Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the State Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.
Under the Copyright Act of 1976 as amended in 1998, unpublished manuscripts are protected at a minimum through December 31, 2002 or 70 years after the author's death. Researchers are responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Gloves provided by the Archives must be worn when examining photographs.
Scrapbooks are too fragile and/or large to be photocopied.
General John Augustus Hulen was born in Centralia, Missouri on September 9, 1871. He
was the son of Harvey and Fanny Morter Hulen. His family moved to Gainesville, Texas
when he was two years old, where he attended public school before enrolling in
Virginia's Staunton Military Academy in 1887. He subsequently attended the Marmaduke
Military Academy in Missouri, from which he graduated in 1891. During this time, he
joined Company G of the Third Texas Volunteer Infantry, known as the
After graduation from Marmaduke Hulen returned to Gainesville to go into business with his father, where he began selling real estate and insurance. On Valentine's Day 1893 he married a local girl, Frankie L. Race. They would not have any children. He became a railroad executive in 1896, but was frequently called away from his work due to military service. He held many different positions for local railroads, including serving as city passenger agent in Houston, then general freight and passenger agent. He worked his way up to the position of president of the Galveston Terminal Railway, the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway, the Burlington-Rock Island Railroad, and the Houston Belt and Terminal Railroad. He also served as president of the Railway Managers Association of Texas. Hulen was also involved in banking, and served as a director of both the Fort Worth National Bank and the Second National Bank of Houston.
Although he had a successful career in the rail industry, the majority of Hulen's adult life was spent in military service. He was the commander of Troop D in the First Texas Volunteer Cavalry until 1898, when he was sent to the Spanish-American War as a brevet lieutenant colonel. He fought Philippine insurrectionists for two years in the jungle of northern Luzon as a captain for the 33rd United States Volunteer Infantry. As a result of his time there, he won the Silver Star. Governor Samuel Lanham promoted him to brigadier general when he returned to Texas in 1901. He retired from the position in 1907, but was recalled to service in 1916. From 1916 to 1917 General Hulen patrolled the Texas-Mexico border as commander of the Sixth Separate Brigade. In 1917, he was sent to Austin to assist in the reorganization of the state militia into the 36th Infantry Division. During World War I, he commanded the division's 72nd Brigade, winning the Distinguished Service Medal and the Croix de Guerre twice. He was appointed major general of the Texas National Guard in 1920, and commander of the 36th Infantry Division in 1922. He held this position until his retirement in 1935, upon which Governor James Allred promoted him to the militia's highest rank of lieutenant general.
While his military career was winding down Hulen began to take on other duties, including becoming a director of Texas Tech University (then Texas Technical College) from 1931 to 1937. He was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1932, and was appointed regional salvage manager of the War Production Board by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941.
Throughout his life, Hulen considered himself a Democrat and an Episcopalian, and was a member of the Masons, Shriners, and Knights of Pythias. He died on September 14, 1957 in Palacios, Texas, near the military camp that had been named in his honor.
(Sources include: Jimmy M. Skaggs,
This collection offers a detailed view into military life in the first half of the 20th century, along with glimpses of civilian life. The General John Hulen papers consist of correspondence, photographs, and scrapbooks, spanning the years 1887-1960. Events featured are the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, military training and military weapons in the early 20th century, aviation, and railroads.
Correspondence is comprised of incoming and outgoing letters, telegrams, and recruiting cards, dating from June 13 to July 30, 1917. The documents relate to the recruitment of soldiers for the Texas National Guard during the First World War. In addition to correspondence from General John A. Hulen, other officials mentioned include Henry Hutchings, Adjutant General of the State of Texas, and James E. Ferguson, Governor. Included are letters of recommendation in support of individuals who were interested in joining the Texas National Guard; as are completed application forms from soldier candidates and letters of instruction to local officials regarding recruitment and registration.
Approximately 1063 photographs collected by Hulen detail military and civilian life from 1889 to 1960. They document Hulen's time as a cadet, his early military service in the Spanish-American War, military training leading up to World War I, the front lines in France in World War I, military training and camp life in the interwar period, early military planes and aerial photos, official portraits of military personnel, military weapons and equipment from the years immediately following World War II, events from the 36th Division, the front lines in Japan in World War II, European and American postcards from 1919, railroad exhibitions, banquets for the 36th Division and the railroad industry, Hulen's vacations, and greeting cards.
