Minnesota War Records Commission, St. Louis County Branch records
Scope and Contents
The collection contains draft and service records, correspondence, news clippings, scrapbooks, prepared written histories, minutes, reports, photographs, publications, and war posters. Most of the material in this collection was collected or produced by the War Records Commission. However, the original order of this collection was difficult to establish and related material not actually collected by the Commission may be included.
Military Service Records, 1921-1925, include all lists and information gathered about service people of St. Louis County. Submission of a record to the Commission was voluntary and not all people who served are represented in this collection. The service records consist of a four-page form distributed by the Commission, but family respondents often augmented that record with photographs, letters, and obituaries. The commission sought records for all servicemen who had lived in St. Louis County at the beginning of the War, so many records exist for "non-residents" living in the county including Canadians.Gold Star lists note men who were killed in service. Military Service Records were created for service women. Additional women’s record are included in collection S3006, American Red Cross, Northland Chapter records.
Correspondence, 1918-1924, pertains to the War Records Commission and its chairman William E. Culkin. Correspondence of Duluth companies concern efforts to obtain the war records of companies.
Draft Records, 1917-1918, include correspondence, enlistment and induction lists and registration cards. The correspondence involves William E. Culkin who served on the draft advisory board of District 4 and John R. Meining, St. Louis County Sheriff.
Subject File, 1917-1928, includes extensive newspaper clippings and prepared histories on various aspects of World War I, correspondence and some photographs. There are a number of photographs of the Third Minnesota Infantry. Photographs are generally not dated 8x10 prints of Duluth homefront scenes.
Dates
- 1908-1928
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use in the Kathryn A. Martin Library, Archives and Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
The Minnesota War Records Commission was authorized by the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety in 1918 "to insure a proper historical compilation of activities of individuals and units" of World War I. The St. Louis County Branch of the Commission was created under the provisions of Chapter 282, Minnesota laws of 1919, and Chapters 262 and 288, laws of 1921, with William E. Culkin acting as chairman. The organization was located at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth. The Branch's primary effort was compiling the service records of St. Louis County men and women who went to war. A "Gold Star Roll" was created to preserve information about those who had died in the war. Secondarily, the Branch sought records of local businesses and civic organizations, as well as narratives and histories of otherwise undocumented events that occurred at home related to the effects of the war or local support of the war effort.
The Minnesota War Records Commission was authorized by the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety in 1918 "to insure a proper historical compilation of activities of individuals and units" of World War I. The St. Louis County Branch, chaired by William E. Culkin, gathered information on St. Louis County servicemen and women as well as information on home front activities. Submission of a soldier's service record to the Commission was voluntary and not all people who served are represented in this collection.
Extent
23.50 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection contains draft and service records, correspondence, news clippings, scrapbooks, prepared written histories, minutes, reports, photographs, publications, and war posters.
Physical Location
This collection is located at the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives. For more information about this collection or to make an appointment, contact us at libarchives@d.umn.edu or 218-726-8526.
General
This collection is owned by the Minnesota Historical Society, but is housed at the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives.
- Correspondence Subject Source: Local sources
- Minnesota--History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Minutes Subject Source: Local sources
- Newspaper clippings Subject Source: Local sources
- Photographs Subject Source: Local sources
- Posters Subject Source: Local sources
- Publications Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Reports Subject Source: Local sources
- Scrapbooks Subject Source: Local sources
- Servicemen, Military Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- St. Louis County (Minn.) Subject Source: Lcnaf
- St. Louis County (Minn.)--History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Veterans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War I Subject Source: Local sources
- Title
- Guide to the Minnesota War Records Commission, St. Louis County Branch records
- Author
- Finding Aid Authors: P. Maus.
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Box: 7 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 8 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 9 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 10 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 11 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 12 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 13 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 14 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 15 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 16 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 17 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 18 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: Oversize (Mixed Materials)
Collecting Area Details
Contact The University of Minnesota Duluth Archives and Special Collections Collecting Area
Kathryn A. Martin Library
University of Minnesota Duluth
416 Library Drive
Duluth MN 55812-3001
(218) 726-8526
libarchives@d.umn.edu
