Reutlinger Family Papers, 1854-2012 (bulk: 1935-1998)
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Reutlinger family
Title: Papers, 1854-2012 (bulk: 1935-1998)
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 1.75 cubic feet in 2 boxes
Location Number: Mss. . A R447
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of the papers of several generations of a German American family of Louisville, Kentucky. Some 19th century papers from the first generation of German immigrants form a small portion of the collection. However, the bulk of the collection dates from the second half of the 20th century, with the papers of Albert Reutlinger being predominant. Included in the collection are Albert Reutlinger’s military papers and memoirs from his service in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Correspondence between members of the Reutlinger family – particularly between Albert Reutlinger and his daughter Elizabeth – also form a significant portion of the collection. Also included are some records from the retail clothing establishment Tweed & Tartan, a business operated by Elizabeth Miller Reutlinger.
Folders 1-2 contain the papers of previous generations of the Reutlinger family and allied Fox family. Of special note are the papers of Adolph and Sophia Reutlinger, a German immigrant family residing in Louisville in the late 19th century. Some papers relate to Adolph Reutlinger’s work for the German National Bank of Louisville. Also included are a wedding announcement, naturalization record, correspondence regarding an insurance policy, and pension documents for Adolph’s service in the Civil War. (Photographs of this family have been transferred to the Filson’s photo collection. (015PC37))
Folder 3 contains items relating to Albert Reutlinger’s experience as a law student at the University of Virginia in the late 1930s. Reutlinger’s membership in the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and other social organizations is especially documented.
Folders 4-16 contain documents relating to Albert Reutlinger’s service during World War II. Among his military papers are his commission and orders, manuscripts relating to his training, and a number of memoirs written during the 1980s and 90s. There is a small amount of correspondence dating from the war years. Also of interest are three posters, originating in Australia, which are notable for their anti-American sentiment. (Images of Albert Reutlinger’s unit during WWII have been transferred to the Filson’s photo collection. (015PC37))
Folder 17 consists of a few items from Reutlinger’s post-war career as a lawyer and politician.
Folders 18-47 contain family correspondence from the mid to late 20th century, especially Albert Reutlinger’s correspondence to his daughter Elizabeth. Correspondence relates family news, travel, health concerns, and finances. Leisure pursuits are also discussed, including activities such as gardening and yard work, skiing, and cooking. Albert Reutlinger’s legal cases are occasionally mentioned in passing, as are politics and world affairs.
Folder 48 contains items relating to Albert Reutlinger’s death, including his obituary, will, and notes from friends.
Folders 49-52 contain the records of Tweed & Tartan, a clothing store in Louisville operated by Elizabeth Miller Reutlinger.
Folder 53 consists of newspaper clippings, mostly dating from the late 1940s. Clippings primarily concern local politics and Reutlinger’s candidacy for the Board of Aldermen.
Folder 54 contains documents relating to the genealogy of the Fox family as well as a copy of the Fox-Montgomery family bible.
Folders 55-62 contain miscellaneous materials. Of special note is a small collection of Fontaine Fox materials, including the manuscript of a humorous essay Fox wrote following a visit to Louisville.
Volume 63 is a scrapbook created by Elizabeth Miller, ca. 1930s. The scrapbook contains memorabilia from Louisville Collegiate School, Male High School, and ephemera from her travels abroad.
All images have been transferred to the Filson’s photo collection (015PC37). (Included are photographs of several generations of the Reutlinger family, including some from the late 19th century. Also present are images of Albert Reutlinger’s unit during WWII.)
Related Collections:
Fox-Reutlinger family papers (Mss. A F791a)
Biographical Note
Albert F. Reutlinger (1917-1998) was a lawyer, public official, and veteran of World War II. Reutlinger was born in 1917 to Adolph Reutlinger and Mary Yandell Fox Reutlinger. He was the grandson of Judge Fontaine Fox, and nephew of the cartoonist Fontaine Fox. He graduated from Louisville Male High School and attended the University of Virginia, graduating from its Law School in 1940. While in the University, he joined the United States Marine Corps. In January 1941, he was called to active duty and was sent to Quantico, Virginia and then Dunedin, Florida for amphibian tractor training. After Pearl Harbor, Reutlinger was assigned to the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion, First Marine Division for the duration of World War II. Reutlinger entered the war with the rank of Lieutenant, advancing to become the Battalion’s Commanding Officer. His unit fought in the Pacific Theater, especially the Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942-1943 in the Solomon Islands. He also was involved in operations at Cape Gloucester, Peleliu Island, and Okinawa. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1957 with the rank of Colonel.
