Fletcher Warren Collection
Collection
Identifier: 2008.037
Scope and Contents
The collection is organized into seven series: Activity Files, Biographical Materials, Correspondence, Newspaper Clippings, Photographs, Scrapbooks, and Speeches, Writings. The bulk of the materials are in English with some materials in Spanish. The collection consists of materials related to his foreign service in eight different countries and life in Texas after retirement.
Series I. Activity Files, 1926-1975; consists of itineraries, programs, maps, and reports attended and received during Warren’s Foreign Service. Programs include information regarding receptions attended, the menu for the evening, and any honorary attendees or speeches. Reports are from the Department of State, committees, or the consulate and detail a specific topic that Warren may or may not be affiliated with during his Foreign Service. Bulk of these materials are in English with some programs in Spanish.
Series II. Biographical Files, n.d., 1934-1960; includes materials about Fletcher Warren and Wilhelmina Warren during Fletcher Warren’s Foreign Service including appointment papers for each appointment begining with Vice Consul in Habana Cuba in 1921. Awards of achievement, identification cards, and information about pets, specifically, Big Boy, a Boston bull terrier, are also included in this series. This file includes registration papers for the travel of the dog abroad. Illustrations are of Fletcher Warren and his fellow Foreign Service Officers. The map is from a road trip he and Wilhelmina took in 1953. The songs and poetry reflect his humor and that of his co-workers. The sheet music was dedicated to Ambassador Fletcher Warren. These materials are in English and Spanish.
Series III. Correspondence, n.d., 1927-1970; The correspondence is organized alphabetically by sender and includes letters from and to Warren. The bulk of the letters are congratulatory regarding new appointments. These materials are in English.
Series IV. Newspaper Clippings, n.d., 1922-1970, 1976; The newspaper clippings are organized chronologically and include articles of interest to Fletcher Warren and/or regarding Fletcher Warren including Dr. Milton Eisenhower's visit to Venezuela while Fletcher Warren was Ambassador in 1953. The materials are in English and Spanish. Bulk of the clippings are laminated. Preservation actions may need to be taken.
Series V. Photographs, 1926-1968; are organized chronologically as well as by event or place and size. Places include aerial phtographs of the landscape. The bulk of the photographs document events the Warren's attended when Fletcher Warren was Ambassador and persons met or worked with during his foreign service. Inscriptions and notes for these photographs are in English.
Series VI. Scrapbooks, 1917-1956; includes four scrapbooks consisting of personal memorabilia and foreign service related materials. The scrapbooks are compiled of newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, brochures, and postcards in English and Spanish. One scrapbook is digitized and available in the digital collections: http://dmc.tamuc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/gee/id/346
Series VII. Speeches, Writings, n.d., 1943-1972; Speeches, papers, essays, articles and a broadcast written by Fletcher Warren and other authors. Includes materials from after Fetcher Warren's Foreign Service when living in Texas. Materials are organized chronologically and alphabetically and are in English.
In 1975, Fletcher Warren made notes attached to correspondence and photographs and sometimes on the materials or the back of the materials. These notes are dated and remain with the correspondence and photographs they are describing. The notes were made with a ball point pen. No damage, other than pressure causing indentation on the photograph, has occurred.
Series I. Activity Files, 1926-1975; consists of itineraries, programs, maps, and reports attended and received during Warren’s Foreign Service. Programs include information regarding receptions attended, the menu for the evening, and any honorary attendees or speeches. Reports are from the Department of State, committees, or the consulate and detail a specific topic that Warren may or may not be affiliated with during his Foreign Service. Bulk of these materials are in English with some programs in Spanish.
Series II. Biographical Files, n.d., 1934-1960; includes materials about Fletcher Warren and Wilhelmina Warren during Fletcher Warren’s Foreign Service including appointment papers for each appointment begining with Vice Consul in Habana Cuba in 1921. Awards of achievement, identification cards, and information about pets, specifically, Big Boy, a Boston bull terrier, are also included in this series. This file includes registration papers for the travel of the dog abroad. Illustrations are of Fletcher Warren and his fellow Foreign Service Officers. The map is from a road trip he and Wilhelmina took in 1953. The songs and poetry reflect his humor and that of his co-workers. The sheet music was dedicated to Ambassador Fletcher Warren. These materials are in English and Spanish.
