Joshua Theodore Fritz manuscript collection
Abstract
Contains correspondence and records related to Joshua Theodore Fritz and his time as a field clerk and translator with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.
Dates
- 1822 - 1948
- Majority of material found within 1917 - 1919
Creator
- Fritz, Joshua Theodore, 1888-1954 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine and satisfy copyright clearances or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information visit the MCHC’s Rights and Permissions page.
Biographical / Historical
Joshua Theodore “Ted” Fritz was born to J. George (1855-1936) and Rosa Trautwein Fritz (b. 1856-ca. 1938), German immigrants, on April 30, 1888. His father was a successful merchant tailor in Baltimore, Maryland and a lay preacher at Lafayette Methodist Episcopal Church. He grew up in the city and attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He enlisted in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1917 and served as a field clerk and translator. His brother Emanuel (1886-1988) also served in the army during World War I and later became a professor of forestry at University of California, Berkeley. He was well known for his work with the state’s redwood trees. Fritz married Carolyn E. Griffee (1896-1967) in 1926, and they had two sons, Donald Theodore and Robert Douglas. He eventually started his own fence company, J. T. Fritz and Company, one of the oldest distributors of chain link fence in Maryland. He died on May 30, 1954.
Extent
0.63 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is divided into four series which represent the subject of the documents within the series: Joshua Theodore Fritz, George Fritz, Emanuel Fritz, and Charles Carroll of Carollton. Series I is arranged into five subject-specific subseries: Correspondence, Military Service, Financial Records, Ephemera, and Photographs.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Patience L. Fritz in memory of her husband Donald T. Fritz and his father Joshua Theodore Fritz, July 10, 1998.
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily contains correspondence and records related to Joshua Theodore Fritz and his time as a field clerk and translator with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. He wrote letters almost daily to his future wife, Carolyn “Kitty” Griffee, during his service, which detailed his day-to-day activities, places he visited, and major events of the war. Records of his service are also included in the collection. He was an avid photographer and documented his trips through Europe. His photographs are included in the photograph album in Box 2. He frequently references sending photographs to accompany his letters to Kitty, which appear to be those in the album. Several of the letters from his parents, George and Rosa, are written in German. A letter from Charles Carroll of Carrollton to William Gibbons regarding rent collection and livestock purchases is also included in the collection.
Creator
- Fritz, Joshua Theodore, 1888-1954 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Joshua Theodore Fritz manuscript collection
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Lara Westwood
- Date
- 2017-04
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- 2020-04-20: Manually entered into ArchivesSpace by Mallory Herberger.
Repository Details
Part of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library Repository
H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore MD 21201 United States
4106853750
specialcollections@mdhistory.org