Robert Moore Brinkerhoff

Robert "Bob" Moore Brinkerhoff (4 May 1880 Toledo, Ohio – 17 February 1958 Minneapolis), often credited as R. M. Brinkerhoff (also familiarly known as "Brink")^[1], was an American newspaper cartoonist and illustrator active in the early twentieth century. In 1917 he joined the staff of the New York Evening Mail, where he worked as a political and editorial cartoonist.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Life and career

Robert Moore Brinkerhoff's father, Robert Alexander Brinkerhoff (1844–1917), with Henry Sheldon Chapin (1835–1915), founded the Toledo Post,^[7] which merged with the Toledo News-Bee.^[8][4] R.A. Brinkerhoff, later (around 1900), had served as Advertising Agent with The Toledo Express.

R. M. Brinkerhoff, after graduating from high school, worked for the Toledo News-Bee. He later moved to New York, where, from 1900 to 1901, he studied at the Art Students League. In 1905 he studied in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière before returning to Ohio to draw political cartoons for the Toledo Blade. He subsequently worked for the Cleveland Leader and the Cincinnati Post. In 1913 he returned to New York and worked as a political cartoonist for the New York Evening Mail for about three years.

He was perhaps best known as the creator of the long-running comic strip Little Mary Mixup, which debuted January 2, 1918, and continued for several decades – distributed by United Feature Syndicate. Brinkerhoff also drew a Sunday topper strip, All in the Family, which ran from April 3, 1932, to July 21, 1940.^[9] He wrote instructional columns on cartooning for Tip Top magazine.^[6]

Brinkerhoff produced editorial cartoons during the First World War period, though his reputation rests primarily on his newspaper comic strip work rather than wartime illustrations.

Death

Brinkerhoff died February 17, 1958, in Minneapolis.^[10][11] He was survived by his second wife, Edna Patterson (maiden 1879–1961),^[12] and his son, Robert Huston Brinkerhoff (1907–1998)^[13] from his first marriage to Jean Carrington Huston (1881–1934).^[14] He outlived his older sister, Esther Stewart Brinkerhoff (1875–1923), an artist and art educator.^[15]

Publications illustrated by Brinkerhoff

• Knibbs, Henry Herbert (1874–1945) (1919). The Ridin' Kid from Powder River. New York: Grosset & Dunlap LCCN 2023656551; OCLC 9352915.

See article about the 1924 film, The Ridin' Kid From Powder River.

1. 'Via Internet Archive' (University of Minnesota)

• Dillon, Mary (née Mary Calista Johnson; 1850–1922) (March 1919). The American. New York: The Century Company LCCN 19004847; OCLC 7014283.

1. 'Via HathiTrust' (Harvard)

• Adventures in American Literature. New York & Chicago: Harcourt, Brace and Company LCCN 30010826; OCLC 2653221.

1. '1930 ed'
2. '1934 ed'

• Pupil Activity – English Series. New York & Chicago: Harcourt, Brace and Company OCLC 18281463.

1. 'Book 7'. 1930. – via Google Books (Illinois)

Bibliography

Notes

1. ^ Cincinnati Post, Jan. 11, 1911, p. 1.
2. ^ Hawkins, 2009.
3. ^ Clark, 1932, p. 445.
4. ^ Horn (Vol. 1: Horn), 1976, pp. 132–133.
5. ^ Haverstock, Vance, Meggitt (Brinkerhoff, R.M.), 2000, p. 117.
6. ^ Duke ("Brinkerhoff"), 2017, pp. 39–40.
7. ^ Library of Congress, Toledo Post, 1884–1886.
8. ^ Library of Congress, Toledo News-Bee, 1903–1938.
9. ^ Holtz, 2012, p. 240.
10. ^ Minneapolis Morning Tribune, Feb. 18, 1958, p. 19.
11. ^ New York Times, Feb. 18, 1958, p. 28.
12. ^ New York Times, Dec. 10, 1961, p. 88.
13. ^ Dartmouth ..., Jun. 1999, p. 95.
14. ^ Who's Who in America (Vol. 31), 1960–1961, p. 356.
15. ^ Haverstock, Vance, Meggitt (Brinkerhoff, Esther S.), 2000, p. 117.

References

• Brinkerhoff, Robert Moore (cartoonist of the Toledo Blade) (1906). Men of Toledo (And Their Neighbors)'. "Printed in Cartoon With a Historical Preface From 'Official' Data". Toledo: The Express Publishing and Printing Company. OCLC 2198302.

1. 'Via Internet Archive' (Toledo Lucas County Public Library)

• Clark, Edna Maria. Ohio Art and Artists. Richmond, Virginia: Garrett and Massie. p. 445. LCCN 32025121; OCLC 349627.