Series III. Correspondence, n.d., 1927-1970; The correspondence is organized alphabetically by sender and includes letters from and to Warren. The bulk of the letters are congratulatory regarding new appointments. These materials are in English.
Series IV. Newspaper Clippings, n.d., 1922-1970, 1976; The newspaper clippings are organized chronologically and include articles of interest to Fletcher Warren and/or regarding Fletcher Warren including Dr. Milton Eisenhower's visit to Venezuela while Fletcher Warren was Ambassador in 1953. The materials are in English and Spanish. Bulk of the clippings are laminated. Preservation actions may need to be taken.
Series V. Photographs, 1926-1968; are organized chronologically as well as by event or place and size. Places include aerial phtographs of the landscape. The bulk of the photographs document events the Warren's attended when Fletcher Warren was Ambassador and persons met or worked with during his foreign service. Inscriptions and notes for these photographs are in English.
Series VI. Scrapbooks, 1917-1956; includes four scrapbooks consisting of personal memorabilia and foreign service related materials. The scrapbooks are compiled of newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, brochures, and postcards in English and Spanish. One scrapbook is digitized and available in the digital collections: http://dmc.tamuc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/gee/id/346
Series VII. Speeches, Writings, n.d., 1943-1972; Speeches, papers, essays, articles and a broadcast written by Fletcher Warren and other authors. Includes materials from after Fetcher Warren's Foreign Service when living in Texas. Materials are organized chronologically and alphabetically and are in English.
In 1975, Fletcher Warren made notes attached to correspondence and photographs and sometimes on the materials or the back of the materials. These notes are dated and remain with the correspondence and photographs they are describing. The notes were made with a ball point pen. No damage, other than pressure causing indentation on the photograph, has occurred.
Dates
- 1921-1975, inclusive
Creator
- Warren, Fletcher (Person)
Language of Materials
The collection includes materials in English and Spanish.
Conditions Governing Access
Items in this collection are protected by applicable copyright laws.
Biographical / Historical
Fletcher Warren (1896-1992) was a Foreign Service Officer from 1921-1960. He was born William Fletcher Warren near Wolfe City, Texas on March 3, 1896 to Moses Abraham Warren and Mary Elizabeth Wilson Warren followed by brothers, John Wilson and Dennis Dow, and a sister, Frances Thelma. Warren attended schools in Wolfe City beginning in 1904. He graduated valedictorian of Wolfe City High School in 1915 which allowed him to attend University of Texas, Austin tuition free. He enrolled at UT in the fall of 1915. After the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Warren sought military enlistment through the Officers Training School at Leon Springs followed by the Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army, but he was turned down due to his bad eye. Eventually, Warren was accepted to the United States Army Quartermaster Corps and reported to Camp Joseph Johnston in Jacksonville, Florida. His service stationed him in France, Depot No. 3, Base Section No. 2, Camp St. Sulpice, Izon, Gironde. Warren returned to the U.S. in 1919 and was discharged in Little Rock, Arkansas.
In January 1920, Warren returned to the University of Texas and to his previous job at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin where he also held residency. He met Wilhelmina Kuenstler (1897-1996), a student at Rice University, at a UT summer program the same year. He graduated in May 1921 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a minor in Government. After graduation, Warren pursued a career in Foreign Service and proceeded to Washington in June of 1921 to take the consular service entrance examination. Warren was notified in August he passed the exam and by December he was assigned his first post as Vice-Consul de Carrriere Class III in Havana, Cuba. Before moving to Havana, Warren married Wilhelmina Kuenstler on November 24th - Thanksgiving weekend - and they set sail for Havana on the Ward Line vessel Monterey in December. While in Havana, Warren held jobs at the invoice desk, visa office, American citizenship office, commercial desk, and file room.
