zeiglerjohn Inventory of the John Zeigler Papers, 1927-2011 (bulk 1942-1946) Processed by: Ted Holt; machine-readable finding aid created by: Ted Holt and Paula Jeannet Mangiafico David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Duke University Durham, N.C., USA

2008 Duke University. All Rights Reserved.

Aleph Number: 003972848

 Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: June 2008Processed by Ted Holt, June 2008; finding aid encoded by Ted Holt and Paula Jeannet Mangiafico, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, June 2008 Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS and local Style Guide Inventory of the John Zeigler Papers, 1927-2011 (bulk 1942-1946) David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Duke University Durham, North Carolina 27708-0185 USA

2008 Duke University. All Rights Reserved.

 Descriptive Summary David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University Zeigler, John John Zeigler Papers, 1927-2011 (bulk 1942-1946) Material in English 2.7 linear feet 996 Items For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. Poet and book store owner in Charleston, SC. Collection predominantly contains World War II-era correspondence between lovers/partners John Zeigler and Edwin Peacock and their close friend George Scheirer. After the war, Zeigler and Peacock co-founded of a bookstore in Charleston, S.C., while Scheirer lived most of his adult life in Washington, DC. Recipients of Zeigler's correspondence and names mentioned in letters throughout the collection include family members of all three men, as well as friends, including Carson McCullers. Other materials include some documentation of Scheirer's work as a bookbinder; copies of Glacier Gazette, an Army newspaper for which Zeigler was a naval correspondent; photographs of all three individuals; and official military documents relating to Zeigler's and Peacock's service during WWII. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

However, collection may contain materials to which the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies. Patrons must sign this form before using this collection.

Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

 Copyright Notice

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John Zeigler Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library

 Provenance

The John Zeigler Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library in 2008.

Processing Information

Processed by Ted Holt, June 2008

Encoded by Ted Holt and Paula Jeannet Mangiafico, June 2008

Updated by Meghan Lyon to include Acc. 2009-0002, January 2009; 2009-0087, March 2009

Accessions 2008-0097, 2009-0002, 2009-0087, 2009-0182, and 2011-0060 are described in this finding aid.

Updated by Alice Poffinberger to include Accession 2009-0182, September 12 and 17, 2009

Updated by Alice Poffinberger to include Accession 2011-0060, June 2011

Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and local Style Guide.

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.

 Biographical Notes Chronology for John Asbury Zeigler, Jr. 1912 Feb. 5 Born in Manning, South Carolina 1931 Founded and was editor of The Shako, The Citadel school newspaper. 1932 Graduated with a B.A. in English from The Citadel. 1942 Apr. 7 Enlisted in Naval Reserve 1943 Stationed at Yakutat, Alaska 1943 Naval correspondent for the army newspaper Glacier Gazette 1944-1945 Toured with the U.S.S. Dickens 1945 Nov. 1 Honorably discharged 1946 Feb. 19 Co-founded The Book Basement in Charleston, South Carolina 1984 Published Alaska and Beyond, a collection of poems 1993 Publication of Jeb and Dash: A Gay Life, 1918-1945, taken from diaries narrating a gay relationship, originally written by Carter Bealer, and edited by his niece Ina Russell. The names were fictionalized in the published version; John Zeigler appears as "Nicky," a major character in the diaries. 2007 Publication of The Edwin Poems Chronology for Edwin Davis Peacock 1910 Jan. 2 Born in Thomasville, Georgia 1942 Apr. 7 Enlisted in Naval Reserve 1943 Stationed at Cape Chiniak (Naval Air Station), Kodiak, Alaska 1945 June 1 Honorably discharged 1946 Feb. 19 Co-founded The Book Basement in Charleston, S.C. 1989 Passed away Chronology for George Albert Scheirer 1895 June 14 Born in Elmira, New York 1898 Suffered from spinal affliction 1916 Sept. Graduated from Elmira Business Institute 1916 Dec. 14 Accepted a Civil Service appointment in the Surgeon General's office 1930 Opened "Rabbit Hutch" bindery in Washington 1938 June Elected chairman of the Commitee on Industrial Arts of the Arts Club of Washington 1940 Declined an invitation to be Master Binder for Folger Shakespeare Library 1945 Mar. Joined the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society in Washington 1948 Dec. 31 Retired from Surgeon General's office as Managing Editor of The Army Medical Bulletin 1950 Moved to Bethesda, Maryland with his sister Nellian 1959 June 30 Suffered a fatal heart attack in Bethesda, Maryland 1979 Apr. 22 Nellian Scheirer passed away Collection Overview

