Cawein, Madison J. (1865-1914) Papers, 1886-1928

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Cawein, Madison J., 1865-1914 

Title:  Papers, 1886-1928 

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department. 

Size of Collection: 5.5 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. A C383 

Scope and Content Note 

The bulk of the collection consists of material collected by Otto A. Rothert in preparation for his book: The Story of a Poet: Madison Cawein (1921). 

Cawein’s correspondence discusses his literary work and that of others, especially R. E. Gibson; local, personal, and family news; visits to New York and Washington; meetings with many literary people of the period; publication and reviews of his books; and the sale of his library and letters. 

Otto A. Rothert’s correspondence, 1915-1928, is chiefly about his biography of Cawein. 

The collection also includes publishers’ contracts; scrapbooks; photographs; typed and handwritten copies of Cawein’s poetry; his translations of works by German poets; and memorabilia. 

Biographical Note 

1865 Born in Louisville. 

1886 Graduated from Male High School. 

1887 Got his first book published: Blooms of the Berry. 

1902 Published Kentucky Poems. 

1903 Married Gertrude Foster McKelvey. 

1914 Died and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery. 

Folder List 

Box 1 

1 Cawein family genealogy. 

2 Chronologies and lists of Cawein’s life and works. 

3 List of Cawein’s letters. 

4 Cawein correspondence, 1886-1888. 

5 Cawein correspondence, 1889-1890 May 5. 

6 Cawein correspondence, 1890 July 18-1892 Nov. 14. 

7 Cawein correspondence, 1893-1894. 

8 Cawein correspondence, 1895-1896. 

9 Cawein correspondence, 1897. 

10 Cawein correspondence, 1898. 

11 Cawein correspondence, 1899 Jan.-July. 

12 Cawein correspondence, 1899 Aug.-Dec. 

 

Box 2 

13 Cawein correspondence, 1900 Jan.-June. 

14 Cawein correspondence, 1900 July-Dec. 

15 Cawein correspondence, 1901 Jan.-July. 

16 Cawein correspondence, 1901 Aug.-Dec. 

17 Cawein correspondence, 1902 Jan.-June. 

18 Cawein correspondence, 1902 July-Dec. 

19 Cawein correspondence, 1903 Jan.-June. 

20 Cawein correspondence, 1903 July-Sept. 

21 Cawein correspondence, 1903 Oct.-Dec. 

22 Cawein correspondence, 1904. 

23 Cawein correspondence, 1905. 

24 Cawein correspondence, 1906 Jan.-July. 

 

Box 3 

25 Cawein correspondence, 1906 Aug.-Sept. 

26 Cawein correspondence, 1906 Oct. 

27 Cawein correspondence, 1906 Nov-Dec. 

28 Cawein correspondence, 1907 Jan.-Apr. 

29 Cawein correspondence, 1907 May-Dec. 

30 Cawein correspondence, 1908 Jan.-June. 

31 Cawein correspondence, 1908 July-Aug. 

32 Cawein correspondence, 1908 Sept.-Dec. 

33 Cawein correspondence, 1909 Jan.-Feb. 

34 Cawein correspondence, 1909 Mar.-Apr. 

35 Cawein correspondence, 1909 May-June. 

36 Cawein correspondence, 1909 July-Sept. 

37 Cawein correspondence, 1909 Oct.-Dec. 

 

Box 4 

38 Cawein correspondence, 1910 Jan.-Feb. 

39 Cawein correspondence, 1910 Mar.-Apr. 

40 Cawein correspondence, 1910 May-June. 

41 Cawein correspondence, 1910 July-Aug. 

42 Cawein correspondence, 1910 Sept.-Oct. 

43 Cawein correspondence, 1910 Nov.-Dec. 

44 Cawein correspondence, 1911 Jan.-Apr. 

45 Cawein correspondence, 1911 May-July. 

46 Cawein correspondence, 1911 Aug.-Dec. 

47 Cawein correspondence, 1912 Jan.-Feb. 

48 Cawein correspondence, 1912 Mar.-Apr. 

 

Box 5 

49 Cawein correspondence, 1912 May. 

50 Cawein correspondence, 1912 June. 

51 Cawein correspondence, 1912 July. 

52 Cawein correspondence, 1912 Aug.-Sept. 

53 Cawein correspondence, 1912 Oct.-Nov. 

54 Cawein correspondence, 1912 Dec. 

55 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Jan. 

56 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Feb. 

57 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Mar.-Apr. 

58 Cawein correspondence, 1913 May. 

 

Box 6 

59 Cawein correspondence, 1913 June. 

60 Cawein correspondence, 1913 July. 

61 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Aug. 

62 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Sept.-Oct. 

63 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Nov. 

64 Cawein correspondence, 1913 Dec. 

65 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Jan.-Feb. 

66 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Mar. 

67 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Apr. 

68 Cawein correspondence, 1914 May. 

69 Cawein correspondence, 1914 June. 

70 Cawein correspondence, 1914 July. 

 

Box 7 

71 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Aug. 

