Finding Aid for the John Walkinshaw Craufurd Papers 1746-1831

Processed by Katie Duvall.

William Andrews Clark Memorial Library

University of California, Los Angeles

2520 Cimarron Street

Los Angeles, CA 90018

Phone: (323) 731-8529

Fax: (323) 731-8617

Email: rfenning@humnet.ucla.edu

URL: http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/clarklib/

Descriptive Summary

Title: John Walkinshaw Craufurd Papers,

Date (inclusive): 1746-1831

Collection number: MS.1994.003

Creator: Craufurd, John Walkinshaw 1720 or 1-1793

Extent: 1 box (5 linear inches)

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library. William Andrews Clark Memorial Library

Los Angeles, California 90095-1490

Abstract: This collection contains letters, memoranda, bills and notes retained by John Walkinshaw Craufurd, a Scottish landowner and army officer, between 1746 and his death in 1793. Also included are letters regarding the disposition of Craufurdland Estate after his death.

Physical location: Clark Library

Language of Material: Collection materials in English

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Clark Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John Walkinshaw Craufurd Papers, MS.1994.003, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Acquisition Information

This collection was purchased by the Clark in 1994 (accession number MS.1994.003).

Processing History

Processed by Katie Duvall, November 2010

Biography

John Walkinshaw Craufurd of Craufurdland was born in 1720/21 at Craufurdland Castle, near Kilmarnock, Scotland. He entered the army at an early age and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel over the course of his career, distinguishing himself at the battles of Dettingen in 1743 and Fontenoy in 1745. In 1761 he was appointed falconer to the King and in 1762 he received the freedom of the city of Perth. He occasionally appears in Boswell's Journals, often as a dinner companion.

Craufurd died, unmarried, on February 19, 1793 in Edinburgh, leaving Craufurdland Estate to his friend Thomas Coutts, an eminent banker. The will was contested by his aunt, Elizabeth Craufurd, and her daughter, also Elizabeth. The elder Elizabeth died in 1802, but the legal battle waged on until 1806 when the matter was decided in favor of her daughter, Elizabeth Houison Craufurd of Craufurdland and Braehead. The younger Elizabeth was married to Reverend James Moody, who assumed the name James Houison Moody Craufurd. He appears in this collection as the primary correspondent regarding this matter.

Scope and Content

This collection contains letters, memoranda, bills and notes retained by John Craufurd, a Scottish landowner and army officer, between 1746 and his death in 1793. The letters refer to local politics, elections, his finances, and the management of his estate.

Also included in this collection are posthumous letters regarding the Craufurdland Cause, the legal process that reversed Craufurd's settlement of his estate upon his friend Thomas Coutts.

The collection is organized into the following series:

Series 1. Craufurd Correspondence, 1746-1793. 16 folders, 118 items
Series 2. Posthumous Correspondence Regarding Craufurdland Estate, 1793-1831. 8 folders, 39 items

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Hay family

Boswell, John, 1743-ca. 1798

Craufurd, John Walkinshaw, 1720 or 1-1793

Crichton, Patrick McDouall, Earl of Dumfries, 1726-1803

Cunningham, William

Erskine, Henry, 1746-1817

Fairlie, Alexander

Fraser, Alexander

Kennedy, David, Earl of Cassillis, 1727-1792

McGregor, Lewis Drummond

Miller, William, 1755-1846

Inheritance and succession--Scotland--18th century

Genres and Forms

Letters--Scotland--18th century

Series 1. Craufurd Correspondence 1746-1793

Physical Description: 16 folders, 118 items

Scope and Content Note

This series contains letters, memoranda, bills, and notes retained by John Craufurd relating to local politics, elections, finances, legal matters and estate management. Correspondents include Lord Cassillis, Sir William Miller, Henry Erskine, Lord Dumfries, Alexander Fraser, Margaret Craufurd, John Boswell, Sir William Cunningham, Lewis Drummond McGregor, Alexander Fairlie, and a member of the Hay family.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically. Undated notes and correspondence have been placed at the beginning of the series. Undated letters from William Cunningham were designated as being from 1792 by a previous collector. Since their chronology is unclear, they have been left in this order.

Box 1, Folder 1

Correspondence Undated

Physical Description: 10 letters

Scope and Content Note

Letters written to Craufurd regarding legal matters, personal invitations and other general matters. Correspondents include Alexander Fairlie and Lord Dumfries. Three of the letters include notes and lists added by Craufurd.

Box 1, Folder 2

Miscellaneous Undated

Physical Description: 6 items

Scope and Content Note

Items include, "List of Witnesses against T. Gemmel," minutes from a county meeting, recipe to cure mange in dogs, list of "Things to be done about the house," and two envelopes.

Box 1, Folder 3

Letters 1746-1759

Physical Description: 4 items

Scope and Content Note

Three misc. envelopes and a letter from Andrew Hunter regarding health and financial issues.

Box 1, Folder 4

Letters 1760-1764

Physical Description: 9 items

Scope and Content Note

This folder contains letters regarding Craufurd's father's death in 1763, domestic issues and various accounts.

