GLADYS ADDINGTON BREWER PAPERS
1927-1962
(Predominantly 1941-1945)

East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338

INTRODUCTION

Title: GLADYS ADDINGTON BREWER PAPERS
Collection Number: Accession No. 221
Physical Description: 1 linear foot
Creator: Gladys Addington Brewer
Repository: Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance: The Gladys Addington Brewer papers were donated to the East Tennessee State University Foundation for the Archives of Appalachia by her daughter, Mrs. Barbara Brewer Blevins, in July of 1984.

Access: The papers are open for research.

Processing Information: Greg Taylor completed processing and the papers were opened in 1984.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Gladys Addington was born May 9, 1909, in Bulls Gap, Tennessee. After graduating from Bulls Gap High School in 1926, she taught school in Hawkins, Greene and Sullivan Counties until 1940. In 1938 she received a degree in home economics from the University of Tennessee.

During World Ward II, Addington was employed as a civilian hostess at Camp Forrest, Tullahoma, Tennessee; an ordnance inspector at the Arkansas Ordnance Plant, Little Rock, Arkansas; a home economics teacher in a Breckenridge, Texas junior high school; and a cafeteria hostess at Camp Fannin, Tyler, Texas. After her position at Camp Fannin was eliminated in 1944, she taught at Leland Junior High School in Bethesda, Maryland until the end of the 1944-45 school year. Returning with her husband to Kingsport, Tennessee after World War II, she taught at Lynn View High School in Sullivan County, Tennessee for several years.

Addington married William (Bill) Henderson Brewer in Texas on Christmas Day, 1942. Born in Hancock County on September 27, 1913, Bill was the son of Clark Brewer, a Spanish-American War veteran. In the early 1930s he attended Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee. Before moving to Kingsport, Tennessee in the early 1940s he resided in Mooresburg, Hawkins County, Tennessee, where he apparently met his future wife. During World War II. Bill served in the United States Army in Egypt, Corsica and Italy.

Returning to Kingsport after his discharge from military service, Bill owned and operated two grocery stores in the Kingsport area. In April 1954, he was an unsuccessful candidate for sheriff in the Sullivan County, Tennessee Democratic primary.

Bill Brewer died April 30, 1977 at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Mountain Home, Tennessee. Gladys Brewer died June 6 1984 at Holston Valley Hospital and Medical Center, Kingsport, Tennessee. They were survived by one daughter, Mrs. Barbara Blevins, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Gladys Addington Brewer Papers consists of newsclippings, a radio show program, correspondence, letters of recommendation and resignation, postcards, poems and essays, and memorabilia documenting the life and careers of Gladys and William Brewer. The papers date between 1927 and 1977, but the majority of the materials fall within 1940-1945. The letters of recommendation, most notably from Congressman B. Carroll Reece, provide an insight into Gladys Brewer's teaching and service careers between 1926 and 1945. The correspondence between husband and wife illustrates the marital stresses experienced by them during World War II.

Organization: The papers have been arranged into three series: Series I, Career Related Items, 1935-1945; Series II, Correspondence, 1927-1977; and Series III, Memorabilia, 1929-1962. Two file folders containing photographs have been removed from the collection and placed into the archives special environment storage area under the heading Gladys Addington Brewer Papers. A subject index to the papers follows the Box and Folder list.

Important subjects covered in the collection include:

Brewer, Gladys Addington, 1909-1984
Brewer, William H., 1913-1977
Camp Fannin (Tex.)
Canteen (Establishments)
Reece, B. Carroll (Brazilla Carroll), 1889-1961
World War, 1939-1945

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Series I, CAREER RELATED ITEMS, June 22, 1935-August 1, 1945, Box 1, Folders 1-8.

This series includes newsclippings, a program of a radio show done from the camp service club, letters of recommendation, correspondence relating to job openings, appointments, and letters of resignations. The folders are arranged first alphabetically by type of document and then chronologically within each grouping of documents.

This series includes letters received by Mrs. Brewer from her husband, his parents, and other people. Most of the letters are from her husband. A letter from Mrs. Carroll Reece is included in the "Correspondence from Other People." The letters are arranged alphabetically by writer and then chronologically. The correspondence in the "Other People" folder is arranged chronologically. A rough draft of a telegram Mrs. Brewer sent to Bill is included at the end of this series.

Series III, MEMORABILIA, November 28, 1929-April 13, 1954 and June 25, 1962, Box 1, Folders 16-30.

This series includes postcards, poems, essays, a high school play program, a war ration book, identification cards, newspaper clippings, insignia patches, an Ellington Field Memory book, and Bill's freshman college handbook. The folders are arranged first alphabetically by type of document and then chronologically within each grouping of documents.

The following photographs have been removed and have been filed under Gladys Addington Brewer Papers in the archives special environment storage area.

