Josephine "Jo" Morris, Papers
Title: Josephine "Jo" Morris,
Papers
Creator: Morris, Josephine, 1928-2002
Dates: 1895-1979
Quantity: 4
boxes (2 linear feet)
Collection Number: MS 0358
Language: English
Restrictions: None
Access and Use: For information on access or copyright, please see our guidelines or email
archives@unl.edu.
Historical Records Statement: Please see our statement on historical records and materials.
Preferred Citation: Jo Morris, Papers (MS 0358). Archives & Special Collections, University of
Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries.
Biography:
Josephine "Jo" Mary Rossler Morris was born on November 21, 1928, to Kylah C. Golding
Rossler and Joseph A. Rossler. She was married to Paul Kantor, with whom she shared an
interest in art collecting. Morris divorced Paul Kantor in 1958. She later married author
Wright Morris. She assisted with some of the logistics of his publishing career. Jo Morris
died in 2002.
Scope and Content:
The majority of items in this collection include correspondence and photographs related to
Jo Morris' early childhood, her life before her marriage to Wright Morris, and material
associated with her family. The correspondence contains letters to and from Jo Kantor Morris
followed by letters to Kylah Rossler from various people. The personal records contain items
such as diplomas, address books, painting inventories, and various financial records. The
photographs, while mostly of Jo Morris, also include family members and friends.
Subjects:
Morris, Wright, 1910-1998
Fiction - 20th century - History and criticism
Series Description:
Series 1: Correspondence, Box 1, Folder 1-Box 2, Folder 9 The family letters include those to Jo from her mother, Kylah Rossler, her father
Joseph Rossler, her brother Maurice Golding, who occasionally signed his last name as
Rossler, and her aunt Moritza Gam, among others. There are letters from her first
husband, Paul Kantor, the majority written after their divorce. Among those who wrote
her letters were artists Leonard Edmondson, with whom she shared a close relationship as
noted in letters from 1958-1959; Richard Diebenkorn; June Wayne; Dina Woelffer; and one
letter from Man Ray. Others include Ynez Berry; James Byrnes; Clyta Loran, wife of
painter Erle Loran; painter and teacher Raymond Parker; and Gladys Hill Primus. Many of
the letters written by these friends reference each other, providing news and updates
about their activities. Additional correspondence includes those letters sent to Kylah
Rossler from Jo, her husband Joseph, her son Maurice and his wife Sally, her sisters
Moritza and Lena, and other acquaintances.
Series 2: Personal Materials, Box 2, Folder 10-Box 2, Folder 22 The personal materials provide information on Jo Morris' childhood, including her
decision to move to New York from California during her last year of high school, her
mother's illness and their subsequent separation when her mother moved to California.
Items detail the 14 year estrangement of her parents and subsequent divorce in 1949, and
the education and military experience of her step-brother Maurice. This series contains
the address books, diplomas, birth certificate, graduation programs and other personal
effects that belonged to Jo Morris.
Series 3: Photographs, Box 3, Folder 1-Box 4, Folder 33The photographs are those of Jo throughout her life, including unidentified portrait
studies. Additional family photographs include those of Kylah Rossler, Joseph Rossler,
and Maurice Golding. There are numerous photographs of Jo and her mother Kylah taken in
photobooths, at a variety of ages. While selected photographs provided names or dates,
there are many photographs of individuals that do not have dates and many unidentified
photographs. Associated photographs have been filed according to the stamped numbers of
the back of the set.
Container List:
Series 1: CorrespondenceBox 1. Folder 1. Correspondence, Berry, Ynez, 1953, 1958-1959
Box 1. Folder 2. Correspondence, Byrnes, James, 1951-1952
Box 1. Folder 3. Correspondence, Diebenkorn, Dick, 1950-1952
Box 1. Folder 4. Correspondence, Doxie, Charles, 1944-1945
Box 1. Folder 5. Correspondence, Edmonson, Leonard, 1958-1959
Box 1. Folder 6. Correspondence, Gam, Moritza, 1939-1947, 1961
Box 1. Folder 7. Correspondence, Golding, Maurice, undated
Box 1. Folder 8. Correspondence, Kantor, Paul, 1958-1959
Box 1. Folder 9. Correspondence, Lefebru-Toinet, Maurice, 1949-1950
Box 1. Folder 10. Correspondence, Loran, Cylta, 1959
Box 1. Folder 11. Correspondence, Man, Ray, 1958, July 19
Box 1. Folder 12. Correspondence, Norland, G.J., 1951-1952
Box 1. Folder 13. Correspondence, Parker, Raymond, 1957-1958
Box 1. Folder 14. Correspondence, Primus, Gladys, 1958-1960
Box 1. Folder 15. Correspondence, Roholich, Sally, 1941, 1948-1949, 1957
Box 1. Folder 15. Correspondence, Rossler, Joe, undated
Box 1. Folder 16. Correspondence, Rossler, Kylah, 1942-1945
Box 1. Folder 17. Correspondence, J.F.R., 1948
Box 1. Folder 18. Correspondence, Schueler, Jon, 1958
Box 1. Folder 19. Correspondence, Tolerton, David Bettina, 1958
Box 1. Folder 20. Correspondence, Wayne (Langsnor), June, 1959
Box 1. Folder 21. Correspondence, Woelffer, Dina, 1958-1959
Box 1. Folder 22. Correspondence, museums, galleries, 1951-1962
