Cornelius H. and Jean Hornstein Menger collection
Collection
Identifier: L105
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily consists of letters, telegrams, and postcards to Jean Hornstein (later Menger) from her beau, then husband, Cornelius H. Menger, ranging from 1917 to 1940. The letters date from the time when Cornelius Menger served as a U.S. Army captain in World War I, and continue through his time in the armed service and after his discharge (1917-1940). Letters from Menger originate from France; England; New York City; Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; Birmingham, Alabama; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Pensacola, Florida; Omaha, Nebraska; and Indianapolis, Indiana. There are also correspondence from other relatives and friends, many during the first world war, newspapers, and papers, such as indentures, real estate documents, programs, clippings, and ephemera (1862-1937). Photographs depict Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Birmingham, Alabama (1920-1922).
Dates
- 1899-1957
Creator
- Menger, Cornelius Henry, 1896-1964 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Amber Jean Hornstein was born to Hanna Jane (Rust) (1879-1958) and Frederick Crain Hornstein (1873-1925) in Indiana on June 22, 1900. She had one brother, Fred Gordon Hornstein (1901-1958). The family lived in Indianapolis, Indiana while the children were growing up. Hornstein attended Pennsylvania State University in the mid-1910s before moving to New York, New York where she lived with her family during World War I. She married Cornelius H. Menger in April 1920 in New York City. The couple had one daughter, Dorothy, and later divorced. During the 1950s, she lived in Indianapolis where she worked as a saleswoman and later became a real estate broker. Jean Menger died from surgery on April 21, 1969 and was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery in Cartersburg, Hendricks County, Indiana.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Amber J. Hornstein." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "A. Jean Hornstein." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean H. Menger." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean Menger." Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Amber J. Hornstein." New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean H. Menger." U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean Menger." U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Jean Menger." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10780180/jean-menger.
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Cornelius Henry Menger was born on January 7, 1896 to John N. and Rosa T. Menger in Maryland. He lived in New York, New York in 1917 and met his future wife, Jean Hornstein. Menger served as a captain in France during World War 1 (1917–1919). Following the war, he returned to the U.S., where he worked in the U.S. Army's ordinance department, stationed in Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Alabama (1919–1928). In 1920, Menger married Jean Hornstein, whom he met before the war while working in New York City. The couple had a daughter, Dorothy, and later divorced. In 1929, Menger took up employment with the Alabama Power Company (circa 1929–1932), while continuing to serve as an officer in the Army Reserve, stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and Fort Knox, Kentucky. After his time with the Alabama Power Company, Menger worked with the National Park Service and later with International Harvester in Indianapolis (1936–1939). In 1940, he lived in Chicago, Illinois and worked as a salesman. Menger died on January 13, 1964 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Cornelius Henry Menger." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49259482/cornelius-henry-menger.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Amber J. Hornstein." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "A. Jean Hornstein." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean H. Menger." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean Menger." Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Amber J. Hornstein." New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean H. Menger." U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Jean Menger." U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Accessed May 20, 2016. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Jean Menger." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10780180/jean-menger.
-----
Cornelius Henry Menger was born on January 7, 1896 to John N. and Rosa T. Menger in Maryland. He lived in New York, New York in 1917 and met his future wife, Jean Hornstein. Menger served as a captain in France during World War 1 (1917–1919). Following the war, he returned to the U.S., where he worked in the U.S. Army's ordinance department, stationed in Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Alabama (1919–1928). In 1920, Menger married Jean Hornstein, whom he met before the war while working in New York City. The couple had a daughter, Dorothy, and later divorced. In 1929, Menger took up employment with the Alabama Power Company (circa 1929–1932), while continuing to serve as an officer in the Army Reserve, stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and Fort Knox, Kentucky. After his time with the Alabama Power Company, Menger worked with the National Park Service and later with International Harvester in Indianapolis (1936–1939). In 1940, he lived in Chicago, Illinois and worked as a salesman. Menger died on January 13, 1964 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cornelius H. Memger." U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Accessed July 12, 2024. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Cornelius Henry Menger." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49259482/cornelius-henry-menger.
Extent
1 Cubic Feet (3 manuscript boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Jean Menger in 1968.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and finding aid completed by Brent Abercrombie during June 2011 and 2014/09/24. Collection reprocessing completed 2024/09/19 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2016/05/18; 2024/07/12; 2024/09/19 by Brittany Kropf.
- Birmingham (Ala.)
- Boston (Mass.)
- Bridgeport (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- Camp sites, facilities, etc.
- Camp sites, facilities, etc. -- West (U.S.)
- Cleveland (Ohio)
- Clippings
- Columbus (Ohio)
- Correspondence
- Florida
- Fort Knox (Ky.)
- Fort Polk (La.)
- Fort Sill (Okla.)
- Hendricks County (Ind.)
- Indentures
- Law enforcement
- Military bases
- Military training camps
- National parks and reserves -- West (U.S.)
- Nebraska
- New York (N.Y.)
- Omaha (Neb.)
- Parks -- West (U.S.)
- Pennsylvania
- Periodicals
- Photographs
- Postcards
- Public utilities -- Alabama
- Public utilities -- Employees
- Real property
- Ribbons
- Soldiers
- Telegrams
- Travel
- Washington (D.C.)
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1914-1918 -- France
Creator
- Menger, Cornelius Henry, 1896-1964 (Person)
- Menger, Jean Hornstein, 1900-1969 (Person)
- Title
- Cornelius H. and Jean Hornstein Menger collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
