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 4

Barcode: 31234013791056

Folder 1-1: Cromwell, Ada May, 1924 - 1930: 2 items. Letter to JWT. Copy of "That One Ewe Lamb Bo Peep".
Folder 1-2: Cromwell, Emma, 08 August, 1935: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Blue Lick State Park. Postcard.
Folder 1-3: Cromwell, Thomas B., 09 February, 1918: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Thoroughbred Horse Association.
Folder 1-4: Cruce, Lee, 22 November, 1913: 1 item. To JWT.
Folder 1-5: Crume, Dr. Lee G., 1933: 1 item. Article from "The Filson Club History Quarterly" about Crume's "History of Nelson County".
Folder 1-6: Crutchfield, William B., 12 April, 1927: 1 item. William Wilson Worsley Crutchfield biography. Breckenridge, Allen, McMurtry. Dudley School.
Folder 1-7: Curran, A. F., 26 November, 1928: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Obituary for Arthur Fox Curran. Editor of Bulletin, Ledger, Independent. Maysville.
Folder 1-8: Curry, Louise F., ca. 1931: 2 items. (Mrs. Frank D.) Letter to JWT. Old Fort Harrod. Jillson.
Folder 1-9: Cutler, H. G., n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Judge Wilson.
Folder 2-1: Daingerfield, E., n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Van use receipt.
Folder 2-2: Damon, S. Foster, ca. 1932: 3 items. Letters to JWT. Etude. Blake. Durant. Chivers.
Folder 2-3: Darnell, Ermina Jett, 05 April, 1945: 1 item. (Mrs. Matthew Cotton Darnell) Letter to JWT. Book review, "Filling the Chinks".
Folder 2-4: Daughters of the American, 24 March, 1931: 1 item. Invitation for the unveiling of a marker at Transylvania college.
Folder 2-5: Daviess, Annie T., 1912: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Biographical sketch of Maria Thompson Daviess, by Annie.
Folder 2-6: Daviess, Maria Thompson, 1914 - 1924: 5 items. Letters to JWT. "Melting of Molly". "Patricia". "Bluegrass and Broadway". "The Matrix". Newspaper photograph. Biographical sketch from the Century Company.
Folder 2-7: Davis, D. Trabue, 18 October, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Mr. Creason. Davis' book.
Folder 2-8: Davis, Edith Vezolless, 1928 - 1929: 5 items. Letters to JWT. "Magic Fiddle" news review. "One Girl's Way" ad. Biographical sketch of Davis. Photograph (needs preservation).
Folder 2-9: Davis, Frankie Parker, 1912 - 1914: 2 items. Letters to JWT from H. W. Davis. Biographical sketch by H. W. Davis about Frankie and her life. "Kentucky Folks".
Folder 2-10: Davis, Garrett M., 20 April, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Biographical sketch of Davis. "Hugh Darnaby".
Folder 2-11: Davis, Jefferson, n.d.: 1 item. "Jefferson Davis at the University" by JWT, in the Transylvanian.
Folder 2-12: Davis, Robert H., 1921 - 1928: 7 items. Letters to JWT. Pattee. Mencken. Flagg. Cobb. Allen. O'Henry. "Who's Cobb and Why". Three different copies of "Bob Davis Recalls". "Sundry Accounts".
Folder 2-13: Davis, Warren B., 07 July, 1912: 1 item. Postcard to JWT. "Berlin's Charity Surgical Hospital". "Berlin Charite Chirurgische Klinik".
Folder 2-14: Dawson, Miles Menander, 29 May, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Sequin-Centennial Celebration.
Folder 2-15: Dawson's Book Shop, 28 February, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Allen. "Flute and Violin". "The Blue Grass Region". John Fox Jr.
Folder 2-16: Dazey, Charles T., 05 March, 1913: 2 items. Letter to JWT. "The Old Flute Player". "The Stranger" Walton Lackaye. Signed photograph.
Folder 3-1: DeAryan, Harold Alexander, 1929: 4 items. Letters to JWT. International Writers' League and International Poetry Magazine.
Folder 3-2: Delcamp, E. W., 07 December, 1928: 1 item. Letter to JWT. The Flute and Violin Club. Professor Krake. Morrison College.
Folder 3-3: DeMenil. Alexander N., 1914: 3 items. Letters to JWT. William D. Gallagher. Dr. Robert Montgomery Bird.
Folder 3-4: DeMoss, J. C., 22 November, 1929: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 3-5: Deppen, Anna Belmont, 1912: 2 items. (Mrs. Rudolph O. Deppen). Letter to JWT. Biographical sketch by Anna's husband. Letter from J. W. S. Clements.
Folder 3-6: DeWeese, Archie P., 02 November, 1924: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Irvin Cobb's biography.
Folder 3-7: Dick, Belle T., 15 March, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Brief biographical sketch.
Folder 3-8: Dietz, F. Meredith, 08 July, 1939: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "This Man I Once New" by JWT.
Folder 3-9: Dillin, John Grace Wolfe, 1932 - 1934: 4 items. 3 postcards to JWT. Letter to JWT. . "Kentucky Rifle".