After the war, Reutlinger returned to Louisville where he took up the practice of law. In 1947, he was elected to office on Louisville’s Board of Aldermen, representing Ward 2. By the time of his retirement, he was the senior partner in a law firm that had been renamed Middleton & Reutlinger.
Albert Reutlinger married Elizabeth “Libby” Miller in 1941. The couple had three children: Mary, Barton, and Elizabeth. In 1952, Libby started selling Shetland sweaters from her home. This practice evolved into a retail clothing establishment called Tweed & Tartan, which Libby ran with the assistance of two other women, Nancy Whitsett and Kitty Harrison. Albert Reutlinger, who enjoyed woodworking in his free time, designed all of the fixtures for the store. The store (which operated at 4050 Westport Road in Louisville) closed in 1996 after diminishing sales and the inability to appeal to a younger generation.
A small collection of papers in the collection relate to Albert Reutlinger’s great-grandparents: Adolph (b. ca. 1833) & Sophia (b. ca. 1841) Reutlinger. Adolph and Sophia Reutlinger immigrated to Louisville from Germany in the mid 19th century. They had 3 children: Rudolph, Albert, and Rosa.
Folder List
Folder 1: Papers of Adolph & Sophia Reutlinger, 1854-1920
Folder 1a: Letter, Fontaine Fox, Sr. to Mary (Barton) Fox, 1882
Folder 2: Papers of Adolph & Mary (Fox) Reutlinger, 1915-1946
Folder 3: Albert Reutlinger – University of Virginia documents, 1935-1995
Folder 4: Albert Reutlinger war correspondence, 1942-1943, undated
Folder 5: Albert Reutlinger military papers, 1937-1945
Folder 6: Albert Reutlinger military papers, 1946-1957
Folder 7: Training manuscripts: “Machine Gun Marksmanship”; “Rules of the Road” for Amphibian Tractor personnel, ca. 1941
Folder 8: Membership documents for officer’s club and social organizations, 1943
Folder 9: Posters and patches, ca. 1943
Folder 10: Newspaper issues and periodicals concerning the Pacific Theater, 1942-1945
Folder 11: Maps, primarily from the Pacific Theater, 1925, 1940-1945
Folder 12: Correspondence with authors writing about the Pacific Theater, 1950-2012
Folder 13: “AFR Biography 1988.”
Folder 13a: “World War II According to A.F.R., 50 Years Later. Additives by E.M.R.”
Folder 14: Manuscripts for “World War II According to A.F.R”, 1989-1994
Folder 15: Manuscripts for “World War II According to A.F.R”, 1989-1994
Folder 15a: “Recollections.” Colonel Albert F. Reutlinger C.O., First Amphibian Tractor BN., 1st Marine Division F.M.F. Oral history interview transcript, ca. 1990.
