Gruelle family collection
Collection — Box: 1-22
Identifier: 108.5530
The Gruelle family collection contains materials from 1888 through 2008, with the bulk of the material from 1910 to 1940 and then 1985 through 2008. This collection comprises manuscripts, correspondence, artwork, cartoons, newspaper articles, periodicals, printed stories, photographs, genealogical information, and personal materials belonging to and/or created by three generations of Gruelle family members. Though much of the content of this collection is related to Raggedy Ann and Andy, there are other materials which showcase the creativity of the Gruelle family. Additional scope and content information is listed for each series or subseries under the “Contents List” section of this finding aid.
The Gruelle family collection is arranged into nine series, five of which are further divided into subseries. The materials are housed in 22 archival document boxes.
The Gruelle family collection is arranged into nine series, five of which are further divided into subseries. The materials are housed in 22 archival document boxes.
Dates
- 1888 - 2008
Creator
- Wannamaker, Joni Gruelle (Illustrator, Person)
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is open for research use by staff of The Strong and by users of its library and archives. Though the donors have not transferred intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to any copyright, trademark, and associated rights therein) to The Strong, they have given permission for The Strong to make copies in all media for museum, educational, and research purposes. (Intellectual property rights for some of the materials in this collection may be controlled by Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
Extent
16.5 Linear Feet (22 boxes)
Abstract
The Gruelle family collection is a compilation of manuscripts, correspondence, drawings, art, photographs, personal materials, and publications from the Gruelle family. The bulk of the materials are from between 1910 and 1940, and then 1985 through 2008.
Historical Note
John Barton (“Johnny”) Gruelle was born in Arcola, Illinois, in 1880, to Richard and Alice Gruelle. His father was a self-taught painter, musician, and writer. John and his younger siblings, Prudence and Justin, inherited their father’s artistic talents. John turned his interest in drawing into a career as a political cartoonist for various newspapers in the early 1900s. John married Myrtle Swann, and they soon had three children. In 1911, John won a contest for a permanent position at the New York Herald, where he illustrated the comic strip “Mr. Twee Deedle” for nearly eight years. He signed his illustrated works “Johnny Gruelle.”
The legend of Raggedy Ann began in 1914, when John’s daughter Marcella found a faceless rag doll in her grandparents’ attic. John and his wife Myrtle helped to transform the old doll into a more appealing plaything. John wrote short fantasy stories about the doll and her friends to entertain Marcella, who fell ill in 1915. She died the following year. John poured his grief into the creation of more Raggedy Ann stories—this time adding colorful illustrations. John’s coworkers greatly enjoyed his stories and urged him to publish them. In 1918, the P.F. Volland Co. released Raggedy Ann Stories to much acclaim. The F.A.O. Schwartz toy store contacted John to request dolls to accompany the books, which were difficult to keep in stock based on demand from customers. Raggedy Andy, Ann’s brother, made his literary debut in 1920. John continued to write at least one Raggedy Ann and Andy story every year until his death in 1938.
Members of the Gruelle family, notably John’s widow Myrtle and son Worth, carried on the legacy of the Raggedy Ann and Andy franchise. Raggedy Ann’s popularity soared in the following decades, with sales of dolls, books, and related merchandise reaching millions of dollars annually. Arcola, Illinois hosted a Raggedy Ann and Andy Festival in 1990, which became a yearly event for two decades. Worth’s daughter (and John’s namesake), Joni, founded the Johnny Gruelle Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum, also in Arcola, in 1999. The museum showcased not only the beloved characters but also other works of John Gruelle. In 2009, the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum closed, but its collections live on in the holdings at The Strong.
The legend of Raggedy Ann began in 1914, when John’s daughter Marcella found a faceless rag doll in her grandparents’ attic. John and his wife Myrtle helped to transform the old doll into a more appealing plaything. John wrote short fantasy stories about the doll and her friends to entertain Marcella, who fell ill in 1915. She died the following year. John poured his grief into the creation of more Raggedy Ann stories—this time adding colorful illustrations. John’s coworkers greatly enjoyed his stories and urged him to publish them. In 1918, the P.F. Volland Co. released Raggedy Ann Stories to much acclaim. The F.A.O. Schwartz toy store contacted John to request dolls to accompany the books, which were difficult to keep in stock based on demand from customers. Raggedy Andy, Ann’s brother, made his literary debut in 1920. John continued to write at least one Raggedy Ann and Andy story every year until his death in 1938.
Members of the Gruelle family, notably John’s widow Myrtle and son Worth, carried on the legacy of the Raggedy Ann and Andy franchise. Raggedy Ann’s popularity soared in the following decades, with sales of dolls, books, and related merchandise reaching millions of dollars annually. Arcola, Illinois hosted a Raggedy Ann and Andy Festival in 1990, which became a yearly event for two decades. Worth’s daughter (and John’s namesake), Joni, founded the Johnny Gruelle Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum, also in Arcola, in 1999. The museum showcased not only the beloved characters but also other works of John Gruelle. In 2009, the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum closed, but its collections live on in the holdings at The Strong.
System of Arrangement
Series I: Manuscript materials, c. 1910-2008
Subseries A: Johnny Gruelle
Subseries B: Myrtle Gruelle
Subseries C: Other Gruelle family members
Subseries D: Miscellaneous manuscripts
Series II: Correspondence, 1913-2008
Subseries A: Personal correspondence
Subseries B: Business correspondence
Series III: Graphic materials, c. 1890-1998
Subseries A: Original artwork
Subseries B: Proofs and other printed materials
Subseries C: Johnny Gruelle binders
Series IV: Personal materials, 1912-2006
Series V: Genealogical materials, 1972-2002
Series VI: Raggedy Ann and Andy events, 1976-2008
Subseries A: Museum exhibits
Subseries B: Special events
Subseries C: Special projects
Series VII: Publications, 1910-2008
Subseries A: News clippings
Subseries B: Cartoons
Subseries C: Advertisements
Subseries D: Johnny Gruelle Stories
Subseries E: Periodicals
Subseries F: Catalogs
Subseries G: Travel guides
Subseries H: Miscellaneous publications
Series VIII: Photographs, 1888-2000
Series IX: Miscellaneous materials
Custodial History
The Gruelle family collection was donated to The Strong in November 2008 as a gift from Tom and Joni Gruelle Wannamaker. The papers were accessioned by The Strong under Object ID 108.5530 and were received from Joni Gruelle Wannamaker.
Creator
- Wannamaker, Joni Gruelle (Illustrator, Person)
- Hall, Patricia (Person)
- Gruelle, Worth, 1912-1997 (Person)
- Gruelle, Suzanne (Cieklinksi) (Person)
- Gruelle, Richard B. (Person)
- Gruelle, Myrtle (Swann) (Person)
- Gruelle, Kim (Person)
- Gruelle, Justin C. (Illustrator, Person)
- Gruelle, Johnny, 1880-1938 (Illustrator, Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Gruelle Family Collection
- Status
- completed
- Author
- Julia Novakovic
- Date
- 31 July 2013
- Description rules
- dacs
Revision Statements
- July 2013: Cheri Crist and Doris Sturzenberger created a detailed inventory for this collection in March 2009. Revised processing and finding aid were completed by Julia Novakovic in July 2013.
Repository Details
Part of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong Repository
Contact:
The Strong
One Manhattan Square
Rochester NY 14607 USA
585.263.2700
585.423.1886 (Fax)
library@museumofplay.org
The Strong
One Manhattan Square
Rochester NY 14607 USA
585.263.2700
585.423.1886 (Fax)
library@museumofplay.org