Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Cowan, Wood |
| Title: | Wood Cowan Papers |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1920-1965 |
| Quantity: | 16 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Original cartoons, illustrations, sketches, proofs, clippings, published material, scripts and correspondence. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives |
Biographical History
Woodson Messick Cowan (1889-1977), commonly known as Wood Cowan, was an American cartoonist, illustrator and painter.
Originally from Algona, Iowa, Cowan attended the University of Iowa before pursuing art studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. Cowan started in the newspaper business as a sports writer and cartoonist for the George Matthew Adams Syndicate in New York City (1920-1927). During this period he produced sports cartoons and worked on a number of various comic strip titles including Vivian the Vamp, Them Were the Days and Mom 'n' Pop. In 1946, Cowan briefly worked on George Ahern's comic strip Our Boarding House, featuring the popular Major Hoople character. Beginning in 1949, Cowan served as editorial cartoonist for the Bridgeport (Conn.) Evening Post (1949-1959), and then for the New Haven Register (1960-1969).
Wood Cowan was also a prolific illustrator and painter throughout his career. He contributed work to a wide variety of popular magazines including the New Yorker and Argosy, and illustrated numerous book publications. In addition, his paintings were featured in gallery exhibitions in Westport, Conn. (1964), Darien, Conn. (1968), Norwalk, Conn. (1970) and Jekyll Island, Ga. (1972).
A long time resident of Connecticut, Cowan served two terms in the state legislature there (1953-1957) and did a single term as First Selectman for the town of Weston (1957-1959).
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Wood Cowan Papers consists primarily of cartoons, illustrations, and a small amount of memorabilia.
Cartoons includes both original art and proofs of various strips Cowan drew. The entire range of his cartoon work is represented including approximately 50 original sports cartoons, 300 original editorial cartoons and hundreds of original cartoons from many of the comic strip titles that Cowan worked on, including Vivian the Vamp, Carrie and Her Car, Them Were the Days, Mom 'n' Pop, Sissy, and others.
Illustrations contains a broad sampling of Cowan's magazine and book illustration work (original sketches, drawings, proofs and clippings). This work includes his Teen Tips series, Flying (A) Andy panels, Western Greats panels and sketches for Iowa Cracker Barrel, his tribute to his Iowa prairie roots.
Memorabilia contains a few pieces of correspondence, some cartoons by others, clippings about Cowan as well as of his sports cartoons, and a few photographs.
Arrangement of the Collection
Comic strips and titled illustration work are grouped together by title and arranged in chronological order. Sports and editorial cartoons are grouped separately and arranged in alphabetical order by title. There are multiple packages that contain loose groupings of miscellaneous materials. Please note that a complete inventory and reprocessing of the collection is pending. Contact the Repository for more information.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
Special Collections Research Center has collections of over one hundred cartoonists. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.
Subject Headings
Persons
Subjects
Genres and Forms
Occupations
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Wood Cowan Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Bulk of collection, gift of Wood Cowan, 1966 and Thaddeus Cowan, 1977.
One original cartoon, "Bill Edwards, the Wilton Whizz," gift of Jeffrey Schwartz, 2021.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: --
Date: 1977
Revision history: 6 Jan 2009 - converted to EAD (MD);
29 Sep 2025 - addition processed, entire collection rehoused (MRC)
Inventory
| Cartoons | |||||||||||
| Auto Bugs and Bunnies | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Original panel illustrations [1920s] (5 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 2 | Proofs [1920s] (8 items) | ||||||||||
| The Berry's Family Album - unclear if same as the cartoon "The Berrys" by Carl Grubert | |||||||||||
| Oversize 2 | Original panel illustrations (102 items in 4 folders) | ||||||||||
| See also Miscellaneous : original sheet illustrations in Oversize 3 below. | |||||||||||
| Bonehead Bowlers | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Proof pages (3 items) | ||||||||||
| Carrie and her car | |||||||||||
| Folder 1 | Original illustrated sheet - FRAGILE, handle with care; labeled simply as "Carrie", but same character | ||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Proof pages [1920s] (4 items) | ||||||||||
| Dr. Merrywell, Family Doctor | |||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Photostats of original panels [1950s] (15 items) | ||||||||||
| Editorial cartoons - original panel illustrations, arranged alphabetically by caption | |||||||||||
| Oversize 5 | A-M (109 items) (5 folders) | ||||||||||
| "A tap now—or 'The rap' later?"
