Series 6307

State Historical Society World War I records, i 1917-1923.

0.70 cubic foot

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Historical Note

See history of the records' creator.

Summary of Records

This series is an effort to preserve a history of the World War I war record of Utah. The task originally was begun by the State Council of Defense, part of the National Council of Defense created on August 29, 1916 by act of Congress. The State Councils were to assist the federal government in recruiting for the National Guard and armed forces, promoting agricultural and industrial production for the war effort, fundraising, and planning patriotic activities.

Scope and Content

This series is an effort to preserve a history of the World War I war record of Utah. The task originally was begun by the State Council of Defense, part of the National Council of Defense created on August 29, 1916 by act of Congress. The State Councils were to assist the federal government in recruiting for the National Guard and armed forces, promoting agricultural and industrial production for the war effort, fundraising, and planning patriotic activities. The Council also responded to a request by Governor Bamberger to compile a War History of the state. With the end of the war, the State Council was dissolved, and the war history aspect was assumed by the Utah State Historical Society.
The broad nature of the State Council of Defense's activities is covered in their correspondence, minutes, and reports. Committees were set up to deal with finance (liberty loans, war work campaign, etc.), publicity, sanitation, food supply and conservation, industry, labor, military affairs, transportation, etc. Each committee's activities were duly reported in the minutes and often represented in the correspondence. A War History committee was established as well, and local historians were appointed under each local defense council. The local councils were to conduct a house-by-house canvass of the community to collect listings of those in service. The committee also created a biographical questionnaire to send to nearest of kin, or if back in the country, to the soldier himself.
The war ended in 1918, and the State Council of Defense was dissolved the following year. In a letter to the President of the Utah State Historical Society dated March 25, 1919, Governor Bamberger suggested the Society "arrange to assume charge of the war history work now under the direction of the State Council of Defense on April 1, 1919." The Historical Society continued the effort to obtain a complete listing of those who served. They also collected the biographical questionnaires. Although a couple are included here, most may be found in WORLD WAR I SERVICE QUESTIONNAIRES. A state war historian was selected to research and publish a full account of Utah's contribution to the war effort.
Most of the series consists of rosters of one form or another. Many of the rosters, nearly half the series, represent listings of soldiers by home county. There are also a number of comprehensive rosters listing soldiers by branch of service. Other listings include nurses who served, wounded soldiers, soldiers who died in the war discharges, desertions, those who failed to report, those who were prisoners of war, those who received foreign decorations, etc. Aside from data on individuals, there are War Department listings of transports which would be carrying soldiers returning to Utah. Brief histories of the Second Division, the Fortieth Division, and the Ninety-First Division are included; each involved military organizations from Utah.
The project of compiling a complete war history with detailed biographies of those who died and general biographies of those who served was abandoned when word was received that the federal government was preparing a complete record of Utah men to be filed with the State Adjutant General ("Report of the State Historical Society," Public Documents ,Vol. 3, 1925-1926, p. 3). Nevertheless, in 1924, the information was used to publish a book titled "Utah in the World War" by Noble Warrum.

Arrangement

Alphabetical by subject and document type, thereunder chronological.

Additional Forms

This series is available online as part of the
.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Use Restrictions

These records are available for reproduction and use.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Custody History

The series was begun by the State Council of Defense. It was continued and elaborated on by the Utah State Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

These records were acquired from the creating agency through established retention schedules.

Processing Information

Many of the Historical Society' military records were stored in a warehouse at Fort Douglas after the war These records were transferred to the Archives from the National Guard during 1987. Before processing there was no discernible arrangement. Records were arranged and processing begun in 1991 by J. Brent Brinkerhoff. Processing completed in 1992 by A.C. Cone.

Related Material

World War I draft board registers from the Division of Archives and Records Service, Series 2229, are similar lists to those in this series collected for the same purpose.
World War I service records from the Division of Archives and Records Service, Series 2793, contains military service data on some of the same personnel.
Adjutant General's records from the National Guard, Series 6308, provides more information on the administrative role of the National Guard in the war and historical data on units which were activated during World War I, the same units mentioned here.
Ogden City War Activities Committees records from the Councils of Defense, Series 10324, contains further information on Council of Defense activities from the county perspective, while this series discusses the same from the state coordinating council's perspective.
Utah in the World War by Noble Warrum from the Councils of Defense, Series 10325, is the volume published from some of the information compiled here.
Administrative records from the Councils of Defense, Series 10335, contains additional correspondence and reports of the Council of Defense, including replies to some of the letters here.
Military survey reports from the Councils of Defense, Series 10336, contains the final reports and maps of the reconnaissance survey, the organization and responsibilities of which are discussed in the Council of Defense's correspondence and reports here.
145th Field Artillery scrapbook from the National Guard, Series 10339, is from one of the units regularly discussed here.
Military service cards from the Division of Archives and Records Service, Series 85268, contains service data on some of the same World War I servicemen.
World War I service questionnaires from the State Historical Society, Series 85298, contains the biographical questionnaires (including photos) discussed here.

Container List

BoxFolderDescription
11Artillery Roster, 145th Field
12Casualties Statistical Reports; 40th Division
13Casualties Statistical Reports; 91st Division
14Council of Defense; Correspondence, 1917
15Council of Defense; Correspondence, 1918-1920
16Council of Defense; Minutes
17Council of Defense; Publications
18Council of Defense; Reports
19Council of National Defense Circulars
110County Participation Rosters; Beaver
111County Participation Rosters; Box Elder
112County Participation Rosters; Cache
113County Participation Rosters; Carbon
114County Participation Rosters; Daggett
115County Participation Rosters; Davis
116County Participation Rosters; Emery
117County Participation Rosters; Garfield
118County Participation Rosters; Grand
119County Participation Rosters; Iron
120County Participation Rosters; Juab
121County Participation Rosters; Kane
122County Participation Rosters; Millard
123County Participation Rosters; Morgan
124County Participation Rosters; Piute
125County Participation Rosters; Rich
126County Participation Rosters; Salt Lake
127County Participation Rosters; San Juan
128County Participation Rosters; Sanpete
129County Participation Rosters; Sevier
130County Participation Rosters; Summit
131County Participation Rosters; Tooele
132County Participation Rosters; Uintah
133County Participation Rosters; Utah
134County Participation Rosters; Wasatch
135County Participation Rosters; Washington
136County Participation Rosters; Wayne
137County Participation Rosters; Weber
138Dead Roster
139Deserters, policies and listings
140Discharges, correspondence and listings
21Dishonorable Discharge List
22Enlistment Roster; pp. 1-50
23Enlistment Roster; pp. 51-
24Failure to Report Forms
25Foreign Decorations Recipients
26Histories; 2nd Division; 40th Division; 91st Division
27Induction Roster; pp. 1-50
28Induction Roster; pp. 51-100
29Induction Roster; pp. 101-150
210Induction Roster; pp. 151-163
211Marine Corps Rosters
212Marine Corps Service Records
213Navy Rosters
214Ninety-first Division Roster
215Nurses Roster
216Officers Roster
217Prisoners of War List
218Recognition Letters
219Returning Troop Movements
220War History Dept.; Correspondence, 1919
221War History Dept.; Correspondence. Jan.-May
222War History Dept.; Correspondence, June 1920
223War History Dept.; Correspondence, July-Oct. 1923
224War History Dept.; Requisitions
225Wounded Roster