The Hulen collection also includes three scrapbooks, dating 1887-1935. These contain photographs and newspaper clippings that chronicle Hulen's civilian life and his military career and achievements, from his years as a cadet until his retirement in 1935. One scrapbook includes portraits of General Hulen and approximately forty-five portrait photographs of gentlemen who were Hulen's business associates and other acquaintances. A few are identified: U.S. Senators Tom Connally and Charles A. Culberson, Vice President John N. Garner, and President Woodrow Wilson. The second scrapbook contains a photograph from 1899, which depicts the officers from the 33rd Infantry in camp at the Presidio, San Francisco, California. Later photographs were taken at Camp Scurry in Corpus Christi, Texas, and show tents and artillery reviews. One photograph, dated March 4, 1917, shows General John Joseph Pershing inspecting the troops. The third scrapbook consists of photographs and newspaper clippings that span General Hulen's military career, including activities in the Spanish-American War and daily life at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. Some clippings trace the brigade's movement through France. There are photographs of General Hulen's staff, in addition to clippings that describe his homecoming and citations that he received for bravery and gallantry.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
The papers have been organized according to record type into three series. The photographs have been further organized into 17 subseries.
(Identify the item and cite the series), General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Collection initially processed by staff archivists in the 1970s
DACS-compliant finding aid and XML markup by Kristin Law and Kristen Marx, students from the University of Texas at Austin, School of Information, Spring of 2012
Accession number: 1972/115
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Thirty-Sixth Division Association in 1972.
The documents relate to the recruitment of soldiers for the Texas National Guard during World War I, dating June 13-July 30, 1917. Correspondence consists of incoming and outgoing letters, telegrams and recruiting cards. In addition to correspondence from General John A. Hulen, other officials mentioned include Henry Hutchings, Adjutant General of the State of Texas, and James E. Ferguson, Governor. Letters of recommendation in support of individuals who were interested in joining the Texas National Guard are included as are completed application forms from soldier candidates and letters from Henry Hutchings regarding recruitment and registration. These letters give instructions on the forms to be completed by each county or city and are addressed to the sheriffs of all counties and the mayors of cities of over thirty thousand people. Also included are small (3.25" x 5.5") note cards that serve as a daily recruitment report and indicate the town or city, date, the number of men recruited on that day, and the total number of men recruited to date. Each is signed by a local official.
These records are arranged chronologically as received.
(Identify the item), Correspondence, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Approximately 1063 photographs collected by Hulen detail military and civilian life from 1889 to 1960. They document Hulen's time as a cadet, his early military service in the Spanish-American War, military training leading up to World War I, the front lines in France in World War I, military training and camp life in the interwar period, early military planes and aerial photos, official portraits of military personnel, military weapons and equipment from the years immediately following World War II, events from the 36th Division, the front lines in Japan in World War II, European and American postcards from 1919, railroad exhibitions, banquets for the 36th Division and the railroad industry, Hulen's vacations, and greeting cards. Further photographs of note include a signed picture of General Douglas MacArthur and photographs depicting the Italian front lines during D-Day of World War II.
The photographs have been organized into 17 subseries by subject by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item and cite the subseries), Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries consists of photographs from General John Hulen's time spent at the Staunton Military Academy in Virginia, spanning the years 1889-1890.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Cadet years, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs from General John Hulen's early military career, dating 1898-1916. Present are photos from Camp Sanger in Fort Riley, Kansas, the Spanish-American War in the Philippines, and the Texas National Guard's Mexican border mobilization. Also included are photographs of Hulen's comrades who fought with him in these arenas.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Early military years, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs chronicling training and camp life for American troops during the early years of World War I, before they were deployed to the front lines in Europe, spanning the years 1916-1917. Included are photos taken at Fort Sam Houston and troop parades in San Antonio, Texas.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), World War I pre-Europe, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs showing American and British troops on the front lines in France during World War I, German prisoners held by said troops, and female members of the American Red Cross serving troops and prisoners, dating 1918-1919. Images include the towns of St. Voubourg, La Sheppe, Fault-Yonne, Lignieres, Dricourt in the Ardennes department, and Bligny in the Aube department. Hulen's military identification card is also present.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), World War I France, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photos showing members of the 36th Division during training exercises and general camp life at Camp Mabry, Hulen posing with dignitaries such as Governor Miriam Ferguson, and members of the 36th Division in Italy and France during World War II. Included in this series is a signed photograph of General Douglas MacArthur. These photos span the years 1919-1953 and are stamped as official National Guard photographs.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Later military years, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs documenting early aviation, such as biplanes, fighter planes, pilots, and flight demonstrations, dating 1926-1934. These photos were taken at locations including Ellington Field and Camp Mabry and are stamped as official National Guard photographs.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Aviation, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains official National Guard photographs taken from the air of various areas over Camp Palacios on the Texas coast. These photos span the years 1926-1928, and include photographs taken by female pilot Marjorie Stinson. They are stamped as official National Guard photographs.