The John Ziegler Correspondence spans the dates 1927-2011, with the bulk of the material consisting of World War II-era correspondence between lovers/partners John Zeigler and Edwin Peacock and their close friend George Scheirer. After the war, Zeigler and Peacock co-founded of a bookstore in Charleston, S.C., while Scheirer lived most of his adult life in Washington, DC. Recipients and names mentioned in letters throughout the collection include family members of all three men, as well as friends, including Carson McCullers. Other materials include documentation of Scheirer's work as a bookbinder; issues of the Glacier Gazette, an Army newspaper for which Zeigler was a naval correspondent; photographs of all three individuals (1944-1945, 1970s, 2006); and official military documents relating to Zeigler's and Peacock's service during WWII.

 Subject Headings

These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.

Zeigler, John. Peacock, Edwin. Scheirer, George. McCullers, Carson, 1917-1967. Citadel, the Military Academy of South Carolina. Gays in the military--United States. Gays--Correspondence. Book trade--Southern states. World War, 1939-1945--Correspondence. Charleston (S.C.)--Social conditions. South Carolina--Social conditions. Related Material Carson McCullers Papers, 1941-1995 and undated, bulk 1945-1970 Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Edwin Peacock Papers, 1915-1997 and undated, bulk 1940s-1997 Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library James Sears Papers, 1917-2008, bulk 1950-2004 Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Contents of Collection Correspondence Series, 1942-1954 (2 boxes)

Correspondence between John Zeigler and Edwin Peacock focuses primarily on day-to-day life at their respective military posts; books they are currently reading; music, either on the radio or on records; movies playing at the local theater; the scenery of the region, in particular the flora. John Zeigler additionally writes about the local village and Indian tribes and military social events such as dances. Edwin Peacock often adds his culinary adventures. The letters of 1944 increasingly talk about the possibility of a coinciding leave, and the frustrations about its achievement. While on leave from June to August of that year, the letters are free from military censorship and therefore more genuinely express the emotions Ziegler and Peacock felt toward each other. Ziegler sometimes uses the name "Martha" as an affectionate reference to Edwin. Letters from John Zeigler to Edwin Peacock while touring with the U.S.S. Dickens also discuss his hospitalization. Letters from Edwin Peacock to John Zeigler while Ziegler was on the Dickens were not saved because of his hospital stays and lack of personal storage space. The activities of Peacock during those years are revealed in his letters to George Scheirer. The majority of the letters are signed Your Cousin.

Correspondence between George Scheirer, John Zeigler and Edwin Peacock focuses primarily on similar themes included in the exchanges between John Zeigler and Edwin Peacock. Additionally the letters from Peacock include excerpts from literature and amusing anecdotes he had recently heard, as well as his attempts to get the writings of Zeigler published. The letters from Ziegler during 1942 discuss life before the draft, the choice to join the Naval Reserve and subsequent training. During the war years letters occasionally include poems written by Zeigler; letters from Peacock convey a deep concern about the well being of his friends. The postwar letters deal with Ziegler and Peacock's business, the Book Basement, in addition to music, books, movies and general personal matters. The majority of the letters from Peacock are signed Affectionately.

Military events mentioned in the men's letters include war bonds, the fall of Tunis, the taking of Amchitka, possibilities of invasion on French coast, the capture of Rome, V-E Day, Eisenhower's visit to Washington and report to Congress, V-J Day, and the battles of Saipan, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. There are two detailed letters dated March 20, 1945 that pertain to John Ziegler's involvement in battle, located in the folders titled From John to Edwin, 1945, and From John to George, 1945.