"All the old pump needs is a little priming" "An expert on our biggest problem" "—and he'll take off bag and baggage!" "And this isn't even the first team!" "Any New Haven street corner" "Anybody's ball?" "Anything else we can do for you fellows?" "April shower" "Are other nations going to make our laws?" "Are there gonna be any parks, Mister?" "At the campaign crossroads" "Barnum Festival" "Beat the drums!" "Better make those two threads stronger" "Better not go too far, boys" "Big shots in the dark" "Boiling water was then poured in the trough from kettles hung on poles nearby" "Build that dam higher!" "But, Mother! We'd rather do it ourselves" "Buying thru highways on the installment plan, or 'Give and Take'" "Can't hold back progress" "Checking the children on next year's route" "Come on, step into line" "Congressman Al Morano:" "Count your blessings" "Cruel and inhuman treatment" "Dangerous curve ahead—" "Design for health" "Dig deeper" "Dig those dollars!" "Does Westport want this forever?" "Don't kill Santa Claus!" "The end of a successful voyage" "Every accommodation-always a warm welcome here" "Fence him out" "Fill for the thruway means deep water for shipping (One hand helps the other)" "Fill it and push it over the top" "Five reasons" "Flyin' high" "For this I give thanks" "A forward pass that should be declared out of bounds" "Fruit of the tree" "Future spending" "Gates open to link Connecticut and New York" "Get in step-join the Big Parade" "Get rid of these extra gadgets. All we need is a car that'll take us places" "Get your ammunition here, folks!" "A gigantic sponge" "Give him protection" "Give him the full treatment" "The gobblins will get you" "Good advice" "Has anyone got a peace-pipe?" "Headlines and haircuts" "He coming bag and pocket book(?)" "He looks pretty healthy" "Heh! One of you guys grab that string!!" "He's been a good boy" "He's in for another surprise, too" "He's in the high income bracket" "Hey! Open the door, it's Richard again!" "The Hoarder" "He's loaded!" "Help!" "Help keep her hands filled" "Hey, take it easy! Remember my life is in your hands" "How Connecticut highways are built" "Hum-m-m. How does that sound?" "I could pay for it" "If I had t'find a place t'park in this town I'd never be able to make deliveries" "If you fellows don't get your work done, you'll have to stay after school" "I'll take him in the first round" "In the past year" "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" "It means a lot to him" "It was ever thus" "It's a late planting season" "It's been cold outside" "Just a sprinkle" "Keep 'em dancing" "Keep on rolling motor wheels" "Kick off to a winning goal" "Last year's skate just won't fit" "(the above two are Kowalski's senatorial ambitions)" "Leading the parade" "Let Grand-paw decide" "Let's do a little horn tooting" "Let's do some selling ourselves" "Lets get some real use out of it" "Let's get that relief road built" "Let's join the parade" "Let's leave the hole to the bulldozers" "Let's ring that bell" "The life and achievements of Igor I Sikorsky" "The light that You must not fail" "Log jam " "Log jam in our Federal Courts" "Looks like brighter days ahead" "Making it hard to deliver the goods" "The modern Simon Legree" "More at home would help" "More elbow room" "Move over, boys" "The moving finger writes—" "Must we come to this!" "My, how you've grown!" |
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| Oversize 6 | N-Y (91 items in 5 folders) | ||||||||||
| "New Year's resolutions"
"New Year's taxes" "No more poultry on the highway" "Now for the House and Senate!" "OK'd all around" "One more reason to hurry the construction of the Nutmeg Turnpike" "One way traffic" "Our own coronation" "Out to make friends and influence people" "Over the river—or through the woods?" "Propaganda platform" "Putting Connecticut on the international map" "The red carpet for the Vice President" "(the above two are Quit triffling, boys, there's work to be done)" "Retrieving the Old Skimmer" "Riding a pot-holder, or a magic carpet?" "Road-block" "Same tangle" "Scenic Housatonic route would solve this problem" "Send old toys to the Westport Junior Womans Club" "She just keeps traveling along" "The ship and the bottle-neck" "Sit down! The majority oppose" "Sifting 'em out - Running 'em through the sieve" "Smoke rings the school bell" "Something's got to be done about this!!" "Something's got to give and soon" "The sooner we have it the better" "Sounds like a reasonable request" "Speaker Sam Rayburn" "Special this week —polio shots" "Special this week—polio shots - only 50t" "Start planning now" "A step in the right direction" "Step inside gentleman let me show you what New Haven has to offer you" "Step right up boys, it's your money I'm passing out" "Step up and—ring the bell" "Stepping into the picture" "Stop the run" "Take your choice" "Teeing off at Jekyll" "Thanks, pal!!" "That arm has a lot of muscle" "That taxi's at the door" "They both hold the same amount of water" "They're both loaded" "Time for rebuilding—all around" "Time to start the sweeping" "Time to trim his sails" "Things look purty peaceful across the river" "This is REALLY spooky!" "This happens—and who is to blame?" "And this was to be a spring clean-up job?" "The thundering herd" "To Helen, with affection from Wood Cowan" "Two big improvements for the South End" "An