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Charles M. de Bremond Family papers

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-0105

Scope and Content

The Charles M. de Bremond Family Papers consist of the personal, military and businesspapers of a Roswell, New Mexico, farming and sheep-raising family. These papers cover theyears 1866-1934; the bulk of these materials, however, are from 1910-1920. A signifigant portion of the correspondence are from the Scarritt family in Saint Louis. They discuss the daily life and weahter in Saint Luise but also the Scottish history of the family, acompanied by books about the Scarritt clan.

The bulk of the correspondence concerns de Bremond's association with New MexicoNational Guard's Battery A, 1910-1919. Equally important are de Bremond's notebooks and diaries which detailhis activities as a farmer and sheep-breeder for the years 1896-1919. The personal familycorrespondence consists of letters sent and received by various family members when Charles deBremond was on active duty with Battery A, and when the de Bremond daughters, Marie-Louiseand Edith were at the National Cathedral School in Washington, D. C. Unfortunately, none ofCharlotte de Bremond's letters to Charles have survived. The bulk of the family correspondencecovers the years 1914-1919.

The personal correspondence to Charlotte de Bremond is very interesting. Charles deBremond poured out to his wife his feelings and his philosophy about his role as an officer, firstin the New Mexico National Guard and later as an officer in the regular army. These letterscompliment the other military papers included in the collection. The letters written by deBremond while on duty in 1916 at Columbus, New Mexico, and at Fort Bliss have comments onthe political situation in Mexico and in El Paso, Texas. Later when de Bremond was called intonational service, he wrote detailed accounts of his daily activities at Camp Mills. Some of these letters also discuss General Pershing.

At the end of 1917, de Bremond's unit was sent to France. There he was assigned to trainingin heavy artillery. De Bremond's letters to his wife from France describe in detail the effect ofthe war on the French population and on the land. These letters include keen observations on people, places and armypolitics.The de Bremond children wrote to their parents in detail about their daily life at school.And Charlotte's letters to the children tell of ranch duties and military friends and activities.

Many letters and telegrams of condolence received by Mrs. de Bremond upon Lt. Col. deBremond's death in December 1919 are included in the personal family correspondence. Some letters and telegrams of condolence are from the Swiss members of the De Bremonds and hergermans, with most of these being in French. There is also an official file of papers which record the attempt by friends to have de Bremondawarded the Distinguished Service Medal posthumously.

The papers entitled "Military Affairs" cover the dates 1910-1919, the bulk of the materialcovering the years 1916-1919. Correspondence of a more personal nature from militaryassociates are included. Field communications, lists of men and materials, field problems,intelligence reports and orders received when de Bremond was at the French front are allincluded. Of special interest are the papers, many of them in French, which relate to a series ofmaps used during the fighting in June, July and August 1918 on the French front nearChateau-Thierry. There are also German aerial photographs which were used by de Bremond'sforces. One of the most interesting items is a notebook of orders given and received by deBremond while in France.

Important military correspondents are W. M. Bailey, W. J. Snow, C. W. Exton, FrederickTest, W. S. McNair, E. D. Scott, W. C. Webb, H. L. Scott, L. M. Wortham and Harry Henning.

Materials used in training Battery A and B to be heavy artillery units are also included. Manyof these items are in French.

The bulk of the de Bremond business records are in notebooks and diaries. De Bremond keptdaily journals of his farm activities, the earliest in French, later ones in English. The journalswhich contain daily comments on farm activities, weather and local activities, and which coverthe years 1896-1919 (bulk 1903-1913). There are also comprehensiverecords of lambing and shearing from 1902-1914, including employee accounts.

The business papers also include miscellaneous legal papers and deeds from the de Bremondestate.

Also included are numerous family and military photographs. Especially important are thephotographs which are of Battery A.

Dates

  • 1866-1934
  • 1896-1930s

Language of Materials

EnglishFrench

Access and Use Restrictions

This material may be examined by researchers under supervised conditions in the SearchRoom.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliancewith copyright and other applicable statutes.

The copyrights possessed in this collection by Lowry Hagerman have been transferred and assigned to NewMexico State University.

Extent

4 Linear Feet (12 boxes and 28 OS maps )

1,438 items

Abstract

Swiss immigrant; Roswell, New Mexico, farmer and rancher, and commander of the New Mexico National Guard's Battery A. Comprised of business and personal and family papers, consisting of correspondence, diaries and journals, financial records, and other materials related to his sheep ranching and farming interests and his military service, including his service in the Swiss cavalry and his service on the border during the Mexican Revolution (1916) and in France during World War I (1917-1918). Images include turn of the century photos of Saint Luis, the De Bremond family around Lucerne, Switzerland, and scenes from fort Bliss. Family papers include letters to his daughters and wife as well at letters from the Scarritt family.

Acquisition

  1. A77-16
  2. RG81-37
  3. RG81-117
  4. RG83-119 Gifts of Lowry Hagerman

General

Contact Information

  1. Archives and Special Collections
  2. New Mexico State University Library
  3. P.O. Box 30006
  4. Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8006
  5. Phone: (575) 646-3839
  6. Fax: (575) 646-7477
  7. Email: archives@nmsu.edu
  8. URL: https://lib.nmsu.edu/archives/
Title
Register of the Charles M. de Bremond Family papers, 1896-1930s
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Lynda MacKichan, Linda Blazer, revised by Linda Blazer & Andrea Conners
Date
2001
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is in English

Revision Statements

  • June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//New Mexico State University::Archives and Special Collections//TEXT(US::NmLcU::Ms 105::Charles M. de Bremond Family Papers)//EN" "nmlcu1ms105.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).

Repository Details

Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Branson Hall
PO Box 30006
MSC 3475
Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA