John Deming Wolf papers on UTS in WWII, 1940 -- 1942

Summary Information

Abstract

John Deming Wolf was a UTS graduate (1942) and Methodist chaplain. The collection contains material compiled by Wolf related to UTS students who conscientiously objected to registration for conscription during WWII, including newsclippings and photographs, pamphlets, and other related documents, including "Information in Regard to Registration at the Seminary under the Selective Training and Service Act," court proceedings, and a signed statement by the students.

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in one series in original order.

• John Deming Wolf papers on UTS in WWII, 1940 -- 1942

Description

Scope and Contents

This collection contains material compiled by John Deming Wolf related to UTS students who conscientiously objected to registration for conscription during WWII, including newsclippings and photographs, pamphlets (including a UTS-published Manual of Air Raid Defense), and other related documents, including "Information in Regard to Registration at the Seminary under the Selective Training and Service Act," court proceedings, and a signed statement by the students.

• John Deming Wolf papers on UTS in WWII, 1940 -- 1942

  This series contains material compiled by John Deming Wolf related to UTS students who conscientiously objected to registration for conscription during WWII, including newsclippings and photographs, pamphlets (including a UTS-published Manual of Air Raid Defense), and other related documents, including "Information in Regard to Registration at the Seminary under the Selective Training and Service Act," court proceedings, and a signed statement by the students.

Burke Library record group:

Union Theological Seminary Archives: UTS 1, papers of faculty and students

Using the Collection

Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.

Preferred Citation

Item description, UTS1: John Deming Wolf papers on UTS in WWII, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated to the UTS Development department in October 2015 by John Deming Wolf, Sr.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Processing Information

Metal clips and staples were removed from materials and folded items were flattened. Acidic items were separated from one another by interleaving with acid-free paper as needed. Any items in an advanced state of deterioration were placed in Mylar envelopes. Fragile news clippings and images were scanned to acid free legal paper. The finding aid was created by Leah Edelman in 2023.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

John Deming Wolf was born on September 29, 1918 in Kansas City, MO. His father worked for the YMCA, training soldiers for WWI. Wolf grew up in Great Falls, Montana and Pocatello, Idaho, and attended Idaho State and George Williams College before graduating from Oberlin College in 1939. He received a divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1942, and was ordained on June 21, 1942. In 1941, he married Carolyn Kelsey. Wolf joined up as the youngest Chaplin in the US Navy during WWII; his combat medals include Salerno, Italy and the Pacific Campaign where he was awarded a Bronze Star at Iwo Jima. Following the War, he joined the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church, and held appointments at churches in Vevey, Evansville, Martinsville, South Bend, Hammond, Ft. Wayne and Valparaiso, Indiana. He received an honorary Doctorate from DePauw University in 1964, where he also served as Trustee. In retirement, he was chair of the Indiana Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, and also published his real-time war diary "Amen till Tomorrow." In 2003, Wolf received the "Sagamore of the Wabash" from Indiana Governor Kernan, for his efforts in social justice. Wolf died in Valparaiso, Indiana on January 9, 2019 at age 100.