Guide to the Eleanor Jones Papers, 1921–2023

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