Manuscript Division Lennard H. Mitchell Diaries

Lennard H. Mitchell Diaries

Collection

Identifier: MSS86253

Scope and Content Note

The diaries of Lennard H. Mitchell (1881-1944) document his July 3-August 31, 1914, automobile trip in France as World War I broke out. Mitchell sailed to France from the United States in July 1914, traveling with his wife, Bessie Morris Mitchell. The entries describe the Mitchells’ trip to Europe by sea, their time in London, England, before reaching France and traveling the country by car before returning to the United States. Of particular interest are the entries relating to the outbreak of World War I in France, which Mitchell describes during their stay in Nice on August 1, 1914. Later entries contain his observations and reflections on the mobilization of French troops and how Mitchell was able to stay abreast of the news and war developments while traveling. Entries also record daily and incidental expenses and descriptions of the French countryside and various regional and local points of interest in the different cities they traveled through.

Dates

Creation: 1914

Language of Materials

Collection material in English

Access and Restrictions

The diaries of Lennard H. Mitchell are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.

Copyright Status

The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Lennard H. Mitchell is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).

Biographical Note

Lennard Harris Mitchell was born on February 24, 1881 in Newcastle, Indiana, but later moved to Washington, D.C., where he lived for most of his life. Mitchell attended Dean Academy in Franklin, Massachusetts, and Columbian University, now George Washington University Law School, in Washington, D.C. He was a director at Liberty National Bank before becoming an attorney. In 1904, Mitchell married Bessie Morris. After Bessie’s death in 1937, that same year Mitchell married his second wife, Edith Koons. Mitchell died on December 21, 1944, in Washington, D.C.