John Wilson Townsend Papers, 1898-1965 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Jonathan Stokdyk

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: John Wilson Townsend Papers, 1898-1965

Predominant Dates:1903-1940

Primary Creator: Townsend, John Wilson (1885-1968)

Extent: 6.47 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 04/09/2003

Subjects: African American poets., American literature--Kentucky., American poetry. - Kentucky, Authors, American--Kentucky., Horses--Breeding--Kentucky., Poets, American - Kentucky, Thoroughbred horse. - Kentucky, Women authors, American--Kentucky, Women poets, American--Kentucky

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The John Wilson Townsend Papers consist of letters received by Townsend which reflect literary, business, and personal concerns. The bulk of the materials consist of letters received by Townsend, as well as photographs, book reviews, manuscripts and various other items about Kentucky literary figures. These include, but are not limited to, James Lane Allen, Madison Cawein, Irvin S. Cobb, Willard R. Jillson, Harriette Simpson Arnow, Samuel M. Wilson, Paul Sawyier, Otto A. Rothert, and Jesse Stuart. The letters offer insights into authors that might not otherwise be found, as well as discussions of their works and biographical information. Many letters simply talk about sending or receiving autographed copies of books. Some letters were not written to Townsend, but seem to have been collected by him instead.

In addition there are also letters concerning horses, as Townsend raised Thoroughbreds for years while living at Graceland Farm.

The collection is generally arranged alphabetically by the author of the letter, but in cases where Townsend is not the recipient, the letter was alphabetized by the recipient's name, with a notation in this finding aid of who the letter was from. Letters about a single person are filed by that person's name rather than the author of the letter. All photographs, book reviews, news clippings and other items are filed with the subject making the arrangement a collection of subject files.

There are multiple subjects per folder and because of this the folders have been numbered with a dash to maintain the subject integrity of the arrangement.

Biographical Note

John Wilson Townsend, Kentucky author and historian was born November 2, 1885. His parents were Charles Wesley Townsend, Lexington journalist and lawyer, and Jeannie Dillon Townsend. Townsend had three sisters, two of whom died in infancy and the third, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Morrison who died in 1931 in West Virginia.

Townsend received his early education in the Johnson and Dudley Grammar Schools of Lexington. Following grammar school, he attended the Preparatory School of Kentucky University. After graduating from Kentucky University, now Transylvania College, in 1906, he enrolled in Harvard University where he continued his study of history and literature.

It was at Kentucky University where he first made the acquaintance of James Lane Allen, who later became his personal friend, and about whom he has written much. This friendship began when Allen made a large contribution to the Periclean Literary Society of which Townsend was the member in charge of fund-raising.

His first book, "The Life of Richard Hickman Menefee," was published when he was only 19 years old. Several others followed during his years as a student at Harvard. After leaving Harvard he taught at the Fishburne Military Academy in Virginia before returning to Kentucky as an assistant librarian at the Lexington Public Library in 1909. He subsequently worked at the Kentucky Historical Society, Lexington Herald (1910 to 1916), the Kentucky Geological Survey (1928-1932), WPA (1936-1942), and the Lexington Signal Depot in the 1940s. Throughout this period Townsend was actively engaged in literary and historical research and published numerous books and pamphlets on prominent Kentucky historical and literary figures.

Townsend's best known work is "Kentucky in American Letters," which was the first anthology of Kentucky literature ever published. This work probably produced most of the letters contained in this collection. In addition, he was good friends with many literary figures that he regularly corresponded with. These include Irvin S. Cobb, James Lane Allen, James H. Mulligan, John Fox Jr., and others.

In 1930, Townsend's finest collection of Kentuckiana, consisting of over 1500 books, numerous pamphlets, letters and pictures, was sold to Eastern State Teachers College Library (now Eastern Kentucky University) where it remains to this day. Townsend continued to collect books until his death in 1968.

Subject/Index Terms

African American poets.
American literature--Kentucky.
American poetry. - Kentucky
Authors, American--Kentucky.
Horses--Breeding--Kentucky.
Poets, American - Kentucky
Thoroughbred horse. - Kentucky
Women authors, American--Kentucky
Women poets, American--Kentucky

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Townsend, Dorothy

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Box 4],
[Box 5],
[Box 6],
[Box 7],
[Box 8],
[Box 9],
[Box 10],
[Box 11],
[Box 12],
[Box 13],
[Box 14],
[Box 15],
[Box 16],
[Box 17: John W. Townsend Plaster Mask, 1937],
[Folder OS 1],
[Folder OS 2],
[Folder OS 3],
[Folder OS 4],
[All]