Warren returned to Washington in 1925 and was appointed to the Consular Bureau at the Department of State where he served under the bureau chief Herbert C. Hengsler. Warren served as "conductor" or guide of the First Pan American Congress of Journalists who visited the United States in April 1926. Warren was assigned as Consul Officer in Barranquilla, Colombia, 1929-1931; Budapest, Hungary, 1931-1935; Managua, Nicaragua, 1935-1937; and Riga, Latvia, 1937-1938. After his service in Latvia, Warren returned to Washington to serve on Franklin D. Roosevelt's secret intelligence team, the Foreign Activities Correlation (FAC). A portion of this time was spent as Special Assistant to Assistant Secretary of State George S. Messersmith (1883-1960). Warren remained in the Department of State until he was assigned consular of the American Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia in 1942 and returned again to the Department of State on October 15, 1943, where he was executive assistant to Adolf A. Berle, Jr. (1895-1971). In April 1945, Warren was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Nicaragua and served until 1947 when he was assigned as Ambassador of Paraguay. Warren also served as the Director of South American Affairs in the State Department, 1950-1951; Ambassador of Venezuela, 1951-1956; Ambassador of Turkey 1956-1960.
Warren bought a home in Greenville, Texas in 1958 where he and Wilhelmina retired in 1960. As a resident of Greenville, Warren served as Ambassador-in-Residence at East Texas State University and was asked to serve on the Greenville City Council in 1969. He served as mayor from 1969-1970 and was named Greenville’s Worthy Citizen of 1970 by the Chamber of Commerce. In 1976, the city of Greenville dedicated the Fletcher Warren Park in his honor and in 1990, he was Grand Marshall of the Hunt County Fair. Warren passed away on January 3, 1992 in Greenville.
Sources: Philips, Mary Ann. (2006). Fletcher Warren Reporting for Duty, Sir. Austin: Nortex Press.
In January 1920, Warren returned to the University of Texas and to his previous job at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin where he also held residency. He met Wilhelmina Kuenstler (1897-1996), a student at Rice University, at a UT summer program the same year. He graduated in May 1921 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a minor in Government. After graduation, Warren pursued a career in Foreign Service and proceeded to Washington in June of 1921 to take the consular service entrance examination. Warren was notified in August he passed the exam and by December he was assigned his first post as Vice-Consul de Carrriere Class III in Havana, Cuba. Before moving to Havana, Warren married Wilhelmina Kuenstler on November 24th - Thanksgiving weekend - and they set sail for Havana on the Ward Line vessel Monterey in December. While in Havana, Warren held jobs at the invoice desk, visa office, American citizenship office, commercial desk, and file room.
Warren returned to Washington in 1925 and was appointed to the Consular Bureau at the Department of State where he served under the bureau chief Herbert C. Hengsler. Warren served as "conductor" or guide of the First Pan American Congress of Journalists who visited the United States in April 1926. Warren was assigned as Consul Officer in Barranquilla, Colombia, 1929-1931; Budapest, Hungary, 1931-1935; Managua, Nicaragua, 1935-1937; and Riga, Latvia, 1937-1938. After his service in Latvia, Warren returned to Washington to serve on Franklin D. Roosevelt's secret intelligence team, the Foreign Activities Correlation (FAC). A portion of this time was spent as Special Assistant to Assistant Secretary of State George S. Messersmith (1883-1960). Warren remained in the Department of State until he was assigned consular of the American Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia in 1942 and returned again to the Department of State on October 15, 1943, where he was executive assistant to Adolf A. Berle, Jr. (1895-1971). In April 1945, Warren was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Nicaragua and served until 1947 when he was assigned as Ambassador of Paraguay. Warren also served as the Director of South American Affairs in the State Department, 1950-1951; Ambassador of Venezuela, 1951-1956; Ambassador of Turkey 1956-1960.
