Florida in World War I

Bibliography

Books and Articles
State Publications
State Archives Collections
  • M82-8. Drew Family Papers.
    •  George Franklin Drew was born in New Hampshire in 1827.  He moved to Georgia in 1847 and started a lumber business prior to the Civil War.  During the war, he moved to Madison County, Florida, and established a saw mill there.  He won election as Florida's twelfth governor in 1876, the state's first post-reconstruction Democratic governor.  He served until 1881 and was defeated for re-election by William D. Bloxham. 
      Drew's sons, Frank and George L., continued the family's lumber business and political activities and operated the Florida Railway from the turn of the century until the eve of World War I.  Two of the Governor Drew's grandsons, Herbert J. Drew and George F. Drew, served overseas during World War I as officers in the American Expeditionary Force:  Herbert, in the Fifth Field Artillery, First Division; and George, in the 327th Infantry, 82nd Division.  See full archives catalog record.
  • M87-46. Albert Hazan Blanding Papers.
    • The Blanding diaries document the participation of American troops in World War I.  The diaries begin in December 1917, while Blanding was still in the United States, awaiting deployment to France.  Included in this section is his poignant description of a last Christmas visit home to his wife and children.  The General sailed for France on April 7, 1918, and his diaries begin again about one month later.  His entries are generally detailed and lengthy.  He comments on a variety of subjects, including French geography, troop training, the officers he meets, and the conduct of operations against the Germans.  He comments on the looting of abandoned homes by French troops, and his conflicts with "Regular Army" officers who did not feel that any National Guard officer was qualified to hold a position of high responsibility.  His entries from August 31 to September 2 describe the offensive operations of the troops in the Deckabush Lake Sector of the American line.  See full archives catalog record.
  • M90-24. George W. McMullen Memoirs.
    • This series contains the memoirs of W. George McMullen of his participation in World War I.  Mr. McMullen relies upon his memory for most of the details of his narrative.  His recollections deal with the who, what, where and when of his military life.  The information is presented in a conversational manner.  The anecdotes express the realities of army life both in the United States and in Europe. See full archives catalog record.
  • N2001-2. Bevins Family Papers.
    • This collection contains correspondence and photographs, c. 1915 -1918, and some newspaper clippings from later dates, that pertain to the Bevins family of Davenport, Florida.  The Bevins family had moved to Davenport prior to 1915 from Pennsylvania.  While there they attempted to homestead.
      Algy Bevins is the author of most of the correspondence.  The majority of it prior to 1918 is from Algy to his sister describing life in Florida, his various jobs, and plans for himself and her. 
      After the entry of the United States into the First World War, Algy and his brother Arthur enlisted into the US Coast Guard and served aboard the USS Tampa.  The Tampa was a Coast Guard cutter serving on convoy duty with the US Navy in Europe when it disappeared into a fog bank and exploded with the loss of all hands after being torpedoed by a German U-boat. See full archives catalog record.
  • N2004-1. Ruth Bryan Owen Papers, 1901-2008.
    • This collection contains correspondence, news clippings, subject files, and photographs  documenting Ruth Bryan Owen's career as a World War I nurse, legislator, diplomat, educator, and public speaker. Materials of interest include clippings and correspondence from her career as a Representative from Florida in Washington, D.C.; clippings of her career in the Foreign Service to Denmark and the United Nations; and biographical and genealogical information. See full archives catalog record.
  • N2008-9. Kirvin Family Papers.
    • This series consists of personal papers of Mary Kirvin of Allenton, Florida which include tax, financial and  farming information in addition to family correspondence and letters from her son serving in World War I. See full archives catalog record.
  • S613. Sidney J. Catts Governor's Correspondence.
    • Sidney J. Catts served as governor during WWI.  The records reflect the official, constitutional, and political duties of the Office of the Governor.  The series consists primarily of incoming and outgoing correspondence filed by general subject area. See full archives catalog record.
  • S1204, S1249, S1233, S1234. World War I Service Cards.
    • This series consists of a card roster of Floridians who served in the United States military during World War I from 1917 to 1919. Each soldier has one or two cards giving information on his/her military service, such as name, serial number, residence, place and date of birth, military organizations he/she served in, rank, engagements participated in, wounds or injuries received, dates serving overseas, discharge date, percentage disabled, and additional remarks. The cards were created by the staff of the Dept. during a project in 1924. All searchable on Florida Memory.
  • S1296. Record of commissions for County Guards, 1917-1920.
    • The series contains records of commissions for the County Guards from 1917 to 1920. A bound volume contains the official commissions signed by the Governor and the Secretary of State. The volume is indexed alphabetically by county at the front. The loose certificates are duplicates of the certificates found in the volume. Also included in the series are resignation letters submitted and notifications of appointments from 1917 to 1918. Although the County Guards were to be disbanded four months after a peace treaty was concluded, a few commissions are dated in 1919 and 1920. All searchable on Florida Memory.
  • S1418. Florida Draft Evaders in World War I.
    • This series contains lists of those men who were reported as draft "deserters" from the Army in Florida during the World War I from 1914 to 1918.  These names were to be published in newspapers or posted in public places.  The lists also contained the citations of law or regulations under which evaders could be seized. See full archives catalog record.
  • S1438. Directories of commissioned officers of the National Guard and Naval Militia, 1902-1939.
    • The series contains published directories of commissioned officers of the National Guard, Naval Militia, and Florida State Troops from 1902 to 1939. The directories document the units and officer personnel of the military establishment of the state in the early twentieth century. Volume one is the only volume that lists the staff noncommissioned officers for the Florida State Troops. See full archives catalog record.

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