Folder 3-10: Diltz, Hanson Penn, 1907 - 1908: 4 items. Newspaper article about Diltz's death. Letters to JWT from Mrs. W. H. Elgin, sister. Photograph.
Folder 3-11: Dingus, L. R., 1930 - 1934: 4 items. Letters to JWT. Transylvania College Sesqui-Centennial. Radio broadcast, James Lane Allen, John Fox Jr.
Folder 3-12: Dinsmore, Julia Stockton, 1911: 3 items. Letters to JWT.
Folder 3-13: Dobell Booksellers, 05 February, 1929: 2 items. Receipt for Allen's Kentucky Cardinal.
Folder 3-14: Dodd,, 02 May, 1913: 1 item. Letter to JWT.
Folder 3-15: Doggett, Frank A., 13 September, 1930: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Dipped in Sky".
Folder 3-16: Doherty, William B., 10 February, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "You and Your Doctor"
Folder 3-17: Doneghy, George W., 1912: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Brief biographical sketch. William F. Marvin. Capt. A. S. McGrorty.
Folder 3-18: Donnelley, Thomas E., 31 December, 1931: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "Pattie's Narrative".
Folder 3-19: Donovan, H. L., 1930 - 1941: 7 items. Letters to JWT. JWT's Kentucky Collection. Goebel, Col. Franklin.
Folder 3-20: Donovan, Nell Stuart, 11 January, 1932: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Christmas gift.
Folder 4-1: Doran, George H., 1921 - 1923: 6 items. Letters to JWT. Life of Irvin S. Cobb manuscript by JWT. JWT's Sketch of Cobb. Uniform edition of Cobb's work.
Folder 4-2: Dorris, Jonathan Truman, 1913 - 1951: 4 items. Letters to JWT. "Old Cane Springs" brochure. "The Book of Kells" promoting a display of the "Book of Kells" at Eastern Kentucky State College, with introductory letter.
Folder 4-3: Doty, John Jr., n.d.: 1 item. Letter with publication information about a book by Nellie Talbot Kinkead.
Folder 5: Doty, William Kavanagh, 1914 - 1928: 70 items. 61 letters to JWT. 5 Christmas card. 2 postcards "Kamehameha Statue, Honolulu" and "Boone's Rock, Richmond, KY. Kappa Alpha Journal. Receipt for the "New Transylvanian" (1906). Promotional ad for "Blue Beads and Amber" by Mary Virginia Harris. James Lane Allen "A Kentucky Cardinal" and "Aftermath" copyright, letter from Library of Congress and New York Public Library. Daniel H. Holmes.
Folder 6-1: Doyle, Cornelius J., 08 February, 1929: 1 item. Letter to JWT. "A Man That I Knew" by Young E. Allison.
Folder 6-2: Doyle, George F., 20 February, 1922: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Clark County Historical Society Life Honorary Membership.
Folder 6-3: Drake, James H., 1927 - 1930: 2 items. Letters to JWT. Books and prices. Stevenson, Allen, Jackson, Fox, Townsend, Cobb books.
Folder 6-4: Drury, G. L., 18 October, 1935: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Judge George Huston. Charles J. O'Malley. Nancy Huston Banks.
Folder 6-5: Duchesne, Margaret, n.d.: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Thank you from the Alpha X: Delta fraternity.
Folder 6-6: Dudley, J. C., 1922 - 1930: 9 items. Letters to JWT. 1 postcard. Cobb. Judge Priest. "Words and Music". Portraits of judges.
Folder 6-7: Dudley, Louise, 24 Feb 1912: Letter to JWT, 1 item.
Folder 6-8: Dugan, Frances Lathrop, 1948 - 1956: 3 items. Letter to JWT. 2 postcards to JWT. University of Kentucky Library, Wilson's "Until the Day Break", Barry pamphlet.
Folder 6-9: Duncan, Fannie Casseday, 1915 - 1927: 4 items. Letters to JWT. "When Kentucky was Young". "Jennie Casseday".
Folder 6-10: Dunn, B. A., 05 February, 1912: 1 item. Letter to JWT. Byron A. Dunn. Col. Whitaker. Lt. Col. Cotlin. Colonel Shackelford.
Folder 6-11: Dunn, C. Frank, 1928 - 1931: 16 items. Letters to JWT, some signed by secretary, H. Dey. "At the feet of the enemy". Irvine Cobb. Kentucky Progress Commission, Progress Magazine. Holifield. G. G. Vest. Logan, Sheeley, McKnight.
Folder 6-12: Dunow, Evelyn H., 1959: 13 items. (Mrs. George M. Dunow) Letters to JWT. 2 postcards to JWT, "Mapparium", "Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass". Books.
Folder 6-13: Durant, Lucy S., 1929 - 1930: 4 items. (Mother Durant) Letters to JWT.
Folder 7: Durant, W. Clark, 1920 - 1927: 45 items. 42 letters to JWT. George Keats. Irvine Cobb. Lucas. Cooper. Imlay. Wollstonecraft. 1 postcard to JWT. From Constable and Company. Godwin's Memoir of Mary Wollstonecraft. News clipping of the "Benet Brothers" and the "Grackle of Grog". 1 letter to Durant from Doran's secretary, Townsend's "The Life of Irvin S. Cobb".