A History of Raggedy Ann by Ann Crabtree        Still going strong after 95 years, Raggedy Ann and Andy continue to bring love and happiness into the hearts of little girls and collectors alike! According to legend, in 1908 Johnny Gruelle created Raggedy Ann as a little rag doll for his young daughter Marcella, and that the idea for Raggedy Ann was sparked in Gruelle's imagination by an old family rag doll he found in his mother's attic. With a new face, expertly painted by Gruelle himself, the doll became a favorite plaything of Marcella's, who called her little doll "Raggedy Ann" (a name supposedly inspired by two James Whitcomb Riley poems, "The Raggedy Man" and "Little Orphant Annie").        Several years later, Gruelle wrote some poems about Raggedy Ann. These were never published, but Gruelle had begun including rag dolls in many of his cartoons, usually shown trailing from the hand of a little girl. Stories tell us that Marcella was delighted and loved the doll with that happy smile.        In 1915, at the age of 13, Marcella became very ill from an infection and passed away. Johnny Gruelle was very sad, he thought of Marcella and he thought of the doll she loved so much. Johnny was a professional illustrator and writer, using his talents, he completed a book about a little floppy doll he called Raggedy Ann. P.F. Volland published Raggedy Ann Stories in 1918. However, in 1915 the Gruelle family also began to make rag dolls, stitching a little candy heart on to the chest each of doll and almost immediately demand for this sweetheart of a doll was strong. Some of the earliest dolls have been preserved by collectors and can still be seen in museums today. CLICK HERE FOR A FREE RAGGEDY ANNE DOLL PATTERN CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR DOLL        These early dolls had red and white striped legs, black shoes painted over the striped fabric, brown yarn hair, tin or wooden buttons for eyes, and a triangular nose. In 1920 Raggedy Ann's brother Andy joined his sister, as a new doll and as a character in a new book of stories. These early editions from Volland remained popular throughout the Great Depression of the 1930s, when people had little money to spend.        The Raggedys remained popular up until 1934, when tough times caused Volland to stop manufacturing the dolls. Lucky for doll lovers, this would not mark the end of America's little sweetheart! From 1935-1936 Exposition Doll & Toy Co. made their own version of the raggedy dolls. Their 17-inch rag dolls had a burgundy color yarn hair and removable black felt shoes.        Then famed doll designer Mollye Goldman created her own version of the doll, which was available in both 17-inch and 21-inch sizes. There was also a 13-inch Baby Raggedy. The new doll had multicolor striped legs with blue feet and red yarn hair. A solid red heart was painted on Raggedy Ann's chest.        Johnny Gruelle passed away unexpectedly in 1938. Before he died he legally contested the Raggedy Ann created by Mollye Goldman. Gruelle's family continued the legal battle, and Mollye stopped making the dolls. These versions are very rare as only a small number were made between 1935 and 1937.        In 1938 Georgene Novelties Inc. produced the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. The 18-inch cloth dolls had the traditional look of the early dolls, with a few changes. The hair was reddish-orange, the eyes black buttons on a white circle, four lashes were painted under the eyes in several different patterns. The earlier eyes were made of tin while the later dolls had plastic eyes. After 1946 Georgene added 16-inch and 19-inch dolls.        In 1962 the Knickerbocker Toy Co. gained the rights to produce Raggedy Ann. The red yarn hair had a unique topknot and there were five different mouth and eyelash variations. Sizes ranged from 12 to 36 inches tall and a special 48-inch doll was sold by FAO Scwarz.        In 1981, the Raggedy Ann doll rights were awarded to Applause. Dolls now became available from eight to 48 inches tall. Ann and Andy still had their bright orange yarn hair and the eyes were either embroidered or made of plastic discs. Applause also made special theme dolls available for holidays such as Valentines Day. Applause still makes Raggedy Dolls today through Dakin who they acquired in 1995. For the year 2000, Dakin introduced a special 85th birthday 12-inch Raggedy Ann and 80th birthday Andy dolls.        Hasbro also gained the rights to produce the dolls in 1983, and in 1993 Playskool gained the rights to produce the 14-inch Dress Me Raggedy Ann.        Today, Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy Ann and Andy books and dolls are prized by collectors who marvel at Gruelle's artistic abilities and his way of capturing a make-believe world. Raggedy collecting is a passion for many old and new fans, who search flea markets, dolls shows, and fairs for the familiar yarn hair and triangle noses.        In these very modern times children, parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and collectors still adore Johnny Gruelle's whimsical Raggedys for their old-fashioned looks, kindly playfulness, and most of all, their gentle essence.   