72 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Sept. 

73 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Oct. 

74 Cawein correspondence, 1914 Nov.-Dec. 

75 Cawein correspondence, n.d. 

76 Cawein correspondence, n.d. 

77 Poetry, A-B.

78 Poetry, C-D.

79 Poetry, E-G.

80 Poetry, H-I.

 

Box 8 

81 Poetry, J-L.

82 Poetry, M-N.

83 Poetry, O-P.

84 Poetry, R.

85 Poetry, S.

86 Poetry, T-V.

87 Poetry, W-Y.

88 Poetry fragments.

89 Poetry fragments.

90 Poetry fragments.

 

Box 9 

91 Poetry-handwritten copies.

92 Poetry-dedicatory verses.

93 Verses for Christmas, New Year and other holiday cards.Christmas letters.

94 Brief essay of the life and works ofNicholausLenau and translations of five of his poems. 

95 Translations of the work of German poets: The White Snake and Other Poems.

96 Essays.

97 Short stories.

98 Short stories and dramas.

99 Short stories and other prose.

100 Tributes toCaweinat the time of his death. Sketches about Cawein. 

 

Box 10 

101 Copyright certificates, 1887-1902.

102 Publishers’ contracts, 1891-1906.

103 Publishers’ contracts, 1909-1914.

104 Statements and estimates from publishers, 1912-1916.

105 Material about the presentation of a silver loving cup to Madison Cawein, 1912Mar. 26. Material about the unveiling of a bust of Cawein, 1913 Apr. 25. 

106 Material about the bust of Cawein.

107 Newspaper clippings describing the presentation of the medallion portrait of Cawe into the Louisville Free Public Library 1922 Feb. 2. 

108CaweinMemorial Meetings, 1914-1921. 

109 Program of Male High School reunion and banquet, 1892.Wedding announcement of Gertrude McKelvey and Madison Cawein, 1903. 

110 Poems written to others and submitted to Cawein.

111 Poems dedicated to Cawein.

112 Copies of inscriptions in books which Cawein presented to his friends. 

113 Copies of inscriptions in books presented to Cawein.

 

Box 11 

114 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein, his family, and his work.

115 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein, his family, and his work.

116 Newspaper and magazine clippings about  Cawein, his family, and his work.

117 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

118 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

119 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

120 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

121 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

 

Box 12 

122 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

123 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

124 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

125 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

126 Newspaper and magazine clippings about Cawein and his work. 

126.5 Miscellaneous material.

127 Gertrude Cawein correspondence, 1903-1914. 

128 Gertrude Cawein correspondence, 1915-1916. 

129 Gertrude Cawein’s short story: Mrs. Ware’s intuition. Two poems. 

130 Gertrude Cawein programs and announcements of dramatic readings and newspaper clippings. 

131 Madison Cawein, II papers.

132 Robert E. Lee Gibson correspondence to Edward Bertram Finck, 1914-1915.

133Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1915-1918. 

134Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Feb.-June. 

135Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 July. 

 

Box 13 

136Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Aug. 2-11. 

137Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Aug. 12-18. 

138Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Aug. 19-28. 

139Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Sept. 2-16. 

140Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Sept. 18-29. 

141Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Oct. 1-16. 

142Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Oct. 11-31. 

143Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Nov. 

144Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1919 Dec. 

145Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1920 Jan. 

146Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1920 Feb. 1-11. 

147Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1920 Feb. 12-28. 

148Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1920 Mar. 1-12. 

149Rothertcorrespondence about Cawein, 1920 Mar. 13-31. 

 

Box 14 

150 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 Apr. 

151 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 May. 

152 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 June 2-12. 

fl.. 153 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 June 14-30. 

154 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 July. 

155 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 Aug. 3-19. 

156 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 Aug. 21-31. 

157 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 Sept. 1-11. 

158 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 Sept. 14-25. 

159 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1920 Nov.-Dec. 

fl.. 160 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1921 Jan.-June. 

161 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1921 July-Dec. 

162 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1922-1925. 

163 Rothert correspondence about Cawein, 1926-1928. 

 

Box 15 

164 Lists of people receiving copies of Rothert’s book and of the picturographies; checks received. 

165Rothert’snotes on Cawein’s notebooks; miscellaneous material. 

166Rothert’snotes about Cawein. 

167Rothert. Samples of announcements, order forms, etc., for The Story of a Poet.

168 Comments on the work of Eric Pape.

169 Programs and photographs of Woman’s “Titanic” Memorial Pageant (Eric Pape),1912 Aug. 23.

170 “Gloucester Day” material, 1907-1909, (Eric Pape).

 

pkg. 171 “Gloucester Day” photographs, 1907-1909. 

pkg. 172 Photographs of Cawein, his family, buildings and rural scenes. 

pkg. 173 Half-tone proofs of pictures used in Madison Cawein, The Story of a Poet. 

pkg. 174 Reproductions of Eric Pape’s illustrations of Madison Cawein’s poems. 

pkg. 175 Duplicates (photostatic copies) of letters in collection.