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For over fifty years, Ruth Langland Holberg delighted children with the books she wrote for them. She was born on February 2, 1889, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Charles and Ida Langland. She married commercial artist and illustrator, Richard A. Holberg, in 1912. Living in Rockport, Massachusetts, the couple collaborated on a number of children's books, with Ruth Holberg writing and Richard Holberg illustrating.
After battling a serious illness for over two years, Richard Holberg died in 1942. Ruth Holberg continued to write until her death at 95 on April 13, 1984 In addition to her children's stories, Holberg also wrote poetry. She was a regular contributor to the New York Sun and such magazines as Scribners, Saturday Review and Nation. Holberg was also the author of two cookbooks. She is listed in Who's Who of American Women (1975-1976); Dictionary of International Biography (1974); Contemporary Authors (1970); and the Dictionary of British and American Writers (1974); among others.
The Ruth Langland Holberg Papers consist of diaries, journals, correspondence, manuscripts, published material, research material, financial information, photographs and several books. Correspondence, spanning sixty-six years, from 1911 to 1977, is both personal and professional in nature and is arranged chronologically. The diaries are descriptive and reflective and contain entries by both Ruth and Richard Holberg. Of note is a "consciousness" journal written by Ruth Holberg. There is evidence that she may have been preparing this journal for publication or for submission to the Theosophical Society. It provides great insight into Holberg's inner feelings, aspirations and motivations.
Manuscripts consist of novels (some of which have been revised a half dozen times), short stories and poetry. Each segment is arranged alphabetically by title. Notes within the research material series tend to correspond to titles of Holberg's stories and document Holberg's factual presentation of places and time periods in her stories.
Financial material consists of payment notebooks, contracts and royalty statements. Contracts and royalties are arranged alphabetically by publisher. The remainder of the collection includes two of Ruth Holberg's sketchbooks, some dust jackets for her books, collected printed matter, memorabilia, and books. The packages contain oversize sketches and two records of Holberg's stories being read. Included are Eighty-six (86) photographs of Holberg, her family and friends.