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Aerial photographs, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs of camp life at Camp Hulen, company reviews in front of officers and visiting generals (such as General George C. Marshall) at Camp Hulen, and parades for the general public in San Antonio. These photos span from 1928 to 1936.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Parades and demonstrations, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs depicting official and unofficial portraits of United States military personnel, undated. Personnel include Major General Walter Smith, Lieutenant Colonel Dallas J. Matthews, Lieutenant Colonel Horace Carmichael, Brigadier General Ninnon, General Will Jackson, and Brigadier General Henry Hutchings.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Military portraits, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains portrait photographs of people who were not members of the United States military, undated. These include portraits of a man named Thomas W. Bath, unidentified civilian men and women, and unidentified members of foreign militaries.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), General portraits, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs of military weaponry, military vehicles, and the personnel who operated them, dating 1949-1957. Weapons included are tanks such as a 90 mm gun tank M47; artillery such as a 155 mm howitzer M1A2, 155 mm howitzer M44, 105 mm howitzer M37, and 105 mm howitzer M2A2; missiles; helicopters; and trucks. These photos were taken in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, a military showcase, and other unidentified locations. They are stamped as official military photographs.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Weapons, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs from the 36th Division that are unrelated to General John Hulen, dating 1943-1960. These include photos of the empty trophy room at Camp Mabry, trophies from the 36th Division pistol match and 36th Division infantry high point man competition, an office-wide photo of the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office on the grounds of Camp Mabry (this photo contains an index of the names of those present), and photographs sent to Colonel George Sears.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Thirty-Sixth Division, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs of American, Japanese, and European
military forces in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, 1939-1945,
undated. More specifically they depict improvised dugouts of
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Second Sino-Japanese War, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs unrelated to General Hulen and the United States Military, undated. They include photos of people hunting, boats, a barn, an empty field, a deserted homestead overrun by soil accumulation (taken by the Soil Conservation Service), the Alamo, the San Antonio River, and a photograph of Pompeii, Italy.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), General photographs, non-military, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains postcards that were primarily sent, received, or collected by Hulen. They represent various locales such as France, Italy, Monaco, California, and Colorado, in the form of loose postcards and bound postcard books. The bulk of the postcards appear to be from the year 1919.
These postcards are arranged by geographic subject by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Postcards, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries contains photographs from Hulen's life outside of the United States military, dating 1908-1957. These include photographs depicting horses; a trip to Mexico; children; portraits of friends; a train derailment; a posed photograph in front of the Dallas News Building; museum paintings of Will Rogers, Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, General John J. Pershing, and Lady Cynthia Ramsay; photographs of his work in the railroad business, such as official portraits posing in front of trains on exhibition trips with his fellow railroad executives; banquets for the 36th Division and railroad industry; Hulen and friends fishing; and birthday and holiday cards from friends and the Staunton Military Academy.
These photographs are arranged chronologically by State Archives staff and student volunteers.
(Identify the item), Civilian life, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This subseries consists of panoramas and other oversize photographs, dating 1889-1950. These photos include images of an encampment of the Texas National Guard in Fort Crockett; the 142nd Infantry at Camp Bowie; the 142nd Infantry at Camp Palacios; the 36th Division Camp at Camp Palacios; a large group of officers posed at Fort Sam Houston; the 36th Division train at Camp Palacios; the 71st Infantry Brigade at Camp Palacios; the 36th Division commanding general and staff; overviews of Camp Mabry, Camp Palacios, and Camp Hulen; and Governor Neff reviewing troops at Camp Mabry.
These photographs are arranged by size by State Archives staff.
(Identify the item), Panoramas and oversize photographs, Photographs, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This series consists of three scrapbooks, dating 1887-1935. The first scrapbook (2-7/1335) is missing its cover and only the first half of the scrapbook has been filled. The majority of these photographs are civilian in nature. They include portraits of General Hulen in an office, dressed in civilian clothes. There are also pictures of a crowd lining the street, perhaps waiting for a parade to begin. Further photographs document fishing trips, likely into the Gulf of Mexico. All of these materials are undated, but based on the style of clothing are likely from the 1910s. There are a few photographs that appear to be taken at a military base. This scrapbook also contains approximately forty-five portrait photographs of gentlemen who are Hulen's business associates and other acquaintances. A few are identified: U.S. Senators Tom Connally and Charles A. Culberson, Vice President John N. Garner, and President Woodrow Wilson.
The second scrapbook (2-7/1336) has a leather cover with
The third scrapbook (2-7/1338) contains photographs, newspaper clippings,
etc. that chronicle Hulen's military career. The first photographs date from
his time in military school and are dated 1887. There is also a telegram
order from 1898, for a telegram Hulen sent to his wife, telling her that he
was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel at Camp Mabry, in Austin.
Newspaper clippings and photographs from 1899 to 1901 detail the 33rd
Infantry Regiment's activities in the Spanish-American War. Also included
are clippings from 1903 that mention when Hulen took over as Adjutant
General. Newspaper articles from 1905 discuss daily life at Camp Mabry.
Further newspaper clippings and photographs relate to the 1916 expedition to
the Mexican Border. There are extensive newspaper clippings from the 1917
recruitment of additional soldiers to the Texas National Guard. There are
also photographs depicting activities at Camp Bowie, near Fort Worth, Texas.
Photographs of the
These photographs are arranged as received.
(Identify the item), Scrapbooks, General John A. Hulen papers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.