Warren bought a home in Greenville, Texas in 1958 where he and Wilhelmina retired in 1960. As a resident of Greenville, Warren served as Ambassador-in-Residence at East Texas State University and was asked to serve on the Greenville City Council in 1969. He served as mayor from 1969-1970 and was named Greenville’s Worthy Citizen of 1970 by the Chamber of Commerce. In 1976, the city of Greenville dedicated the Fletcher Warren Park in his honor and in 1990, he was Grand Marshall of the Hunt County Fair. Warren passed away on January 3, 1992 in Greenville.
Sources: Philips, Mary Ann. (2006). Fletcher Warren Reporting for Duty, Sir. Austin: Nortex Press.
Extent
4 Linear Feet
Timeline of Fletcher Warren's Life and Career
1885: Moses Warren married Mary Elizabeth Wilson from Wood County and settled southwest of Wolfe City
1896 March 3: Fletcher Warren born followed by John, Frances, and Dow Warren
1904: Enrolled in Wolfe City Schools
1912: Mary Elizabeth Warren died
1915: Graduated valedictorian of Wolfe City High School
1915 September: Attended University of Texas, Austin
1918: Accepted to Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. Army and reported to Camp Joseph Johnston in Jacksonville, Florida, Stationed in France, Depot No. 3, Base Section No. 2, Camp St. Sulpice, Izon, Gironde
1919 September: Returned to the US
1919 October: Discharged, Little Rock, Arkansas
1920 January: Returned to University of Texas
1920 Summer: Met Wilhelmina Kuenstler at a UT summer program
1921 May: Graduated Bachelor of Arts Degree, major in Economics, minor in Government
1921 June: Took consular test in Washington
1921 October 26: Appointed Vice-Consul de Carriere Class III in Havana, Cuba
1921 November 24: Married Wilhelmina Kuenstler
1921 December 1: Reported for duty, Department of State
1921 December 14: Assigned Consulate General, Havana
1922 January 2: Arrived in Havana, Cuba on the Monterey
1923 August: President Warren G. Harding died; Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president
1924: Rogers Act of 1924, consular and diplomatic services combined into United States Foreign Service
1925 May 20: Assigned to Department of State in Washington
1929: Herbert Hoover became the 31st President of the United States
1929 March 5: Assigned Consul, Barranquilla, Colombia
1929 June: set sail for Barranquilla, Colombia on the United Fruit SS Zacapa, served as Consul Officer
1931 March 13: Assigned Consulate General, Budapest, Hungary
1931 October: Arrived in Budapest, Hungary via the Leviathan to Cherbourg, served as Consul Officer
1933: Franklin D. Roosevelt elected the 32nd President of the United States
1933 December: FDR confirmed the Good Neighbor Policy
1934 August 15: Assigned Legation, Managua, Nicaragua
1936 December 4: Assigned Legation, Riga, Latvia
1938 June 16: Assigned Department of State, President Roosevelt’s secret intelligence team, Foreign Activities Correlation (FAC)
1942 June 30: Assigned counselor of Embassy, Bogota, Columbia
1943 October 15: Assigned Department of State
1945 April 6: Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Nicaragua
1945: Harry S. Truman elected the 33rd President of the United States
1947 January: Paraguay military coup
1947 March: Paraguayan President Hignio Morinigo declared a state of war
1947 April 10: appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Paraguay
1948: Coup d'etat in Venezuela, led by Perez Jimenez and Lt. Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud.