1 5 x 8 of Captain Ira Maynard Tipps.
1 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 of Captain Platt - "Officer of the club and her boss."
1 3 x 5 of Gladys Brewer in front of Service Club.
3 3 x 5 of Bill Brewer in Army (with other soldiers).
4 2 x 3 of Gladys and Bill in front of Service Club.
1 3 x 5 of four soldiers.
2 3 x 4 of Bill Brewer in Army.
5 2 x 3 of Bill Brewer in Army.
1 2 x 3 1/2 of Gladys Brewer.
3 2 x 2 1/2 of Gladys Brewer.
1 1 x 1 of Gladys Brewer.
2 3 x 5 postcards of Gladys and Bill Brewer.
1 7 x 9 of Bill Brewer with others at the Sphinx.
1 3 x 4 1/2 of Brewer's store.
1 2 x 3 of man in front of Economy Store (Bill's other store).
1 3 x 4 1/2 of a house.
1 3 x 4 1/2 of Mr. and Mrs. Clark Brewer with a note on back.
1 2 x 2 1/2 of African-Americans in front of building.

BOX AND FOLDER LIST

Series I, CAREER RELATED ITEMS, June 22, 1935-August 1, 1945, Box 1.

Box 1

1. Correspondence: Acceptance of Resignation Memos, May 7, 1942- June 24, 1944.
2. Correspondence: Job Opening Notifications, November 6, 1940- March 9, 1944.
3. Correspondence: Letters of Recommendation, June 22, 1935- August 1, 1945.
4. Correspondence: Memo to Ordinance Inspectors, June 4, 1942.
5. Correspondence: Notices of Job Appointments, January 6, 1941- June 1943.
6. Miscellaneous Items, June 4, 1943-April 21, 1945.
7. Newsclippings, February 23, 1941-June 20, 1943.
8. Statements of Income Tax Withheld on Wages for 1944.

Series II, CORRESPONDENCE, September 30, 1927-September 7, 1945 and May 4, 1977, Box 1.

Box 1

9. Correspondence from Mr. and Mrs. Clark Brewer, February 29, 1944-June 19 1945.
10. Correspondence from Various Other People, September 30, 1927-May 4, 1977.
11. Correspondence from William Brewer, December 23, 1935-December 8, 1941.
12. Correspondence from William Brewer, October 10, 1942-November 1943.
13. Correspondence from William Brewer, January 8, 1944-December 27, 1944.
14. Correspondence from William Brewer, January 14, 1945-September 7, 1945.
15. Correspondence to William Brewer, ND.

Series III, MEMORABILIA, November 28, 1929-April 13, 1954 and June 25, 1962, Box 1.

Box 1

16. Church Newsletter, July 22, 1945.
17. Ellington Field Memory Book, ND.
18. High School Play Program, November 28, 1929.
19. I. D. and Membership Cards, October 3, 1930-1953.
20. Insignia Patches, ND.
21. Maryville College Handbook, 1932-33.
22. Newspaper clippings, April 11, 1943-June 25, 1962.
23. Official Democratic Primary Ballot, April 3, 1945.
24. Poems and Essays, ND.
25. Postcards, ND.
26. Table Advertisement from Mayflower Restaurant, ND.
27. University of Tennessee Commencement Program, June 3, 1935.
28. War Ration Book, April 10, 1945.

INDEX TO THE GLADYS ADDINGTON BREWER PAPERS*
* The notation following the subject listing indicate the box and folder location of the citation.

Arkansas Ordnance Plant, Little Rock, Arkansas: 1-1, 1-3, 1-4.
Berry, George L., President, International Printing Pressman and Assistants' Union of North America; 1-3.
Brewer, Clark: 1-9, 1-10, 1-22.
Brewer, Gladys Addington: 1-1 thru 1-15, 1-18, 1-19, 1-22, 1-24, 1-28.
Brewer, William H.: 1-10 thru 1-15, 1-19, 1-21, 1-22, 1-23.

Camp Barkeley, Texas: 1-11.
Camp Bowie, Texas: 1-12.
Camp Fannin, Texas: 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-6.
Camp Forrest, Tullahoma, Tennessee: 1-5, 1-7.
Camp Lee, Virginia: 1-11.

Camp Peay, Tullahoma, Tennessee: 1-3, 1-5.
Corsica, France: 1-13.
Ellington Field, Texas: 1-17.
Fort Bliss, Texas: 1-2.
Fort Bragg, North Carolina: 1-2.

Italy: 1-13.
Knoxville, Tennessee Department of Public Welfare: 1-3.
Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee: 1-21.
Naples, Italy: 1-14.
Reece, B. Carroll, United States Representative from Tennessee: 1-3.

Treviso, Italy: 1-14.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee: 1-27.
War Ration Book (World War II): 1-28.

MTC 12/00