Guide to the Vernon A. Crawford Papers
Open for research.
Vernon A. Crawford, a Presbyterian minister and missionary, was a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary, Columbia, S.C. In 1925 he was married to Mattie Sue (Matsu) Wofford, and in the same year he was ordained by the Asheville Presbytery. He served as pastor of Brevard Presbyterian Church, Brevard, N.C., from 1925 to 1929. In 1929 he was appointed as a missionary to Japan by the Executive Committee of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. He worked in Kochi and around Okazaki and Nagoya until 1940. In 1941 Crawford returned to the U.S. to become pastor of the Vineville Presbyterian Church, Macon, Ga. He served as Executive Secretary and Stated Clerk of Augusta-Macon Presbytery from 1949 to 1956. In 1956 he became associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church, St. Petersburg, Fla. Westminster College awarded Crawford an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1960. In 1961, Crawford returned to Japan where he served for four years as pastor of Kobe Union Church, an independent, interdenominational, English-speaking congregation. In 1974 Crawford was dismissed to the Presbyterian Church in America.
This collection consists of the professional papers of Vernon A. Crawford documenting his career as a missionary in Japan, 1929-1940 and 1961-1964; his work with congregations and presbyteries in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, 1925-1929 and 1940-1961; and his involvement in the YMCA student movement in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. The collection contains diaries, 1945-1975; family and general correspondence, 1921-1979; sermons, 1925-1961; photographs related to mission work in Japan; records of the Kobe Union Church, Japan, 1961-1964, including a pastoral record book and membership lists; and "A Brief History of The Student Volunteer Union of South Carolina, 1908 to 1926," written by Crawford.
The collection is arranged in two parts. Part one is composed of the personal papers of Vernon A. Crawford. Material is arranged in alphabetical order by type and then chronologically within folders. Part two is composed of the records of Kobe Union Church, Japan, for the period 1961-1964. Material in part two is also arranged in alphabetical order by type and then chronologically within folders.
Matsu Crawford Papers, South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina. The papers of Mattie Sue (Matsu) Crawford, Vernon Crawford’s wife, include correspondence from Japan, 1929-1941. Vernon Crawford's correspondence from this period is largely absent from his papers.
See also RG 442, the John R. Crawford Papers, 1914-1987, bulk 1959-1987, for Crawford family photographs and other family information.
Two accessions received from John R. Crawford in 1979 and 1993. Source of bulk of the collection is unknown but probably also received from John R. Crawford.
This collection is minimally processed: materials may not have been ordered beyond their original condition. A preliminary inventory is provided in this guide. Guide revised in 2009 by Jennifer Barr, Archives Intern.
Vernon A. Crawford Papers, RG 448, Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| Box | Folder | Description | |
| 1 | 1 | Addresses and literary manuscripts, 1929 and undated | |
| 1 | 2 | Biographical sketch, 1933, 1960 | |
| 1 | 3 | Call to First Presbyterian Church, St. Petersburg, Fla., 1956 | |
