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Preferred Citation

Mary Stone Naijon Letters, 1927-1986, Accession #8809-k , Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

These letters were given to the Library by Mrs. Fillmore (Elizabeth) Norfleet, Charlottesville, Virginia, on March 25, 1993.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of fifty-five letters, ca. 1927-1986, chiefly from Mary (Mealand) Stone Naijon (1890-1984), Paris, France, to her life-long friend, Fillmore Norfleet. Mary Naijon was an American born in Cleveland, Ohio, who first married Walter [Stone ?] in the United States. After a divorce, she moved to Paris, France in 1924, where she taught school to young children. In 1934, she married Andre Naijon (d. 1974) and became totally a Frenchwoman, never returning to the United States in her later years. Also present is a fourteen page typed round robin letter by Mrs. Naijon with autograph emendations describing her experiences in France during World War II including her internment at Vittel, France, by the Germans.

Topics in her letters to the Norfleets include: a description of her culinary and visual experiences on her trip to Rouen, France (1927 Oct 29); her encouragement to Fillmore to continue his writing and her advice concerning love and marriage based on her own early life with Walter [Stone ?] (1928 Jan 21); a reference to her round robin letter about World War II and her internment at Vittel, sent after her liberation reaching them years later (1948 Feb [21 ?]); comments about Frances P. Keyes' book Came A Cavalier and her thanks for Fillmore's book on St. Memin (1948 May 17); political upheaval in France, a lack of things to purchase at the market, and shortages in electricity (1949 Dec 16); the grim food situation in England and the need for any used clothing in France (1951 May 17); the arrival of two of her brothers in Europe, Dick in London, and Arthur (1891 ?- ) in Paris (1951 Sep 25); and the sale of several of her children's songs to Silver Burdett and Ginn & Company.

Additional topics include: the illness of her brother Dick ([1905 ?]-1958) with cancer, his return to Lyme, Connecticut, and subsequent death (1957 Nov 29; 1958 Apr 2); the unfair criticism of Paris by American visitors (1958 Jul 4); her serious illness from September 20 until the date of the letter (1967 Jan 27); the death of Andre Naijon (1974 Oct 5); a political bombing in the building across from hers in Paris, changes in Parisian architecture and the increase in crimes by teen-agers in France (1976 Jan 1; Dec 20); more about changes in Parisian architecture and neighborhoods (1977 Oct 12); her dislike of Julien Green and comments by the French who resent his entry into the Academie Francaise (1978 Jan 13; 1984 Jan 13); mention of the Naijon mustard industry in Dijon (1978 Mar 15); the worsening of crime in France with Mary a victim of attacks and robberies (1978 May 8; 1982 Jan 18); her disgust with Francois Mitterrand and French politics (1982 Apr 8); and her distrust of Ronald Reagan (1981 Jul 25; 1984 Jan 1).

Other letters in the collection include a letter from Mary Naijon's niece Ruth Mealand Swartz to Elizabeth Norfleet about the death of Mary Naijon (1986 Aug 24) and a letter from [Madame ?] Lapeyroux, Poitiers, concerning the bad conditions in France after World War II (1947 Sep 17). Another letter from [Madame Lapeyroux ?], Poitiers, assures the Norfleets that they will be happy to have them visit during their tour of Europe, mentions the Norfleets' visit to Greece during the trouble with Turkey, and promises that Pierre will write them (1974 Jul 31).

In her fourteen page letter describing her experiences during World War II (ca. 1946 ?), Mary Naijon mentions the following:

Page One - when war broke out Mary Naijon was at Cosne; describes the mobilization of horses and of her husband Andre and his brother, Pierre; Andre stationed at Nevers as quartermaster, not in active service as he served in World War I; at New Year's, Andre sent back to Paris to his office because they made war materiel; left for Cosne when the Germans entered France [1940 June]
Page Two - describes the exodus from Paris; mentions the presence of a fifth column in France; the movement of French troops to the Loire River where they were to make a stand against the Germans; the bridges over the Loire River all blown up
Page Three - German bombers strafing the refugees on the roads and on the trains; the death of her friend Madame Fernand Dubois; adventures on the way to Clermont-Ferrand searching for food and places to stay
Page Four - the Naijons made it only as far as Correze; the town of Meymac paid 10 francs a day to refugees without funds; France occupied by August 1940; line of demarcation was at Bourges, not far from Cosne; saw a line of French prisoners herded through the streets to barracks
Page Five - the Naijons returned to their Paris home; Mary had to sign in at the police station every week as an American citizen - her French naturalization papers had not come through yet; the Germans came for her on September 24, 1942, along with other American women, they were taken to the palarium at the "Jardin D'acclimatation" (the zoo); where they called themselves the Monkey House Women
Page Six - stayed at the zoo for four days until they were taken to the Pantin railroad station to travel to their internment at Vittel; French train men helped send messages to their families
Page Seven - collected all the discarded "lard" and sausages given to them by the Germans for later use; taken to hotels at the Casino in the Park at Vittel; first received English Red Cross boxes, then American Red Cross boxes six weeks later; describes her quarters
Page Eight - American, Russian and English Jews put into another hotel; prisoners had movies, a library, and packages from home; Jews with illegal passports were deported and some committed suicide; many English women imprisoned for five years had mental breakdowns; depended on Red Cross boxes to supplement the single simple meal a day granted by the Germans
Page Nine - heard of the liberation of Paris and saw the exodus of the Germans from France; Germans stopped people and forced them from their bicycles; first liberation of the Vittel camp short-lived; spies and collaborators arrested; Vittel located in the Belfort Corridor; next day, the Germans returned to the camp with cannon and tanks
Page Ten - knew the battle of Nancy was going on; the camp had shrapnel falling all over the hotels; then both the French and American armies entered Vittel which was liberated for good [September 12, 1944]
Page Eleven - the hospital now filled with wounded soldiers; Mary visited the town of Vittel; had a surprise visit from her American nephew [Jay Brigeman ?] not seen since he was a boy; left Vittel on September 29, 1944
Page Twelve - saw Troyes completely destroyed by bombing on the way home; made it to Paris at last; went to the Cite Universitaire to the provisional hospital; was reunited with Andre; France in famine conditions when liberated
Page Thirteen - Andre in poor physical condition due to the years of little provisions and lack of fuel and electricity
Page Fourteen - contains a list of American friends who should receive this round robin letter