Grede Family Collection
Inclusive Dates
circa 1947 – 1973
Abstract
Collection of 57 reels of 16mm film, mostly home movies shot by William J. Grede and his son-in-law Burleigh Jacobs, both of the Milwaukee area. The collection was donated by Jacobs' son, the late Chicago-based filmmaker and writer Scott Jacobs.
Collection Items
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at
info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
- 1/26/49 Wm Gredes + Pete Kreulen Family Leaving Res in Elm Grove For Europe #1
- #2 Edinburgh to London
- #3 London Windsor Cambridge Canterbury Dover
- 4/19/47 Wally Davis - Betty Grede Wedding / 8/2/47 Grandpa Weiss - Margaret Grede Birthday Party Featuring Mary Leigh Jacobs and Jimmy [Bellin?] / 8/3/47 Mary Leigh and Her Daddy + Fryor Boys at Lac La Belle
- #7 Elm Grove to Edinburgh
- #7 Florence to Italian Border
- 16 220074 12-18
- 1947-48
- 1948 - WM Grede - Picnic + Stuff
- 1949 - 1950 / Fall 1949 - Winter 49-50 / Scott Baptism 1950 / Summer + Fall 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1955
- 1955 Gulf Hills
- 1956
- 1958 - Mem Day Parade [?] / Nursery School Grad Party / Mary Girl Scout Party / Swim Lessons - Hoopla - Susan's Birthday - Grede Party - Xmas 1958
- 220074 16mm #26-30
- 220074 19-25
- Abe [H...?] 1967 Spring ULS graduation
- Athens Stereo Color Transparencies (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- Avignon to Pisa #5
- Belgium to Lisbon
- Color [S...?]
- Country Cousins
- Dairymens - 1959 [Scott + Brian?]
- Denmark to Westerdam - Home #10
- Europe?
- Florida 1954 April
- Grandma Jacobs 90th Birthday - Jan 7 - 1957
- Grede Foundry Sound
- Grede of Milwaukee by Craig Miner (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- Gredes - Oscar Woehlkes / Arizona Royal Palms - 1948
- Hengelo Home
- Hengelo to Amsterdam / Marken / Eindhoven / ZeeLand - [Palia?] / Scheveningen
- Hoek - Off - Holland - On - Westerdam 11
- Holland
- Holland Paris To Berne
- Indian Guides
- Iron Mountain 1947 Jacobs-Pryer / Lac La Belle - Wauwatosa - [Fott's?] New House
- Istanbul Stereo Color Transparencies (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- June 1949 - Dec 1949 Glidden Lodge - White Sulpher - Hot Springs
- Kreulen Families in Hengelo
- Locerne to Copenhagen #9
- Mary-Bruce 1947-48
- Mr Grede Speaks
- Northernaire Dunes
- Old B+W Silent #3
- Ostend to Avignon #4
- Phoenix 1967 McBride's
- Pisa to Florence #6
- Rob Davis Color Transparencies (Paper or Photographic Materials)
- Switzerland to Interlaken #8
- Those Grede Girls and Their Remarkable Families
- Those Grede Girls and Their Remarkable Families
- Those Grede Girls and Their Remarkable Families
- Unknown
- [Untitled]
- [Untitled]
- [Untitled]
- Vacation - 1957 Gettysburg - Washington D.C. - Annapolis - Williamsburg / Yorktown - Jamestown 350th Anniv. Charlottesville - Montecello -
- Voss - California / Simonson - Portland / Vacation - Biloxi
- Warren S. O'Brien Studios 35 E. Broadway Waukesha Wisc
- Xmas 1956? / ALG - Mary + Dick Grede / Forest St.
Collection Identifier
C.2019-03
Extent of Collection
57 reels of 16mm film totaling approximately 13,900 feet; 19 stereoscopic slides; 8 35mm slides; one book; 6 DVDs
Language Of Materials
English
Custodial History
Previously stored with William J. Grede's grandson Scott Jacobs before being donated to CFA in January 2019.
Related Materials
William J. Grede's papers are held at the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to on-site access. Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Use Restrictions
CFA holds the copyright to the films in this collection.
Creators
Grede, William J.
(was created by)
William J. Grede was born in Milwaukee on February 24, 1897, the son of Henry L. and Fanny G. (Kunkel) Grede. He attended Milwaukee public schools, graduated from South Division High School, and was a student at the University of Wisconsin from 1915 to 1917. He left the university in the fall of 1917 to work at Wagner Castings Company, a family friend's foundry in Decatur, Illinois. The next year, after officer's training school, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army Infantry. Shortly after the World War I armistice he returned to his work in Decatur and in 1919 married his high school sweetheart Margaret Weiss of Milwaukee. They had two daughters, Janet and Betty, who they raised in the suburb of Elm Grove just west of Milwaukee.
In 1920, at 23 years old, Grede purchased the Liberty Foundry in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. By 1932, Grede had acquired two more foundries, and in 1940 the three Grede-owned foundries were united as Grede Foundries Incorporated. Over the next decade, the company grew to seven foundries—four in Wisconsin, one in Michigan, and two in Kansas—making it the largest private foundry in America. He was elected president of the Wisconsin Manufacturer's Association in 1945, and dubbed "The Boy Foundryman of the Midwest" when he became head of the National Manufacturers Association (NAM) in 1950.