Box 3

Barcode: 31234013791072

Folder 1: Cobb, Irvin Shrewsbury, 1912 - 1921: 28 items. (Correspondence 1) 27 letters from Cobb to JWT. Note with clipping about "Back Home" play.
Folder 2: Cobb, Irvin Shrewsbury, 1921 - 1942: 62 items. (Correspondence 2) 39 letters to JWT from Cobb, 2 from Cobb's secretary. 15 letters to Cobb from JWT. Letter to Cobb from Dora F. Groddy. 2 Telegrams to JWT from Cobb. Telegram to Willard Rouse Jillson from Cobb, May 28, 1942. Telephone message from JWT. Invitation to dinner by The Kentucky Society.
Folder 3: Cobb, Irvin Shrewsbury, 1920 - 1930: 33 items. (Correspondence 3) 21 letters to JWT from Cobb. 8 letters to Cobb from JWT. 3 receipts.
Folder 4: Cobb, Irvin Shrewsbury, 1915 - 1931: 34 items. (News clippings) Copies of news clippings. 2 autographed originals. Veiller, Fowler, O. Henry, Neuman, Hotel Irvin S. Cobb, Keegan, Flagg, Adams painting, Cohan's theater's "Back Home", Cobb and Kyne. "Kentucky Road Builder", May 1925, Carty Ranck, Isabelle Wentworth Lawrence. Cobb's daughter. "Irvin S. Cobb -- His Life and Work" by JWT manuscript. "Billy" Sunday. Floyd B. Gibbons.
Folder 5: Cobb, Irvin Shrewsbury, 1915-1918: 16 items. (Notes and Works) "Clothes That Made Young America Free". "The Lost Irish Tribes in the South". Extracts from speeches at O'Henry Banquet. "Ex-Fighting Billy" promotional print. "Speaking of Operations--" Cobb story collection brochure. "A Letter From a Great Kentuckian". "Wild Authors I Have Known" handwritten by Cobb. "Who's Cobb and Why" by Robert H. Davis. Transcript of a radio talk by JWT on "Great Kentucky Writers" from the University of Kentucky. "Irvin S. Cobb, Humorist" by Strickland Gillilan. Magazine subject index list 1915 - 1918.Biographical notes on Cobb. American Printing House for the Blind, Braille copy of "Speaking of Operations".
Folder 8-6: Combs, Thomas A., 27 Jan 1931: 1 letter regarding article in the Lexington Herald.
Folder 6: Cobb, Irvin Shrewsbury, ca 1915 - 1940: 5 items. (Photographs)
Folder 7-1: Cobb, Manie S., 1913 - 1929: 3 items. (Mrs. Joshua Cobb, mother of Irvin S. Cobb) Letters to JWT.
Folder 7-2: Cochran, Griffin, 15 August, 1915: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 7-3: Colcord, Lincoln, 15 March, 1916: 1 item. Saturday Evening Post Article by William Stanley Braithwaite "The War Finds a Real Poet at Last".
Folder 7-4: Cole, Benjamin M., ca. 12/07/1912: 1 item. In memoriam.
Folder 7-5: Cole, M., 1898 - 1901: 2 items. Letter to "Dear Mamma" from M. Cole. First Brigande to Cuba. Bank draft to H. L. Harlan from M. Cole.
Folder 7-6: Cole, Mrs. Benjamin Mott, ca. 12/04/1915: 4 items. Wedding invitation for Grace Cole and John Wilson Townsend. Postcard "Ursuline Academy" from Grace.
Folder 7-7: Coleman, John, n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Gone for the Day"
Folder 7-8: Coleman, John Winston Jr., 1931 - 1966: 16 items. Letters to JWT. Signed photograph, 2 photographs of Coleman's library. Postcard and letter to and from Mary Floyd regarding Dr. Louis Frazee's "The Mineral Waters of Kentucky". 2 postcards to JWT, Russell, new book. Letter to Mary Floyd about "Kentucky Bibliography". Notes on Taylor County, John Carroll, Philip Murphy.
Folder 8-1: Collins, Anne T., 1928-1934: 5 items. 3 Letters to JWT. News clipping of "Silence" by Alice Timoney and a manuscript play entitled "Bottles and Bond" by Anne Collins and Alice Timoney
Folder 8-2: Collins, Mrs. Joe, 1879: 2 items. Receipts for purchases from D. C. Biggerstaff & Company.
Folder 8-3: Combs, Bert T., 16 March, 1967: 1 item. Letter for support as Governor
Folder 8-4: Combs, Josiah H., 1914 - 1927: 14 items. Letters to JWT. Ad for "Folk-Songs Du Midi Des Etats-Unis". "Brother Josiah" program, 1914. "Deutscher Herein" program, 1914.
Folder 8-5: Combs, Leslie, 1902 - 1921: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Departure dinner program.
Folder 8-7: Comfort, Will Leveington, 1912 - 1927: 9 items. Letters to JWT. News clippings, "The Fatherland", Red Fleece". Print of a photograph. Routledge.
Folder 8-8: Conkwright, Bessie, 01 March, 1916: 1 item. Letter to JWT. McClung. Professor R. S. Cotterill. W. H. Polk.
Folder 8-9: Connelley, William E., 1913 - 1927: 12 items. Letters to JWT. Brief biographical sketch. Historical Society. James H. Mulligan. Bill for books.
Folder 9-1: Conover, Charolette R., n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Patterson, "Kentucky Gazette".
Folder 9-2: Conover, Mrs., ca. 8/27/1965: 1 item. Postcard to JWT. "Center House, Pleasant Hill, KY, Shakertown".
Folder 9-3: Conrad, Harrison, 1907 - 1908: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Biographical sketch.
Folder 9-4: Cook, Joshua Flood, 1907 - 1908: 3 items. Letters to JWT. Biographical sketch.
Folder 9-5: Cooney, John M., 20 February, 1929: 3 items. Letters to JWT. Brief biographical sketch. Signed photograph.
Folder 9-6: Cooper, Clara Chassill, 07 April, 1936: 1 item. Letter to Miss Marry Floyd. "Comparative Study".
Folder 9-7: Cooper, Henry, 06 December, 1956: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Isaac B. Murphy.
Folder 9-8: Copper, L. R., 1920 - 1921: 3 items. Letters to JWT. Horses, Tobacco. Mr. Prichard, H'botham, Happy-Go-Lucky, G. J. Long.
Folder 9-9: Corbett, Hal S., 27 January, 1922: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Brief biographical sketch of Corbett. The history behind some of Cobb's stories. Judge Priest. Judge William S. Bishop.
Folder 9-10: Cormodey, Stella, 28 August, 1928: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Recollections about her grandmother, Catherine or Eleanor Wares.
Folder 9-11: Cornfield, Rabbi Maurice, 22 May, 1933: 3 items. Letter to JWT. Brief biographical sketch. Photograph/postcard.
Folder 9-12: Cortelyou, W. H., 22 February, 1929: 1 item. Letter to "Dear Friend". James Lane Allen
Folder 9-13: Costello, E. W., 1915 - 1925: 6 items. Letters to JWT. Postcard to JWT. .
Folder 9-14: Cotter, Joseph S., 1908 - 1942: 31 items. 12 letters to JWT. 19 poems and news clippings by and about Cotter. Group photo from S. C. Taylor School (Lucien Howe and Frank Ernest Gannett on back).
Folder 9-15: Cottle, H. G., 24 March, 1914: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Kentucky in American Letters" bill.
Folder 9-16: Coulter, E. Merton, 1926 - 1929: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Coulter's book on Kentucky. Shipman. Quarterly. Allen.
Folder 10-1: Courier Journal Job Printing, 1926 - 1927: 8 items. Letters to JWT. Book printing. "James Lane Allen". Allison. Letter to Mrs. William Rodes. Louisville promotion on back of letter.
Folder 10-2: Covert, Hudson, 02 May, 1925: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Hector Supply Company.
Folder 10-3: Covington, Mary Q., n.d.: 2 items. Copy of writing, "Great Personalities of Kentucky" including writers and doctors. Copy of photograph.
Folder 10-4: Cox, J. J., 23 January, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 10-5: Crabb, Alfred Leland, 1927 - 1942: 5 items. 2 letters to JWT. Photograph. Letter from publisher. "Peace at Bowling Green" promotional letter.
Folder 10-6: Craig, Mrs. Robert C., 22 September, 1931: 1 item. Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Townsend about car wreck.
Folder 10-7: Cramer, John G., ca. 1915: 3 items. Letters to JWT, Irvine Cobb Hotel. Letter to Harry S. Brower about Board of Commerce.
Folder 10-8: Crammer, Catharine, 1929 - 1930: 7 items. Letters to JWT. Ann Cobb, Ben Hardin, Betsy Barbour, Hindman Settlement School. Hindman Letter, Bradley's "The Little Star". Postcard "Hindman Settlement School".
Folder 10-9: Creason, W. H., 1929: 4 items. Letters to JWT. Horses. Includes envelope with notes.
Folder 10-10: Crewdson, Lula Cox, 10 June, 1912: 1 item. (Mrs. Charles N. Crewdson) Letter to JWT. Mary Sharp.
Folder 10-11: Crittenden, Mrs. H. T., 25 March, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Books. John B. Bibb.
Folder 10-12: Crittenden, Thomas T., 22 August, 1906: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 10-13: Crockett, Ingram, 1902 - 1930: 37 items. To JWT. 2 biographical sketches of Crockett. Copy of "O Days, O Dreams" from the Pathfinder. Cawein. "Magic of the Wood". Signed photograph. Manuscript of Betchworth and Some Other Lyrics inscribed to JWT..