urn:taro:utexas.cah.03034 A Guide to the Stuart McLeod Purcell Papers, 1917-1977 Original EAD encoding by Bethany Anderson according to TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. September 2011 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Purcell, Stuart McLeod,1890- Purcell, Stuart McLeod,Papers 1917-1977 Materials are written in English. 72-102; 83-228 3 in. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin Composed of correspondence, original and typescripts of diaries, military records, literary productions, photocopies of newspaper clippings, printed material, and a photograph album, the Stuart McLeod Purcell Papers, 1917-1977, document McLeod’s experiences as a soldier serving in World War I and his research on Eddie Rickenbacker. Biographical Note

Born in Austin, Texas, Stuart McLeod Purcell (b. 1890) graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1916. That same year he enrolled in law school, though he did not graduate due to his enlistment in the U. S. Army upon the outbreak of World War I. Purcell was promoted to adjutant with the rank of second lieutenant in the 147th Aero Squadron, First Pursuit Group, of the American Expeditionary Forces, which organized in San Antonio in 1917. Shortly before being stationed in France, Purcell married Mabelle Anges Umland, with whom he had three children. Following the war, he settled with his wife in Robstown, where they operated a farm. During the Great Depression, Purcell worked as a free-lance journalist while also teaching school. In 1938, he moved with his family to Austin and was employed by the U. S. Public Service and the Texas State Department of Health. Additionally, Purcell developed an interest in Texas history, co-authoring This is Texas with his wife in 1977.

Source:

Purcell, Mabelle and Stuart. This is Texas. Austin, Tex.: L. P. Hawkins, 1977.

 Scope and Contents

Composed of correspondence, original and typescripts of diaries, military records, literary productions, photocopies of newspaper clippings, printed material, and a photograph album, the Stuart McLeod Purcell Papers, 1917-1977, document McLeod’s experiences as a soldier serving in World War I and his research on Eddie Rickenbacker. Correspondence concerns familial affairs, while military records relate to his service and honorable discharge from the U. S. Army. Diaries discuss life in the 147th Aero Squadron and being stationed in France during the war, literary productions consist of a manuscript and handwritten copy of an article on Eddie Rickenbacker and his service in World War I, and newspaper clippings contain articles on Rickenbacker and his death. Additionally, printed material consists of an issue of the newspaper Out of Control and the photograph album includes photographs depicting aviators and soldiers in France as well as Rickenbacker.

 Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

 Index Terms Subjects (Persons) Purcell, Stuart McLeod,1890- -- Archives. Rickenbacker, Eddie, 1890-1973 -- Biography. Purcell family. Subjects (Organizations) United States. Army. Air Service. Aero Squadron, 147th. Subjects World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- France. Places France -- History -- 20th century -- Sources. Preferred Citation

Stuart McLeod Purcell Papers, 1917-1977, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

 Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.

 Detailed Description of the Papers Inventory 3L387 Correspondence, diaries, military records, literary productions, and newspaper clippings, 1917-1977 3S23 Photograph album, [ca. 1917-1919, 1938] 3S139 Oversize material: Out of Control, [ca. 1918]