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Charles Schley Gardner papers

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.MSS117f

Scope and Content

This collection contains correspondence from Charles Schley Gardner, one as a young man in 1907 and fourteen from his military service in France during World War I, dated 1918-1919. In addition, Gardner’s papers include his military identification card from 1917, Red Cross Christmas seals from 1918, certificates from college and the military, and newspaper clippings that follow his later life to his death in 1950. The bulk of the collection is Gardner’s correspondence home addressed to his mother, his brother Jesse, sister Mary Lois, and friends and other relatives. The letters describe the relative peace of his camp in early 1918, and later descriptions of air wafare and trench-digging. One letter mentions the involvement of the Young Men’s Christian Association (Y.M.C.A) in maintaining morale. Another letter, dated 10 Sep 1918, includes Gardner’s personal reflections about African American soldiers. In the same letter Gardner instructs his mother on personal finance matters.

Dates

  • 1894-1954, undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.

Administrative/Biographical History

Charles Gardner (1892-1954) was born on August 9, 1892 in Marietta, Georgia to Albert Sidney Johnson Gardner and Mary Bones Sibley. Gardner had an older brother, Jesse Jordan Gardner, and two sisters, Emma Eve Gardner, and Mary Lois Gardner. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Gardner graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1916. He served in the U.S. Army as a 2nd lieutenant in World War I. On November 30, 1930, he was appointed Major in the Coast Artillery Corps. Charles Gardner served as president of the Nine o-Clocks social club in Atlanta, Georgia from 1937-1938. He died on August 1, 1950.

Extent

4 folder(s)

Language

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, 1974

Existence and Location of Copies

Typed transcripts for letters in folder one are contained in folder two.

Description Control

Collection reprocessed in 2008.

Title
Charles Schley Gardner papers
Author
Paul Crater
Date
June 2008
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040