The papers of Reuben B. Lewis are divided into four series: Company “C,” Personal Papers, Photographs, and Video.
Company “C”(1917-1987) consists of materials Lewis collected relating to the veterans organization made up of former members of Company C of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry at the time of World War I. Lewis served as secretary of the group in its later years. The group began having reunions in 1934 and continued through the 1980's. Included are membership files and rosters, which seem very nearly complete, and reunion announcements and reports, which document the members who attended and the place of the reunion. Newspaper clippings, mostly from local papers, show that, especially as the years went by, these reunions garnered some press. Correspondence, reunion responses, and condolences cards convey the camaraderie maintained between members and the importance of the annual reunions. While not voluminous, these papers provide an interesting look at a small, local veteran organization.
Personal Papers (1917-1987) contain scattered documents from Lewis's time in the Army during World War I, his later work as a real estate appraiser and County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO), and his affiliation with many veterans organizations. Included are two letters Lewis wrote home from occupied Germany to his future wife, Mary Johnson, as well as souvenir postcards he picked up in Europe and several maps on which he traced his routes of travel during the war. Draft registration cards from the World War II era show that the 40-year old Lewis received low classifications that kept him from serving. Also in this series are home appraisals that Lewis performed for veterans in his capacity as a CVSO in the 1970's. Finally, numerous membership cards document his involvement with many different organizations, such as the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and La Societe des 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux.
Photographs (1919-1986) consist of various group shots from reunions of the Company “C” group and a World War I photo album that Lewis kept from his service. The reunion photographs consist of formal group shots and candids taken during the fraternization that occurred at the gatherings. Many photographs feature the bottle of cognac, taken from France during the war, which was saved until only five members of the group remained alive. Most of the reunion photos are unidentified. The World War I photo album is also unidentified, and features pictures of soldiers in trenches, at camp, and at leisure. Other photos show weapons, tanks, and blimps used during the war.
Video (1986) is comprised of a single VHS video recording made during the 1986 reunion of Company “C,” during which the final five member, including Lewis, open and sample the more than seventy-year old bottle of cognac. Members of the press are present, taking pictures and interviewing group members. Video quality is shaky and the volume fluctuates, but this adds an interesting dimension to the other components of the collection.