1. 'Via Internet Archive' (Kahle/Austin Foundation; Allen County Public Library, discarded)

• Cincinnati Post (The) (January 11, 1911). '"There's a New Hand in the Cartoon Factory"'. Vol. 61, no. 4. p. 1. OCLC sn84028694; OCLC 11416278.

1. 'Via Newspapers.com'

• Dartmouth Alumni Magazine LCCN ca14000455; ISSN 2150-671X; OCLC 4719181.

1. '"Obituaries": "1929" – "Robert Huston Brinkerhoff"' (obituary). Vol. 91, no. 9. June 1999. p. 95. Retrieved February 17, 2026.

• Duke, Sara W. (2017 [1st ed.: 2012]). Biographical Sketches of Cartoonists & Illustrators in the Swann Collection of the Library of Congress. Arlington, Virginia: ComicsDC through Lulu.com ISBN 978-1-3048-5888-7, ISBN 1-3048-5888-X; OCLC 881092517.

1. '"Robert Moore Brinkerhoff"'. pp. 39–40.
1. 'Via Internet Archive'
2. 'Via Google Books' (limited preview)

• Artists in Ohio, 1787–1900 : A Biographical Dictionary. Oberlin, Ohio: Oberlin College Libraries. Kent, Ohio & London: Kent State University Press. 2000. LCCN 98003433; doi:10.1604/9780873386166; ISBN 978-0-8733-8616-6, ISBN 0-8733-8616-7 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-6127-7194-6, ISBN 1-6127-7194-7 (eBook), ISBN 978-1-6127-7195-3, ISBN 1-6127-7195-5 (online); OCLC 1011745049.

1. '"Brinkerhoff, Robert Moore"'. p. 117. – via Google Books (limited preview)
2. '"Brinkerhoff, Esther S."'. p. 117. – via Google Books (limited preview)

• Hawkins, Arnette M. (2009). '"On the Brink of Humor: An Examination of the History of Political Cartoons, Journalism and the Contributions of Robert Moore Brinkerhoff"' (PhD in History, dissertation, University of Toledo) ISBN 978-1-1092-4038-2; (subscription required) (preview only, pp. 1–14; Dissertations & Theses Abstracts & Indexes database); OCLC 851374895.

• Holtz, Allan (2012). American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. p. 240. LCCN 2010033752; ISBN 978-0-4721-1756-7, ISBN 0-4721-1756-4; OCLC 617508967.

1. 'Via Internet Archive' (St. Louis Community College; withdrawn) (very limited preview)

• The World Encyclopedia of Comics (2 Vols.). New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1976. LCCN 76007322; ISBN 978-0-8775-4042-7, ISBN 0-8775-4042-X (Vol. 1), ISBN 978-0-8775-4030-4, ISBN 0-8775-4030-6 (Vol. 2); OCLC 2136986.

1. Horn, Maurice. 'Vol. 1: "Brinkerhoff, Robert Moore"'. pp. 132–133.
1. 'Via Internet Archive'

• Library of Congress (1884–1886). Toledo Post. Toledo, Ohio: Chapin, Brinkerhoff & Co. LCCN sn90068039; OCLC 20975327.

• Library of Congress (1903–1938). Toledo News-Bee. Toledo, Ohio: Toledo Newspaper Co. LCCN sn90068039; OCLC 20975327.

• Minneapolis Morning Tribune (18 February 1958). '"Brinkerhoff, 78, Comic Artist, Dies"'. Vol. 91, no. 270. p. 19 (column 2, lower half) LCCN sn83016773; OCLC 10110511.

1. 'Via Newspapers.com'. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
2. Via (database: Historical Newspapers: U.S. Collection).

• New York Times (The)' LCCN sn00061556; ISSN 0362-4331, ISSN 1553-8095 (online).

1. '"R.M. Brinkerhoff, 76, Long a Cartoonist"' (obituary). Vol. 107, no. 36550. Dateline: "Minneapolis, Feb. 17 [1958] (UP)". February 18, 1958. p. 28 (column 2, top) Retrieved February 16, 2026.
1. 'Via TimesMachine'
2. 'Pdf via TimesMachine'
3. 'Permalink via TimesMachine'
4. Via (Historical Newspapers database).
2. '"Mrs. R.M. Brinkerhoff"' (obituary). Vol. 111, no. 37941. December 10, 1961. p. 88 (column 5, bottom half) Retrieved February 16, 2026.
1. 'Via TimesMachine blog'
2. 'Via TimesMachine'
3. 'Pdf via TimesMachine'
4. 'Permalink via TimesMachine'
5. Via (Historical Newspapers database).

Tertiary references

• Who's Who in America. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who LCCN 04016934; ISSN 0083-9396; OCLC 1141571.

1. 'Vol. 31: "Brinkerhoff, Robert Huston"'. 1960–1961. p. 356.
1. 'Via Internet Archive'