Guide to the Eleanor Jones Papers, 1921–2023
Last Updated
Overview of the Collection
Repository:
Special Collections & Archives
McIntyre Library
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
P.O. Box 4004
105 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
(715)-836-2739
http://www.uwec.edu/Library/archives/info.htm
Reference Code: USGZE UHC378
Accession Number: 22-005, 23-008
Collection Number: University Historical Collection 378
Creators: Eleanor Jones, Grace Shipley, Rhoda “Randy” Andersen, Charlotte Plummer Owen
Title: Eleanor Jones Papers
Dates: 1921–2023
Quantity: 5 linear feet (4 archives boxes, 3 oversize boxes)
Location of Collection: Shelf location A7/2d, A7/2c (oversize boxes)
Languages: Collection materials are in English.
Summary: Materials collected by Eleanor Jones in her time as a musician in the Marine Corps Women Reserve Band in World War II, in the group known as the “Hormel Girls,” and her life afterwards. Collection consists of photographs, correspondence, documents, scrapbooks, and ephemera collected primarily between 1943–1952, but which also extend as late as 2017.
Biographical/Historical Note
Eleanor Edith Jones was born November 10, 1921 in Cornell, Wisconsin. Born to musical parents, Eleanor was surrounded by music in her early life before becoming an accomplished trombone, violin, and piano player. In 1943 Eleanor received a letter from the Navy, which she promptly threw in the garbage. Shortly after, however, she retrieved the letter and found the Marine Corps was looking to organize a Women’s Band. The Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band (MCWR) was formed under “The President’s Own” and was active from 1943–1945. Jones enlisted as a marine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and underwent basic training. She was a trombonist with the band and toured throughout the country, raising money for the war effort and playing for wounded soldiers.
At the end of the war, the MCWR was disbanded. However, with the end of the war, Hormel Foods was in need of people to help promote their food, and so the company created The Hormel Girls. The group was made mostly of female veterans who had played in the military bands during the war. From 1946 to 1953, the women travelled throughout the country marketing Hormel products, such as SPAM, to the American public.
When The Hormel Girls was disbanded, Jones went back to school, this time for writing. In the years since receiving her degree, she has written for radio and television, taught writing at the college level, and worked as a media special for the University of Wisconsin – Extension. She lived in the city of Eau Claire from the 1950s until her death in April 2023.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information: Transferred to the University Archives by Eleanor Jones in August 2021 and September 2022. Further materials expected to be donated in the future.
Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public.
Use Restrictions: Researchers are expected to follow 17 U.S.C Title 17, the Copyright Law of the United States. Copyright law prevents the unauthorized reproduction of a work of authorship. Copyright owned by the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.
Processing Note: Processed by Sarah Beer in October 2021 and September 2022.
Existence and Location of Duplicates: Collection has been fully digitized and is available on the A: Drive. The digital collection is roughly 17 GB and consists of approximately 3561 files. Files are in either PDF/A, MP4, WAV, or TIFF formats.
Arrangement: By series /flat arrangement.
OCLC #: 1366499965
Subjects
Personal Names:
Andersen, Marilyn
Andersen, Rhoda “Randy”
Hormel, Jay C.
Jones, Eleanor
Owen, Charlotte
Roosevelt, Franklin D.
Shipley, Grace
Corporate Names:
United States Marine Corps
United States Military
Hormel Foods
Subject Terms:
World War II
Military Bands
Marketing
Music
Trombone
Geographical Terms:
Cornell, Wis.
Detailed List of Contents
Series 1: Biographical Information
Dates: Undated
Extent: 1 folder
Container
(Box/Folder)
Contents
Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Oral History Documents
Box/Folder
1/2
MCWR History Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/3
Presentation/Class Preparation on Eleanor Jones
Series 2: United States Marine Corps. Women’s Reserve Band
Dates: 1943–1945
Extent: 1.5 linear feet (1 archives box)
Container
(Box/Folder)
Contents
Dates
Box/Folder
1/4
MCWR: General Information, History, Miscellaneous Papers
Undated
Box/Folder
1/5
Rhoda “Randy” Anderson: Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band Photographs
Box/Folder
1/6
Rhoda “Randy” Anderson: Marine Corps Women Reserve Band Documents
Box/Folder
1/7
Rhoda “Randy” Anderson: Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band Photographs
Box/Folder
1/8
Rhoda “Randy” Anderson: Photos & Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/9
Rhoda “Randy” Anderson: Articles, Letters, Misc. Documents
Box/Folder
1/10
“Charlotte Plummer Owen”
Box 1
“Bands of Sisters” Book
2011
Box 1
“Musical Women Marines: The Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band in World War II” Book
1981
Box/Folder
2/1
“Marine Corps Pix”: WWII
Box/Folder
2/2
MCWR Band: Photographs
Box/Folder
2/3
Pictures, Program, Poem, Schedule, Newspaper, High School Materials
1944–1945
Box/Folder
2/4
Correspondence
End of 1943 – Jan. 1944
Box/Folder
2/5
Correspondence
Dec. 1943 – July 1944
Box/Folder
2/6
Correspondence
Aug. 1944 – Dec. 1944
Box/Folder
2/7
Correspondence
Jan. 1945 – May 1945
Box/Folder
2/8
Correspondence
June 1945 – Nov. 1945
Box/Folder
2/9
“Marine Corps Pix”: Reunion
Box 4 (Oversize)
Marine corps Women Reserve Scrapbook
Box 5 (Oversize)
MCRW Vinyl Record Sleeve (3) (One of them is signed)
Box 5 (Oversize)
Military Medals
Box 5 (Oversize)
Green Military Hats (One with Marine Corps Pin and one without)
Box 6 (Oversize)
3 Mutes for Trombone
Series 3: Hormel Girls
Dates: 1947–2007, bulk 1948–1952
Extent: 2.5 linear feet (1 archives box)
Container
(Box/Folder)
Contents
Dates
Box/Folder
2/10
Schedules, Ticket, Advertisements
1947–1951
Box/Folder
2/11
Schedules, Pictures, Songs, Advertisements, Programs, Coupons, Newspaper Clippings
1948–1951
Box/Folder
2/12
Hormel Radio Program Script, Coupons, Business Cards, Programs, Hormel Employee Bank Book
1948–1951
Box/Folder
2/13
Correspondence
1947
Box/Folder
2/14
Correspondence
1947
Box 2
“SPAM: A Biography” Book
1999
Box 2
“Busy Cook’s Book” Cookbook
1991
Box/Folder
3/1
Correspondence with Parents
1948
Box/Folder
3/2
Correspondence with Parents
1948–1955
Box/Folder
3/3
Correspondence with Parents
1949–1951
Box/Folder
3/4
Correspondence with Parents
1950
Box/Folder
3/5
Correspondence with Grace Shipley
1951
Box/Folder
3/6
Correspondence with Grace Shipley
1952
Box/Folder
3/7
Correspondence, Photographs
1948–1952, 2019
Box/Folder
3/8
“Caravan News”, Hormel Caravan Posters, Correspondence
1983–2017
Box/Folder
3/9
Hormel Girls Reunion
2007
Box/Folder
3/10
Miscellaneous Travel Memorabilia
Unknown
Box/Folder
3/11
Photographs
Box/Folder
3/12
Correspondence: “1947-1948 Hormel L.A.”
19478–1948
Box 4 (Oversize)
Hormel Girls Scrapbook
Series 4: Post-Hormel Years
Dates: Unknown
Extent: 1 linear foot (1 archives box)
Container
(Box/Folder)
Contents
Dates
Box/Folder
7/1
Photographs
Unknown
Box/Folder
7/2
Photographs
Unknown
Box/Folder
7/3
Photographs
Unknown
7/4
Contact Sheets
Unknown
7/5
Contact Sheets
Unknown
Series 5: Writings
Dates: Unknown
Extent: 1 folder
Container
(Box/Folder)
Contents
Dates
Box/Folder
3/13
Writings: WWII, Hormel, Grace
Unknown