Toalson Family papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Toalson Family papers, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
1.96 Linear Feet One full Hollinger box, one half Hollinger box, one 4x4 archival artifact box
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Toalson Family papers, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The Toalson Family papers consist primarily of correspondence, papers, and ephemera relating to the lives of Glen Francis Toalson, Sr. and Glen Edward Toalson during the 20th century. Series 1 consists of Glen E. Toalson's correspondence with his aunt, Ora Reynolds, regarding his grandmother's health (1933-1942) and Glen F. Toalson Sr.'s correspondence with, primarily, his parents and Jessie Lewis Dark during his military service in World War II (1941-1945), as well as his correspondence with various people regarding his return to the Philippines (1985-1986). Series 2 consists of subject files containing the history of the Toalson family and transcriptions compiled by Jeff Toalson, newspapers, the military records and ephemera of Glen F. Toalson, Sr., and the ephemera and 1915 photo journal Glen E. Toalson. The materials provide insight into life in Missouri for young men during the first half of the 20th century, United States military service and operations in the Pacific region during World War II, and late 20th century veterans' accounts of living on a US military base in Philippines. Additionally, some materials provide insight into search and rescue efforts following the 1936 tornado in Gainesville, GA.

Biographical / historical:

Glen Edward Toalson was born on April 17, 1889, in McFall, Missouri to Millard Fillmore and Anna Reynolds Toalson. They lived above the Wabash Railroad Depot, where Millard was the stationmaster. Glen E. graduated from Springfield Business College in 1913. Glen E. worked as a printer's apprentice for a local newspaper with his friend, Barnes Schrewberry. In 1915, Glen E. and Barnes started a $5 round-trip ferry service from the Osceola railroad to the Monegaw Springs resorts. Later, Glen E. worked in Washington D.C. as a secretary to Congressman Clement Cabell Dickinson, who represented the 6th district of Missouri. While living in DC, Glen E. met his wife, Grace A. Hook, who worked for the Library of Congress. They married on November 26, 1914 and worked in DC for five years. In April 1919, Glen E. and Grace moved back to Osceola, where he bought the St. Clair County Abstract Co. Their son, Glen Francis Toalson, was born in October of the same year. Later in life, Glen E. served as War Bond Chairman for Osceola during World War II (1938-1940) and was a member of the Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, the Osceola Volunteer Fire Department, and the Presbyterian Church. He died on November 28, 1975, at 86 years old, and is buried in the Osceola Cemetery in Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri.

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Glen Francis Toalson, Sr. was born on October 22, 1919 in Osceola, Missouri to Glen E. and Grace A. (Hook) Toalson. He was delivered by Dr. Ruth Seevers, the first woman to graduate from the University of Missouri's School of Medicine with an MD. Between 1933 and 1938, Glen F. completed high school and post-graduate studies at the Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA. During his attendance, Glen F. assisted with search and rescue efforts following the 1936 Gainesville tornado. From 1939 to 1941, he attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Glen F. entered active military duty on July 6, 1941 and served with the US 130th Infantry, 33rd Division in Hawaii and Philippines until 1945. He married Jessie Lewis Dark, whom he met at Riverside, on December 29, 1945 in Covington, VA. They had two children: Glen Francis "Jeff" Toalson, Jr. and Vance Lee Toalson. After his military service, Glen F. founded the Toalson Osceola Insurance Agency in June 1946 and the Toalson Oil Company in 1965, which were sold to competitors in 1965 and 1975, respectively. Glen F. served as an Osceola Volunteer Fire Department board member between 1946 and 1969 and as mayor of Osceola from April 1969 to April 1979. During his tenure as mayor, Glen F. installed two new sewage systems for the city and established Osceola's ownership of their own electrical utility lines. Later in life, Glen F. and Jessie extensively traveled the world. Glen F. died on January 27, 1995, preceded by Jessie on March 18, 1992, and is buried at the Locust Bottom Cemetery in Botetourt County, VA.

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Glen Francis "Jeff" Toalson, Jr. was born on May 26, 1948 in Missouri to Glen Francis Toalson, Sr. and Jessie Lewis (Dark) Toalson. Jeff earned his B.S. in business management from Missouri State University in 1970, where he was part of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, the IFC council, and served as the SMS elections commissioner. Jeff is a Civil War historian and author of five books about lived experiences of people residing in the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Additionally, Jeff has chronicled the lives of his father and grandfather during the 20th century and has compiled papers and ephemera relating to his grandfather's ferry service and his father's military service and travels.

Arrangement:

The Toalson Family papers are arranged into two series: Correspondence (series 1) and Family Subject Files and Ephemera (series 2). In Series 1 - Correspondence, original order was maintained at the file level, separated into correspondence between Glen E. Toalson and Ora Reynolds, Glen F. Toalson's World War II correspondence, and correspondence regarding Glen F. and Jessie's trip to Philippines. Items within each file were arranged chronologically if they were not already so. Correspondence in which the date could not be found nor inferred were placed last within each file. In Series 2 - Family Subject Files and Ephemera, items were arranged by subject or material type. Files were arranged alphabetically by material type and then in chronological order. Original order was maintained at the file and item levels for the Family Subject files, which include the Family History files, arranged alphabetically, the Culver Summer School file, and the Riverside Military Academy file. The Ephemera files were originally filed in a single folder, but were separated into their own files for researcher accessibility and preservation of fragile or sensitive material (i.e. Japanese "Good Luck" flag.) For the Military Records files, original order was maintained at the file level, and items within each file were arranged choronologically if they were not already so. Original order was not maintained for some of the Newspapers and Newsletter files for preservation and access purposes. The 1918 Newspaper was originally filed with the Glen E. Toalson and Ora Reynolds Correspondence. Original order was maintained at the file level for the Gainsville Tornado newspapers, and items were placed in chronological order. Items in the Newsletter file were removed from the folder of correspondence about Glen F. and Jessie Toalson's return to Philippines for preservation and access purposes. Original order was largely not maintained for the Photograph files for preservation and access purposes. Photographs of Glen E. Toalson were removed from a folder about Glen E.'s time running a ferry route circa 1915. Photographs of Glen F. Toalson's military service were compiled from photographs in other listed files, including of Glen F. at the Culver Summer School, at Riverside Academy, during World War II, from the file containing Glen F.'s World War II ephemera, and one item/photograph was taken from Glen F.'s correspondence during World War II (Valentine's Day card and photo). Within this file, items were arranged chronologically. Original order was maintained at the file and item level for the photographs taken at Camp Carson, Colorado. Glen E. Toalson's 1915 photo journal and the unopened pack of Raleigh brand cigarettes were placed in their own containers for storage and preservation purposes.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard