Title: Anne and Laurence Donovan Papers
Inclusive Dates: circa 1890-2002

Creators:

• Donovan, Anne
• Donovan, Laurence

Call Number: UWM Manuscript Collection 227

Quantity: 2.6 cubic ft. (7 boxes)
Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

This collection contains the papers of Anne and Laurence (Larry) Donovan, long-time residents of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, relating to their personal and professional activities, which included the founding of the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra and administration of the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. The collection contains extensive correspondence from World War II, when Laurence served with the U.S. Army in Europe. Also included are files documenting the couples' family life as well as political and volunteer activities.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0227

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Anne Donovan (nee Kreimsreiter) (1908-1999) was born in rural Wisconsin to Aloysius and Walburga Kreimsreiter, and grew up in Milwaukee. Anne attended Holy Angels Academy and Marquette University in Milwaukee. She served as secretary to Congressman William Stafford (R), and accompanied him to Washington, D.C. in 1928. It was there that she met her husband, Laurence Vincent Donovan (1908-2002), who was born in Brocton, Massachusetts to John J. Donovan and Catherine Agnes Donovan (nee Smith). Anne and Laurence married in 1934. After moving to Milwaukee, they were both active participants in the local political scene, and worked on several political campaigns, including former Mayor Carl Zeidler's. Anne and Laurence co-founded the Milwaukee Chamber Music Society (later the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra). Anne was the chief administrator of the Milwaukee Art Center (later the Milwaukee Art Museum), and was the first administrator of the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum when it opened in 1967. Laurence served in the U.S. Army during WWII as a part of the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division, and upon his return to civilian service worked for the Wisconsin Telephone Company for 32 years. Both remained actively involved in the Milwaukee community until their deaths.

The Family and Personal Activities series consists largely of correspondence between Laurence and Anne during his military service in World War II. This correspondence includes Laurence's narratives about the POW and Displaced Persons camps he liberated in 1945 in Germany and Austria, the countryside and local people encountered by his unit, and fatigue regarding delay in his military discharge. Anne's school files contain some of her coursework from Milwaukee-area Catholic schools. This series also includes daily journals, family genealogies, and photographs of their extended family, as well as files on Anne and Laurence's three daughters, Kathryn, Mary Eileen, and Margaret.

The subject matter of the scrapbooks located in this series complements material found in all three series. These scrapbooks consist of letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and other material. The scrapbooks were re-housed in archival-quality material during processing and retain both their original titles and original order.

The Military Activities series documents Laurence's military career during World War II. Laurence was also involved in veteran activities and reunions until his death in 2002. This series includes notebooks, postcards, photographs and Laurence's military card and draft notice. See also the correspondence files from the Family and Personal Activities, as those letters provide additional details about Laurence during World War II.

The Professional and Service Activities series contains political files relating to the couple's work with various political campaigns, including those of Carl Zeidler and Charles Kersten, as well as their political affiliations with the G.O.P and Young Republican Club. Subject files in this series document their various professional and service activities, such as work done at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum and the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra. The couple was also involved with the local civil rights movement, and this series includes photographs taken at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial March in 1968, showing Father Groppi, Jesse Jackson, and other notables.

The Donovan Papers are arranged into three series:

1. Family and Personal Activities, 1890-2002
2. Military Activities, 1940-1998
3. Professional and Service Activities, 1929-1999

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

Mary Eileen Sorenson donated this collection in February 2005 (accession 2004-047) and in March 2005 (accession 2004-052).

Processing Information

Ann Stachewicz and Ellen Engseth processed the collection at the Archives from September to December of 2005.

