Earl Madsen papers, 1929-1988

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Madsen, Earl, dd.1974
Title
Earl Madsen papers
Dates
1929-1988 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 boxes, (1 linear foot)
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 187
Summary
This collection contains outgoing and incoming correspondence from Earl Madsen while he served as a LDS missionary, during his wife's stay in the hospital, and while attending basic training at Camp Callan in 1943.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Victor Earl Madsen was born in 1909 in Brigham City, Utah to Victor E. and Cleo F. Madsen. After completing his education at Box Elder High, Madsen was called to serve as missionary in 1929 for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Germany-Austria Mission. After being honorably released from his service as a missionary in 1931, Madsen toured Europe for three months. He then returned home to the United States, and found work in a retail clothing store. In 1939, Madsen married Elizabeth Romney, who fell ill in the fall of that year and spent one year in the Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. Madsen entered the United States Army on June 12, 1943, and received his basic training at Camp Callan, California. After Madsen’s service in the U.S. Army he returned to Brigham City and spent the rest of his life there with his wife. In 1973 Madsen suffered a heart attack and died later that same year.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This two-box collection contains outgoing and incoming correspondence from Earl Madsen while he served as a LDS missionary, during his wife's stay in the hospital, and while attending basic training at Camp Callan in 1943. Madsen's outgoing correspondence during his LDS mission (over 150 letters) describes his activities as a missionary, his thoughts about the LDS church, his impressions of Germany, his understanding of Mormonism in Germany, his feelings about being a missionary, and his struggle with homesickness. Madsen's correspondence to his wife while she stayed in the Holy Cross Hospital discusses his grief concerning her illness, his daily activities and business ventures in Brigham City, and how he misses having her at home. Madsen's correspondence while at basic training discusses his military duties and training, his thoughts on the war, his experience as a Mormon in the military, and his love for his wife. Overall, Madsen's letters yield the thoughts of a prolific and descriptive writer. His letters are detailed and range from two to eight pages in length.

The bulk of Madsen's incoming correspondence consists of letters from family and friends while serving as a LDS missionary. Incoming correspondence from his mother, Cleo Madsen, comprises a substantial part of his incoming correspondence as a missionary (over 150 letters).

The correspondence in this collection has been organized into outgoing and incoming category. Outgoing correspondence is organized chronologically and incoming correspondence is organized alphabetically by the sender's surname. Correspondence from senders who wrote numerous letters have been housed in individual folders.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Earl Madsen Papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Earl Madsen Papers USU_COLL MSS 187, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 187, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Outgoing correspondence is organized chronologically and incoming correspondence is organized alphabetically by the sender's surname.

Processing Note

Processed in February of 2006

Acquisition Information

The original material to this collection with donated by an unknown source, however, several letters and other material were donated in 2010 by Gail Anderson and integrated into the collection in 2013. Anderson bought the additional papers from an antique shop in Park City, Utah, sometime around 1990.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Outgoing and incoming correspondence, 1929—1943Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Outgoing
(while serving as a missionary)
1929
1 2
Outgoing
1930 January—March
1 3
Outgoing
1930 April—June
1 4
Outgoing
1930 July—September
1 5
Outgoing
1930 October—December
1 6
Outgoing
1931 January—March
1 7
Outgoing
1931 April—June
1 8
Outgoing
1931 July—September
1 9
Outgoing
1931 October—December
1 10
Outgoing
June 1937—July 1938
1 11
Outgoing
1939
1 12
Outgoing
1940
1 13
Outgoing
(while stationed at Camp Callan)
1943
1 14
Outgoing letters
undated
1 15
Incoming, Budge, Oliver H.
1930—1931
1 16
Incoming, Madsen, Harold
1930—1931
1 17
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1929 September
1 18
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1929 October—December
1 19
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1930 January—March
1 20
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1930 April—June
1 21
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1930 July—September
1 22
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1930 October—December
1 23
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1931 January—February
1 24
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1931 March—April
1 25
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1931 May—June
1 26
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1931 July—August
1 27
Incoming, Madsen, Cleo
1931 September

Incoming correspondence, 1926—1988Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
2 1
Incoming, Pearson, Annie
1926
2 2
Incoming, Pearson, Annie
1927 January—May
2 3
Incoming, Pearson, Annie
1927 September—December
2 4
Incoming, Pearson, Annie
1928—1929
2 5
Incoming, Connie—Perry Peters
1929—1931
2 6
Incoming, Phyllis (?)
1928—1946
2 7
Incoming, Glaoure, Rex
1927—1930
2 8
Incoming, Willey, Winnifred
1926—1931
2 9
Incoming, Wixom, Edith
1927—1931
2 10
Incoming, single letters, A—J
1929—1975
2 11
Incoming, single letters, K—Z
1929—1988
2 12
Incoming, single letters and cards, no surname, A—Z
1926—1960
2 13
Incoming, unidentified senders
undated
2 14
Papers of Earl Madsen
undated
2 15
Incoming to Cleo Madsen
1923—1931
2 16
Incoming to Elizabeth Madsen
1953
2 17
Incoming postcard to Harold Madsen
1932
2 18
Miscellaneous: telegram envelope; “A Father’s Responsibility to His Son”, by Charles Barker; Girl-and-Music show advertisement; postcard with “Roma” signed on back.
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Basic training (Military education)--History--20th century.
  • Mormon Church--Missions--Germany.
  • Mormon missionaries--Germany--Correspondence.
  • Mormons--Germany.

Personal Names

  • Madsen, Cleo F.--Correspondence.
  • Madsen, Earl,dd. 1974--Correspondence.
  • Madsen, Elizabeth Romney--Correspondence.

Corporate Names

  • United States Army--Military life--History--20th century.

Geographical Names

  • Camp Callan (California).