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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

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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 33

The 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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