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Special Collections Research Center
William & Mary Special Collections Research CenterEarl Gregg Swem Library
400 Landrum Dr
Williamsburg, Virginia
Business Number: 757-221-3090
spcoll@wm.edu
URL: https://libraries.wm.edu/libraries-spaces/special-collections
Alexander Daniels
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation
Barney Baker papers, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.
Biographical / Historical
Barney Baker was a Jewish man from New York City who served as a Private 1st Class in the United States Army from 1944-1945. Baker was stationed at Camp Upton (Yaphank, NY), Fort Niagara (Youngstown, NY), and finally posted to an Army M.P. outfit in Panama in June 1945.
Content Description
The Barney Baker collection consists primarily of Barney Baker's correspondence from his military postings to his wife, Blanche Baker, in New York City. There are 222 letters in the collection, 32 sent from Camp Upton, 13 from Fort Niagara, and 177 from Panama, all addressed to his wife Blanche. Baker's letters are primarily concerned with news of his wife and child, their family and friends, and express love and longing. The correspondence also contains information regarding Baker's military life and time in Panama.
Arrangement
The Barney Baker papers are arranged into four series, Series I: Correspondence, Series II: Other Papers, Series III: Photographs, Series IV: Newspapers Clippings.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Latin America--Description and travel
- Letters (correspondence)
- Panama Canal Zone
- Passover
- Passover cooking
- Passover food
- United States--Jewish History
- World War II
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Latin America--Description and travel
- Panama Canal Zone
Container List
The correspondence series contains letters from Barney Baker to his wife Blanche Baker regarding daily activities. The series is arranged chronologically.
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 1
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Camp Upton (NY)1944 April 03-May 30
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 2
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Fort Niagara (NY)1944 July 6-September 03
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 3
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 May 23-June 05
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 4
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 June 06-19
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 5
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 June 20-27
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 6
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 June 28-July 09
- mixed materials box: 1 folder: 7
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 July 10-19
- mixed materials box: 2 folder: 1
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 July 20-30
- mixed materials box: 2 folder: 2
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker in Panama1945 August 01-19
- mixed materials box: 2 folder: 3
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Fort Clayton1945 August 25-September 09
- mixed materials box: 2 folder: 4
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Fort Clayton1945 September 10-30
- mixed materials box: 2 folder: 5
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Fort Clayton1945 October 01-20
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 1
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Fort Clayton1945 October 21-November 09
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 2
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker at Fort Clayton1945 November 10-27
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 3
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker, empty envelopes1945 July 12-October 17
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 4
Santini Bros., Inc. Invoice1945 October 24
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 5
To Blanche Baker, from Barney Baker, greeting cardsundated
The Other Papers series contains items such as menus, empty envelopes, and army discharge records.
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 6
Passover Feast Menu1944
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 7
Sheet of clauses for dischargeundated
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 8
Thanksgiving Day Menu1945
One photograph and one negative depticting two men in uniform.
- mixed materials box: 3 folder: 9
Two men in uniformundated