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 very little biographical material 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 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.