Josephine Hirons Pullen papers

Collection

Identifier: IWA0241

Staff Only
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Scope and Contents

The Josephine Hirons Pullen papers date from 1949 to 1996 and measure 2.5 linear inches. The papers are arranged in two series: Biographical material and Writings.

The Biographical material consists of newspaper clippings that document Pullen's poetry-book signings and various community activities. Also included is a People magazine article in which Pullen described the difficulties faced by her small farm community of Early, Iowa, in the 1980s.

The Writings series includes copies of the Ida News, for which Pullen wrote a column called "Ida Says.I" ncluded also are copies of Acres of News, a newsletter for the residents of the Wesley Acres Retirement Community, for which Pullen wrote a column called "I Was Just Thinking...", and one copy of each of her five published books of poetry entitled Poems Book I: This Mustard Seed, Poems Book II: Growing Season, Poems Book III: Kaleidoscope, Poems Book IV: People and Places, and Poems Book V: Turn, Turn, Turn. The last folder contains a photograph of Pullen at an amateur art exhibition in 1972.

Dates

Creation: 1949-1996

Creator

Pullen, Josephine Hirons, 1912- (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

With the exception of her five books of poetry, for which the donor retains copyright, copyright held by the donor has been transferred to The University of Iowa.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

Josephine "Jo" Hirons Pullen, teacher, artist, poet and author, was born to Frank G. Hirons and Edith Culp Hirons on December 3, 1912 on a farm outside of Early, Iowa. Josephine Hirons graduated in 1933 from the Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) with degrees in art, English, and drama. Along with her interest in art, she displayed a life-long interest in poetry and writing.

Hirons taught art in various Iowa schools until she married Charles Pullen in 1938. The couple moved to Ida Grove, Iowa, where Jo Pullen assisted her husband in starting a rural electric co-op, a local business cooperative that provided electricity for rural homes in the Ida Grove area. During this time, Pullen also began writing a column titled "Ida Says" for the Ida Grove newsletter Ida News, which was published by her husband´s company.

Pullen resumed teaching art in the early 1960s in Ida Grove, but returned to Early, Iowa, a few years after her husband´s death in 1972. Pullen continued to write and began having poetry published in 1978. She later wrote articles for Acres of News, the newsletter of a local retirement community.