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Edward F. and Viola E. Wulf Papers

 Collection
Identifier: A3041

Scope and Contents

The collection is divided into two series: Edward F. Wulf series and the Viola E. Wulf Diaries series. Folders in the Edward F. Wulf series are arranged by type of documents. The documents are arranged chronologically within the folders and date from 1918 to 1919. The Viola E. Wulf Diaries date from 1931 to February 1968 and are arranged chronologically. There is a large gap in the collection; there are no materials dating from 1920 to 1930. The Edward F. Wulf series is comprised of correspondence, church and entertainment programs, and news clippings sent home by Edward Frank Wulf while he served with the American Red Cross in France at the end of WWI and as he travelled to and from Europe. The correspondence spans from October 1918 through September 1919. There are two letters that predate Edward’s departure from St. Louis (f.1). The first is a form letter from the Beacon Low Twelve Club, presumably from the Mason’s Beacon Lodge. Low Twelve Clubs are benefit organizations for Masons that render financial aid and assistance to the beneficiary upon the death of a member. The second letter, 9 May 1918, is from the American Red Cross (ARC) denying Edward’s offer of service. There are no other letters from the ARC arranging for Edward’s service that began in October. Edward wrote all of the letters in the collection with four exceptions. He did not write the two mentioned in the previous paragraph (f.1), a 4 August 1919 letter to Sarah Wulf from the Alumni Association of the Missouri School for the Deaf (f.10), and a 6 August 1919 letter to Edward from Katherine Mac that he enclosed in his 19 August 1919 letter home (f.10). Edward’s letters are addressed to his mother, sister, and brother when they lived at 4324 Ashland Avenue. He spoke of all the different people that he met as he travelled, his job, and how he occupied his time attending musical and theatrical productions which were often coordinated by the Red Cross or by the YMCA. Since the war ended before he arrived in France, he saw some St. Louis friends serving in the armed forces who passed through Le Mans (Teddie Hancock, Murray Hancock, Bill Dodd, Arthur Portmann). After arriving in Le Mans, Edward wrote about riding in a “Ford Machine” when he went on a delivery from the warehouse (15 December 1918, f.3). He eventually learned to drive and he wrote descriptions of the French countryside and its inhabitants. Edward lived with a French family while in Le Mans to whom he paid room and board. In June 1919, he and a friend took a furlough and explored more of France. He sent detailed letters home describing the trip (f.7-8). By the summer of 1919, Edward also had an active social life in Le Mans and friends with whom he frequented the canteen and dances. He met Miss M. Force, a relative of John Jacob Astor, who had lived in St. Louis for a time. He also mentioned keeping company with Miss Peck, Miss McCarthy, and Miss Mac. William McMillen of Akron, Ohio, was Edward’s good friend, who he visited on his way from New York to St. Louis. Edward mentioned in several letters that he sent home photographs that he and friends had taken. In addition, he had a German POW paint small portraits of Sarah and Viola from photographs. The prisoner did a larger portrait of Edward that he planned to carry with him on his trip home. Edward apparently interacted often with German POWs at the warehouse. He wrote about visiting a French POW camp in his supervisor’s stead, inspecting the kitchen and barracks, and about a show that the prisoners performed for him and his friends (f.7). The various programs, menus, and ship’s newsletter (The Depth Bomb) were enclosed in several of Edward’s letters. Over time they have been separated from the letters which they accompanied. There are two pieces of French currency that remained with the c.21 November 1918 letter (f.3). The last folder in the series relates to death benefits that were paid from 1941 to 1945 to Edward, Viola, and their younger brother Alvin, as Sarah’s Wulf’s beneficiaries. The Special Mexican Claims Commission, through the U. S. Treasury, paid benefits for the death of Sarah’s brother, Dr. Charles Fisher. Dr. Fisher was killed in 1916 in a robbery attempt in Chihuahua, Mexico, where he resided. The Viola E. Wulf Diaries series is comprised of 17 volumes of Viola’s diaries in which she wrote daily from 1931 until her death in February 1968. She did not marry. She recorded how she spent her leisure time with very little information about her job(s). With friends she regularly attended the theatre and movies and often recorded titles, stars, and her opinions on the performances. Viola also occasionally attended hockey and baseball games with friends and with her brother. During WWII, she mentions donating blood a few times and attending war related lectures but her social activities seemed to proceed much as they had in previous years, with little interruption from the war.

Dates

  • 1918-1968
  • Majority of material found within 1918-1919
  • Majority of material found within 1931-1968

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

Edward Frank Wulf (1894-1960) and Viola Eleanor Wulf (1892-1968) were the son and daughter of Sarah (Fisher) Wulf and John H. Wulf. John H. Wulf was a deaf mute and died in January 1908. Sarah Wulf was the daughter of John H. and Fannie Fisher and had five brothers and a sister. She attended the Missouri School for the Deaf for an unknown amount of time. Sarah and John also had a younger son, Alvin, in 1898. The couple was separated at the time of John’s death. Edward Wulf worked as a bookkeeper with Brecht Butcher Supply. He volunteered to serve with the American Red Cross in 1918. The Red Cross was experiencing unprecedented growth after the U.S. entered the war in Europe in 1917. Edward left St. Louis in October 1918 and wrote post cards and letters as he travelled. He spent a few days in New York and then went to Quebec where he boarded a ship bound for London. After a few days in London, Edward went to Paris and then to Gievres. By December 1918, he finally received his assignment at a warehouse in Le Mans. Wulf’s supervisor at the Le Mans warehouse was another St. Louisan, George Schaefer, who he mentions occasionally in his letters. He received a commission as lieutenant in January 1919. Edward’s duties sometimes included supervising German prisoners of war, since the peace treaty had not been signed, and assisting in the delivery of supplies. He learned to drive while he was in France and generally enjoyed his time there socializing with other American Red Cross workers. Edward returned to St. Louis in September 1919 and little is known of his life after his return. He did not marry and returned to working for Brecht as a bookkeeper. At the time of his death in June 1960, he lived with his sister, Viola, at 3927 West Pine. Viola E. Wulf was an office worker and was employed by several companies. She was an active member of the Rose Croix Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, attended Christ Church, was an active member of the hiking group Missouri Walk Ways Association, and belonged to a social club called the Black Cats. Viola swam regularly for many years and participated in a basketball league for a short time. She also attended local sporting events with her Brother and friends. She died on 9 February 1968 at the age of 76.

Extent

0.87 Cubic Feet ( (2 boxes)) : 18 folders, 17 volumes

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection is divided into two series: Edward F. Wulf series and the Viola E. Wulf Diaries series. Folders in the Edward F. Wulf series are arranged by type of documents. The documents are arranged chronologically within the folders. The Viola E. Wulf Diaries are arranged chronologically.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Processing Information

Processed with funding from The Stuart Foundation, Inc. by Kristina Perez, 2017.

Creator

Title
Inventory of Edward F. and Viola E. Wulf Papers
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Kristina Perez using ArchivesSpace
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

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