John Wilson Townsend papers
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- John Wilson Townsend papers
- Date
- 1908-1951
- Creator
- Townsend, John Wilson, 1885-1968
- Extent
- 0.5 Cubic feet
- Subjects
- Historians--Correspondence.
- Historians.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format.
- Preferred Citation
- 73M3: [identification of item], John Wilson Townsend papers, 1908-1915, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- John Wilson Townsend was born November 2, 1885. He graduated from the Kentucky University, now Transylvania College, in 1906, before continuing his education at Harvard University. Residing in Lexington, Townsend began writing books and articles about Kentucky history. His most well-known book is an anthology of Kentucky literature titled Kentucky in American Letters. His second wife was Grace Cole.
- Stokdyk, Jonathan. "John Wilson Townsend Papers, 1840-1980." 2005. Web. Accessed 12 January 2012.
- Scope and Content
- The John Wilson Townsend papers consist of letters from Townsend to his second wife, Grace Cole, during their courtship. It also contains a typed manuscript draft of a biography of Irvin S. Cobb; drafts and galleys of a reprinting of the "Knickerbocker" article from the Idleberg Papers by Ambrose Barbour; and a scrapbook of newspaper clippings regarding events in Townsend's life, the functions of the Lexington Filson Club, the life of author James Lane Allen, and memorabilia relating to William "King" Solomon and the 1833 cholera epidemic in Lexington, Kentucky.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection belong to the University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Contents of the Collection
Townsend letters to Grace Cole, 1915 July-September
Townsend letters to Calverton, Irvin S. Cobb manuscript, 1928, 1931
Cobb manuscript, 1928
Ambrose Barbour and the Idleberg Papers, "The Knickerbocker" article, undated
Townsend notes on Ambrose Barbour and the Idleberg Papers, 1950-1951
Ambrose Barbour and the Idleberg Papers, galley, 1951
Scrapbook, 1908-1910
Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
