George H. Nason (1896-1953) was the son of Mary J. (Harriman) Nason and John Horace Nason. He grew up in West Boxford at the house that once stood on Dole Hill (demolished in 1991). George had five siblings and was a pursuit pilot in WWI.
The George H. Nason Collection was donated to the Boxford Historic Document Center by the Wilmette Historical Society in Wilmette, Illinois. The collection was discovered in George Nason's WWI trunk, which was found in the attic of church in Wilmette. George Nason's uniform was also found in the trunk, and the uniform and trunk were donated by the Document Center to the Boxford Historical Society. We believe that the trunk was probably sold at a yard sale or auction by George's family upon his death in 1953 or when his sister, Anna Nason, died on the family homestead in 1984. The lock on the trunk was detached without the use of a key, and it is possible that some more valuable items were removed and sold before the trunk found its way to the church in Illinois.
Pocket Signal Disk
1917
"Pocket Signal Disk for Instruction and Practice in the International Morse and Semaphore Codes" by Capt. L. A. Clapp, U.S.M.C.
Photograph
c.1917-1918
Camp Devins, Ayer, MA
Black and white photograph captioned "Guard [?]"
Photograph
c.1917-1918
Camp Devins, Ayer, MA
Black and white photograph captioned "Passing by review"
Photograph
c.1917-1918
Camp Devins, Ayer, MA
Black and white photograph captioned "Reviews by the Governor"
Photographs
c.1915
George H. Nason
5 black and white copies of George H. Nason's high school graduation photograph
Timetable
1917
George H. Nason
Timetable for the Boston and Maine Railroad train service to and from Ayer (Camp Devins)
Handwritten notes by George H. Nason
Letter
No date
Mary J. Nason (?)
Second page of letter from Bradford College explaining name change from Bradford Academy, possibly to Mary J. Nason (?)
First page of letter is missing
Letter
1918 Jan 10
George H. Nason; Ruby F. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to sister Ruby F. Nason (no envelope)
Receipt
No date
John Horace Nason, Mrs. G. D. Dodge
Receipt for rent of "Ocean Wave Cottage" (Ocean House, Perley #223 - originally Porter house, Perley #216)
Receipt
1928 Aug 8
Mary J. Nason
Receipt for some kind of plumbing installation (?)
Military orders
No date
George H. Nason
Military orders regarding leave and return from leave
Envelope
1918 Jun 8 (postmark)
George H. Nason; Ruby F. Nason
Envelope addressed to sister Ruby F. Nason and postmarked June 8, 1918; no accompanying letter
Envelope
YMCA envelope, unused
Envelope
YMCA envelope, unused
Postcard
1918 Jan 10
George H. Nason; Anna L. Nason
Postcard from George H. Nason to sister Anna L. Nason
Letter and envelope
1918 Feb 22
George H. Nason; Ruby F. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to sister Ruby F. Nason
Letter and envelope
1931 Nov 13
Mary J. Nason; Harriet F. Gage (Clark)
Invitation from Mrs. Herbert E. Gage to Mary J. Nason for Bradford Academy Club meeting
Card and envelope
1932 Jan 4 (postmark)
Mary J. Nason
Card to Mary J. Nason from "Betty"
Letter and envelope
1918 Jun 22 (postmark)
George H. Nason; Jennie F. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to sister Jennie F. Nason
Letter and envelope
1918 Feb 21
George H. Nason; Anna L. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to sister Anna L. Nason
Letter and envelope
1918 Jan 6
George H. Nason; Jennie F. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to sister Jennie F. Nason
Letter and envelope
1918 Feb 23
George H. Nason; Ruby F. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to sister Ruby F. Nason
Letter and envelope
No date
John Horace Nason; Mary J. (Harriman) Nason
Letter from (John) Horace Nason to (fiancee/girlfriend) Mary J. Harriman (missing first page); possibly was a letter sent along with a letter to her mother asking for her hand in marriage
Letter and envelope
1918 Feb 24 (postmark)
George H. Nason; Mary J. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to his mother, Mary J. Nason
Letter and envelope
1918 Jun 13
George H. Nason; Mary J. Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to his mother, Mary J. Nason
Letter and envelope
1918 Jan 3
George H. Nason; Anna Nason
Letter from George H. Nason to his sister, Anna Nason
Booklet
1914
Booklet, "Manual of Interior Guard Duty: U.S. Army"
Contains notes listing train table times from Ayer to Boston and Troy & Rotterdam Jct.
Photograph
c.1917
Dole Hill, Boxford, MA
George H. Nason
Black and white photograph of George H. Nason in his military uniform (donated to BHS) standing outside the Nason house on Dole Hill; photograph mounted on cardboard and tied with green silk tasselled cord to cardboard frame with 1918 calendar
Book
1917
Book, "Manual of Military Training" by James A. Moss
Book
1917 September
Book, "Army Paperwork" by James A. Moss; how to fill out army paperwork
Book
1909
Book, "La Methode Tournier: Premier Livre" by Eugene and Marie Talbot-Tournier; military-oriented English-French phrase book
Notebook
c.1917-1918
George H. Nason
Notebook containing notes from George Nason's field training as a WWI pursuit pilot
Newspaper
1917 Oct 6
4 pages from "Scientific American" about American and German WWI airplanes, including illustrations and photographs
Turnbuckle
c.1918
George H. Nason
Metal turnbuckle for tightening up wires on airplane wings in WWI (see illustration in notebook)