Lewis A. Wileden papers
Scope and Contents
The collection documents Lewis A. Wileden's military service during World War I, including personal notebooks, military vouchers and orders, and personal reports. Also present is a 1919 copy of the Second Division newspaper, The Indian, a small publication about the accomplishments of the division during the war, a scrapbook of postcards and photographs of Europe, postwar correspondence with the Second Regiment Engineers, wartime newspaper clippings, and military identification papers, one of which holds a photograph of Wileden. The collection includes a personal synopsis of his war experiences and copies of speeches he made concerning the war in later years.
Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) materials include a personal expense notebook, social programs, a scrapbook including photographs of family and friends from the Ortonville and Lansing (Michigan) areas, programs, invitations, and ribbons, and articles and programs of alumni events.
Postwar materials include veterinary accounts, records, and day books, articles, records of his service with the Ingham County (Michigan) Health Department, the Mason (Michigan) City Council, and his jury duty tenures, speeches, and personal correspondence. There are also numerous materials relating to his accident on the Grand Trunk Railway system in 1941, his claim against the railroad company, his medical expenses, and a hospital diary. Also an account of his 1949 hernia operation and a scrapbook of get well cards from both hospital stays.
Dates
- Creation: 1908 - 1968
Creator
- Wileden, Lewis A. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.
Biographical Note
Lewis A. Wileden (1888-1969) of Oxford Township, Oakland County, Michigan, was the first student at Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) to earn a degree in veterinary medicine. After graduating in 1913, he accepted the position of Sanitary Inspector for Lansing, Michigan. In 1914, he married Carolyn D. Gornitz. In 1917, he enlisted in the Second Engineers, American Expeditionary Forces, and he was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Veterinary Corps in France. Upon his return, in 1919, he set up a veterinary practice in Cassopolis, Cass County, Michigan, which he relocated to Mason, Michigan, in 1922. He was elected president of the Michigan Veterinarians' Association in 1927, and he served on the Mason Board of Education from 1927 to 1935. In 1941, he was injured in a train accident in Lansing. In 1946, he sold his veterinary practice to become the meat inspector for the Ingham County (Michigan) Health Department, from which he retired in 1957. He also served on the Mason City Council from 1954 to 1956.
Extent
1 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Gift of Lewis A. Wileden, 1968-10-09.
Legal Status
Donor(s) have transferred any applicable copyright to Michigan State University but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Copyright restrictions may apply. Property Rights: Michigan State University.
Processing Information
Changed record group from 00073 to UA 10.3.415 to reflect Wileden's connection to Michigan State University. M. Badgley Malone, December 2019
Subject
- Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company (Organization)
- Ingham County (Mich.). Health Department (Organization)
- Michigan Agricultural College (Organization)
- Michigan State University. Alumni and alumnae (Organization)
- Title
- Lewis A. Wileden Papers
- Status
- 4 Published And Cataloged
- Author
- B. Galda
- Date
- 1968
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the University Archives and Historical Collections Repository
Conrad Hall
943 Conrad Road, Room 101
East Lansing MI 48824 US
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu