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Emanuel M. Rohrbaugh WWI Letters

 Collection
Identifier: 003-MS 486

Scope and Contents

The collection includes 14 manuscript letters and envelopes dated from January 29, 1918 through January 26, 1919. Thirteen of the letters are from Emanuel Rohrbaugh to his nephew, John Rohrbaugh, a resident of the Brodbecks and Seven Valleys areas of York County, Pennsylvania. In the letters, Emanuel describes life in a military camp and in Le Havre, France, discusses girls, cars, and his memories of good times spent with his nephew, who was near to him in age. Two of the letters are written from the hospital at Camp Greene, North Carolina, where Rohrbaugh was undergoing treatment for a gastric ulcer. He reports that a recent rule change will prevent his discharge from the military, but that he was being assigned to light duty. The fourteenth letter in the collection is from Melvin G. Roser to "Friend John." Dated June 2nd, 1918, the letter is written from Camp McArthur in Waco, Texas. Roser describes the weather in Waco, a nearby airfield, and his experiences in the camp.

Dates

  • 1918-1919

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Archives and Special Collections of Ganser Library will reproduce Special Collections material to the extent that physical condition and copyright or other legal restrictions permit. Reproduction is available in the form of photocopies and digital images. All reproduction requests must be approved by a member of the professional staff. Decisions will take into account the type and condition of the binding, the brittleness of the paper, the size and the general size and fragility of the item.

Conditions Governing Use

Archives and Special Collections adheres to the provisions of the 1976 Copyright Act and amendments, and follows the minimum standards of educational fair use established under Section 107. In applying these standards, Archives and Special Collections will copy up to 10% of a copyrighted work if the copy is to be used for the purpose of private study, scholarship or research. The department will not copy for the purpose of public performance. Physical condition permitting, the department will copy more than 10% of a copyrighted work only with the written permission of the copyright holder. Multiple copies are not permitted under fair use. For authored works created since 1978, copyright lasts from the creation of the work until 70 years after the author's death. The expiration term for corporate, anonymous, or pseudonymous works is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever occurs first. For works published before 1978, with a copyright notice, the maximum duration of copyright protection is 75 years. Works published before 1978 without a copyright notice are assumed to be in the public domain. Since March 1, 1989, a copyright notice is no longer necessary. Archives and Special Collections reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

Emanuel M. Rohrbaugh was born on May 31, 1895, in Codorus Township, York County, Pennsylvania, the son of Emanuel B. and Rosette Myers Rohrbaugh. He was working as a farmhand on June 5, 1917 when he registered for the draft. Rohrbaugh enlisted on January 15, 1918 and was sent to Camp Meade, Maryland. By mid-February, he was at Camp Greene in Charlotte, North Carolina where he was diagnosed with a gastric ulcer and assigned to light duty. He served in France as part of the Quartermaster Corps, working in a warehouse located in Le Havre, France, from approximately July of 1918 through the end of the war. By late January of 1919, Rohrbaugh was at Camp Merritt, New Jersey. He was discharged from the military on February 6, 1919. Rohrbaugh returned to the York/Hanover area where he was employed as a shoe worker. He died on July 17, 1921, when the former suitor of a young widow he was dating shot both Rohrbaugh and the woman. Rohrbaugh died; the woman was injured, but survived. The author of the fourteenth letter in the collection, Melvin G. Roser, was a resident of the Brodbecks area of York County, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the military on May 10, 1918 and was discharged on June 25, 1919.

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement Note

Chronological arrangement

Technical Access Requirements

The processing fee for photocopying or scanning requests is $10.00/request. There is no charge for Millersville University students, faculty, or staff.

Title
Emanuel M. Rohrbaugh and Melvin G. Roser World War I Letters
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Millersville University Special Collections Repository

Contact:
9 North George Street
McNairy Library, PO Box 1002
Millersville University
Millersville 17551-302 US
717-871-7134