Title: Joseph H. Crooker Papers, 1873-2002

ID: RG 30/036

Extent: 1.2 Linear Feet

Predominant Dates: 1873-1931

Joseph H. Crooker was an ordained Unitarian minister, an active theologian and scholar, a writer, lecturer and author. He was the founder of several Unitarian churches and an activist in many national church-related associations such as the Massachusetts Home Missionary Society, the American Unitarian Association, and the Unitarian Temperance Association. The Unitarians rejected Calvinist doctrines and strived to save souls by what they saw as the simple truth of the Universal Fatherhood of God and the natural brotherhood of man on earth.

Crooker was born in Foxcroft, Maine, on December 8, 1850, a descendant of the Mayflower Pilgrims through John Howland (1592-1673). From 1916-17 he and his second wife Florence Kollock stayed in Oberlin, where Crooker worked on manuscripts and Kollock attended lectures. The collection also reveals an amicable relationship with Ida C. Finney of Oberlin. Crooker was married to Frank E. Burt in 1872, and later remarried to Florence Kollock on June 18, 1896.

Crooker began his career as the minister of the first Unitarian settlement in La Porte, Indiana, serving there for 4 years. He later served as the minister to large and more diverse congregations, composed mainly of students and university professors, in Madison, Wisconsin 1881-1891, and Ann Arbor Michigan, 1898-1905. Between these two positions, Crooker founded a church and several charities in Helena, Montana. His charity work in Montana compelled similar projects in St. Louis, Missouri and Madison, Wisconsin. He spent two years lecturing on the theological topics of his scholarship in the British Isles, 1914-1916.

As an active traveler and public speaker, Crooker gave talks and sermons across the country, from the West Coast to the East Coast, in churches, meeting halls, at university commencements, and to varying types of associations. His work for and participation in several temperance associations ranged from writing anti-alcohol editorials, pamphlets and books, as well as serving as the president of the Unitarian Temperance Association for a decade, to active correspondence with members of the Central China Temperance Association.

A prolific published author, Crooker wrote in the fields of religion, history, and cultural criticism. He wrote: Jesus Brought Back, 1889; Problems in American Society, 1889; A Plea for Sincerity, 1898; Different New Testament Views of Jesus, 1900; The Growth of Christianity; The Supremacy of Kindness, 1900; The Menace to America, 1900; Religious Freedom in American Education, 1903; The New Bible and its New Uses, 1903; The Supremacy of Jesus, 1904; The Church of To-day, 1908; The Church of To-morrow, 1911; and Shall I Drink?, 1914. For many years he consistently contributed essays to the national magazine the Christian Register, as well as many other periodicals and newspapers. He died on May 29, 1939 in his home in Kansas City, Missouri.

SOURCES CONSULTED

Who's Who biographical entry for Joseph H. Crooker, and Back to Church He Built in the Springfield Sunday Republican, April 1, 1917.

Author: Matthew Vella

Forms of Material (links to similar genres)

Languages of Materials

Administrative Information

Scope and Contents:

The papers of Joseph H. Crooker document Crooker's career as a writer, minister, and theological scholar. The collection includes professional correspondence, limited personal correspondence, printed matter including talk and sermon programs, writings by Crooker including manuscripts and editorials, and writings about Crooker including book reviews and editorials.

The collection consists of biographical material (which was received from a scholar as part of accession 2002/143) and a small amount of personal letters. However, Crooker is listed in Who's Who, and a more plentiful correspondence chronicling his professional activities suggests a certain prominence. The correspondence reveals his contact with book, newspaper, and magazine publishers, other churches and church associations, universities and colleges, and temperance organizations. In addition to the correspondence, the collection contains programs from Crooker's talks and sermons, delivered in churches, meeting halls, at university commencements, and to various associations around the country.

The writings series is divided into two subseries, one of writings by Crooker and the other comprised of writings about him. Crooker's interests, theological scholarship, church organization issues, and anti-alcohol temperance work, are apparent in both. His articles range from dealing with theological questions to shorter cultural critique. The result is a mixture of sermon-like, philosophical texts and shorter editorials. Two large folders contain many miscellaneous clippings of shorter book reviews, editorials, and speaking announcements. Titles of manuscripts include Law and Liberty, The New Jesuitism, and Life and Liberty. A separate folder contains color broadsides from the Central China Temperance Association (Chinese/English text, larger broadsides have been relocated).

The collection is divided into four series. Series I. Biographical, 1926, 2002 Series II. Correspondence, 1873-1912, 1914-15, 1917-27, 1929-31, Series III. Talks and Sermons, 1890-1929, n.d., Series IV. Writings, 1877-1930, n.d.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I. Biographical, 1926, 2002 (3f)

Contains information (researched on the internet by a scholar) about the life of Joseph Crooker and lists sources for more biographical information. Also includes a biography of Florence Crooker, The Romance of a Pioneer, written by Joseph Crooker himself in 1926.

Series II. Correspondence, 1873-1912, 1914-15, 1917-27, 1929-31 (6f)

The correspondence consists of 110 letters received by Crooker concerning his professional activities, including many from his book, newspaper, and magazine publishers, other churches and church associations, universities and colleges, and temperance organizations. One letter, in the last folder, acknowledged Crooker for an article he submitted to the Ann Arbor News of January 7th, 1929 about Mrs. Ida C. Finney of Oberlin. The article is attached. Folders are arranged chronologically.

Series III. Talks and Sermons, 1890-1929, n.d. (3f)

Programs from Crooker's talks and sermons, delivered in churches, meeting halls, university commencements, and to various associations around the country, from California to New England. Examples of the talks given by Crooker include Religious Power and Church Policies, 1911 and Human Need, 1920.

Series IV. Writings, 1877-1930, n.d. (11f)

Series IV is divided into two subseries: SS1. Writings by Joseph Crooker, SS2. Writings about Joseph Crooker. Subseries 1 is comprised of articles published in journals and newspapers, original manuscripts, and pamphlets (1878-1930). These cover many theological topics and church organization issues, as well as social commentary and cultural criticism. A separate folder contains his writings on temperance from 1915 to 1925. Subseries 2 includes reviews of Crooker's books in newspapers and journals, as well as many miscellaneous clippings (1877- 1920). These clippings include smaller book reviews, editorials, and speaking announcements.

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