Box 1. Folder 23. Correspondence, various, 1944-1959, undated
Box 1. Folder 24. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Gam, Moritza, 1936-1938
Box 1. Folder 25. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Gam, Moritza, 1937-1946
Box 1. Folder 26. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Gam, Moritza, 1948-1957
Box 2. Folder 1. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Golding, Maurice, 1940-1949
Box 2. Folder 2. Correspondence, to Golding, Maurice from Rossler, Kylah, 1948
Box 2. Folder 3. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Morris, Jo, 1936-1940
Box 2. Folder 4. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Morris, Jo, 1944-1945, 1958-1959
Box 2. Folder 5. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Rossler, Joseph, 1936
Box 2. Folder 6. Correspondence, postcards, to Rossler, Kylah from Don S., 1941-1949
Box 2. Folder 7. Correspondence, Rossler, Kylah, 1938-1957, undated
Box 2. Folder 8. Correspondence, postcards, Rossler, Kylah, 1938-1959
Box 2. Folder 9. Correspondence, to Rossler, Kylah from Rossler, Joseph A., 1936
Series 2: Personal MaterialsBox 2. Folder 10. Personal materials, diplomas, 1942, 1944
Box 2. Folder 11. Personal materials, schoolwork, 1941, undated
Box 2. Folder 12. Personal materials, diary, autograph album, 1940 Mar.-Apr., 1941, May
Box 2. Folder 13. Personal materials, painting inventory, 1958, undated
Box 2. Folder 14. Personal materials, Paul Kantor gallery inventory, financial
statements, 1957-1958
Box 2. Folder 15. Personal materials, cemetery records, Rossler, Kylah, 1941-1942
Box 2. Folder 16. Personal materials, graduation program, Golding, Maurice, 1931
Box 2. Folder 17. Personal materials, birth certificate, 1895
Box 2. Folder 18. Personal materials, sheet music, Anjer, Charles, undated
Box 2. Folder 19. Personal materials, divorce settlement, 1958-1961
Box 2. Folder 20. Personal materials, insurance records, 1961
Box 2. Folder 21. Personal materials, address book, 1979
Box 2. Folder 22. Personal materials, misc. ink drawing, undated
Series 3: PhotographsBox 3. Folder 1. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, Kylah, 1937
Box 3. Folder 2. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah, 1938
Box 3. Folder 3. Photographs, Rossler, Joseph, 1940
Box 3. Folder 4. Photographs, Rossler, Joseph, Jo, and Kylah, 1941
Box 3. Folder 5. Photographs, 1944, Dec. 25
Box 3. Folder 6. Photographs, 1948, Apr.
Box 3. Folder 7. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah, 1948, 1958
Box 3. Folder 8. Photographs, Byrnes, James, 1951
Box 3. Folder 9. Photographs, 1951, Sept.
Box 3. Folder 10. Photographs, Leonard and cat, 1955, Sept. 30
Box 3. Folder 11. Photographs, Rossler, Joseph, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 12. Photographs, Rossler, Joseph, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 13. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, Maurice
Box 3. Folder 14. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, Maurice
Box 3. Folder 15. Photographs, Rossler, Jo as toddler
Box 3. Folder 16. Photographs, Rossler, Jo as young girl
Box 3. Folder 17. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, photobooth images
Box 3. Folder 18. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, face studies
Box 3. Folder 19. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, face studies
Box 3. Folder 20. Photographs, Rossler, Jo, face studies
Box 3. Folder 21. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah, photobooth
Box 3. Folder 22. Photographs, Rossler, Joseph
Box 3. Folder 23. Photographs, Joseph, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 24. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 25. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 26. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 27. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah
Box 3. Folder 28. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah, children
Box 3. Folder 29. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah, birthday
Box 3. Folder 30. Photographs, Rossler, Kylah, others
Box 3. Folder 31. Photographs, Kantor, Paul
Box 3. Folder 32. Photographs, Kantor, Paul
Box 3. Folder 33. Photographs, beach
Box 3. Folder 34. Photographs, boardwalk
Box 3. Folder 35. Photographs, cupid set
Box 3. Folder 36. Photographs, gingham
Box 3. Folder 37. Photographs, lakeside, 820, 516
Box 3. Folder 38. Photographs, outing, 517, 518
Box 3. Folder 39. Photographs, porch
Box 3. Folder 40. Photographs, portrait
Box 3. Folder 41. Photographs, portrait with door
Box 3. Folder 42. Photographs, swimming
Box 4. Folder 1. Photographs, unidentified
Box 4. Folder 2. Photographs, Rossler, Maurice, 1940
Box 4. Folder 3. Photographs, baby photos
Box 4. Folder 4-6. Photographs, unidentified
Related Material and Resources: Additional Wright Morris materials appear in several collections in the Archives &
Special Collections. A list of these materials is available in the repository. The Archives
& Special Collections also contains a collection of books by Wright Morris including
selected items from his personal library. These books can be located through the University
of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries on-line
catalog.
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