Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Berryman Family Papers, 1829-1984, bulk 1882-1961, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.berrfami
Creators:
Berryman family (Washington, D. C.)
Dates:
1829-1984
bulk 1882-1961
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
11.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The Berryman family papers measure 11.4 linear feet and date from 1829 to 1984, with the bulk of the material dating from 1882 to 1961. The collection presents a good overview of the careers of Washington Star cartoonist Clifford Berryman, his daughter, Star art critic, Florence, and to a lesser extent, son Jim Berryman.

Scope and Content Note

Scope and Content Note
The Berryman family papers measure 11.4 linear feet and date from 1829 to 1984, with the bulk of the material dating from 1882 to 1961. The collection presents a good overview of the careers of Washington Star cartoonist Clifford Berryman, his daughter, Star art critic, Florence, and his son, Jim Berryman, though the latter's career is not as well represented. The papers also contain material relating to Kate Berryman, including a scrapbook and diaries.
The collection contains biographical material, correspondence, business records, notes and writings, scrapbooks, printed material, photographs, and artwork by Clifford and Jim Berryman and others.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three series according to individual family members; each series is arranged into subseries and material within each subseries is arranged chronologically.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Clifford and Kate Berryman papers, 1829-1963, undated (boxes 1-7, 11-12, OVs 14-15, 7.9 linear ft.)
  • Series 2: Florence Berryman Papers, 1902-1984, undated (boxes 8-10, 13, 2.3 linear ft.)
  • Series 3: Jim Berryman Papers, 1919-1964, undated (boxes 10, 13, 1.1 linear ft.)

Biographical Note

Biographical Note
The patriarch of the Berryman family, Clifford Kennedy Berryman, was born in Versailles, Kentucky, in 1869. His first job was in the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C. He became a cartoonist for the Washington Post in 1891. From 1907, until his death in 1949, Clifford Berryman was political cartoonist for the Washington Star, earning a reputation as the "Dean of American Cartoonist," and winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1944. His cartoon of Theodore Roosevelt, "Drawing the Line in Mississippi," 1902, began the American Teddy Bear craze, and created Berryman's cartoon trademark. He was also the first cartoonist to become president of the Gridiron Club. His wife, Kate, was an avid member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Their daughter, Florence Berryman, 1900-1992, abandoned her study of music because of a loss of hearing and turned her attention to art. In the 1920s, she became a free-lance local art critic, writing articles for newspapers. She later assisted Leila Mechlin, as an art critic for the Washington Star. In 1946, Florence Berryman succeeded Mechlin and worked for the Star until her retirement in 1961. She also served as editor for the American Federation of Arts until 1944.
Clifford and Kate Berryman's son, James Thomas Berryman, 1902-1976, attended George Washington University and the Corcoran School of Art. He worked as a reporter for the New Mexico State Tribune, until his return, in 1923, to Washington, D.C. because of his mother's illness. He worked at the Washington Star, as an editorial artist and illustrator, until 1933, when he became a sports cartoonist. When his father suffered a storke in 1935, Jim intermittently drew political cartoons for the STAR. Jim Berryman also won a Pulitzer Prize for his political cartoons.

Administration

Author
Jean Fitzgerald
Provenance
Portions of the Berryman family papers were donated in 1965 by Florence Berryman, and in 1992 by her estate. The latter donation included portions of a scrapbook of memorabilia which had previously been lent for filming (reel D111) by Florence Berryman in 1962. The whearabouts of the other items in the scrapbook which were donated is unknown.
Alternative Forms Available
Portions of the collection and material lent for microfilming are available on 35mm microfilm reels 1418 and D111, and 4767-4776 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Processing Information
The collection was processed in 1993 by Jean Fitzgerald.
Separated Materials
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel D111) including a scrapbook of memorabilia, 1905-1945, collected by Kate Berryman regarding her husband. The scrap book includes letters from Bernard Baruch, William Jennings Bryan, Harry Flood Byrd, Jay Darling, John Nance Garner, Herbert Hoover, Henry Cabot Lodge, Harry Truman, and Woodrow Wilson; clippings; cartoons; printed material; and photographs of Clifford, family members, William Jennings Bryan, John Nance Garner, Brenda Putnam, and William Howard Taft. Though some items in the scrapbook were subsequently donated, lent materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access
The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Preferred Citation
Berryman family papers, 1829-1984, bulk 1882-1961. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Illustrated letters Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Politicians -- Washington (D.C.) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cartoonists -- Washington (D.C.) Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art critics -- Washington (D.C.) Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women art critics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Politicians -- Caricatures and cartoons Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Political cartoons -- Washington (D.C.) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Caricatures and cartoons Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diaries Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rogers, Will, 1879-1935 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Reynolds, Joseph G., 1886-1972 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Putnam, Brenda, 1890-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mechlin, Leila, 1874-1949 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Society of Washington Artists (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Garner, John Nance, 1868-1967 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gridiron Club (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Grosvenor, Gilbert Hovey, 1875-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hays, Will H. (Will Harrison), 1879-1954 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Berryman, Kate Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Byrd, Harry Flood, 1887-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clay, Henry, 1777-1852 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Darling, Jay N. (Jay Norwood), 1876-1962 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor), 1855-1926 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Baruch, Bernard M. (Bernard Mannes), 1870-1965 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American Federation of Arts Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Berryman, Clifford Kennedy, 1869-1949 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Berryman, James Thomas, 1902-1971 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Berryman, Florence Seville, 1900-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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