World War I letters from Bertrand St. Marie and George St. Marie
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of of letters written by brothers George St. Marie and Bertrand (Bert) St. Marie during World War I, while they were serving in the United States Army. The letters were written to their mother, Blanche St. Marie, and sister, Dorothy St. Marie, who were living in Portland, Oregon. The letters begin in 1917, while Bert St. Marie was in training and George St. Marie was preparing to enlist. These early letters describe their experiences in training and preparations to be sent overseas. Letters from 1918 document the brothers' arrival in France, Bert St. Marie's first experiences in combat, the final months of the war, the armistice, and the months immediately after. The final letters were written while the brothers were part of the occupying forces in France and Germany. The letters end in mid-1919, when Bert St. Marie had returned to the United States and while George St. Marie was still serving with the military police in France. The collection also includes empty envelopes that did not have corresponding letters, and fragments of correspondence that could not be matched to other letters.
Dates
- 1917-1919
Creator
- St. Marie, Bertrand, 1896-1986 (Correspondent, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Biographical note
Brothers Bertrand St. Marie (also known as Bert, 1896-1986) and George St. Marie (1894-1983) were born in Pocatello, Idaho, where their father had significant land holdings, including the St. Marie Hotel, now the historic Whitman Hotel. Several years before the outbreak of World War I, the two brothers, with their sister, Dorothy, and their mother, Blanche, moved to Portland, Oregon, while their father remained in Idaho.
When the United States entered into World War I, Bert St. Marie seems to have been living in Portland, while George St. Marie had moved to Los Angeles, California. During the war, Bert St. Marie served in France with the 148th Field Artillery regiment, 66th Artillery Brigade, 41st Infantry. After the war, he lived in Portland until the 1940s, later moving to Southern California, where he married. He died in Santa Monica in 1986.
George St. Marie served in the 316th Field Signal Battalion, 91st Infantry Division, known as the "Wild West Division." After training at Camp Lewis near Tacoma, Washington, he fought in the St. Mihiel offensive and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. He subsequently joined the military police and was stationed in Laval and Le FleĢche, France. After the war, he initially returned to Portland, but later moved to Pocatello, Idaho, where he married and spent the remainder of his life.
Extent
0.2 Cubic Feet (1 slim document case)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Letters written by brothers George St. Marie and Bertrand (Bert) St. Marie during World War I, while they were serving in the United States Army. The letters were written to their mother, Blanche St. Marie, and sister, Dorothy St. Marie, who were living in Portland, Oregon.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of George Stahl, via Andrea Noorts, May 2015 (Lib. Acc. 28573).
Processing Information
Revised in July 2023 to conform to current standard. Collection was previously titled "St. Marie family papers."
- Military
- Oregon
- Soldiers -- United States -- Correspondence
- St. Marie, Bertrand, 1896-1986 -- Correspondence
- St. Marie, George, 1894-1983 -- Correspondence
- United States. Army. Field Artillery Regiment, 148th
- United States. Army. Field Signal Battalion, 316th
- World War, 1914-1918 -- France
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, American
- correspondence
Creator
- St. Marie, Bertrand, 1896-1986 (Correspondent, Person)
- St. Marie, George, 1894-1983 (Correspondent, Person)
- Title
- Guide to the World War I letters from Bertrand St. Marie and George St. Marie
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Alecia Giombolini
- Date
- 2015; revised 2023
- 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.
Revision Statements
- 2023-07: Revised to conform to current standard.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org