Series 1, General Correspondence, 1920-1947

Series Description

Series 1, General Correspondence, 1920-1947, contains both personal and office correspondence, organized alphabetically. The series details the small and chummy world of foreign service officers as it contains letters between James Keeley and his many friends and colleagues. Some correspondence of other foreign service officers criticizes how the Service worked and treated its staff, with some suggesting improvements. Of particular interest in this respect is the correspondence with Edward Groth, John Randolph, and Howland Shaw.

Some of the correspondence sheds light on the political climate in the countries where Keeley was stationed, though for the period 1923-1931, when Keeley served as consul in Syria and (from 1928) Lebanon, there is surprisingly little information. However, extensive reports on the situation in Syria can be found in Series 2. The correspondence series contains more information concerning the situation in Greece, especially in the correspondence with Lincoln MacVeagh and Harold Shantz. MacVeagh was American minister to Greece, and Shantz was consul general in Athens while Keeley was posted as consul in Salonika (1936-1939). The MacVeagh file contains formal memos from 1936-1937, with detailed information regarding the political landscape in Thessaloniki (Salonika). These include accounts of local perceptions of political events and leaders; communist activity and names of suspected communists; the business environment, and significant political events in Salonika. Subsequent letters to MacVeagh contain information on pre-war conditions in Salonika. Correspondence with Keeley's vice-consul, Andrew Foster, concerns the day-to-day affairs of the consulate.

Correspondence relating to the Thessalonica Agricultural and Industrial Institute, or the American Farm School, begins in 1935, when Keeley was first assigned to Salonika. Charles House was the director of the all-boys school until he and his wife Anne became prisoners of war during the German occupation. The file consists mostly of letters sent by the Houses to Charles' mother, which were forwarded to the school and all the Houses' acquaintances. The letters describe day-to-day living conditions while the Houses were interned-part of the time in the Vittel concentration camp. Correspondence with Ethel Bliss concerns efforts to secure the release of Anne and Charles House, as well as the situation at the school during the absence of its director.

Much of the correspondence is personal and concerns family matters. R. Woodland Gates, his attorney, provided Keeley with legal advice concerning the affairs of his stepmother “Mother Keeley,” among other topics. Bill Gates, a navy captain in Washington, helped Keeley while his sons served in the Navy during World War II.

Series 2, Office Correspondence and Papers, 1924-1947

Series Description

Series 2, Office Correspondence and Papers, 1924-1947, is not extensive and should be considered as a supplement to Series 1. The series is arranged chronologically according to the positions that Keeley held, but is very incomplete. Of the pre-war office files, the file on Damascus (1924-1928) is the most extensive. It includes reports on the Druze revolt of 1925, correspondence with the High Commissioner of France, and other official correspondence.

During World War II Keeley left his position in Greece for various duties in Washington, where he was assistant, later acting chief of the Special War Problems Division. Among the issues he addressed were the condition of prisoner of war camps and detention stations. Of special interest are the documents concerning the relocation of Japanese-Americans. Albert Clattenburg, chief of the Special War Problems Division, wrote in 1946 that Keeley should be considered “the father of the present repatriation program.” Of some interest are Keeley's suggestions how to improve the Foreign Service.

Between September 1944 and November 1945 Keeley served as consul general in Antwerp, Belgium, a particularly trying time, since his family remained in America. Keeley witnessed intense German V-1 bomb attacks from October 13, 1944 to March 30, 1945. The file on Antwerp is not extensive, but his correspondence to his wife and family is particularly rich for this period.

The majority of the files in this series concern Keeley's work as consul general in Athens, Greece, in 1946-1947 (once again under Ambassador Lincoln MacVeagh) and his involvement in the Allied Mission for Observing the Greek Elections (AMFOGE).

Series 3, Personal Records, 1898-1947 [bulk 1917-1947]

Series Description

Series 3, Personal Records, 1898-1947 [bulk 1917-1947], arranged chronologically, contains various documents concerning Keeley's personal life and that of his family. Of specific interest are the drafts of articles that Keeley wrote, including those about life in Damascus (circa 1924-1928), and poems and songs about the life of an American consul, by Charles Allen (circa 1926).

Series 4, Family Correspondence, 1907-1947

Series Description

Series 4, Family Correspondence, 1907-1947, is divided into two subseries, both arranged chronologically. The first subseries contains the correspondence between James Hugh Keeley, his wife, and their sons. The correspondence between Keeley and Mathilde Vossler dates from before their marriage in 1922 and is particularly rich in periods when they were separated, especially in 1944-1945 when Keeley served in Belgium. Keeley was very much a family man and was unhappy when separated. Correspondence to the whole family has been filed among the correspondence to his wife.

The second subseries contains correspondence between both James Hugh Keeley and Mathilde Vossler-Keeley, their siblings, parents and extended family. Keeley's correspondence with his brothers and sister (Edmund (“Mike”), LeRoy, Ralph, and Cora Larimore Keeley), and with his father, James Hugh Keeley, Sr., provides insights into Keeley's background. James was the youngest of the five, and his mother died when he was very young. His father, a lawyer, remarried much later to Jessie Lane, known as “Mother Keeley.” Edmund, LeRoy, and Cora (the latter two lawyers, like their father) all died before or around the age of forty. James's remaining brother Ralph, a World War I pilot, became mentally ill in 1924. He remained in a home throughout his life. Keeley supported his family members financially in times of illness.

Some of the family correspondence belonged to Cora Larimore Keeley, who was unmarried and was admitted to the Bar of the District of Columbia in 1918. The Keeley family was Masonic, although this only becomes apparent in correspondence about the memorial stones for the deceased and about the home for LeRoy's children, Marguerite and James Hugh III.

Subseries 1, Immediate Family Correspondence, 1921-1947

Subseries 2, Extended Family Correspondence, 1907-1947

Series 5, Photographs, circa 1898-circa 1947

Series Description

Series 5, Photographs, circa 1898-circa 1947, contains personal and family photographs of Keeley, his father, brothers and sister, and his own family before 1947. A photo album for his oldest son contains some information on family life in Damascus, including the Druze revolt of 1925, and relatives. Some photos of Bedouins in Syria (circa 1923) and Palestinian scenes after the earthquake of 1927 are included.