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

By Jonathan Stokdyk

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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 11

Barcode: 31234013791155

Folder 1-1: Obenchain, Cecil Calvert, 1915 - 1917: 11 items. Letters to JWT. Wedding invitation for Cecil and Dr. Glenn Holway Reams. W. A. Obenchain, Jr.
Folder 1-2: Obenchain, Lida Calvert, 1915 - 1916: 10 items. (Eliza Calvert Hall, Eliza Caroline Calvert Obenchain) Letters to JWT. Photograph.
Folder 2-1: Occidental College Dean of, 27 April, 1928: 1 item. Letter to JWT. From Grace L. ?
Folder 2-2: O'Conner, John L., 1926 - 1928: 6 items. 3 letters to JWT. Letter to O'Conner for order of James Lane Allen books. Letter to JWT from Ernest Gee, O'Conner reprint of a biographical sketch of John Skinner by Ben Perley Poore, "The Plough, The Loom and The Anvil". "The Central Stud Book".
Folder 2-3: O'Donnell, W. F., 13 March, 1944: 1 item. "She Came to the Valley". Mrs. Cleo Dawson Smith.
Folder 2-4: Ogilivie, Frances, 1929 - 1931: 5 items. Letters to JWT. "To Kentuckians Everywhere". Photograph.
Folder 2-5: O'Hara, Kean, 1928 - 1929: 13 items. Letters to JWT about relocation of O'Hara's body. Biographical sketches of O'Hara. News clippings. Theodore O'Hara Samuels. Kean O'Hara Tremere.
Folder 2-6: O'Hara, Theodore, n.d.: 7 items. Letter. Photograph. Print. Biographical sketch by J. Stoddard Johnston. Notes on O'Hara. Transcript of radio talk by JWT on Theodore O'Hara.
Folder 2-7: O'Malley, Charles J., 1907-1908: Letters to JWT, obituary. 5 items
Folder 2-8: O'Malley, S. M., 03 November, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Charles J. O'Malley, "The Building of the Moon".
Folder 3-1: Osborne Company, 1930: 4 items. Letters to JWT. Prints and prices.
Folder 3-2: O'Sullivan, Daniel E., 1928 - 1935: 9 items. Letters to JWT. "To Champion I. Hitchcock. "The Kentucky Thoroughbred -- An Appreciation", "Churchill Downs -- A Tribute".
Folder 3-3: O'Tennyson, n.d.: 1 item. Poem. Woodford 500,000. "Ed Taylor's bullY?"
Folder 3-4: Owen, Marie B., 1929: 5 items. Letters to JWT. State of Alabama Department of Archives and History. List of Kentucky books.
Folder 3-5: Owen, Speed, 1921: 1 item. Contract with JWT for Kuhla, horse breeding.
Folder 3-6: Owsley, H. E., 9/13/1866: 1 item. Land contract between H. E. Owsley and R. A. Alexander.
Folder 4-1: Oxford, Bodleian Library, 18 April, 1928: 1 item. Letter. Fox's "Little Shepherd".
Folder 4-2: Pagley, Dan, n.d.: 1 item. Book Receipt, "Night Rider".
Folder 4-3: Paine, Clarence S., 16 February, 1915: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Mississippi Valley Historical Review.
Folder 4-4: Palmer, Vivien M., 03 March, 1941: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Socio-Economic Bibliography of Kentucky".
Folder 4-5: Pape, Thomas Nelson, 10 June, 1913: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Hanover. Clay, Treaty of Ghent.
Folder 4-6: Paradise Stock Farm, 17 December, 1927: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Horses. Receipt.
Folder 4-7: Parham, Eugenia, 25 February, 1912: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Biographical sketch. Rose McFall, Rose Heath. George Bingham, "Hogwallow Kentuckian".
Folder 4-8: Parish, John C., 1908 - 1909: 2 items. Letters to JWT.
Folder 4-9: Parker, C. Prentice, 24 February, 1912: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Biographical sketch.
Folder 4-10: Parks, Joseph Howard, 15 April, 1940: 3 items. Letter to JWT. Biographical sketch. Photograph.
Folder 4-11: Parna, Varta, 05 April, 1939: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Caleb Atwater's "Tour of Prairie du Chien".
Folder 4-12: Parry, Thomas W., 1912 - 1928: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Letter to and from JWT. Biographical sketch.
Folder 4-13: Patterson, James K., 05 April, 1909: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Judge Mulligan.
Folder 4-14: Patterson, John, 1912 - 1927: 7 items. Letters to JWT.
Folder 4-15: Patterson, William Morrison, n.d.: 2 items. Letter to JWT. News clipping, The Work of a Kentuckian at Columbia University. The Rhythm of Prose.
Folder 4-16: Paxson, Frederic L., 12 February, 1912: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Preliminary report of the Committee of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association on the Certification of High School Teachers of History, December 28, 1911.
Folder 4-17: Payne, George Ferris, 1926 - 1930: 8 items. 2 letters to JWT. "Historical Sketch of Lewis Lodge", Masons, Past Master. "Life Eternal". "The Wonder Tours of Hollowell to the Golden West". "The One-Way Street".
Folder 4-18: Payne, Lou Roszell, n.d.: 1 item. (Mrs. William Payne) Obituary.
Folder 4-19: Peake, Frank Allen, 1928 - 1929: 2 items. Letter to JWT. "The Riddle of the Ages".
Folder 4-20: Peavyhouse, W. W., 10 June, 1930: 2 items. Letter to JWT. "One Hundred Questions and Answers bout Banks and Banking".
Folder 5-1: Pegasus Book Shop, 17 March, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Allen, Fox.
Folder 5-2: Pendleton, James Madison, 1854: Booklet reviewing Dr. Clelland on Baptism. 1 item
Folder 5-3: Perry, Goldie, n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 5-4: Peter, Josephine, 1907 - 1930: 8 items. 5 letters to JWT. 3 postcards, damaged, "Transylvania" as drawn by Jonnett, "Old Lemon's Mill", "Winton".
Folder 5-5: Peterson, Frederick, 29 August, 1933: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Bookplate.
Folder 5-6: Petrie, Cordia Greer, 1930 - 1964: 9 items. Letters to JWT. Biographical sketch. Photograph print. 4 brochures. News clipping of obituary.
Folder 5-7: Pettit, Katherine, 25 March, 1933: 1 item. Letter to Isabel Bennett.
Folder 5-8: Pettit, Mrs. William, 08 November, 1928: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 5-9: Phillips, Lena Madesin, 1939: 3 items. Letter to JWT from Helen Havener, publicity chair. Copy of address, "Social Concepts of Today Contrasted With Those of Yesterday" at Third International Congress, Budapest, Hungary, 1938. Address for International Federation of Business and Professional Women.
Folder 5-10: Phillips, Louise Scott, n.d.: 2 items. (Mrs. Eugene Phillips) Letter to JWT. Photograph.
Folder 6-1: Phillips, Marie Tello, 1927 - 1935: 27 items. (Mrs. Watson P. Phillips, Mrs. Charles J. Yaegle) 13 letters to JWT. Biographical sketches. Review of JWT's James Lane Allen. Bookfellows Library Guild. Brochures. News clippings. "Query".
Folder 6-2: Piatt, John, 15 November, 1913: 1 item. Letter to JWT. This letter is written by his wife Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt because his hand was injured.
Folder 6-3: Piatt, M., 1912 - 1913: 2 items. Marion Piatt, daughter of John J. Piatt. 2 postcards to JWT.
Folder 7-1: Pickett, T. E., 1910 - 1917: 4 items. Letters to JWT.
Folder 7-2: Pilcher, Louis, n.d.: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Cable. Allen. Polk.
Folder 7-3: Pindar, Dr. L. Otley, 10 March, 1927: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 7-4: Pinkerton, William A., 10/23/1899: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Horses. The mare "Blue Jacket" and Mr. Frieudenburg.
Folder 7-5: Pitcher, Herman, 1937 - 1938: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Jaffey.
Folder 8-1: Pittman, Hannah Davies, 1906 - 1913: 6 items. 4 letters to JWT. Letter to Mr. Laurel Roberts. Photograph.
Folder 8-2: Pitts, Mabel Porter, 1908: 2 items. Letters to JWT. "In the Shadow of the Crag". Biographical sketch.
Folder 8-3: Pluchue, Paul, 17 September, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Plerchue?
Folder 8-4: Poe, E. D., 08 March, 1939: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Brief biographical sketch.
Folder 8-5: Poe, Edgar A., 10 January, 1946: 1 item. Copy of letter to Joseph L. Chester. Julian Cramer.
Folder 8-6: Pogue, Geuenieve, 10 October, 1936: 1 item. (Mrs. Philip S. Pogue) Letter to JWT.
Folder 8-7: Polk, Belle, 17 June, 1909: 1 item. Letter to James H. Mulligan. Autobiography of her father.
Folder 8-8: Polk, Margaret H., 11 June, 1929: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Regarding letter to Miss Belle Polk.
Folder 8-9: Polk, Margaret Scott, 02 July, 1929: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Dr. Jefferson Johnson Polk.
Folder 8-10: Pollett, Josephine, 07 February, 1935: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 8-11: Poole, Fanny Rennells, n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "The Shadows of the Trees".
