Accession: 98-0079; 80-2700 (scrapbook)

Extent: 3 boxes + 1 photo album

Contents: Scrapbook; book manuscript; photo album; and official papers

Access: open for research

Processed: January 1998, by Leanne Garland, Archivist

The Julia S. Wheelock Papers were donated to Lincoln Memorial University's historical manuscript collection in 1944 by Carl W. Schaeffer of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Schaeffer, a very generous benefactor of the university, was a prominent attorney of the Schaefer and Schaefer Law Offices of Cleveland, Ohio. The collection includes material spanning the years circa 1856 to circa 1889.

Julia S. Wheelock was Michigan's most heroic Civil War nurse, who served in nearly every hospital connected with the Army of the Potomac, and was connected with the Michigan Soldiers' Relief Association. In newspaper accounts of the 1880s, she was referred to as "Michigan's Florence Nightingale." A large portion of the original book manuscript to The Boys in White, published in 1870, is based on a journal that she kept of her experiences during the time she ministered to sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War. She also describes such events as the grand review of the army that took place in Washington, D.C. (May 23-24^th, 1865).

The collection includes the original book manuscript to "The Boys in White" and two journals (September 10, 1862, to December 31, 1867) in Julia S. Wheelock's own handwriting, recording her daily field and hospital experiences during the Civil War. The journals furnish the basis of the book: "The Boys in White." Furthermore, a scrapbook, consisting of poetry, clippings of war stories, certificates, and documents that relate to her wartime experiences and her official papers, consisting of certificates of appointment, war passes, etc., and a photo album (consisting chiefly of portraits of Michigan soldiers and officers) also form part of the collection.

The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for providing funding to identify, process, and create descriptive finding aids and machine-readable cataloging records for the archival materials in the repository. Thanks goes to Lincoln Memorial University for contributing matching funds, and to the museum staff and various supporters who have contributed, in the past and during the present, their talents and efforts in the endeavor of acquiring, sustaining, and preserving one of the most significant 19^th century historical collections in the nation. Special recognition goes to Steven M. Wilson, Assistant Director and Curator; and Dr. Charles M. Hubbard, Dean of Lincolniana. Special thanks is extended for support given by Dr. Edwin S. Gleaves, Coordinator of the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board, of the Tennessee State Library and Archives, and the late John H. Thweatt, Deputy Coordinator.

The collection consists of 3 boxes and 1 photo album, located on B-6.

Box 1: Official Papers

Box 1: Original book manuscript to "The Boys in White." (350 leaves)

Box 2: Scrapbook

Box 3: Journals (2)

Photo Album

LG

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