Grede was also a prominent conservative, strongly opposing unionization at his plants and frequently lobbying before Congress. In 1950, in order to keep the last conservative press in the area in operation, Grede and his brother Arthur purchased a firm which published small town weekly newspapers in Wauwatosa, Brookfield, and Elm Grove. He served as Robert Taft's campaign finance chairman in 1952, and became one of the first members of the conservative John Birch Society in 1958.
Grede was heavily involved with the Young Men's Christian Organization (YMCA) beginning in 1926. In 1940 he was appointed to the National Council of YMCAs, and from 1952 to 1954 he served as president of the International YMCA. As head of the YMCA, he spent much of the '50s traveling around the world opening new Y's in Europe, Israel, Egypt, India, and other countries.
Grede died at 92 in 1989 in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Jacobs, Burleigh E.
(was created by)
In 1920, at 23 years old, Grede purchased the Liberty Foundry in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. By 1932, Grede had acquired two more foundries, and in 1940 the three Grede-owned foundries were united as Grede Foundries Incorporated. Over the next decade, the company grew to seven foundries—four in Wisconsin, one in Michigan, and two in Kansas—making it the largest private foundry in America. He was elected president of the Wisconsin Manufacturer's Association in 1945, and dubbed "The Boy Foundryman of the Midwest" when he became head of the National Manufacturers Association (NAM) in 1950.
Grede was also a prominent conservative, strongly opposing unionization at his plants and frequently lobbying before Congress. In 1950, in order to keep the last conservative press in the area in operation, Grede and his brother Arthur purchased a firm which published small town weekly newspapers in Wauwatosa, Brookfield, and Elm Grove. He served as Robert Taft's campaign finance chairman in 1952, and became one of the first members of the conservative John Birch Society in 1958.
Grede was heavily involved with the Young Men's Christian Organization (YMCA) beginning in 1926. In 1940 he was appointed to the National Council of YMCAs, and from 1952 to 1954 he served as president of the International YMCA. As head of the YMCA, he spent much of the '50s traveling around the world opening new Y's in Europe, Israel, Egypt, India, and other countries.
Grede died at 92 in 1989 in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Burleigh Jacobs was born February 3, 1920, and grew up in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Salutatorian of the Wauwatosa High School Class of 1938, Burleigh was All-Conference in Basketball and the Wisconsin State High School Golf Champion. He won the 1939 Wisconsin State Amateur Championship and captained the University of Wisconsin golf team in the early 1940s. At UW-Madison he was Senior Class President, graduating Cum Laude from the Business School in 1942. The next year, Jacobs married Janet Grede; they would have four children (Mary, Bruce, Bill and Scott) over the next several years.
Jacobs served as an Aviation Supply Officer in the Pacific during World War II. In 1945, Jacobs took a job with Grede Foundries, owned by his father-in-law William Grede. By 1950 he was heading Grede’s steel division, and he became president of Grede Foundry in 1960. Burleigh served as president of the Steel Founders' Society of America (1967-1969) and president of the American Foundry Society (1972). Active in civic affairs for many decades, Burleigh served as one of the founding families of Brookfield Academy in 1962 and was president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee YMCA and a board member (40 years). Jacobs was inducted into the Wisconsin Golf Hall of Fame in 1970.
Jacobs passed away on March 8, 2019.
Jacobs, Scott
(was source of)
Jacobs served as an Aviation Supply Officer in the Pacific during World War II. In 1945, Jacobs took a job with Grede Foundries, owned by his father-in-law William Grede. By 1950 he was heading Grede’s steel division, and he became president of Grede Foundry in 1960. Burleigh served as president of the Steel Founders' Society of America (1967-1969) and president of the American Foundry Society (1972). Active in civic affairs for many decades, Burleigh served as one of the founding families of Brookfield Academy in 1962 and was president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee YMCA and a board member (40 years). Jacobs was inducted into the Wisconsin Golf Hall of Fame in 1970.
Jacobs passed away on March 8, 2019.
Scott William Jacobs was born in Shorewood, Wisconsin to Burleigh and Janet Jacobs on March 27, 1950. Scott spent a lifetime in journalism, first with the Harvard Crimson followed by several years with the Milwaukee Sentinel and the Chicago Sun-Times, where he was the urban affairs reporter. Leaving print reporting, he entered the emerging world of video journalism, free-lancing a variety of stories that interested him. As an independent documentary producer, he co-founded the Center for New Television and the editing house Independent Programming Associates. His video documentaries have aired on PBS and A&E, and include True Life Video Stories, Royko at The Goat, Those Grede Girls, and Saudi Arabia: A Complicated Ally. Throughout his life, Scott avidly followed and reported on local and national politics, particularly presidential campaigns. In addition to a portfolio of books and screenplays, he wrote a weekly blog under the pseudonym Stump Connolly, and completed his sixth published book Told You So! Donald Trump: The Awful Years shortly before his death. Jacobs passed away at age 71 on October 21, 2021. He is survived by his wife Lucy Domino Jacobs and sons Nick Jacobs, Justin Jacobs, and Ben Jacobs.