Craik Family Papers, 1840-1967

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Craik Family 

Title:  Papers, 1840-1967 

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

Size of Collection:  7 boxes 

Location Number:   Mss. A C887

Scope and Content Note 

The correspondence of James Craik comprises the bulk of the collection. Correspondence concerns the Protestant Episcopal Church in the country and in Ky. Liturgical debate, doctrinal controversy, and the routine matters of personnel and administrative detail are stressed. 

The collection also includes pamphlets, sermons, and addresses of James Craik; genealogical information on the Craik and Simmons families, and newspaper clippings. Also included is some correspondence of Craik’s son and grandson, Charles E. Craik and Charles E. Craik, Jr. 

Correspondents include Edward Berkley, Barry Bingham, Andrew Broaddus, Carlton Chase, Armistead Henry Churchill, St. George Philip Cooke, William O. Cowger, Thomas Dudley, Hugh Evans, Alexander Greeg, Benjamin Haight, Hall Harrison, Caleb Henry, Murray Hoffman, Herman Hooker, John Henry Hopkins, Henry Hudson, Washington Hunt, Thomas Jagger, Henry Lay, Abram Littlejohn, John M. Leavitt, Eli Long, James McCabe, Samuel McCorsky, William Meade, Thruston Morton, John Norton, James Otey, Henry Potter, Charles Quintard, George Randall, Nathaniel Richardson, Benjamin Smith, Marion Gene Snyder, John Spalding, John Stevenson, Joseph Toner, Henry Watterson, William Welsh, George West, Henry Whipple, Richard Wilmer, and William Wilson. 

To see a listing of all correspondence organized chronologically, giving the writer, recipient, date, and brief overview of content, please click here to open a searchable PDF.

Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Dept. 

Biographical Note 

James Craik was born in Alexandria, Va., August 31, 1806. Following the completion of his studies at the academy in Alexandria he began the study of medicine. He attended lectures in Alexandria conducted by Dr. Charles Caldwell, professor of materia medica at Transylvania University. Dr. Caldwell convinced him to continue his studies at the university and he moved to Lexington, Ky. The president of the university, Horace Holley, convinced him that he would be better suited to the study of law and Craik became a lawyer. He secured a license to practice in Kanawha County, Va. in 1829. It was there he met and married Juliet Shrewsbury of that place. He practice for ten years, while he studied theology. In 1839, he was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church and was called to the rectorship of the church in Charleston, Va. In 1844, he was called to Christ Church, Louisville, where he remained for the rest of his life. He was succeeded as rector of the church by his son, the Reverend Charles Ewell Craik, and in 1896 his grandson, James Craik Morris was ordained to the ministry in the same church. James Craik died in Louisville, June 9, 1882. 

Folder List 

Box 1 

1 Correspondence, 1850.

2 Correspondence, 1851-1853.

3 Correspondence, 1855-1857.

4 Correspondence, 1859-1864.

5 Correspondence, 1865 Jan.-Mar.

6 Correspondence, 1865 Apr.-June.

7 Correspondence, 1865 July-Sept.

8 Correspondence, 1865 Oct.-Dec.

 

Box 2 

9 Correspondence, 1867-1868.

10 Correspondence, 1869 Jan.

11 Correspondence, 1869 Feb.-Apr.

12 Correspondence, 1869 May-July.

13 Correspondence, 1869 Aug.-Dec.

14 Correspondence, 1875 Jan.-Apr.

15 Correspondence, 1875 May-Aug.

16 Correspondence, 1875 Sept.-Dec.

 

Box 3 

17 Correspondence, 1876-1878.

18 Correspondence, 1879 Jan.

19 Correspondence, 1879 Feb.-Mar.

20 Correspondence, 1879 Apr.-June.

21 Correspondence, 1879 July-Sept.

22 Correspondence, 1879 Oct.-Dec.

23 Correspondence, 1880-1888.

 

Box 4 

24 Correspondence, 1891-1899.

25 Correspondence, 1900-1935.

26 Correspondence, 1949-1950.

27 Correspondence, 1950-1959.

28 Correspondence, 1960-1969.

29 Correspondence, n.d.

 

Box 5 

30 Sermons and addresses, 1840-1849.

31 Sermons and addresses, 1850-1859.

32 Sermons and addresses, 1860-1869.

33 Sermons, addresses, and pamphlets, 1870-1879.

 

Box 6 

34 Pamphlets, sermons, and addresses, 1880-1889.

35 Pamphlets, sermons, and addresses, 1890-1913, and n.d.

36 Cards and social invitations.

37 Certificates.

38 Bulletins, booklets, and announcements.

39 Simmons family material: documents, photographs, and receipts.

40 Simmons family material: clippings.

 

Box 7 

41 Notes, genealogical information and memoirs of Dr. James Craik. [Click here to access PFD of Craik Memoirs]

42 Newspaper clippings.

43 Newspaper clippings.

44 Newspaper clippings.

45 Newspaper clippings.