Folder 16: Memoir, “A History of the First Amphibian Tractor Battalion, United States Marine Corps during World War II” by Albert Reutlinger, ca. 1998
Folder 17: Documents relating to Albert Reutlinger’s post-war legal and political career, 1947-1982
Folder 18: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger with Elizabeth Miller Reutlinger, 1969-1983
Folder 19: Correspondence, Albert & Elizabeth Reutlinger to Barton Reutlinger, 1968-1971, undated
Folder 20: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1967-1970
Folder 21: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1972-1973
Folder 22: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1974
Folder 23: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1975
Folder 24: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1976
Folder 25: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1977
Folder 26: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1978
Folder 27: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1979
Folder 28: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1980
Folder 29: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1981
Folder 30: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1982
Folder 31: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1983
Folder 32: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1984
Folder 33: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1985
Folder 34: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1986
Folder 35: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1987
Folder 36: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1988
Folder 37: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1989
Folder 38: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1990
Folder 39: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1991
Folder 40: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1992
Folder 41: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1993
Folder 42: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1994
Folder 43: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1995
Folder 44: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1996
Folder 45: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, 1997-1998
Folder 46: Correspondence, Albert Reutlinger to daughter Elizabeth Reutlinger, undated fragments
Folder 47: Miscellaneous Reutlinger family correspondence, 1972-ca. 1998, undated
Folder 48: Albert Reutlinger obituary, will, and correspondence re: his death, ca. 1998
Folder 49: Tweed & Tartan: Christmas catalog and exhibit notices, 1983, undated
Folder 50: Tweed & Tartan: Fixture plans & stencils for displaying clothing, undated
Folder 51: Tweed & Tartan: Account books and tax documents, ca. 1950s
Folder 52: Newspaper clippings re: Tweed & Tartan, 1957, 1996
Folder 53: Newspaper clippings re: local politics and Reutlinger family, 1946-1976, undated
Folder 54: Fox family genealogy, bible records
Folder 55: Fontaine Fox – humorous essay and Toonerville Folks cartoon clippings
Folder 56: Humorous cartoons & clippings
Folder 57: Ski vacation journal, 1987
Folder 58: Programs – graduation, confirmation, etc., 1968, 1975, undated
Folder 59: Greeting cards
Folder 60: Notes and writings by grandchildren
Folder 61: Drawings
Folder 62: Miscellaneous
Volume 63: Scrapbook belonging to Elizabeth Miller, ca. 1930s
Subject Headings
Alcoholism.
Anti-Americanism.
Busing for school integration.
Clothing trade.
Cold War.
College students – Virginia – Charlottesville.
Cooking, American.
Courts-martial and courts of inquiry.
Delta Kappa Epsilon.
Diseases – Kentucky.
Divorce.
Domestic relations.
Emigration and immigration – Kentucky – Louisville.
Erotic art.
Europe – Description and travel.
Finance, Personal.
Fisheries.
Florida – Description and travel.
Fox family.
Fox, Fontaine, 1884-1964.
Gay military personnel.
German Americans – Kentucky – Louisville.
Greek letter societies – United States.
Greeting cars.
Guadalcanal, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1942-1943.
High school girls – Kentucky.
IMP Society.
Law.
Louisville Collegiate School.
Louisville Male High School (Louisville, Ky.)
Michigan – Description and travel.
Military education.
Peleliu, Battle of, Palau, 1944.
Presidents – United States – Election – 1976.
Presidents – United States – Election – 1980.
Presidents – United States – Election – 1984.
Presidents – United States – Election – 1992.
Prohibition – Songs and music.
Propaganda, Anti-American.
Reutlinger, Adolph, b. ca. 1833.
Reutlinger, Adolph, 1890-1946.
Reutlinger, Alfred F., 1917-1998.
Reutlinger, Elizabeth Miller.
Reutlinger, Mary Yandell Fox.
Reutlinger, Sophia, b. ca. 1841.
Sewerage – Kentucky – Louisville.
Tarnower, Herman.
Tornadoes – Kentucky – Louisville.
Tracked landing vehicles.
Tweed & Tartan (Louisville, Ky.)
United States. Marine Corps. Armored Amphibian Battalion, 1st.
United States. Marines – Military life.
United States – Foreign relations – Australia.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 – Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
Watergate Affair, 1972-1974.
Women – Education.
Women – Social life and customs.
Women-owned business enterprises.
World War, 1939-1945 – Battlefields – Pacific Area.
World War, 1939-1945 – Campaigns – Japan – Okinawa Island.
World War, 1939-1945 – Equipments and supplies.
World War, 1939-1945 – Maps.
World War, 1939-1945 – Medical care.
World War, 1939-1945 – Newspapers.
World War, 1939-1945 – Naval operations, American.
World War, 1939-1945 – Personal narratives, American.