1950 September 1: Appointed to the Department of State, Director of South American Affairs
1951 October 3: Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Venezuela
1952: Perez Jimenez named president of Venezuela
1953: Eisenhower elected 34th President of the United States Dr. Milton Eisenhower visits Venezuela on behalf of President Eisenhower, his brother
1956 March 7: Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkey
1960 May: U-2 incident
1960 December 31: Retired, moved to Greenville
1961: Named Ambassador-in-residence at East Texas State University
1969: Asked to serve on the Greenville City Council, named mayor
1970: Named Greenville’s Worthy Citizen by the Chamber of Commerce
1976: City of Greenville dedicated Fletcher Warren Park
1990: Grand Marshall of the Hunt County Fair
1992 January 3: Died in Greenville
1896 March 3: Fletcher Warren born followed by John, Frances, and Dow Warren
1904: Enrolled in Wolfe City Schools
1912: Mary Elizabeth Warren died
1915: Graduated valedictorian of Wolfe City High School
1915 September: Attended University of Texas, Austin
1918: Accepted to Quartermaster Corps of the U.S. Army and reported to Camp Joseph Johnston in Jacksonville, Florida, Stationed in France, Depot No. 3, Base Section No. 2, Camp St. Sulpice, Izon, Gironde
1919 September: Returned to the US
1919 October: Discharged, Little Rock, Arkansas
1920 January: Returned to University of Texas
1920 Summer: Met Wilhelmina Kuenstler at a UT summer program
1921 May: Graduated Bachelor of Arts Degree, major in Economics, minor in Government
1921 June: Took consular test in Washington
1921 October 26: Appointed Vice-Consul de Carriere Class III in Havana, Cuba
1921 November 24: Married Wilhelmina Kuenstler
1921 December 1: Reported for duty, Department of State
1921 December 14: Assigned Consulate General, Havana
1922 January 2: Arrived in Havana, Cuba on the Monterey
1923 August: President Warren G. Harding died; Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president
1924: Rogers Act of 1924, consular and diplomatic services combined into United States Foreign Service
1925 May 20: Assigned to Department of State in Washington
1929: Herbert Hoover became the 31st President of the United States
1929 March 5: Assigned Consul, Barranquilla, Colombia
1929 June: set sail for Barranquilla, Colombia on the United Fruit SS Zacapa, served as Consul Officer
1931 March 13: Assigned Consulate General, Budapest, Hungary
1931 October: Arrived in Budapest, Hungary via the Leviathan to Cherbourg, served as Consul Officer
1933: Franklin D. Roosevelt elected the 32nd President of the United States
1933 December: FDR confirmed the Good Neighbor Policy
1934 August 15: Assigned Legation, Managua, Nicaragua
1936 December 4: Assigned Legation, Riga, Latvia
1938 June 16: Assigned Department of State, President Roosevelt’s secret intelligence team, Foreign Activities Correlation (FAC)
1942 June 30: Assigned counselor of Embassy, Bogota, Columbia
1943 October 15: Assigned Department of State
1945 April 6: Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Nicaragua
1945: Harry S. Truman elected the 33rd President of the United States
1947 January: Paraguay military coup
1947 March: Paraguayan President Hignio Morinigo declared a state of war
1947 April 10: appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Paraguay
1948: Coup d'etat in Venezuela, led by Perez Jimenez and Lt. Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud.
1950 September 1: Appointed to the Department of State, Director of South American Affairs
1951 October 3: Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Venezuela
1952: Perez Jimenez named president of Venezuela
1953: Eisenhower elected 34th President of the United States Dr. Milton Eisenhower visits Venezuela on behalf of President Eisenhower, his brother
1956 March 7: Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkey
1960 May: U-2 incident
1960 December 31: Retired, moved to Greenville
1961: Named Ambassador-in-residence at East Texas State University
1969: Asked to serve on the Greenville City Council, named mayor
1970: Named Greenville’s Worthy Citizen by the Chamber of Commerce
1976: City of Greenville dedicated Fletcher Warren Park
1990: Grand Marshall of the Hunt County Fair
1992 January 3: Died in Greenville
- Ambassadors -- United States -- Correspondence. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ambassadors. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ankara (Turkey) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Berle, Adolf A., Jr.
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David)
- Foreign Service Officer Program (U.S.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar)
- Hunt County (Tex.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Latvia -- Politics and government Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Managua (Nicaragua) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser)
- Nicaragua -- Foreign relations -- United States. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oral histories Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Paraguay Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Texas, East -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Turkey -- Politics and government -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States -- Foreign relations -- 1945-1953. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States -- Foreign relations -- Nicaragua. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Venezuela Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Venezuela -- Politics and government -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Warren, Wilhelmina Kuenstler
Creator
- Warren, Fletcher (Person)
- Title
- Fletcher Warren Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Shanna Strunk
- Date
- 3/7/2014
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Waters Library, Texas A&M University-Commerce Repository