	Series: 1. Family and Personal Activities, 1890-2002
Box   1 Folder   1	50th Wedding Anniversary Service, 1984
Box   1 Folder   2	Church Activities, 1943-1985
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   3	Anne to Larry, 1944 November-March
Box   1 Folder   4	Anne to Larry, 1945 April
Box   1 Folder   5	Anne to Larry, 1945 May-June
Box   1 Folder   6	Anne to Larry, 1945 July-August
Box   1 Folder   7	Anne to Larry, 1945 September-October
Box   1 Folder   8	Greeting Cards, circa 1940s
Box   1 Folder   9	Larry to Anne, 1943
Box   1 Folder   10	Larry to Anne, 1944
Box   1 Folder   11	Larry to Anne, 1945 January-March
Box   2 Folder   1	Larry to Anne, 1945 April-May
Box   2 Folder   2	Larry to Anne, 1945 June-July
Box   2 Folder   3	Larry to Anne, 1945 August-September
Box   2 Folder   4	Larry to Anne, 1945 October-December
Box   2 Folder   5	To and From Other Family Members, 1941-1944
Box   2 Folder   6	To and From Other Family Members, 1945-1946, 1964, 1972
Box   2 Folder   7	To and From Other Correspondents, 1943-1950, 1955, 1959, 1964, 1984-1985
Box   2 Folder   8	Daughters, 1945-1970
Box   2 Folder   9	Diaries and Day Planners, Laurence, 1943, 1985
Box   3 Folder   1	Diaries and Day Planners, Laurence, 1993-1994
Box   3 Folder   2	Diaries and Day Planners, Laurence, 1995
Box   3 Folder   3	Diaries and Day Planners, Laurence, 1998-2000
Box   3 Folder   4	Genealogy, circa 1940s-1990s
Box   3 Folder   5	Legal Documents, 1945
Box   3 Folder   6	Newsletters, 1959-1975
Box   3 Folder   7	Obituaries and Funeral Programs, 1946-2002
Box   3 Folder   8	Photographs, Extended and Nuclear Family, circa 1890-1999
	School Files, Anne
Box   3 Folder   9	Holy Angels Academy, Newsletter, 1958
Box   3 Folder   10	Holy Angels Academy, Notebook, 1924-1925
Box   3 Folder   11	Holy Angels Academy and Holy Cross School, Awards and Diploma, 1922, undated
Box   3 Folder   12	Holy Cross School, Composition Books, circa 1922
Box   3 Folder   13	Marquette University, Notebook and Grade Book, 1927-1928
Box   4 Folder   1	Marquette University, Notebook, 1928-1929
	Scrapbooks
Box   4 Folder   2	Anne's Family, circa 1900
Box   4 Folder   3-5	"Anne and Larry, 1908-50s"
Box   4 Folder   6-7	"Anne and Larry, 60's-90's"
Box   5 Folder   1	"Community," 1956-1994
Box   5 Folder   2-4	"Family and Friends," circa 1980s-1990s
Box   5 Folder   5-6	"Politics," 1918-1982
Box   6 Folder   1	Sports Memorabilia, 1955-1987
	Series: 2. Military Activities, 1940-1998	⇧
Box   6 Folder   2	Photographs, 1940-1945
	Postcards
Box   6 Folder   3	Army Training Facilities, circa 1940s
Box   6 Folder   4	"Reims and Paris," 1945
Box   6 Folder   5	Veteran Affairs and Reunions, 1944-1998
Box   6 Folder   6	World War II Military Memorabilia, 1940-1945
	Series: 3. Professional and Service Activities, 1929-1999	⇧
Box   6 Folder   7	Photographs, 1930-1994
Box   6 Folder   8	Photographs, Anne and Laurence in Washington D.C., 1931-1932
	Political Files
Box   6 Folder   9	Campaigns, 1930-1992
Box   6 Folder   10	G.O.P., 1933-1958
Box   6 Folder   11	Kersten, Charles J., 1950-1956
Box   6 Folder   12	Senator Joseph R. McCarthy Educational Foundation, Inc., 1987
Box   7 Folder   1	Stafford, William H., 1933, 1943-1944
Box   7 Folder   2	Wisconsin Young Republicans, 1940
	Subject Files
Box   7 Folder   3	Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1987
Box   7 Folder   4	Bureau of the Census, regarding Appointment as Employee, 1929-1930
Box   7 Folder   5	Civil Rights Photographs, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial March, 1968 April
Box   7 Folder   6	Civil Rights Work, 1967
Box   7 Folder   7	Irish Americans, Regarding Ethnic Slurs, 1984-1991
Box   7 Folder   8	Milwaukee
Box   7 Folder   9	Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, 1961-1997
Box   7 Folder   10	Wisconsin Telephone Company, 1943-1973