Names mentioned in the letters (in addition to the individuals listed in family member folder below) include: Marjorie Davis, Tony Falsone, Carson McCullers (friend of Peacock's), Leon Scheirer, Nellian Scheirer (George Scheirer's sister), Frank Schwermin (POW), and Joe Tucker.

 1From John Zeigler to Edwin Peacock, 1943-1945(3 folders) From Edwin Peacock to John Zeigler, 1943-1945(2 folders) From George Scheirer to Edwin Peacock, 1943-1945(4 folders) From Edwin Peacock to George Scheirer, 1943 From John Zeigler to George Scheirer, 1942-1943(2 folders) From John Zeigler to family members, 1944

Recipients and names mentioned in letters include Nellian Scheirer, George's sister; Detie, Marie Alicia Elfe, Zeigler's unmarried aunt; Virginia Goodwin, sister of Edwin Peacock; Peggy, Marguerite Elfe Erckmann, John Ziegler's married aunt; and Mrs. Zeigler, his mother. A few letters from Ziegler to these same individuals may be found in other folders of correspondence, but the bulk of them are located here in this folder. These letters refer to the commissioning of the U.S.S. Dickens and training of the crew; brief statements about life aboard; and less frequently, financial matters.

 1From John Zeigler to George Scheirer, 1944-1945(2 folders) 1From George Scheirer to John Zeigler, 1942-1954(6 folders) Other Materials Series, 1927-2006 (bulk 1942-1946) (1 box) 2Army and Navy certificates and honorable discharge papers, Edwin Peacock and John Zeigler, 1927-1946 Glacier Gazette, 1943 June-Dec. Material related to George Scheirer Identification of persons mentioned in letters of Edwin and John George Scheirer biography, by Elenora Scheirer Pictures Scheirer, George. Notes on the Army Surgeon General's Office in Washington: 1818-1948. 1948. ---. Some Notes on Hand Bookbinding-Forwarding. Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation 23.6 (1944):332-348. ---. The Fable of the Pine, The Rock, and the Young Lovers. Clippings Army commendations for meritorious civilian service Photographs, 1944-1945, 1970s, 2006 1Poster advertising publication of The Edwin Poems, by John Ziegler, undated Accessions (2008-0177), (2009-0002), (2009-0087), (2009-0182) and (2011-0060) 1 Box

The addition (2008-0177) (1 item; 0.1 lin. ft.; 1944) consists of one journal kept by Zeigler in 1944. Although the entries are short, they include some account of his time at Yakutat, and convey the development of his career as a writer.

The addition (2009-0002) (150 items; 0.1 lin. ft.; 1928-1980) consists largely of correspondence between Zeigler and his family during his time at college. There is also correspondence between him and friends, particularly George Scheirer, dating from the 1950s, and some newspaper clippings regarding Scheirer's death.

The addition (2009-0087) (150 items; 0.2 lin. ft.; 1944-1987 and no date) consists of correspondence to and from John Zeigler, including letters to his relatives during World War II, letters from Jonathon Williams (1987), and the last letter he received from Edwin Peacock (no date).

The addition (2009-0182) (45 items; 0.1 lin. ft.; dated 1942-2003) primarily contains letters from Zeigler to family members. Also includes photographs, postcards, a v-mail, clippings, writings, and a family member's will.

The addition (2011-0060) (29 items; 0.2 lin. ft.; dated 1939-2011) primarily contains letters to Zeigler from others. Also includes two letters, written by and written to Edwin Peacock. The letter written by Peacock is the final one he composed.

These additions have not been processed. Materials have been reboxed for preservation but no further arrangement has been completed at this time.

 3Journal, 1944 (Acc. 2008-0177) Letters and clippings (Acc. 2009-0002) Letters (Acc. 2009-0087) Letters and other material (Acc. 2009-0182) Letters (Acc. 2011-0060)