Charles Francis Wheeler Collection

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: 2016.17

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains 136 letters written by Charles Francis Wheeler to his mother Florence Wheeler during his service in WWI. The letters are arranged chronologically by year and month. Many of Wheeler's letters describe the French and German countryside along with the towns that his company marches through. He also refers to conversations with French an German citizens and their views and experiences with the war. Wheeler often discusses which letters from family he has recieved and assures his family that he is doing well.

Dates

Creation: 1918 - 1919

Creator

Wheeler, Charles Francis, 1893-1975 (Person)

Conditions Governing Use

Items in this collection are protected by applicable copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

Charles Francis Wheeler was born in Marshall, Texas on September 20, 1893. He entered the U.S. Army in 1917 at age 24. In 1918 Wheeler went overseas where he served in France and Germany as a part of the 359th Infantry. He served for one year before returning home to Marshall, Texas. Wheeler never married, but he was a stockman and a land owner. Wheeler was killed in an automobile accident on January 17, 1975.

His mother, Florence Nightingale Jasper (later Wheeler), was born on June 1, 1860 in Bethel, Ohio. Her husband, Francis Marion Wheeler was born on January 11, 1854 in Otisco, Indiana. The couple married on April 18, 1878 in Vienna, Indiana. Their family moved to Harrison County, Texas in 1888 where they lived five miles east of Marshall. Francis introduced the concept of crop rotation to Harrison County and was one of the first in the county to use a mowing machine. In addition to farming, Francis also operated the Enterprise Dairy Company, becoming one of the first commercial producers of ice cream in the county. They had seven children: Alvin Hope, LeRoy Jaspar, Grace Enola, Elmer Wilson, Fred Irvin, Charles Francis, and Samuel Earl Wheeler. Florence died on April 1, 1936 and Francis died on February 10, 1939.