A post by Courtney Johnt, SILS student at Simmons University and recent Grosvenor Room Intern..
Troop I was originally formed as a troop consisting of forty-two men, all from Buffalo, who were called into service at the Mexican Border in 1916. After finishing their service at the Mexican Border, the Troop was once again called into service for the First World War. During their training period the Troop was absorbed by the 102nd Trench Mortar Battery and was subsequently assigned to the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade of the 27th Infantry Division. While in service, the Troop served at the front lines of France until 1919, when the Troop was officially released from federal service.
Upon the Troop’s arrival home, the members of Troop I created an American Legion post at “Cavalry Farm” in Orchard Park, where they remained until 1939, when the Troop bought the “Hamlin House” at 432 Franklin Street from the German Orpheus Singing Society. From 1939 to 2022, Troop I, Post 665 used the Hamlin House as their base of operations. For those of you who grew up in Buffalo, you may remember Troop I, Post 665. The organization acted as a community cornerstone for many years, hosting a wide variety of community centered events and in general acting as a gathering place for veterans and their families. As was the case for many, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Troop to make the difficult decision of selling the Hamlin House. The selling of the house marks the end of an era for the Post and its surrounding community.
a.k.a. the Hamlin House at 432 Franklin St. on December 10, 2022
Prior to the sale of the Hamlin House, the Grosvenor Room of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library received the Troop I, Post 665 collection from Troop historian Elizabeth Miller. The collection itself was in good condition, but needed a new home, as the Troop could no longer house the materials. Now, the history and memory of Troop I will gladly live on within the walls of the Grosvenor Room.
As a library science graduate student and intern here at the Grosvenor Room, this was the first collection I worked on exclusively by myself. In this post, I’d like to share my appreciation for both the archival process and of course for the collection itself.
When beginning to process a collection, there are a few guidelines which help maintain direction for archivists. These include creating preliminary inventory lists and processing plans, appraising materials, and planning for the collection’s preservation. While the early steps of processing admittedly seem relatively cold, particularly considering the personal nature of collections, they are essential. The creation of inventories during this initial stage proves to be a necessity, as this grounds the rest of your work. Despite essentially reducing individual histories into an itemized list, this is the stage when an archivist begins to familiarize themselves with the collection at hand. During this introductory period, I considered myself as a sleuth of sorts, attempting to form a full story of the organization and the people within it while sorting boxes, making sense of filed papers, and admiring photographs.
As I quietly worked on processing and preserving the Troop I collection, I found myself becoming attached in a way to the “characters” of the collection. With any organization, there are a few members who continuously stand out for their dedicated work and loyal presence, the same was true for Troop I. Of the seven scrapbooks which were included in the collection, nearly half were created by a Troop I member, Milton Klein. Within the scrapbooks, Klein’s life was laid out through pages of newspaper clippings, post cards, and personal photographs. Having served in World War I with Troop I, Klein’s scrapbooks acted as an invaluable resource to piece together not only the history of Troop I, but to also see how social and cultural events like wars impacted Americans on an individual level. Through the appraisal process, I found myself growing attached to the story of Klein and a number of other men who dedicated large amounts of time and energy to the growth and success of Post 665.
While conducting my work on the Troop I, Post 665 collection, I found that archival collections act as a way to follow humans and our growth. By interacting with the papers, meeting minutes, clippings, newspapers, and photographs of the collection, I felt as though I was growing with the Post members. Through photographs, original members grew before my eyes, their individual lives unfolding in front of me. In the Post 665’s visitor register which was used from 1939 to 1974, I saw entries of familial parties and weddings, showing how the physical building of the Hamlin House also witnessed this growth. As I progressed through the collection in chronological order, I began to find the obituaries of members, the correspondence from families to the Post thanking Post 665 for the secondary family they offered to many, the proof of an enduring relationship.
While the Troop I, Post 665 collection provides many valuable resources for those interested in genealogical searches, the collection itself acts as a window into what Buffalo was. Not only does the collection demonstrate community, but it also shows the growth of a narrow but important part of Buffalo’s population, veterans. The collection in an abstract and perhaps obscure way shows the need of community for veterans, regardless of years of service. Through working with the Troop I, Post 665 collection, I found the value of the American Legion and saw the support system that the organization offers to those who may need it. For the men involved in Troop I, Post 665, friendship and brotherhood was offered, and this extended to their families as well. The Post acted as an olive branch of friendship between not only veterans, but also the surrounding Buffalo community.
Centered in service for others, the American Legion Post 665 continued to act as a place to uplift others. From a wide range of activities including dances, dinners, the installation of gardens, and interactions with local youths, the members of American Legion Post 665 carved their names into the fold of Buffalo’s rich history by simply being consistently active. In interacting with the Troop I, Post 665 collection, I was amazed at the dedication a singular group of people can have for their community and in turn their country.
Though the future location of Troop I, Post 665 is uncertain, the lives of its individual members and the history of the Post itself continues to live on within the confines of the Grosvenor Room. I hope that each time a researcher or curious patron is interested in Troop I, Post 665, they are impacted by the collection in the same way I was. I’d like to thank the members of Troop I for
allowing me to experience their history and offering others this opportunity.
The Grosvenor Room: Genealogy, Local History, Maps, Music & Rare Books 