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H. Randolph Holder family papers

H. Randolph Holder family papers

Descriptive Summary

Title: H. Randolph Holder family papers
Creator: Holder, Clement Lacey-Baker, 1920-2013
Creator: Holder, Howard Randolph, 1916-2002
Inclusive Dates: 1933-2002
Language(s): English
Extent: 6.25 Linear Feet (10 boxes)
Collection Number: ms3821
Repository: Hargrett Library

Collection Description

Historical Note

Howard Randolph Holder (1916-2002) was born in Moline, Illinois to James William and Charlotte Brega Holder. He served in World War II in Co. E, 1st Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division. He was captured February 15, 1943 in North Africa and held in prison camp Oflag 64 (Szubin, Poland) until January 1945. He married Clementi Lacey-Baker of Louisville, Kentucky in 1942 and they had four children. They moved to Athens, Georgia in 1948 where Holder was a radio announcer, news director, and part owner of Clarke Broadcasting Corporation.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of biographical information, correspondence, writings, photographs, printed material and scrapbooks. There is much correspondence between "Howie" Holder and his wife and family during World War II. One group of letters from Clementi to her husband while he was a POW were found in the prison camp 40 years after the war and returned to them. In 1995 Holder wrote a book about his POW experiences titled Escape to Russia.

Of special interest are letters between Clementi Lacey-Baker and Anton Frederik van Dam (1920-1976) in the Netherlands. They were both 18 years old in 1938 when they began a pen pal relationship. They continued to be friends until his death in 1976. One of his letters was listed in the 1972 Guiness Book of World Records as the longest letter ever written. It was begun in 1940 and ended in 1945, and gave details about the German invasion of his country and the effect on his family. Years later Clementi transcribed this 514 page letter and titled it "Dear Clem."

Printed material includes newsletters from the prison camp titled The Oflag 64 Item. There are scrapbooks/photo albums of H. Randolph and Clementi Holder, Susan Lacey-Baker, and Anton van Dam.

Organization and Arrangement

Organized into 7 series based on format.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

H. Randolph Holder family papers, ms3821, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Correspondence.
Radio broadcasters -- Georgia.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Destruction and pillage, Netherlands.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Prisoners and prisons, German.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Prisoners and prisons.

Related Collections in this Repository

Related audiovisual materials from this collection are housed in the Walter J. Brown Media Archive: http://purl.libs.uga.edu/brown/har-ms3821/bmac-coll


Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

1. Biographical Information

boxfolder
11Howard Randolph Holder
12Clementi Lacey-Baker Holder
 

2. Correspondence

boxfolder
13Family, 1934, 1942 February-April
14Family, 1942 May-June
15Family, 1942 July-August
16Family, 1942 September
17Family, 1942 October
18Family, 1942 November-December
19Family, 1943 January-February
110Family, 1943 March-December
111Family, 1944
112Family, 1945, undated
113From Clementi Holder to H. Randolph Holder, Information re: discovery of these letters 40 years later, 1984
114From Clementi Holder to H. Randolph Holder, 1943 January-August
115From Clementi Holder to H. Randolph Holder, 1943 September
116From Clementi Holder to H. Randolph Holder, 1943 October-December
117From Clementi Holder to H. Randolph Holder, 1944 January-February
118From Clementi Holder to H. Randolph Holder, 1944 March-September
119Letters from others re: Holder as POW, 1943-1945
boxfolder
21A-Z
22Awarding of Military Medals, 1983, 1989
23Boy Scouts of America, 1933, 1989
24Rotary Club, 2000-2002
25Friends of the Georgia Museum, 1974
26George Washington Award for Patriotic Achievement, 1996
27Governor's Commission on the Status of Women, 1963-1967
28Invitations, 1964-1965
29Carl E. Sanders, 1995
210Henry Soderberg, 1995-1997
211Robert G. Stephens, Jr., 1964, 1968
boxfolder
31Clementi Lacey-Baker to Anton van Dam, Volume I, 1937-1939
32Clementi Lacey-Baker to Anton van Dam, Volume II, 1939 June-1941
33Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, letters removed from Volume I, 1938-1939 June
34Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, letters removed from Volume II, 1939 June-1941
35Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker Holder, letters removed from Volume II, 1973, undated
36To Clementi Lacey-Baker from friends of Anton van Dam, letters removed from Volume II, 1940-1941
boxfolder
41Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker pp. 1-75, 1940 June 24-1941 May 18
42Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey Baker pp. 76-150, 1941 May 18-November 9
43Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker pp. 151-225, 1941 November 14-1942 March 7
44Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker pp. 226-300, 1942 March 7-August 16
45Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker pp. 301-375, 1942 August 16-1943 May 4
46Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker pp. 376-450, 1943 May 4-1945 March 12
47Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker pp. 451-514, 1945 March 12-July 15
48Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, typescripts - Part One, 1940 June 24-1941 July 6
49Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, typescripts - Part Two, 1941 July 12-December 10
boxfolder
51Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, typescripts - Part Three, 1941 December 11-1942 May 5
52Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, typescripts - Part Four, 1942 May 7-1943 January 9
53Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, typescripts - Part Five, 1943 January 17-1944 September 15
54Anton van Dam to Clementi Lacey-Baker, typescripts - Part Six, 1945 March 12-July 15
 

3. Writings

boxfolder
212Clarke Broadcasting Corporation, KVML/KZSQ, 1993
213Clarke Broadcasting Corporation, WGAU/WNGC, 1996
214Editorials/Letters to Editors by Randolph Holder, 1960-2002
215Humor
216Rotary Club, Georgia Rotary Student Program
217Rotary Club, Speeches by H. Randolph Holder, 1994, undated
218Speeches by H. Randolph Holder, 1995, undated
219Speeches - Christmas in Prison Camp by H. Randolph Holder, 1990
220Speeches - Christmas Remembered by H. Randolph Holder, undated
221Tribute to H. Randolph Holder by unknown author
222by Clementi Holder, undated
223by other authors, undated
224"A Grand Tour of Russia to Odessa, Winter 1945" by Herbert L. Garris, 1993
225"Escape to Russia" by John R. Sutherland
boxfolder
61Escape to Russia by H. Randolph Holder, Volume I typed and bound
62Escape to Russia by H. Randolph Holder, Volume II typed and bound
boxfolder
71Escape to Russia by H. Randolph Holder, published version, 1995
72Escape to Russia by H. Randolph Holder, review, order form,illustrations
 

4. Financial Papers

boxfolder
811937-1958
 

5. Printed Materials

boxfolder
82H. Randolph Holder
83Clementi Lacey-Baker Holder
84Art auction / festival (Athens, Ga.), 1964, undated
85Boy Scouts of America, 1933, 1973-1985
86Chamber of Commerce (Athens, Ga.), 1968-2003
87Cigar band collection
88Maps, Netherlands, Germany, 1944, undated
89Medal of Honor Award, 1983
810"The Past is Ever Present... in Athens, Georgia", 1971
811Programs, 1967-2003
812Rotary Club, 1951-2001
813Various Subjects
814World War II, newspapers/newsletters, La Voce, Egyptian Mail, Kregie Times, The Circuit, 1944-1945
815World War II, Oflag 64 prison camp, "The Oflag 64 Item" newsletter, 1943-1945
816World War II, Oflag 64 prison camp theater and sports programs, 1943-1945
817World War II, re: prisoners of war
818World War II, war ration books
 

6. Photographs

boxfolder
819Photographs
 

7. Scrapbooks

boxfolder
91H. Randolph and Clementi Holder, 1941-1972
boxfolder
101H. Randolph Holder, 1995-1999
102Susan Lacey-Baker, H. Randolph Holder, 1956-1961
103Anton Van Dam, 1938-1980