unseasonal dream" "Up—and away!" "Water over the dam [2 cartoons]" "We aren't going to let anything stand in our way to get you down here—and quick!!" "We do need that thruway bridge" "We must fill in the valleys" "We need the thruway for traffic relief, and YOU back the highway commissioner ... OR ELSE!!" "We'll all reap the harvest" "Welcome" "Welcome City Hall" "A welcome shot in the arm" "Welcome Stranger" "Welfare chiseler" "We'll bet on the horse" "Well, where DO you want the expressway to go?" "Were going places! " "Westport schoolmarm" "Westport traffic puzzle" "What next, little man?" "Without your help someone gets left out" "Which one reflects the good student" "Win—Place—Show—" "Women of Connecticut" "Wood Cowan sketches some of those attending the G.O.P. Convention" "Wrapping the Christmas packages" "Ya-hoo, school's out!" "You are now entering New York" "You are the people I want to talk to!!" "You can't lose your shadow" "You have TWO years to solve these" "The youngsters want a ride in Daddy's car" |
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| Oversize 3 | "Water over the dam" - original panel illustrations | ||||||||||
| Editorial cartoons, untitled - original panel illustrations | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Miscellaneous (37 items in 2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 7 | Miscellaneous (97 items in 4 folders) | ||||||||||
| General Izzy Mo and his horse Radish | |||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Original panel illustrations, proof page, photostat of strips (10 items) | ||||||||||
| Keen Trailer | |||||||||||
| Oversize 8 | Original illustrated strips [1940s] (13 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Scripts, typed | ||||||||||
| Marty McGee | |||||||||||
| Oversize 8 | Original illustrated strips [1940s] (24 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Proof of strips [1940s] | ||||||||||
| Mom 'n Pop | |||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Promotional poster [1920s] | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Proofs [1929] | ||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Scrapbook of proof strips [1920s] (3 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oh, Diana | |||||||||||
| Oversize 9 | Original illustrated strips 1948-1949 (10 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Proof sheets of weekly strips 1947-1948 (22 items) | ||||||||||
| Our Boarding House...with...Major Hoople - unclear if same comic as "Our Boarding House" | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Proofs of Cowan's work 1936-1939 (15 folders) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Sketches, with typescript text 1925-1926 | ||||||||||
| Sissy | |||||||||||
| Oversize 9 | Original illustrated strip panels [1940s] (81 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Original illustrated panel, miscellaneous proof pages [1940s] (22 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | proof strips [1940s] (15 items) | ||||||||||
| Sport thrills | |||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Original illustrated strips (61 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Proof copies | ||||||||||
| Oversize 4 | Scrapbooks - 2 scrapbooks of proof strips, one lncluding typed scripts | ||||||||||
| The Store League | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Original illustrations [1920s] (3 items) | ||||||||||
| Such is Golf | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Original panel illustrations [1920s] (2 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Proof pages [1920s] (10 items) | ||||||||||
| Them were the days | |||||||||||
| Oversize 10 | Flongs, A-Fi [1920s] - paper moulds used in the cartoon printing process; arranged alphabetically by strip title (39 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 11 | Flongs, Fo-S [1920s] - paper moulds used in the cartoon printing process; arranged alphabetically by strip titlearranged alphabetically by strip title (34 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Metal printing plates, "The First Kentucky Derby" [1920s] - zinc plates used to create the flongs (6 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 12 | Metal printing plates [1920s] - zinc plates used to create the flongs | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Promotional materials [1920s] | ||||||||||
| Oversize 15 | Promotional posters | ||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Proof sheets of strips [1920s] - arranged alphabetically by strip title (44 items) (6 folders) | ||||||||||
| Box 2 | Scripts [1920s] - typed scripts for cartoon strips; arranged alphabetically by strip title (12 folders) | ||||||||||
| Ticklel Tape ["Ticker Tape"] | |||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Original panel illustrations (43 items in 2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Vivian the Vamp | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Original panel strip illustrations [1920s] (4 items) | ||||||||||
| We only work here | |||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Original panel illustrations (9 items) | ||||||||||
| Windy Winters | |||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Scrapbook of strip proofs | ||||||||||
| Miscellaneous | |||||||||||
