Eleanor Woods Lavelle Papers

This collection contains a set of letters written from Tom Woods to Lottye Fewell while he was in the Army during World War I, and several photograph albums from the Woods and Henderson families.

The letters number approximately 76, and were written from March 21, 1918, to October 24, 1919. Tom was initially stationed at the Travis training camp in Houston, Texas. He wrote of army discipline, his boredom at camp, his desire to go home and see his loved ones again, and his competing desire to see the war in France. In May, his company was transferred to Camp Upton on Long Island, New York, in preparation for being shipped to France. The company remained there until early June.

Tom wrote one letter from on board ship to France. The date on this letter was censored, but he wrote his first letter from France on June 17. For a time, his unit was away from the front lines, but his letters indicate that by late July, he had seen action. His letter from August 2 notes that "One gets so use to the noise and fuss that he hardly notices it. When the firing is extra heavy you keep on the look out then," while a letter from August 10 mentions that one of the men in his unit had gone to the hospital to be treated for shell shock.

On September 2, Tom wrote, "I see and hear more of the war every day and can say it is much more pleasant to have these shells break some distance away than for them to be only a few yards. I had heard how big trees were cut down but did not believe it until I saw it done. It is very true and not hard to explain. When one of the big ones come by you can almost see them they make so much noise. When they break near a man all you can find is a foot or an arm and you bury that like it was all of him."

During this time, the 5th Division fought in battles at Alsace, Lorraine, Saint Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. Tom wrote on November 18 that he was at the French town of Sedan on Armistice Day (November 11). This letter also contains his most detailed descriptions of his actions during the war.

After the war, Tom's division remained in Europe until July 1919. He stayed primarily at Aspelt, Luxembourg, but also did some traveling to Belgium and Germany. During these months, he wrote often of his overwhelming desire to be home, and of his experiences meeting Europeans.

The final letters in this set were written by Tom upon his return to the United States. He was honorably discharged from the Army in August, and returned to Waco, Texas. He continued writing frequent letters to Lottye until their marriage on October 26, 1919.

Intermixed with Tom's letters to Lottye are four letters written to her from other people, and one letter that she wrote to Tom in September 1917.

The collection also contains two photograph albums. The first photograph album is a baby book for Ryan Woods Henderson. It includes handwritten details of his growth and development, and photographs of his very early childhood. The second album is also a family album of the Hendersons. Most photographs depict Ryan, but other family members are also included.

Two memorial books are included in the collection. The first is a memorial book for Tom Woods, who passed away in 1958. The second is a memorial book for Lottye Woods, who passed away in 1982.

Finally, the collection holds a framed diploma from The Institute for Certifying Secretaries, granting Eleanor Lavelle the degree of Certified Professional Secretary. This degree was awarded in 1954.