The George Ade Papers

George Ade (1866-1944).

George Ade was born in Kentland, Indiana, and graduated from Purdue University in 1887, where he displayed interest in the literary field. He did journalistic work in Lafayette, Indiana, until 1890, when he moved to Chicago and started work on the Chicago Daily News (later renamed The Chicago News Record, then The Chicago Record). He was a prolific writer and often collaborated with college classmate John T. McCutcheon, the renowned cartoonist. While working for The Chicago Record, his foible-laden character sketches on Artie (1896), Pink Marsh (1897), and Doc Horne (1899) began to appear, which included sketches by John T. McCutcheon. Ade wrote his first successful play, The Sultan of Sulu, in 1902; he later went on to write Peggy from Paris (1903), The Sho-Gun (1904), and The College Widow (1904). His summer home ("Hazelden") near Brook, Indiana, was built in 1903, and Ade's hospitality in the home brought him even more fame. Along with David Ross, he contributed to the building of Ross-Ade Stadium at Purdue University. He was the principal founder of the Sigma Chi Fraternity house at Purdue, as well.

The George Ade Collection is comprised of authored books and manuscripts of his fables, such as 'Banking,' 'Anything is Good to Eat,' 'When Indiana Was Really Hoosier,' and 'My Opinion - As An Expert.' A finding aid (inventory) is available to assist researchers in locating information in the collection.