through these organizations. He spent about 4 months in Paris at the end of the war and describes the various places he visited. He studied at the Sorbonne and includes a few French phrases in his letters. He attended a number of operas. He calls the Germans "Bosche" and makes derogatory remarks about the French people. The letters make numerous references to "Cal" (Calvin Lambert) who was one of Gene's best friends and who also worked at the Gazette. There are a few references to William Allen White (Mr. White), editor of the Emporia Gazette, and several to Billy White (William Lindsey), who was a friend of Gene's. There is one letter to the Gazette staff. He writes about hearing President Woodrow Wilson give a speech at a soldiers' cemetery near Paris on Memorial Day, 1919. He also writes about a Labor Day riot in Paris and about strikes by transportation workers. He collected a lot of postcards which he sent home from time to time. The first item in the collection is a listing of the places Lowther was stationed. The letters are arranged chronologically. Only the postcards with messages or those that show destruction from the war have been copied.
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