[Archive] A Cache of Gallup Family Letters, 1930-32; 1965

A cache of 10 Gallup family letters with surprisingly good personal content relating to the first two Gallup patriarchs: George Henry Gallup and George Horace "Ted" Gallup (1901-84), founder of the American Institute of Public Opinion in 1935 (which evolved into the Gallup Organization). The collection includes five holograph letters from George Henry to his children Ted, Net, and Gladys (1930-31); and four other related family letters dating from the same period (1931-32). Also included is a significant 1965 letter from the third Gallup patriarch (George Horace, Jr.), "who led the firm that his father made all but synonymous with polling and expanded it to become a barometer of Americans’ views on religion as well as their political attitudes". (N.Y. Times). George Horace Gallup, inventor of the Gallup poll, was born in Jefferson, Iowa. Known as "Ted", he attended the University of Iowa and served as head of the Department of Journalism at Drake University until 1931. He established his reputation in 1936, when he correctly predicted that Franklin Roosevelt would defeat Alfred Landon for the U.S. presidency. As noted in the extracts from the letters listed below, all three Gallups were political animals. An historically significant collection, all ten letters are very good or better, with a few of the original envelopes retained: I. George Henry Gallup to Ted, Net, and Gladys, 1930-31 1. [To Ted]. ALS. Octavo. 1p. Cape Horn, Washington: May 17, 1930. George has enclosed "some stuff for a political article" for Ted to review [not present]: "It is simple enough and practical enough and news enough to get a place in the *Saturday Evening Post* … It is a practical application of my system of phrenology but no one would guess it. Now please help me as soon as you can …" 2. [To Ted]. ALS. Octavo. 2pp. Cape Horn, Washington: May 19, 1930. George has enclosed and additional sheet of notes [present], re: "four factors to be contrasted … independence, dependence, domination and subjection" as they pertain to the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States. He also refers to "an article up for Gladys on the first four years of child culture that should go over with a bang …" 3. [To Net] ALS. Octavo. 1p. Cape Horn, Washington: August 12, 1931. George refers to Ted’s application for a research job at Northwestern University and his "splendid endorsement coming from the president of Drake University …" 4. [To Net]. ALS. Octavo. 1p. Cape Horn, Washington: August 20, 1931. Includes second sheet with mounted clipping of a poem (Gustave Nadaud’s Glorious "Carcassonne") with an autograph note by Gladys. George remarks that this poem "hit me" and requests that she share it with "each of the children". 5. [To Gladys]. ALS. Octavo. 1p. Cape Horn, Washington: December 26, 1931. Refers to Christmas presents from his children. II. Gladys Gallup to Ted, 1931-32 6. [To Ted]. ALS. Quarto. 1p. Pullman, Washington [circa 1931-32]. Gladys refers to "more letters" by their father that he might want to keep. 7. [To "Dr. George H. Gallup"]. ALS. Quarto. 3pp. Pullman, Washington, [April 1932 postmark on envelope]. Possibly missing the first page: the envelope is addressed to "Dr. George H. Gallup". A personal letter, re: the health of her parents: "she is feeble and Dad wouldn’t want her to suffer," and with references to Ted. III. Edna to George Henry Gallup, 1931 8. ALS. Square 12mo. 4pp. West Hartford, Connecticut: September 5, 1931. Edna discusses her two "little girls," one of whom, "in her general make up and disposition is all ‘Gallup’", and comments on George’s "outline … for a child’s training during the first three years …" IV. Aunt Ada to Nellie, 1932 9. ALS. Octavo. 6pp. Murray, Iowa: March 9, 1932. A long personal letter about a legal matter regarding their home in Iowa; and with several references to Gladys and John Gallup and to George. V. George Horace Gallup, Jr. (III) to "Pop", 1965 10. Typed Letter (Signed in type "George"). Quart.…