Folder 8-12: Popham, William Lee, 02 November, 1912: 2 items. Letter to JWT. List of works and accomplishments.
Folder 8-13: Porter, J. Sherman, 11 April, 1917: 1 item. Letter to JWT. McLaughlin.
Folder 8-14: Porter, Robert L., 18 June, 1928: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Samuel Wilson's "History of Kentucky".
Folder 8-15: Portor, Laura Spencer, ca. 1914: 4 items. 2 letters to JWT. List of works. "The Mother.
Folder 8-16: Posegate, Mabel, n.d: 1 item. Biographical sketch. Poet Laureate of Ohio.
Folder 8-17: Posh, Charles A., 1932: 2 items. Letters to JWT.
Folder 8-18: Post, Edmnd M., 02 February, 1922: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 8-19: Post, Helen Wilmans, 1904: 3 items. Letter to JWT. C. C. Post. Healing, fraudulent use of mail. News clipping from The Chicago Public. "Mr. and Mrs. Post Make a Statement of Facts" pamphlet.
Folder 8-20: Poston, Charles D., 1909: 3 items. Letter to JWT from Sharlot M. Hall. Biographical information on Poston. Burlingame Treaty.
Folder 8-21: Pott, Sommins Hall, 04 January, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Biographical sketch.
Folder 9-1: Powell, Lazarus, 8/1851: 1 item. Invitation to attend the inauguration of Governor Powell, Committee of Arrangements members include S. I. M. Major, Jr., Pat U. Major.
Folder 9-2: Power, Caleb, 1928 - 1929: 3 items. Letters to JWT. Letter from and to JWT. "My Own Story".
Folder 9-3: Powers, Frederick William, 15 June, 1929: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "In The Shadow of the Cumberlands".
Folder 9-4: Prentice, n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Martha's operation.
Folder 9-5: Presbyterian Board of, 06 June, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Doctor Warfield. Books.
Folder 9-6: Preston, John, 1927: 3 items. Letters to JWT.
Folder 9-7: Price, Sadie F., 1895 - 1930: 2 items. Letter to Roberts Brothers from Price, poem "September". Letter to JWT from Missouri Botanical Garden.
Folder 9-8: Price, Samuel Woodson, 20 February, 1909: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Old Masters of the Bluegrass".
Folder 9-9: Price, William Thompson, 1912: 2 items. Letters to JWT. George O. Barnes, "Without Scrip or Purse". "Analysis of Play Construction". "Technique of the Drama".
Folder 9-10: Purcell, Martha G., 15 January, 1930: 2 items. (Mrs. Clyde E. Purcell) Letters to JWT. "Stories of Old Kentucky".
Folder 9-11: Purdy, Clair Lee, 07 May, 1940: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "He Heard American Sing". Foster.
Folder 9-12: Pusey, William Allen, 10 October, 1927: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Wilderness Road".
Folder 9-13: Quaife, M. M., 1930 - 1931: 6 items. Letters to JWT. James Ohio Pattie, "Personal Narrative". Thwaites. John Patty.
Folder 9-14: Quin, Huston, 1931: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Minutes of Meeting of Kentucky Progress Commission Sub-Committee on Historical Marking of Kentucky Highways, June 10, 1931.
Folder 9-15: Quisenberry, Anderson, 1911 - 1918: 9 items. Letters to JWT. Letter to J. L. Richardson Company. List of Kentucky authors. Menefee. Judge Beckner, Paul Dunbar.
Folder 9-16: Ragland, Nathaniel M., 29 November, 1927: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Dear Old Georgetown" or Memoirs of Mrs. Martha Elizabeth Smith.
Folder 9-17: Railey, Mary Bradly, 22 January, 1908: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 9-18: Raine, James Watt, 08 August, 1928: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Letter from Clara R. Raine (Mrs. James W. Raine) "Land of Saddle Bags".
Folder 9-19: Ramer, Emmet, 10 May, 1929: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Vacation Muse".
Folder 10: Ranck, Edwin Carty, 1914 - 1934: 48 items. (Ned Ranck, Carty Ranck) 34 letters to JWT. 3 Christmas cards to JWT. Photograph. 3 postcards, blank and "The Battle of Lexington, April 16, 1775, Lexington, Mass." and "Edwin Arlington Robinson Birthplace, Headtide, Maine". Letter to Ranck from Charles E. Lauriat Company about JWT's "Life of James Lane Allen". List of positions held by Ranck. 4 News clippings, Mike Bowerman, "The Canary Murder Case", Van Dine, "Fox Corporation to Produce No More Silent Pictures", "Serve Like a Mighty Tree". Sympathy card regarding Mrs. George W. Ranck.