Virgil and Hazel Egolf Diaries
00179

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Title
Virgil and Hazel Egolf diaries
ID
00179
Date [inclusive]
1941-1967
Extent
0.8 Cubic feet , diaries
General Physical Description note
0.8 cu. ft.
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing,Michigan".

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Biographical Note

Virgil Theodore (Rose) Egolf was born on May 8, 1906 to Leona May Hart and Edward Rose. A medical accident at his birth left him blind in one eye. His nickname was "Precious" because he was considered to be precious by family members. In 1908, his sister Garnette was born. In 1910, they came down with diphtheria. Virgil recovered but Garnette did not survive.

Virgil's parents divorced in 1912. In August of 1914, Leona remarried to Eli Egolf. Edward Rose, Virgil's biological father, joined the Canadian army and was discharged ca. 1921.

The Egolfs moved from Grant, Michigan to Muskegon, Michigan. On October 3, 1917, his sister Vernadine V. was born. In 1918, Virgil was the first in his grade school class to get influenza. Although he got well, two of his classmates died. On July 20, 1922 another sister, Elaine, was born. Virgil left school in the 9th grade to begin work. His father Edward Rose died in the fall of 1928.

During the depression, Virgil worked at many jobs including a textile mill for several of years. Around 1938, he met and began dating Hazel Fox. Virgil tried to join the navy in World War II but was turned down because of the blindness in his eye. But a few months later, in September of 1942, he was drafted into the army and served in the tank corps. Hazel and Virgil married in 1944. In the fall of 1945, Virgil was discharged and he returned to Muskegon. He worked and lived near his mother and stepfather. Hazel died in 1970.

Several years after Hazel's death, Virgil married Louise Acquire. She died in 1983. As he grew older, Virgil's vision deteriorated in his good eye. In 1985 he had a corneal implant. In the hospital he developed an infection and pneumonia and died on September 25, 1985.

Source: a one page biography written by Elaine Egolf Miller in 1999.

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Scope and Contents note

The diaries are broken into two groups: Virgil Egolf's diaries and Hazel (Fox) Egolf's diaries. The entries for some years are incomplete and some diaries contain more than one year. The diaries consist of entries about their day to day affairs. There is very little personal information or information about world events. Virgil's diaries do not contain entries about his war experience, although it is mentioned briefly a few times before he goes off to war.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections February 2003

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status

Copyright: Michigan State University Property Rights: Michigan State University

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Custodial History

Gift of Elaine Egolf Miller, 1999-02-19

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Controlled Access Headings

Geographic Name(s)

  • Muskegon (Mich.)

Personal Name(s)

  • Egolf, Hazel Fox, d. 1970
  • Egolf, Virgil Theodore Rose, 1906-1985
  • Miller, Elaine Egolf

Subject(s)

  • Textile industry

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Collection Inventory

Diaries 

Scope and Contents note
Box Folder

Virgil T. Egolf diaries 

 1
Box Folder

 Feb. 8 - Dec. 31, 1941 

 1 vol. 1

 Jan. 1 - July 7, 1942 

 1 vol. 2

 July 8 - Sept. 10, 1942; Jan. 1 - May 7, 1952 

 1 vol. 3

 May 8 - July 26, 1952 

 1 vol. 4

 1953 

 1 vol. 5

 1954 

 1 vol. 6

 1955 

 1 vol. 7

 1956 

 1 vol. 8

 1957 

 1 vol. 9

 1959 

 1 vol. 10

 1960 

 1 vol. 11

Hazel (Fox) Egolf diaries 

 2
Box Folder

 Jan. - May 14, 1941; Jan. - June 1942; June 

 2 vol. 12

 1952 

 2 vol. 13

 1955 

 2 vol. 14

 1956 

 2 vol. 15

 Jan. 1 - Aug. 29, 1957 

 2 vol. 16

 1958 

 2 vol. 17

 1960 

 2 vol. 18

 1961 - 1962 

 2 vol. 19

 1963 - 1964 

 2 vol. 20

 1967 

 2 vol. 21

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