Chiyo Thomas Telford Papers, 1939 - 1953 (MSS 151)

Extent: 0.6 Linear feet (2 archives boxes)

The Chiyo Thomas Telford Papers contain correspondence, memorabilia and photographs from the World War II period, when Telford was with the American Red Cross in the Philippines, to the early 1950s. Principal correspondents include Elbert D.Thomas, her father and senator from Utah (1932-1950), and Claude S. Snow, a friend. The memorabilia include personal and World War II ephemera. The collection is arranged in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS and 3) PHOTOGRAPHS AND SKETCHES

Chiyo Thomas Telford was born on December 25, 1910, in Japan. Her parents were Mormon missionaries. Her father, Elbert Duncan Thomas, served as United States senator from Utah (1932-1950), chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee and high commissioner for the Pacific Islands Trust Territory (1951-1953).

Chiyo Thomas Telford grew up in Salt Lake City, attended Latter Day Saints High School, and was graduated from the University of Utah in 1931. After teaching school in Salt Lake City, she went to Washington, D.C., where she worked in her father's Senate office. She joined the American Red Cross after the outbreak of World War II and in 1943 was sent to the Philippines as a recreational therapist.

After the war, she returned to Salt Lake City and earned a master's degree in education from the University of Utah in 1947. In 1950 she married Horton Telford, an official with the U.S. State Department. After a series of overseas assignments, they returned to the United States in the mid -1960s and settled in California.

The Chiyo Thomas Telford Papers consist of letters from her family, including her father, Senator Elbert D. Thomas of Utah, letters from U.S. military personnel, miscellaneous material, and photographs. The papers are arranged in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS and 3) PHOTOGRAPHS AND SKETCHES.

Container List

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

SERIES 1) CORRESPONDENCE: Consists primarily of letters to Chiyo Thomas Telford from her father, Elbert D. Thomas, her sisters, and members of the U.S. military writing from Europe, North Africa and the Philippines.

Box 1 Folder 1
American Red Cross, 1944 - 1945
Box 1 Folder 2
B - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 3
Brandel, Arthur M., 1943
Box 1 Folder 4
C - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 5
D - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 6
E - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 7
G - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 8
Grover, Esther Thomas (sister), 1951 - 1953
Box 1 Folder 9
H - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 10
Hansen, Edna Louis Thomas (sister)

Ca. 1950s

Box 1 Folder 11
I - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 12
J - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 13
K - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 14
L - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 15
M - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 16
Morris, Claude B., 1942 - 1944
Box 1 Folder 17
O - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 18
P - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 19
R - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 20
S - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 21
Snow, Claude S., 1942 - 1944
Box 1 Folder 22
Snow, Claude S., 1945
Box 1 Folder 23
T - Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folder 24
Thomas, Elbert Duncan, 1939 - 1951

Enclosed in letter of 2/26/51 is an unsigned carbon copy of a 1/23/51 letter from Harry S. Truman giving Thomas ambassador rank as high commissioner, Pacific Trust Territories.

Box 1 Folder 25
Thomas, Elbert Duncan, 1952 - 1953
Box 1 Folder 26
Toth, Andrew J., 1942 - 1943
Box 1 Folder 27
V - Miscellaneous

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

Scope and Content of Series

SERIES 2) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS: Include clippings, personal and World War II memorabilia, and speeches by Elbert D. Thomas.

Box 2 Folder 1
Cartoon drawing, "Wait til I finish reading the Thomas report"
Box 2 Folder 2
Clippings
Box 2 Folder 3
Ephemera - Personal
Box 2 Folder 4
Ephemera - World War II

Typescript and printed copies of the pamphlet "You Can Defend America", 1941; printed pamphlet "Our Defense Forces", 1941; driver permits; American Red Cross I.D.; ration book stub; "V...- mail" form; U.S. Postal Savings and War Savings stamps; wrapper for a package of Japanese cigarettes.

Box 2 Folder 5
Map of Europe with route annotations
Box 2 Folder 6
Quotations
Box 2 Folder 7
Speeches by Elbert Duncan Thomas

PHOTOGRAPHS AND SKETCHES

Scope and Content of Series

SERIES 3) PHOTOGRAPHS AND SKETCHES: Contains photographs taken during her work with the American Red Cross in the Philippines, photographs of members of the armed forces, mostly unidentified, undated photographs of people and places, an undated portrait proof of Elbert D. Thomas, a watercolor portrait, and two pencil sketches of Chiyo Thomas Telford.

Photographs

Box 2 Folder 8
Armed forces personnel
Box 2 Folder 9
Telford, Chiyo Thomas
Box 2 Folder 10
Thomas, Elbert Duncan
Box 2 Folder 11
Unidentified people and places

Sketches

Box 2 Folder 12
Telford, Chiyo Thomas