Thomas Hart family papers

Descriptive Summary
Title: Thomas Hart family papers
Creator: Hart, Thomas H., 1921-
Inclusive Dates: 1936-1951
Language(s): English
Extent: 11 Linear Feet 13 boxes
Collection Number: ms3209
Repository: Hargrett Library

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Collection Description

Historical Note

Thomas Houston Hart (born 1921 in Greeneville, South Carolina) was an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He was stationed in Salt Lake City, UT; Hattisburg, MS; Charleville, France; and Liege, Belgium. He met his wife, Denise Rion, a Belgian citizen and a devout Catholic, in Belgium while he was stationed there. The couple maintained a tumultuous courtship throughout the war, but married at its conclusion in 1946 and moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where their son Tommy Rion "Robin" Hart was born the following year. Thomas Houston Hart also took over the family business upon his return to South Carolina, where the family owned over 300 acres of farmland. Thomas's brother James Allen Jr. also served in the Army.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of letters, artifacts, ephemera, photographs, and other materials from Thomas Hart and his family, most of which is from the World War II era. The correspondence is mainly between Thomas and his future wife Denise Rion both during and after the war. Also included are materials from Thomas' Army service, and photographs of friends and family, or scenery from their many trips.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Thomas Hart family papers, ms3209, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Libraries.

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Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

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Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

1. Correspondence
box	folder
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1	1	Undated correspondence
1	2-15	1936-1946
box	folder
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2	1	Cards from Tommy II's birth, 1947
2	2-15	1947-1951

 

2. Military
box	folder
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3	1-2	Travel brochures
3	3	Pamphlets, score books, related material
3	4	French phrase book, American enterprise in Europe
3	5	Army Air Force Guide, Going back to civilian life guide
3	6	USA posts
3	7-9	Service in Europe

 

3. Family and Personal
box	folder
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4	1	Baby books
4	2	Baby records
4	3	Bills, receipts, tickets, ephemera
4	4	Newspapers and clippings
4	5	Thomas Hart dilpomas and certificates
4	6	Ticket ephemera and stamp collection
4	7-8	Calendars, brochures, ads
oversized_box
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1		Scrapbooks and photograph albums
1		Genealogical materials

 

4. Photographs
	Identified photographs
box	item
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5	1		Black scrapbook
5	2		White scrapbook
box	item
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6	3		Brown scrapbook
6	1		Denise album
6	2		Denise and her family
6	3		Tommy- Army photos
6	4		Tommy and Denise albums
6	5		Tommy Rion Hart "Baby Milestones" album
6	6		Tommy and Denise's children
box	item
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8	1		Paris (approx. 25 photos)
8	2		Reims (approx. 30 photos)
8	3		Charlesville (approx. 50)
8	4		Chicago (approx. 20)
8	4		Buildings/landscapes (approx. 60)
8	5		Tommy and Denise (approx. 100)
8	6		People (approx. 250)
8	7		Ruins (approx. 30)
	Unidentified
box	item
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9	1		Panel Art Prints: scenery, buildings (approx. 70)
9	2		Album of unidentified city (approx. 50)
9	3		People (approx. 70)
9	4		Places (approx. 50)
	Negatives
box	item
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7	1		Greenville (approx. 30)
7	2		Suzanne (approx. 30)
7	3		Florida (approx. 20)
7	4		Mississippi (approx. 40)
7	5		Reims (approx. 10)
7	6		Paris (approx. 10)
7	7		St. Petersburg (approx. 10)
7	8		New Orleans (approx. 10)
7	9		Liege and Rocour (approx. 50)
7	10		Trip from Munich (approx. 30)
7	11		Charleville (approx. 40)
7	12		Tommy and Denise (approx. 150)
7	12		Unidentified (approx. 200)
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1		Packet of small snapshots and negatives, some identified

 

5. Artifacts and Ephemera
carton	item
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1	1	Blue plaid sack of baby clothes
1	2	Red felt squirrel
1	3	Religious tri-fold in baby water bottle box
1	4	Religious tri-fold in baby water bottle box
1	5	Embroidered canvas runner
1	6	Baby memorbilia in baby's treasure box
1	7	Black floral clutch
1	8	Dolls and figurines in wooden Europe 1945 box
1	9	Jewelry in gold and white papered box
1	10	textiles in golden religious box
1	11	Wooden thermometer in white flat box
1	12	Pins in blue and pink peacock box
1	13	Army badges in small golden religious box
1	14	Charms, pins, and boxes in black floral box
1	15	Wooden box of buttons and hooks
carton	item
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2	1	Wooden cigar box with message written on inside cover
2	2	Home decor items in King Edward cigar box
2	3	Home decor items in Nunnally's box
2	4	Figurines and home items in Norris Variety box
2	5	Tarnished silver cup
2	6	Binoculars in pouch
2	7	Set of four painted wooden decorative plates
2	8	"Never apart" box
2	9	Decorative box of girl by flame
2	10	Medicinal containers in dancing girl box
2	11	"Today more than yesterday" box
2	12	Decorative boxes and ticket ephemera in Oriental box
2	13	Lucky Strike metal container
2	14	Chesterfield metal container
2	15	Phillios' milk of magnesia metal container
2	16	Between the Acts cigars metal container
2	17	Parliament cigarettes container
2	18	Band-aid metal container
2	19	Denise pouch
2	20	Old English tobacco metal container
carton	item
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3	1	Open box of postcards (sorted by location)
3	2	Educational flash cards (French) in Whitman's Antique Box
3	3	Foreign money in black Armstrong-Smith box
3	4	Playing cards in "Dickensian memories" box
3	5	"Missel" book (French), 1925
3	6	Black prayer book with slip cover
3	7-8	Charles-Lettes school-girl's diary
3	9	Agenda, 1941
3	10	Agenda, 1942
3	11	Agenda, 1944
3	12	Agenda, 1945
3	13	Agenda, 1945
3	14	Agenda
3	15	Lettes school-girl's diary, 1947
3	16	New Testament and Psalms, 1941
3	17-18	Child's Bible: The Story of Jesus
3	19	Catholic book (French)
3	20	French book with cover (has cross and Bible on it)
3	21	Denise red leather planner
3	22	Black shiny address book
3	23	Denise red journal
3	24	Name and address cards
3	25	Vacances, 1944
3	26	Birthday book
3	27	Aux Petits Enfants (plain black cover)
3	28	Pocket Guide to Paris and Cities of Northern France
3	29	Laensbergh (plain blue paper cover), 1941
3	30	Tan sketchbook
3	31	Purple snakeskin planner
3	32	Puss in Boots
3	33	Varsity-Town Clothes Little Blue Book, 1946