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Robert L. Buell papers

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: Ax 471

Scope and Contents

Correspondence files in the collection are organized alphabetically, and incoming and outgoing letters are intermixed.

The correspondence with Lancelot Oliphant and Peter Scarlett details conditions under which the British diplomatic corps were kept under house arrest in Germany in 1941.

Francis B. Sayre correspondence relates to British ideas concerning independence for India (1942-1943)

The Loy Henderson letters discusses problems with cooperation among the allied forces during WWII.

There is a section of papers dealing with Buell's service in WWI that include visas, maps, service records, correspondence, and a manuscript titled, "The Harvard Reconstruction Unit."

The collection also contains speeches, reminiscences, and other manuscript material. Many of the speeches include drafts or revisions, and were given to Rotary Clubs or other receptions between 1934-1946. The reminiscences consists of a series of short anecdotes regarding domestic servants proposed as a book, but never published. The material is organized by servant name, and includes locations of employment and dates.

Other papers include memoranda (1940-1953) regarding French workers and Nazi Germany; Scotland inviting American investment; the Belgian Congo; and the disposal of the British fleet in an event of a defeat for Britain. Also available is a list of members of the American consulate in Leipzig; photographs; publications; and photographs and clippings regarding a visit of US Marines to Edinburgh in 1958.

Dates

  • 1917-1958

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Biographical / Historical

Robert Louis Buell (1898-1966) was born in Rochester, New York, and educated at Harvard.

He served in World War I as an ambulance driver, first with the American Field Service on the Western Front, then with the American Red Cross on the Italian Front. He then became an officer in the French Artillery and served from 1918-1919.

From 1925 to 1952, Buell served as a career foreign service officer, and was often posted in the Far East, frequently in British dominions and colonies. His primary field of interest was economics and foreign trade.

Extent

0.5 linear feet (1 container) : 1 manuscript box

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Robert Louis Buell (1898-1966) served in WWI and WWII, and also served as a foreign service officer from 1925 to 1952, and was often posted in the Far East. The collection (1917-1958) contains records and correspondence from Buell's service in WWI, correspondence and memoranda regarding world events and Buell's service in WWII, speeches, recollections, manuscripts, and photographs.

Other Finding Aids

Paper finding aid with additional information is available in Special Collections & University Archives.

Processing Information

Collection processed by staff, 1969, and Tanya Parlet, 2013.

This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.

This collection received a basic level of processing including minimal organization and rehousing.

Description information is drawn in part from information supplied with the collection and initial surveys of the contents

Title
Guide to the Robert L. Buell Papers
Status
Complete Description
Author
Tanya Parlet.
Date
2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Repository Details

Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403-1299 USA