The earliest correspondence in the papers is a few letters to newspaper editors from Commodore W. Creighton. It is unknown whether this person is related to Johnston Blakeley Creighton. It is only obvious that the date of 1829 makes it too early for it to be from Creighton himself. Much of the 1850s and undated correspondence is of a personal nature, many of which are sent from Brooklyn, NY. Included are letters between Creighton (who is serving on the USS
CUMBERLAND), his wife and various relatives and friends. Some names mentioned are Edwina "Winnie" Creighton, "Emma", Susie Fisher and Amanda Waller. The latest correspondence present (1920s) is also of a personal nature, and most are sent to Sarah T. Creighton (also referred to as Mrs. J.B. Creighton) of New York City.
The remainder of the correspondence is largely of an official nature. Among these are letters between Creighton (while serving on the USS
NORTH CAROLINA, USS
WARRENTON, USS
GUERRIER and USS
WORCESTER) and Samuel Currey, William G. Marcy, Commander Samuel P. Carter (of the USS
MONOCACY), S. P. Bucklin and various other naval officers. Communication between Creighton and governmental departments include the U.S. Navy Department and the U.S. Navy Department's Bureau of Navigation. Topics of discussion found in these letters include recruitment and the court-martials of George Hudson and W. J. Hogan.
Of particular interest are approximately thirty-six letters documenting a period of surveillance of the island of Japan. These letters all date from 1868, several years after Commodore Matthew Perry's famed expedition that opened up Japan to trade and study. This correspondence offers a unique outsider's observation of this location and time. All of the letters are addressed to Creighton, some from Commander Samuel P. Carter, commander of the USS
MONOCACY, stationed in Yokohama and Hyogo. The remaining letters came from Commander Earl English, commander of the USS
IROQUOIS, which was traveling between Osaka, Yokohama, Hyogo and Nagasaki. This general description was taken from a typescript summary that was included with the letters at the time of their purchase. This summary can be found with the letters and offers a more detailed explanation.
There are several types of documents to be found in the
Printed Materials series. Among the notes are a few miscellaneous lists and a protocol list for ships stopping at various ports in Portugal and Spain for naval tours. Publications include several pamphlets by the
Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, as well as a booklet printed by the U.S. Navy in 1870 entitled
Regulations: Mess and State Room Furniture, upon which "For the Equipment Officer of the USS
GUERRIER?." is written. Reports document interrogation by Creighton of Commander Thomas Holdup Stevens, as well as navigation and coal expenditures of the USS
ONEIDA. All receipts involve transactions made by Creighton. Minutes document various property concerns in Bronx, NY. Poetry includes three separate poems written by an unknown individual. One is titled "Capt Porter", and the other two are untitled. One of the untitled poems has "Twenty first St. New York, Feb. 14, 1853" written at the end.