Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Virginia Krausmann

Virginia A. Krausmann was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 29, 1912. Krausmann’s birthplace was found on her marriage certificate, and birth date in the Social Security Death Index.

The 1920 U.S. Federal Census recorded Krausmann as the only child of Albert and Florentine. They lived in Cleveland ay 8805 Platter Avenue.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 24, 1928, reported that Krausmann took first place in the annual county oratorial contest. The Plain Dealer, September 29, 1929, said Krausmann was elected vice-president of the Inter-club Council at the Girl Reserve conference.

In the 1930 census, Krausmanns resided in Rocky River, Ohio, at 19431 Frazier Drive.

Krausmann was a senior when she received a fifth-year scholarship from the Cleveland School of Art, as reported in the Plain Dealer, May 23, 1934.

Seattle Daily times 10/20/1935

Krausmann found work at the Newspaper Enterprise Association. American Newspaper Comics (2012) said she drew Annibelle when Dorothy Urfer left the strip. Krausmann’s run was from March 1936 to October 15, 1939. When Ethyl Hayes left NEA’s Marianne, Krausmann continued it from July 3, 1938 into 1939.

The 1940 census said Krausmann lived her parents in Rocky River at 19431 Frazier Drive. She did not work in 1939.

Krausmann married Kenneth Eugene Gordon on February 1, 1941, according to their marriage certificate at the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records and Indexes at Ancestry.com. The 1940 census said Gordon was newspaper staff artist. The event was mentioned in the Plain Dealer, February 2, 1941:

Miss Virginia Krausmann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adelbert J. Krausmann, 19431 Frazier Drive, Rocky River, and Mr. Kenneth E. Gordon of Fry Avenue, Lakewood, were married yesterday afternoon at the Krausmann residence. Rev. Edwin McNeill Poteat performed the ceremony at 4. The couple will reside in Kenilworth Avenue, Lakewood. The bride was graduated from the Cleveland School of Art.

Krausmann passed away May 15, 1986, in Bay Village, Ohio, as recorded on her death certificate. Her husband passed away May 22, 2005. 

—Alex Jay