Edmund P. Graves Papers, 1891-1921, undated

Collection

Identifier: MSS 1977

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Contents

The Edmund P. Graves papers contains material from Graves' time as a student at Harvard Univeristy, and as a pilot during World War I. The collection also contains other family member's correspondence and papers, mostly about Graves and his friends. The collection has been divided into three series.

Series I. Edmund P. Graves Jr. Papers contains correspondence to and from Graves, tickets and membership cards, and miscellaneous papers. Included in this series is a book of transcriptions of letters from Graves to his fiancee, Dulce A. Huntington. Huntington created this "Michael Book" as a gift for Graves' mother, Mary, after his death.

Series II. Ruth Graves Papers contains correspondence to Ruth. Included in the correspondence are newspaper clippings, some photographs, and other collected papers.

III. Other contains correspondence to other Graves family members, including Mary (Edmund's mother) and Ellen (Edmund's sister). The series also includes calling cards and an unidentified photograph.

Dates

Creation: 1891-1921, undated

Creator

Graves, Edmund Pike, 1891-1919 (Person)
Bayne, Ronald M., 1897-1944 (Person)
Murdock, Kenneth Ballard, 1895-1975 (Person)
Twitchell, Roger Thayer, 1895-1978 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Biographical / Historical

Edmund Pike Graves Jr. was born to Edmund Pike Graves (1856-1913) and Mary Warner Caldwell Graves (1857-) in 1891. After graduating from Harvard University in 1913, Edmund Pike Graves, Jr. enlisted as a cadet in the Royal Flying Corps in Canada. He served as an in aerial gunnery at Camp Taliaferro, Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas, and was one of the first pilots to perform elaborate stunts in a Curtiss aircraft. In early 1918, Graves was transferred to the Officers' School of Special Flying at Armour Heights, North Toronto. He served in France from November 5, 1918, through July, 1919. He then volunteered for the Koœciuszko Squadron for the new state of Poland and flew Albatross aircraft in patrols over the front in the Lwów area. On November 22, 1919, Lwów celebrated the first anniversary of its liberation from the Ukrainians for which four pilots of the Kosciuszko Squadron participated in an air show. While performing stunts over the city in an Albatros D.III fighter, Graves' aircraft lost its right wing during a double roll at 150 feet. He managed to bail out and pull his parachute ripcord, but he was too close to the ground and was killed on impact. The funeral was held on November 24, 1919, with high honors by the Polish government (American War Memorials).

Ruth Graves was born to Edmund Pike Graves (1856-1913) and Mary Warner Caldwell Graves (1857-) in 1898.

Extent

.63 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Series List

SERIES I. Edmund P. Graves Papers

SERIES II. Ruth Graves Papers

SERIES III. Other

Provenance

This material was purchased from Ten Pound Island Book Co. on November 11, 2023, with funds from the John Robinson Fund (Acc 2023.037).

Bibliography and Related Collections

Graves, Edmund Pike. America War Memorials Overseas. https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=5004

Graves Family Papers 1876-1927, 1939, undated. MSS 800