| Box 3 | Original panel illustrations (23 items in 2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Original panel illustrations (10 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 7 | Original panel illustrations (12 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Original sheet illustrations (3 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Proof sheets (12 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Scrapbook [1940s?] - miscellaneous strips Cowan worked on | ||||||||||
| Box 3 | Scripts | ||||||||||
| Illustrations | |||||||||||
| Box 3 | Banking related - original illustrations (13 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 15 | Banking related - original illustrations (7 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 3 | Card designs - original illustrations (6 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Caricatures - original illustrations (7 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 7 | Caricatures - original illustrations (4 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 3 | Cradled on Main Street - miscellaneous rough sketches and mockup for an unpublished book, similar to "Iowa Cracker Barrel" (2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Family Album | |||||||||||
| Folder 1 | Original large sheet colored illustrations - risque sexually-themed nudes | ||||||||||
| Famous Figures of the Old West | |||||||||||
| Box 3 | Original panel illustrations - includes prototype and 2 copies of published Monarch book Western Greats (1965 with Tom Curry) (60 items) (4 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Original panel illustrations (4 items) | ||||||||||
| Flying Andy - Andy was the company mascot for Tidewater Associated Oil, which Cowan drew (and possibly wrote), for its publication the "Flying A News" | |||||||||||
| Box 3 | Original illustrations [1950s] (2 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 7 | Original illustration panels [1950s] (3 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 3 | Magazine clippings of Flying A column [1950s] - first folder also contains typescript of Jan 1952 column | ||||||||||
| Box 4 | Magazine clippings of Flying A column [1950s] (2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Magazine clippings of Flying A column [1950s] | ||||||||||
| In the spotlight of sport | |||||||||||
| Box 4 | Original illustrations, proof sheet | ||||||||||
| Oversize 6 | Original panel illustrations (10 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Proof pages | ||||||||||
| Iowa Cracker Barrel | |||||||||||
| Box 4 | Original illustrations - includes 2 copies of 1972 book published by Artists & Writers Service Publishers (7 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Original illustrations (13 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 14 | Painting | ||||||||||
| Puppet Show - uses as advertising for Eskimo Pie Corporation | |||||||||||
| Box 4 | Photostats of characters, with descriptions [1954] | ||||||||||
| Box 4 | Scripts, production notes, legal contract [1954] - includes photo of puppet show | ||||||||||
| Oversize 6 | Sketches and illustrations [1954] (12 items, including 2 paintings) | ||||||||||
| Some people can't remember names - alternate title written on pages: "It's smart to be dumb" | |||||||||||
| Box 5 | Original illustrations and typescript text | ||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | Original illustration | ||||||||||
| Sporty | |||||||||||
| Box 5 | Original illustrations (6 items) | ||||||||||
| A Strange Tale | |||||||||||
| Oversize 6 | Original illustrations (2 items) | ||||||||||
| Teen tips - written by Sally Burton Simpson and illustrated by Wood Cowan; probably published somewhere between the 1930s-1950s | |||||||||||
| Box 5 | Original panel illustrations (119 items in 3 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 14 | Proofs; clipping about Simpson | ||||||||||
| Oversize 14 | Scrapbook of original panel illustrations (2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 13 | "Wanted: Dead or Alive" poster - printed item | ||||||||||
| Miscellaneous | |||||||||||
| Oversize 2 | Original illustrations (8 items) | ||||||||||
| Oversize 14 | Original illustrations (12 items) | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Sketches (34 items) | ||||||||||
| Memorabilia | |||||||||||
| Box 5 | Adams Features - promotional materials | ||||||||||
| Artists & Writers Service - company which reresented Cowan's work, where he was president and editor | |||||||||||
| Box 5 | Address list | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Business cards | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Promotional materials | ||||||||||
| Oversize 14 | Scrapbook | ||||||||||
| Oversize 3 | Cartoon sheets by others (4 items) | ||||||||||
| Clippings | |||||||||||
| Box 5 | About Cowan | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | By Cowan 1930, 1951-1961, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | "Sport oddities" 1933, 1946-1948, undated | ||||||||||
| Oversize 14 | "Sport stories dope" [1940s] | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Miscellaneous | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Correspondence 1956 | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Membership card, "Self-Kicking Club of America" 1938 | ||||||||||
| Box 5 | Photographs of Cowan | ||||||||||