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Frank Owen Wilson and Susan Rinehart World War II correspondence

 Unprocessed Material — Multiple Containers
Identifier: ViU-2017-0173

Content Description

More than 450 letters written between Lieutenant Frank Owen Wilson from North Carolina, who was a UVa graduate and his Charlottesville girlfriend, Susan Rinehart, whose family lived on an estate called Boxwood. 276 letters from Wilson, 180 letters from Rinehart. Early letters are from Saint Elmo Hall at UVA, and were not subject to censorship, yet describe training in detail. Many of the letters are typewritten and some are accompanied by printed ephemera. Letters describe their courtship, his service, their families, and her pregnancy, among other topics. Susan was from a wealthy family and her letters reflect how she and her family lived through the war without seemingly any financial concern. Letters describe Albemarle County horse rides and related. Her letter of June 6, 1994, regarding D-Day, is of historical interest.

Acquisition Type

Purchase

Provenance

Purchased, 12 October 2017.

Restrictions Apply

No

Dates

  • Creation: 1941-1945

Extent

2 Cubic Feet

Inventory

8 binders of material.