Box 1, Folder 5

Letters 1765-1769

Physical Description: 4 items

Scope and Content Note

This folder contains two receipts, a copy of a letter from Craufurd to William McDowall and a letter from Margaret Craufurd regarding Craufurd Sr.'s estate.

Box 1, Folder 6

Letters 1771-1779

Physical Description: 10 items

Scope and Content Note

The letters in this folder cover military, political and household affairs. Correspondents include Lord Dumfries, Alexander Fairlie, and Lewis Drummond McGregor. The letter from Fairlie includes additional notes by Craufurd on various household matters.

Box 1, Folder 7

Letters 1780

Physical Description: 5 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding local and accounting matters. Correspondents include John Boswell, Alexander Fairlie and Lewis Drummond McGregor.

Box 1, Folder 8

Letters 1781-1782

Physical Description: 5 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding business and legal affairs. Correspondents include John Boswell, Alexander Fairlie and John Stone.

Box 1, Folder 9

Letters 1784-1786

Physical Description: 5 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding legal and estate matters. This includes a letter from a Margaret Steele addressed "Dear Madam," and a letter from John Boswell.

Box 1, Folder 10

Letters 1787-1788

Physical Description: 4 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding estate and political matters. Correspondents include Alexander Fairlie and John Glen. One of the Fairlie letters is missing the top half and has notes by Craufurd written on the back.

Box 1, Folder 11

Letters 1789

Physical Description: 8 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding local and other general matters. Correspondents include a member of the Hay family, Sir William Cunningham, Lord Cassillis, and Sir William Miller. The Miller letter is a funeral letter announcing the death of Sir William Miller Sr.

Box 1, Folder 12

Letters 1790

Physical Description: 11 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters and notes regarding personal accounts, politics and legal matters. This includes a list of decisions by jury members in the poaching trial of a Capt. Thompson and a letter from the War Office announcing peace with Spain. Correspondents include Alexander Fairlie and Mr. Ferguson.

Box 1, Folder 13

Letters 1791

Physical Description: 14 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding business, estate and legal matters. Correspondents include James Dalrymple, John Boswell, William Cunningham, and Alexander Fairlie. Also included is an envelope with notes by Craufurd regarding accounting matters on the reverse.

Box 1, Folder 14

Letters 1792 March-May

Physical Description: 7 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding estate and political matters. Correspondents include Henry Erskine.

Box 1, Folder 15

Letters 1792 June-August

Physical Description: 5 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding legal, political and financial matters. Correspondents include John Boswell, Alexander Walker and John Peebles.

Box 1, Folder 16

Letters from William Cunningham 1792-1793

Physical Description: 11 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters from William Cunningham regarding business and inquiries into Craufurd's health. Includes a letter, with an enclosure, written to Craufurd shortly before his death in February 1793.

Note

Some of the letters in this folder do not include dates, but were designated as being from 1792 by a previous collector. Since the chronology of these letters is unclear, they have been left in the previously designated order.

Series 2. Posthumous Correspondence Regarding Craufurdland Estate 1793-1831

Physical Description: 8 folders, 39 items

Scope and Content Note

The series primarily contains letters relating to the Craufurdland Cause, the legal process that reversed John Craufurd's deathbed settlement of his estate upon his friend Thomas Coutts. Primary correspondents include James Houison Moody Craufurd, James Beveridge, and a Mr. Ferguson. Also included in this series are two letters written by the granddaughter of James Houison Moody Craufurd and Elizabeth Houison Craufurd in 1831.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically.

Box 1, Folder 17

Letters 1793

Physical Description: 9 items

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence from James Beveridge to Rev. James Moody regarding the Craufurdland Cause.

Box 1, Folder 18

Letters 1799 March

Physical Description: 3 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters between Rev. James Moody, Mr. Ferguson and James Beveridge regarding the Craufurdland Cause.

Box 1, Folder 19

Letters 1799 April 2-20

Physical Description: 6 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters between Mr. Chalmer, Mr. Beveridge and Rev. Moody regarding the Craufurdland Cause.

Box 1, Folder 20

Letters 1799 April 22-30

Physical Description: 6 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters between Mr. Chalmer, Mr. Beveridge and Rev. Moody regarding the Craufurdland Cause.

Box 1, Folder 21

Letters 1799 May

Physical Description: 2 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters from Mr. Beveridge to Rev. Moody regarding the Craufurdland Cause.

Box 1, Folder 22

Letters 1808

Physical Description: 5 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters regarding the Craufurdland settlement from Mr. Ferguson to Rev. Moody.

Box 1, Folder 23

Letters 1810

Physical Description: 8 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters from Mr. Ferguson to Rev. Moody regarding the settlement of the Craufurdland Cause.

Box 1, Folder 24

Letters 1831

Physical Description: 2 items

Scope and Content Note

Letters from Constance Craufurd to her brother, J. Reginald Florison Craufurd.