THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-KANSAS CITY K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers ca 1920-1972 4 cubic feet Personal and professional papers of prominent Kansas City businesswoman who founded the Nelly Don Garment Company. Includes correspondence, photographs, Nelly Don related materials, and items concerning Mrs. Reed s political activities. BIOGRAPHY Ellen Quinlan was born on March 6, 1889, the twelfth of thirteen children. She grew up in Parsons, Kansas, where her father had moved from Ireland to work for the railroad. In 1905, Ellen Nell moved to Kansas City where she met and married Paul F. Donnelly. In 1916, she began sewing fashionable housedresses in her home, and by 1919, she was running the Donnelly Garment Company. Nell Donnelly was a successful and well-respected businesswoman. On December 16, 1931, Donnelly and her chauffeur were kidnapped and later released. The kidnappers were caught, and former Senator James A. Reed, Donnelly s attorney, assisted with the prosecution. Donnelly divorced her husband in 1932 and married Reed in December 1933, a year after his wife had died. During their marriage, Donnelly Garment Co. and Reed s law firm were embroiled in lengthy labor and fair competition litigation. Nell Q. and James A. Reed were married until his death in September 1944. Nell Reed left the Donnelly Garment Co. in 1956, and its name changed to Nelly Don. Reed remained active in local and national Republican politics, supported the arts, and traveled. She died on September 8, 1991, at the age of 102. PROVENANCE This gift was received from David Q. Reed as part of accession KA0771, on September 10, 1993.
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 2 COPYRIGHT AND RESTRICTIONS: The donor, David Q. Reed, has given and assigned to the University all rights of copyright which the Donor has in the Materials and in such of the Donor s works as may be found among any collections of Materials received by the University from others. PREFERRED CITATION: CONTACT: Specific item; folder number; Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers (K0444); The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center- Kansas City [after first mention may be abbreviated to SHSMO-KC]. The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City 302 Newcomb Hall, University of Missouri-Kansas City 5123 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499 (816) 235-1543 SHSofMO-KC@umsystem.edu http://shs.umsystem.edu/index.shtml DESCRIPTION OF THE PAPERS Ellen Nell Reed s papers were received in the same accession as those of James A. Reed. They have been separated into individual collections. These papers consist of personal and professional correspondence; printed and published materials and some photographs. Topics include business, Donnelly Garment Co., or Nelly Don; politics; civic activities; and some personal records. INVENTORY: BOX 001 PERSONAL/BUSINESS PERSONAL FILES Folder 1. Trip to Europe, 1924 Folder 2. Folder 3. Folder 4. Photos, Europe Photos, Nelly Don, 1828 Walnut Photos, Nell Quinlan Donnelly, unidentified others Folder 5. Kidnapping, 1931 Folder 6. Stocks, 1930-1931 Folder 7. Security List, James A. Reed, 1930-1934 Folder 8. Donnelly Divorce, 1932
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 3 Folder 9. Donnelly Divorce, 1932 Folder 10. Christmas Cards, 1933 Folder 11. Invitation List to wedding reception? 1934 Folder 12. Wedding congratulations, December 1933-January 1934 Folder 13. Wedding congratulations, December 1933-January 1934 Folder 14. Financial/Legal, 1940 Folder 15. Notes regarding James A. Reed biography, ca.1968 Folder 16. Bowl of Brass musical show, limited partnership, 1950 Folder 17. New Orleans trip, 1951 Folder 18. Arizona trip; correspondence, Taft, February 4, 1952-March 11, 1952 Folder 19. Mediterranean Cruise, 1956 Folder 20. Folder 21. Photographs, postcards, Mediterranean cruise? Fine Art, sketches, prints, Florence, Paris art Folder 22. Astrid M. Henke, education, 1957 CORRESPONDENCE Folder 23. Miscellaneous, 1929-1945 Folder 24. Labor, 1937; Legal fees, 1943 Folder 25. Personal Correspondence, Nell and David Reed to James A. Reed, 1940-1943 Folder 26. Personal, David and James A. Reed to Nell Quinlan Reed, 1942 Folder 27. Fitzgibbons Girls, 1940-1941 Folder 28. Theses, students, re: James A. Reed, 1920-1968 Folder 29. Correspondence, 1945; 1960-1963 Folder 30. Correspondence, 1964-1966 Folder 31. Correspondence, 1967-1972 BUSINESS RELATED Folder 32. Speech, Nell Quinlan Reed, re: Unions, March 18, 1937 Folder 33. Nelly Don, Donjenu dress line for college women, August 1939 Folder 34. Nelly Don, promotion, catalog of dress designs, 1941 Folder 35. Folder 36. Nelly Don at home catalogs Nelly Don, color advertising plates
