Herbert LeSourd Creek was born in Yeoman, Indiana, on January 21, 1879 to Moses (b. June 21, 1836, of Lafayette, Indiana) and Martha (LeSourd) Creek (b. February 16, 1837). He married Anna Leone Fisher on October 16, 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana. They had two sons, Kenneth and Ronald.

Creek attended Delphi High School, then studied at DePauw University before earning both his Bachelor's degree (A. B.) and Master's degree (A. M.) from Butler College in 1905. He spent 1905-1907 working until he attended the University of Chicago from 1907-1908. After that, Creek was a Fellow at the University of Illinois from 1908-1910.

He then earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1910, when he began teaching there as an Instructor in the English Department. In Urbana, Illionois, Creek was a member of the M. E. Church and the Modern Language Association.

Creek joined the faculty of Purdue University in 1920 as a professor and head of the English department and achieved emeritus status in 1949. Creek received an honorary Litt.D. degree from Butler University in 1941, and edited various works in the general field of literature.

Source: The alumni record of the University of Illinois, including historical sketch and annals of the University, and biographical data regarding members of the faculties and the boards of trustees, by James Herbert Kelley, 1913, Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois, p. 614.

Indiana Authors and Their Books, 1917-1966. /webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/inauthors/view?docId=encyclopedia/VAA5365-02.xml;chunk.id=ina-v2-entry-0578;toc.depth=100;toc.id=ina-v2-entry-0578;brand=ia-books;doc.view=0;query=&hit.rank=#>