Bayless-Crawford Family Papers, 1770-1991
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Bayless – Crawford Family
Title: Papers, 1770-1991
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department.
Size of Collection: 1.33 cubic feet
Location Number: Mss. A B358
Scope and Content Note
Bayless – Crawford Family Papers collection (1770-1991) contains 1.33 cubic feet of material collected by Wilhelmine Kiameche Bayless Willis and includes family correspondence, diaries, land and legal papers, poetry, newspaper clippings, family bibles, genealogical correspondence and data, and miscellaneous items.
Family correspondence (1785-1879) covers a wide range of subjects, but focuses on the Civil War. Topics include Benjamin Browne Bayless’ experiences as an aide to General Simon Bolivar Buckner, tensions between Union and Confederate sympathizers in Kentucky, England’s reaction to the Union blockade of the South, and the aftermath of the 1st Battle of Bull Run.
Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless’ 1866-1868 diary recounts her society debut in Washington, D. C., Louisville, Ky., and Baltimore, Md., and includes descriptions of many important civilian and military persons. Charles Thomas Bayless’ 1886 diary focuses on the daily life of a 15 year old boy in Louisville and notes many of the city’s prominent families. Boaz Mathews’ 1770-1785 journal/ ledger looks at the activities of a Virginia trader and primarily consists of account entries, but does include some personal observations.
The poetry consists of verses written by Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless while the land and legal papers primarily focus on the Thomas family.
Genealogical information is made up of correspondence and data on the Bayless, Crawford, Browne, and Thomas maternal lines, and includes research on the Galt, Craig, and Estey families among others.
Separation Note:
Family photographs associated with this collection have been transferred to the Bayless – Crawford Family collection in the Photographs and Prints Department.
Biographical Note
George Wood Bayless (1817-1873): Medical doctor, Instructor at the Medical Institute of Louisville and the Ohio Medical College; Chair of Physiology and Pathology, and Chair of Surgery at the Kentucky School of Medicine (later the University of Louisville School of Medicine). Married to Virginia Lafayette Browne Bayless. Father of nine children, including Benjamin Browne Bayless.
Benjamin Browne Bayless (1844-1920): Confederate soldier and aide to General Simon Bolivar Buckner; Louisville, Ky., and Evanston, Ill., businessman. Married Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless. Father of five children, including Wilhemine Kiameche Bayless Willis and Charles Thomas Bayless.
Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless (1848-1878): Diarist and poet, Daughter of William Churchman Crawford and Cecelia Kiameche Thomas Crawford. Married Benjamin Browne Bayless. Mother of four children, including Wilhelmine Kiameche Bayless Willis and Charles Thomas Bayless.
Charles Thomas Bayless (1871-1906): Diarist and mechanical engineer for the Mexican Central Railroad. Son of Benjamin Browne Bayless and Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless, and brother of Wilhelmine Kiameche Bayless Willis.
Charles Estey Thomas (1797-1878): Army Quartermaster’s Office. Entered Army as 3rd Lieutenant of Ordinance in 1819; 2nd Lieutenant of the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery Regiment in 1821; 1st Lieutenant in 1824; Captain in 1833; Major in 1838; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel in 1848; Deputy Quartermaster-General and rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1850; Assistant Quartermaster-General and rank of Colonel in 1856; Brevet Brigadier-General in 1864; Brevet Major-General in 1865, retired 1866. Served with distinction in the Mexican War and the Civil War. Grandfather of Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless.
Wilhelmine Kiameche Bayless Willis (1878-): Collector of Bayless – Crawford family papers. Daughter of Benjamin Browne Bayless and Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless. Sister of Charles Thomas Bayless. Married Raymond Smith Willis.
Boaz Mathews (1752-1785): Adjutant of the 6th Battalion of Chester County, Va., Militia and Virginia trader. Uncle of Charles Estey Thomas.
Folder List
Box 1:
1: Correspondence, 1785-1858
2: Correspondence, 1861-1879 [CLICK TO ACCESS PDF]
3: Boaz Mathews journal/ ledger, 1770-1785
4:Wilhelmine Kiameche Crawford Bayless Diary, 1866-1868; related materials, 1939, 1976
5: Charles Thomas Bayless Diary, 1886 [CLICK TO ACCESS PDF]
6: Land and Legal Papers, 1803-1866
7: Poetry, 1863-1868, no dates
Box 2:
8: Newspaper Clippings, 1932-1991
9:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1916-1925
10:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1926-1928
11:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1930-1936
12:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1944-1946
13:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Bayless family
14:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Bayless family
15:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Bayless family
16:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Austin, Folger, Goulder, Platt, Rusco, Smith, Souplis, and Strickland families
17:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Wood, Whiteman, Wiedman, and Keyser families
18:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on George Wood Bayless (1817-1873)
19:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on Wilhelmine Kiameche Bayless Willis (1878-)
20:Bayless Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on Wilhelmine Kiameche Bayless Willis (1878-) and Helen Cecelia Willis Knight (1903-1995)
21: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1922-1938
22: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1940-1943
23: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1944-1953
24: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Browne family
25: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Galt family
26: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Craig family
27: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Maupin family
28: Browne Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Ballard, Page, and Servant families
29: Crawford Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1922-1934
30: Crawford Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Crawford family
31: Crawford Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Bradford, and Churchman families
32: Crawford Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Norris family
33: Crawford Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Richardson, and Whitaker families
34: Thomas Maternal Lines Genealogy Correspondence, 1933-1938
35: Thomas Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Thomas family
36: Thomas Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Estey family
37: Thomas Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Lucas family
38: Thomas Maternal Lines Genealogy Data on the Adams, Broadstreet, Granger, Kimball, Newell, Penguilly, Scott, and Taylor families
39: Genealogy Data on the Chappell, Hite, Kitchell, Pasteur, and Townes families
40: Genealogy Notes
41: Genealogy Notes
42: Family Bibles
43: Miscellaneous, 1845-1902, no dates