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 4 BOX 002 Folder 37. Nelly Don sales contest, Kansas City Centennial planning, 1950 [folder missing 6/18/2013] Folder 38. Cavalcade of America, NBC show featuring story of Nelly Don, The Golden Needle, publicity and correspondence, January 17, 1950 Folder 39. Nelly Don, Spring Line, 1957 Folder 40. Clippings, re: Nelly Don, political, 1948-1952 Folder 41. Folder 42. PUBLICATIONS/CIVIC PUBLICATIONS Independent Woman, publication, interview with Mrs. Paul Donnelly, January 1931 Kansas Citian, publication, article re: Donnelly Garment Co., by Nell Q. Donnelly, June 25, 1929 Folder 1. Jim Reed; Senatorial Immortal, book by Lee Meriwether, 1948 Folder 2. Cosmopolitan, magazine, October and November, 1932 Folder 3. Glamour, magazine, May 1942 Folder 4. Mademoiselle, magazine, October 1942 Folder 5. As I Remember, book by Haysler Allen Poague, 1968 NEWSLETTERS Folder 6. Congressional Record, Bricker Amendment, clippings, February 3, 1954 Folder 7. Economic Council Letter, 1948-1949, 1955-1957 Folder 8. Human Events, 1956-1957 Folder 9. Paul Revere Messages, re: government control, ca 1945-1953 Folder 10. Southern States Industrial Council Bulletin, 1951-1955 Folder 11. Spotlight for the Nation, committee for constitutional government, ca.1954 Folder 12. Clippings, political, 1948-1954 Folder 13. Clippings, memos, miscellaneous, 1946-1952 CIVIC ACTIVITIES Folder 14. Kansas City Women s Chamber of Commerce, culture committee, 1950 Folder 15. Scrapbook, Lillian Murphy, Music Hall, March 30, 1951 Folder 16. Convention Hall
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 5 BOX 003 Folder 17. POLITICAL Miscellaneous Notes Folder 1. Roger Slaughter campaign, correspondence, 1946 Folder 2. Roger Slaughter campaign, 1946 Folder 3. Folder 4. Folder 5. Folder 6. Folder 7. Presidential Election, 1952, Taft for president, printed materials Presidential Elections, 1952, Taft for president, printed/published materials Campaign/ Election, 1952, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ike Taft for President Committee, correspondence, financial, March 1948-February 1952 Taft for President Committee, correspondence, financial, March 1952-May 1952 Folder 8. Taft for President Committee, tea, Mrs. KK Brown, June 3, 1952 Folder 9. Taft for President Committee, correspondence, financial, memorial, June 1952-August 1953 Folder 10. Robert A. Taft, memorial, photos, 1953-1954 Folder 11. Taft, pins Folder 12. Women for Taft club, correspondence, finance, 1952 Folder 13. Senator James P. Kemm, invitations, July 24, 1952 Folder 14. Republican Party, 1948-1952 Folder 15. GOP National Convention, 1952 Folder 16. Republican Party, 1953 Folder 17. Lem T. Jones, Jr., Republican candidate for congress 5th distr., 1954-1956 Folder 18. Republican Centennial Dinner, Hotel Muehlbach, October 1, 1954 Folder 19. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ike, 1952 Folder 20. Salute to Ike, Salute to Eisenhower, dinner, 1955, 1956 Folder 21. Women for Ike Luncheon, programs, campaign ephemera, October 22, 1956 Folder 22. McCarthy meeting, October 6, 1952 Folder 23. Clippings, McCarthy, 1954 Folder 24. McCarthy, printed materials, 1954-1957 Folder 25. United Nations, 1951-1954
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 6 BOX 004 HOLIDAY GREETING SCRAPBOOK-December 25, 1937 Western Union telegrams sent to Nell Donnelly from her employees Note: telegrams (removed from scrapbook) are placed in order of receipt beginning with LDA1 thru LDA 1016 Folder 1 LDA1-100 Folder 2 LDA 101-200 Folder 3 LDA 201-300 Folder 4 LDA 301-400 Folder 5 LDA 401-500 Folder 6 LDA 501-600 Folder 7 LDA 601-700 Folder 8 LDA 701-800 Folder 9 LDA 801-900 Folder 10 LDA 901-1016 Folder 11 [Incomplete listing] Handwritten card, Lucille Sechler and Frances Keith LDA# Last Name First Name Title Section# No. Dept. # 1 Sites Mary 517 2 Richardson Gertrude 415 12 3 Wisdom Audrey 4 Litten Iris 412 5 5 West Nettie 414 6 Carriger Clidafay 518 7 Maggio Alice 8 Voorhies Emma 9 Yoder Shirley 518 10 Walker Rada Insp. 413 11 Mace Loretta Insp. 413 12 Vining Ada 13 Raines Emilia 14 Tebbe Mildred 531 15 Weigand Effie 413 16 Cress Jennie 517 10 17 Baker Bill 99
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 7 LDA# Last Name First Name Title Section# No. Dept. # 18 Simmons Opal 19 Delaney Sallie 519 20 Roberts Daisy 711 21 Keidel Myrtle 22 Carlson Mamie 23 Martin Claris 524 24 Martindale Ancle Office Pickup 25 Vogts Aileen 711 26 Mudd Jessie 517 27 Wilkey Lucille 28 Richardson Opal 29 Clayton Rubie 524 30 Hall Lois 415 31 Smith Nina 32 Marvin / Anna 33 Davis Jessica 34 Grogan Bud 35 Pavich Angiline 413 36 Green David R. 37 Johnson Bertie 38 Stockton Lucille 61 39 Wilde Altha 40 Murphy Alma 411 41 Knox Wilma 414 42 Lowes Ruth 412 43 Rudd Gladys 412 44 Gordon Lulu 45 Foster Georgia 523 46 Dietz Dorothy 414 47 Perkins Beulah 414 48 Bryant Bernice 414 49 Bilyew Helen 414 50 McQuiston Naomi 412 51 Brown Fred V. Cutting Dept. 52 Camon Mollie 521 53 Chowning Hassie M. 54 Rudd Mattie
K0444 Ellen Nell Quinlan Donnelly Reed (1889-1991) Papers Page 8 LDA# Last Name First Name Title Section# No. Dept. # 55 Eubanks Elizabeth 521 56 Stevenson Nora 901 57 Kelly Jessie 531 58 Troutman Edna 59 Dunn James R. 60 Joy Laura E. 522 28