| 1 | 4 | Certificate of appointment to Presbyterian Church in the U.S. Japan Mission,1926 Apr. 17, issued 1935 Sept. | |
| 1 | 5 | Certificate of copyright, 1961 | |
| 1 | 6 | Certificate, marriage, 1925 | |
| 1 | 7 | Certificate, ordination, 1925 | |
| 1 | 8 | Clippings, 1925-1973 | |
| 1 | 9 | Correspondence, general, 1921-1979 | |
| 1 | 10 | Correspondence, family, 1928-1957 | |
| 1 | 11 | Correspondence, family, 1961-1964 | |
| 1 | 12 | Correspondence with Egbert W. Smith and Darby Fulton, 1929, 1941, 1972 | |
| 1 | 13 | Correspondence regarding call of Kobe Union Church, Japan, 1961 Apr.-Sept. | |
| 1 | 14 | Correspondence regarding disposition of Crawford papers, 1967 | |
| 1 | 15 | Correspondence regarding receipt of honorary D.D. degree from Westminster College, 1959-1960 | |
| 1 | 16 | Diary, 1945 | |
| 1 | 17 | Diary, 1950 | |
| 1 | 18 | Diary, 1951 | |
| 1 | 19 | Diary, 1952 | |
| 1 | 20 | Diary, 1953 | |
| 2 | 1 | Diary, 1955 | |
| 2 | 2 | Diary, 1956 | |
| 2 | 3 | Diary, 1957-1958 | |
| 2 | 4 | Diary, 1958 | |
| 2 | 5 | Diary, 1959 | |
| 2 | 6 | Diary, 1960 | |
| 2 | 7 | Diary and expense book, 1961-1963 | |
| 3 | 1 | Diary, 1962 | |
| 3 | 2 | Diary, 1963 | |
| 3 | 3 | Diary, 1964 | |
| 3 | 4 | Diary, 1965 | |
| 3 | 5 | Diary, 1966 | |
| 3 | 6 | Diary, 1967 | |
| 3 | 7 | Diary, 1969 | |
| 3 | 8 | Diary, 1970 | |
| 4 | 1 | Diary, 1971 | |
| 4 | 2 | Diary, 1972 | |
| 4 | 3 | Diary, 1973 | |
| 4 | 4 | Diary, 1974 | |
| 4 | 5 | Diary, 1975 | |
| 4 | 6 | Documents, discharge from U.S. Army, 1918 | |
| 4 | 7 | Documents, health and travel, 1918-1969 | |
| 4 | 8 | Financial records, expense book, 1945 | |
| 4 | 9 | Financial records, closing statement for sale of house, 1967 | |
| 4 | 10 | Mailing list from Okasaki, Japan, 1937 | |
| 4 | 11 | Manuscript extract from the life of Gunpei Yamamura prepared by his daughter, circa 1929 | |
| 4 | 12 | Photographs, 1929-1960 and undated | |
| 4 | 12a | Photographs, 1946-1981 and undated | |
| 4 | 12b | Postcards, 1956 and undated | |
| 4 | 13 | Plat plan, Black Mountain lots, 1958 | |
| 4 | 14 | Printed materials from Concerned Presbyterians, Inc., 1969 | |
| 4 | 15 | Programs, 1956, 1960 | |
| 4 | 16 | Resolution accepting the resignation of V.A. Crawford from Brevard Presbyterian Church, circa 1929 | |
| 4 | 17 | Resolution regarding call of V.A. Crawford as pastor of Kobe Union Church, Japan, 1961 June 11 | |
| 5 | 1 | Sermon preached at Westminster College at presentation of honorary D.D. degree, 1960 June | |
| 5 | 2 | Sermons and articles, published, 1931, 1961 and undated | |
| 5 | 2a | “A Brief History of the Student Volunteer Union of South Carolina, 1908 to 1926,” written by Crawford, circa 1926 | |
| 5 | 3 | Sermons and notes, 1925-1960 | |
| 5 | 4 | Miscellaneous materials, 1938, 1958 and undated | |
| 5 | 5 | Kobe Union Church bulletins, 1961 Mar.-June | |
| 5 | 6 | Kobe Union Church constitution, 1961 | |
| 5 | 7 | Kobe Union Church financial statements, 1961, 1964 | |
| 5 | 8 | Kobe Union Church membership lists, 1961, 1963 | |
| 5 | 9 | Kobe Union Church minutes of committee meeting, 1961 | |
| 5 | 10 | Kobe Union Church newsletter, 1964 | |
| 5 | 11 | Kobe Union Church printed materials, undated | |
| 5 | 12 | Kobe Union Church pastor’s record book, 1961-1962 | |
| 5 | 13 | Expense and records book, 1956-1958, 1964-1969 | |
| 5 | 14 | Ledger and expense book, 1973-1978 | |
| 5 | Rolled: Honorary degree, Doctor of Divinity from Westminster College, 1960 |