Guide to the Nettie Louise Youmans Towner Papers

Record Group 207

Date Span: 1940s - 2016

Extent: 3 digital folders, 942 megs

Biographical Sketch: Nettie Louise (nee Youmans ) Towner (1921-2016) was born in Bonifay, FL, and lived with her family in South Alabama, SE Alabama, and SW Georgia until World War 2.  After graduating from Seminole County High School in Donalsonville, GA, she trained as a nurse at Frasier-Ellis Hospital in Dothan, AL.  When World War 2 began, she enlisted in the US Army Nursing Corps and was deployed in the ETO from after D-Day until the end of the war.  She returned to Frasier-Ellis for a short while but began work with the Seaboard Atlantic Rail Line where she met her future husband, Bruce J. Towner.  After marrying, she continued her career as a surgical and labor/delivery nurse in Birmingham, AL, Savannah, GA, Richmond, VA, and Jacksonville, FL, then retired to Orange Park, FL.

Scope / Content: Contains scans of a hand-written memoir from Ms. Towner recounting her life prior to marriage in 1946.  Discusses her family life in the Wiregrass her training as a nurse at Frasier-Ellis Hospital in Dothan, AL, her service in the Army Nurse Corps during World War 2, and her short career in the immediate aftermath of the war.  In addition to the memoir, collection contains three photographs of Towner (including one of the back of Frasier - Ellis Hospital), a hand-made card concerning the 1983 reunion of her nursing class (two pictures), and her funeral program from May 16, 2016.

Provenance:  After Mrs. Towner's funeral in Donalsonville, GA, her daughter and son-in-law (Mr. and Mrs. Holstram of Richmond, VA) traveled to Bonifay, FL, to see Towner's town of birth.  Bonifay Library staff suggested they come to the Wiregrass Archives.  While at WA, they agreed to donate scans of Towner's memoir and other items.

Processing Notes:  Scanned as 300 dpi, 24-bit color TIFs by Marty Olliff

Preferred Citation:  Nettie Louise Youmans Towner Papers, RG 207, Wiregrass Archives, Troy University Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.

Acquisition Method:    Gift

Access/User Limits?  Publication beyond Fair Use must be approved by donor.  No web publishing.  See archivist for more information.

Proc Date: 5/20/2016           Processor: MTO

INVENTORY

File ID                                    File Title

207-16-0519-001         Memoir, 38 pages

207-16-0519-002        4 Photos

207-16-0519-003        2 Programs

 

Contact Us

Wiregrass Archives
Troy University Dothan Campus
Everett 128
502 University Dr.
Dothan, AL  36303

Phone: 334-983-6556 x21327
Email: wiregrassarchives@troy.edu