D.J. Bowden Collection

Collection

Identifier: Mss.Coll.012

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection primarily contains Correspondence and Printed Materials that relate to WWII, Elon College during WWII, and the Sigma Phi Beta fraternity of Elon College. The collection is arranged alphabetically by type of material into eight series, then chronologically within each series, where applicable. The series are: Correspondence; Financial Documents; Lists; Literary Productions; Maps; Photographs; Printed Material; Prints and Drawings. Specifically, much of the Correspondence was written to D.J. Bowden from former students at Elon College who were drafted (or chose) to serve in the military during WWII (1:1-1:54). The letters document the life, experiences, training, and other personal ideas/thoughts of the servicemen that served in the military during WWII. Furthermore, since D.J. Bowden was the faculty advisor for the Sigma Phi Beta fraternity at Elon College, many of the materials in this collection relate to the fraternity and its members (1:4, 1:6, 1:9, 1:15, 1:16, 1:18, 1:19, 2:1, 3:1, 3:2, 7:5, 7:7, 7:8-7:10). Moreover, this collection contains a few Photographs (primarily black and white) of D.J. Bowden and other servicemen that served during WWII. Many of the pictures of the servicemen were taken on the campus of Elon College during the early 1940's (6:1, 6:2). In addition, the Printed Material series includes wedding announcements and invitations that D.J. Bowden received from servicemen that had been writing to him during WWII. Also, there are Sigma Phi Beta newsletters in which Bowden took pieces of information from the letters he had received, and composed a comprehensive newsletter that was sent out to servicemen and "brothers" in the Sigma Phi Beta fraternity (7:1-7:15).

Dates

Creation: 1942 - 1993

Creator

Bowden, Daniel J. (Person)
Elon College--Students. (Organization)
Elon College--Societies, etc. (Organization)
Elon College--History. (Organization)
Elon University--History. (Organization)
Elon University--Students. (Organization)
Elon University--Societies, etc. (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the Archives and Special Collections of Belk Library means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of Belk Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research of otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical / Historical

Family: Parents: Josephine Barrett Bowden and Deacon Daniel J. Bowden * Married December 21, 1892 at the Antioch Church in the Isle of Wight County, VA * Rev. J. Pressley Barrett officiated * Rev. J. William Barrett assisted * Deacon Daniel J. Bowden was superintendent of the Sunday school at the Christian Church in Berkley, VA * Deacon Daniel J. Bowden died at home in September of 1952; he was 90 (born ca. 1862) * Deacon Daniel J. Bowden is buried at the Antioch Christian Church in VA Sisters: * Lucile Bowden-in 1912 she was attending school at Farmville * Effie Bowden Wife: Charlotte Bowden Children: * Bruce William Bowden-born May 13, 1945 at Sternberger Hospital in Greensboro, NC * Douglas Bowden-born ca. 1937 in Elon College, NC * Douglas received his M.D. degree from Stanford University in July of 1965 after studying at Harvard, Stanford School of Medicine, University of Moscow, Max Planck Institute (Munich), and doing an internship at Einstein Memorial Hospital (NYC) * In 1974 Douglas was an associate professor of psychiatry on the research faculty in the department of psychiatry at the University of Washington Early Years: * Born in 1906 * When he was 5 years old (1911), he was critically ill for a week (possibly lockjaw due to convulsions) Education: * In July of 1935, he graduated from Yale Divinity School * June 23, 1937, he received his Ph.D. from Yale Career: * Faculty member of Elon College from 1935-1953 * In 1935, he joined the faculty of Elon College as associate professor in the department of Christian Education * May 1935, he was the head of the department of Religious Education at Elon College * May 1935, he was the head of the department of Religious Education at Elon College * August 1, 1944, he was appointed as the Dean of Elon College * In 1949, he was appointed as the Dean of Men at Elon College * In 1953, he resigned from Elon College and became the Director of Indiana University School of Religion (started September 1, 1953) * In October of 1957, he was the Administrative Director and member of the faculty of the School of Religion at the University of Indiana * August 22, 1965, he gave the summer graduation address at Elon College Memberships/Organizations: * In April of 1949, he was the President of the North Carolina College Teachers of Religion Later Years: * Died July 31, 1997 (not sure of the source for this date) Biographical Sources: Newspapers: Christian Sun * August 6, 1891, Pg. 329 * January 5, 1893, Pg. 12 * March 29, 1911, Pg. 5 * April 10, 1912, Pg. 6 * October 14, 1914, Pg. 6 * April 11, 1917, Pg. 11 * July 25, 1935, Pg. 6 * August 8, 1935, Pg. 2 * June 24, 1937, Pg. 3 * July 24, 1941, Pg. 2 * August 10, 1944, cover page * September 4, 1952, Pg. 2 * July 16, 1953, Pg. 2 * July 30, 1953, Pg. 7 * October 8, 1953, Pg. 2 * July 13, 1965, Pg. 11 Daily Times News (Burlington, NC) * May 6, 1935, Pg. 12 * August 3, 1944, Pg. 12 * April 12, 1949, Pg. 2A, 5A * July 2, 1953, Pg. 5A * August 18, 1965, Pg. 1B * August 21, 1965, Pg. 1B Maroon and Gold: * February 26, 1959, Pg. 2 Magazines: Elon Alumni News * October 1957, Pg. 16 * November 1964, Pg. 24 * October 1965, Pg. 1

Extent

1 Linear Feet (2 archival boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection primarily contains Correspondence and Printed Materials that relate to WWII, Elon College during WWII, and the Sigma Phi Beta fraternity at Elon College. The collection is arranged alphabetically by type of material into eight series, then chronologically within each series, where applicable. The series are: Correspondence; Financial Documents; Lists; Literary Productions; Maps; Photographs; Printed Material; Prints and Drawings. Specifically, much of the Correspondence was written to D.J. Bowden from former students at Elon College who were drafted (or chose) to serve in the military during WWII. Furthermore, since D.J. Bowden served as the faculty advisor for the Sigma Phi Beta fraternity at Elon College, many of the materials in this collection relate to the fraternity and its members.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by type of material into eight series, then chronologically within each series, where applicable. The series are: Correspondence; Financial Documents; Lists; Literary Productions; Maps; Photographs; Printed Material; Prints and Drawings.

Physical Location

The collection is located in Belk Library Archives Satellite Shelving at Elon University. Please contact the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian for further details about the location.