The Raggedy Man by James Whitcomb Riley O the Raggedy Man! He works fer Pa; An' he's the goodest man ever you saw! He comes to our house every day, An' waters the horses, an' feeds 'em hay; An' he opens the shed -- an' we all ist laugh When he drives out our little old wobble-ly calf; An' nen -- ef our hired girl says he can -- He milks the cow fer 'Lizabuth Ann. -- Ain't he a' awful good Raggedy Man? 1 Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   W'y, The Raggedy Man -- he's ist so good, He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood; An' nen he spades in our garden, too, An' does most things 'at boys can't do. -- He clumbed clean up in our big tree An' shooked a' apple down fer me -- An' 'nother 'n', too, fer 'Lizabuth Ann -- An' 'nother 'n', too, fer The Raggedy Man. -- Ain't he a' awful kind Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   An' The Raggedy Man one time say he Pick' roast' rambos from a' orchurd-tree, An' et 'em -- all ist roast' an' hot! -- An' it's so, too! -- 'cause a corn-crib got Afire one time an' all burn' down On "The Smoot Farm," 'bout four mile from town -- On "The Smoot Farm"! Yes -- an' the hired han' 'At worked there nen 'uz The Raggedy Man! -- Ain't he the beatin'est Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   The Raggedy Man's so good an' kind He'll be our "horsey," an' "haw" an' mind Ever'thing 'at you make him do -- An' won't run off -- 'less you want him to! I drived him wunst way down our lane An' he got skeered, when it 'menced to rain, An' ist rared up an' squealed and run Purt' nigh away! -- an' it's all in fun! Nen he skeered ag'in at a' old tin can ... Whoa! y' old runaway Raggedy Man! Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   An' The Raggedy Man, he knows most rhymes, An' tells 'em, ef I be good, sometimes: Knows 'bout Giunts, an' Griffuns, an' Elves, An' the Squidgicum-Squees 'at swallers the'rselves: An', wite by the pump in our pasture-lot, He showed me the hole 'at the Wunks is got, 'At lives 'way deep in the ground, an' can Turn into me, er 'Lizabuth Ann! Er Ma, er Pa, er The Raggedy Man! Ain't he a funny old Raggedy Man? Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   An' wunst, when The Raggedy Man come late, An' pigs ist root' thue the garden-gate, He 'tend like the pigs 'uz bears an' said, "Old Bear-shooter'll shoot 'em dead!" An' race' an' chase' 'em, an' they'd ist run When he pint his hoe at 'em like it's a gun An' go "Bang! -- Bang!" nen 'tend he stan' An' load up his gun ag'in! Raggedy Man! He's an old Bear-shooter Raggedy Man! Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   An' sometimes The Raggedy Man lets on We're little prince-children, an' old King's gone To git more money, an' lef' us there -- And Robbers is ist thick ever'where; An' nen -- ef we all won't cry, fer shore -- The Raggedy Man he'll come and "'splore The Castul-halls," an' steal the "gold" -- An' steal us, too, an' grab an' hold An' pack us off to his old "Cave"! -- An' Haymow's the "cave" o' The Raggedy Man! -- Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   The Raggedy Man -- one time, when he Wuz makin' a little bow-'n'-orry fer me, Says "When you're big like your Pa is, Air you go' to keep a fine store like his -- An' be a rich merchunt -- an' wear fine clothes? -- Er what air you go' to be, goodness knows?" An' nen he laughed at 'Lizabuth Ann, An' I says "'M go' to be a Raggedy Man! -- I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Man!" Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!   Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley   Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away, An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep, An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep; An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done, We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about, An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you Ef you Don't Watch Out!   Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers, -- An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs, His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl, An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all! An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press, An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess; But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout: -- An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!   An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin, An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin; An' wunst, when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there, She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care! An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide, They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side, An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about! An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!   An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue, An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo! An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray, An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away, -- You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear, An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear, An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about, Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out!