NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG3504.AM: George Worthington Covey, 1889-1966
Diary: 1910-1980
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Neb.: Physician, WWI Veteran
Size: 0.5 cu.ft.; 1 box & 1 volume
BACKGROUND NOTE
George Worthington Covey was born in Forman, North Dakota on December 5, 1889. He took his pre-medical training at the University of Nebraska and was a member of the class of 1912. He returned to Lincoln, residing in College View, to practice medicine after graduation from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1914. Covey was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Medical Relief Corps of the U.S. Army in December of 1917. He served as a pathologist at Allereye, France, Base Hospital #49, which was staffed by officers from Nebraska. After his overseas duty, Covey was a member of the Nebraska National Guard Medical Corps. He was Captain of Hospital Corps #130 at Lincoln and later a Major in the 110th Medical Regiment, also based in Lincoln.
Dr. Covey, an internist, became Chief-of-Staff of Lincoln General Hospital in 1929 and served for 25 years until April of 1954. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Medical Association and served as its president in 1936. Covey was editor of the Nebraska State Medical Journal from 1952-1965. Other accomplishments in Dr. Covey’s career included acting as president of the Lancaster County Medical Society in 1922; president of the Nebraska Heart Association; Consulting Director of the Board of the Nebraska State Blue Shield for 16 years; Chairman of the Dean’s Committee of the Lincoln V.A. Hospital for 14 years; and Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. Dr. Covey was also a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners for 11 years.
George Worthington Covey died at his summer home in Buffalo, Wyoming on September 12, 1966.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of one box of material relating, for the most part, to the service of Dr. George W. Covey with the A.E.F. Base Hospital #49 at Allereye, France during World War I, and with his service in the Nebraska National Guard. The collection is arranged in five series: 1) Correspondence, 1918-1925; 2) Diary, 1917-1918; 3) Manuscript; 4) Printed Material, c. 1910-1980; and 5) Miscellany, 1917-1954.
The correspondence of Series 1 is comprised of letters written to his family in Lincoln while Dr. Covey served in France. Also included is correspondence and official memoranda regarding his National Guard duty. The diary of Series 2 commences at the time of this commission, December of 1917, and relates Covey’s military service before he was sent overseas. An account of A.E.F. Base Hospital #49 is included in Series 3.
Series 4, Printed Material, includes a copy of Nebraska History, Vol. 2, which printed an article on the hospital and a list of personnel (April-June 1919, pp. 2-5). Also included are newspaper clippings and programs from the Last Man’s Club, an organization of Lincoln medical men who served in France. The final folder contains a letterhead of Chapman’s Concert Orchestra with a picture of the members. Covey was a member of the orchestra and played the cornet.
The material in Series 5 consists of Covey’s personal and war service memorabilia. Included are Covey’s A.E.F. identity card; passes and permits; a pen sketch of a typical base hospital unit; French postcards, guidebooks, Guard card; College View Community Club certificate; memorabilia of his medical career, 1913-1954.
Note: The last two folders and the scrapbook were added in 2003. See the photo component [RG3504.PH] for photographs of Dr. Covey.
DESCRIPTION
Series 1 – Correspondence, 1918-1925
Box 1
Folder
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- 1918
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- 1919
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- 1922-1925
Series 2 – Diary, 1917-1918
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- Diary, Dec. 10, 1917-May 24, 1918 [chronicles Covey’s military service before he was sent overseas]
Series 3 – Manuscript, n.d.
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- Account of A.E.F. Base Hospital #49
Series 4 – Printed Material, c.1910-1980
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- Copy of Nebraska History, Vol. 2 including article on Base Hospital #49 with list of personnel (April-June 1919), pp. 2-5
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- Patriotic songs and stories
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- Clippings and programs re: Last Man’s Club – an organization of Lincoln medical men who served in France.
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- Letterhead, Chapman’s Concert Orchestra with photo insert showing Covey holding cornet
Series 5 – Miscellany, c.1917-1954
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- Memorabilia, World War I and National Guard, includes A.E.F. identity card; passes and permits; ration tickets; checkbook; registration card; National Guard card. Also includes personal memorabilia including professional membership cards; vehicle registration; College View Community Club Certificate.
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- Pen sketch of typical base hospital unit, n.d.
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- Military memorabilia: includes menus from transport ship and from Christmas at base hospital; program from reunion of base hospital personnel; greetings from King George of England to American military; farewell to troops from Gen. Pershing.
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- Travel memorabilia: includes picture postcards, guidebooks and programs from travels in France; and a program from a show in New York.
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- Certificate of appreciation, Lincoln General Hospital, 1954 [see OB007]
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- Correspondence, 1917-1929, 1935, 1954
Columbia University Grade Report, 1913-1914
Speech, Dinner honoring Dr. Covey on completion of 25 years as Chief-of-Staff of Lincoln General Hospital, April 30, 1954
Correspondence relating to appointment and retirement of Dr. Covey
Letter soliciting Covey as Dean of Medical School of Oklahoma University
- Correspondence, 1917-1929, 1935, 1954
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- Misc. cards, letters, programs, ephemera and clippings
Scrapbook of programs, ephemera, etc. (see oversize)
- Misc. cards, letters, programs, ephemera and clippings
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- Misc. loose items removed from scrapbook
ADDED ENTRIES:
Covey, George Worthington, 1889-1966
Nebraska — National Guard
Physicians — Nebraska
United States. Army. Base hospital no. 49
World War, 1914-1918 — Hospitals — France
APD/ht 09-10-1974
PJE/pmc 09-29-1988
KFK 07-22-1996
KFK/dco 09-16-2003
Encoded TMM 03-16-2010
Revised TMM 04-09-2012