Finding Aid Round Up

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Amanda Dietz

We’ve been busy writing finding aids for recent acquisitions and revising finding aids for some materials already in our holdings. You can browse all of our archival holdings on DigitalCommons. See something below that piques your interest or could be useful for your research? Get in touch and let us know what you’re thinking about; we’d love to help!

Pecos River Family Encampment Papers, 1944-1996, MS#22 [Revised Finding Aid]
The Pecos River Family Encampment began meeting in 1940, when James Frank Black, preacher, and Charlie Chandler, rancher, decided that Chandler’s land would be the ideal location for a camp. After a short hiatus during the World War II years, the camp began meeting again in 1944. The campground is located on Hwy. 349 between Iraan and Sheffield, Texas, on the bank of the Pecos River. The camp is supported by the local churches of Christ. This collection contains some of the financial papers, history, and photographs from the Pecos River Family Encampment.

From the Pecos River Family Encampment Papers, (1944-1996). Center for Restoration Studies MS#22.

Andy Thomas Ritchie, Jr. Papers, 1930-1970, MS#23 [Revised Finding Aid]
Son of Andy T. Ritchie, Sr., Andy Thomas Ritchie, Jr. was best known for his service as the choral director of Harding College and David Lipscomb College. This collection consists of 32 boxes and includes radio sermons, class notes, notes for a book, personal papers, materials relating to the Abilene Christian College lectureship, correspondence, sermons, poems, Harding College choir recordings, Frater Sodalis papers, funeral outlines, papers pertaining to Harding College, David Lipscomb College, Michigan Christian College lectureship, Oklahoma Christian College, Pepperdine College, and University of Arkansas.

William Webb Freeman Papers, 1912-1954, MS#24 [Revised Finding Aid]
This collection contains personal and professional papers of William Webb Freeman, including correspondence, research materials, thesis material, photographs, and ephemera. The collection is housed in 4 boxes.

Christine “Chris” Kyker Papers, 1946-2017, MS#487 [New Finding Aid]
This collection consists of documents created by Chris Kyker in her career as a professor of speech, communication, and theater at Abilene Christian University and a member of Women of ACU; as an advocate for public policy respecting aging, mental health, and disability; and as an executive in nonprofit agencies and in Texas state agencies for the benefit of older persons, persons with disabilities, and persons with mental illness. The collection includes correspondence, academic papers, policy documents she developed in a variety of nonprofit and state leadership positions, religious studies, fundraising materials, pamphlets, programs, and memorabilia from advocacy campaigns and conferences, photographs and awards. Also in the collection are papers of Chris Kyker’s husband, Rex Paxton Kyker (1912-1996), professor of speech at ACU; and of their colleagues in the speech and theater department, Lewis and Jerilyn “Jerry” Fulks.

Bill Love Papers, MS#490
The Bill R. Love Papers contain 1.8 linear feet of materials including book manuscripts, sermons, seminar notes, and general research files. [The following biographical note is excerpted from Bill R. Love’s obituary, which ran in the Houston Chronicle from May 1-2, 2004]. Bill R. Love was born in Tucumcari, New Mexico, February 10, 1938, and passed away at home in Houston on April 30, 2004. Bill’s family moved to Abilene, Texas, when he was in third grade. He completed his early schooling on the campus of Abilene Christian College where he went on to receive B.A. and M.A. degrees in Speech Communication. Bill married Deanna Bussie in December of 1960. From 1962 to 1967 they lived in Winnipeg, Canada where Bill served as minister for the Erin Street Church of Christ. Bill earned a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from Louisiana State University in 1972 while serving as minister for the LSU Church of Christ Student Center. In 1974, Bill became the preaching minister at Bering Drive Church of Christ in Houston where he served until 1996. At that time Bill began his work as the Director of Development for Lifeline Chaplaincy, a position he held until suffering a stroke in November of 1998. Although disabled, Bill spent the last five years of his life as an encouragement and inspiration to all who knew him.

Stay tuned for more installments of Finding Aid Round Ups!

From the collection: a letter of recommendation from the Church of Christ at Lone Oak, Texas, 1892

Posted on May 12, 2020 by Mac Ice

Here is a letter of dismissal from the Church of Christ at Lone Oak, Texas, to Eunice Wells, dated “1st Lord’s day January, 1892.” The letter commends Eunice to a congregation of “Disciples of Christ wherever [it] may be presented.” This was a common practice until well into the 20th century. The occasion prompting the letter was a move from Lone Oak that would eventually take her to far West Texas.

A letter of dismissal from the Church of Christ at Lone Oak, Texas, to Eunice Wells, dated “1st Lord’s day January, 1892,” Texas–Lone Oak, Congregational Vertical File. Center for Restoration Studies. Milliken Special Collections, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Eunice Emily Davis Wells Thompson is the great-grandmother of Dr. Kenneth Pybus, ACU Associate Professor and Chair of Journalism and Mass Communication, who supplies this information: “My great-great-grandmother, Eunice Emily Davis Wells Thompson, was born in 1839 in Tennessee. She moved to East Texas as a child and married Ed Wells. They lived in Lone Oak and had four sons. After she was widowed, she married James R. Thompson and had another son. She and several sons left Lone Oak in 1892, moving for a time to Archer City and ultimately to Quanah, Texas, where she died at age 79. Several of her Wells and Thompson descendants attended ACU, including my grandfather, Sanford Rodgers Thompson, my sister, and several of my cousins. In fact, I know of one third cousin who went to ACU who’s a descendant, Gaylynn Wells Neas. (’92).”

Photograph of Eunice Wells, ca. 1892, Texas–Lone Oak, Congregational Vertical File. Center for Restoration Studies. Milliken Special Collections, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Kenneth’s grandfather donated the letter several years ago. He says, “Sanford Rodgers Thompson (‘41). He was a resident of Lake Jackson, Texas, and was employed as a chemist by Dow Chemical. He served as an elder at Lake Jackson Church of Christ for 40 years and died Feb. 18, 2010.”

Correspondence accompanying a letter of dismissal from the Church of Christ at Lone Oak, Texas, to Eunice Wells, dated “1st Lord’s day January, 1892,” Texas–Lone Oak, Congregational Vertical File. Center for Restoration Studies. Milliken Special Collections, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Envelope accompanying letter of dismissal from the Church of Christ at Lone Oak, Texas, to Eunice Wells, dated “1st Lord’s day January, 1892,” Texas–Lone Oak, Congregational Vertical File. Center for Restoration Studies. Milliken Special Collections, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Kenneth sent us this photograph of Eunice, taken about the time she moved from Lone Oak. This is a very nice example of a church dismissal letter, and one of the few in our collection. It is also especially nice to have a photograph to accompany the letter.

Finding Aid Round Up

Posted on March 4, 2020 by Amanda Dietz

Theophilus Brown Larimore Papers, 1907-1935, MS#6 [Revised Finding Aid]
Theophilus Brown Larimore was among the most widely-known and successful evangelists among Disciples and Churches of Christ from the latter decades of the nineteenth century until his death in 1929. This collection includes professional and business correspondence.

Letter from Emma Larimore to B. R. Colson dated 6 July 1915, Dixieland College Materials (1), Theophilus Brown Larimore Papers, 1907-1935. Center for Restoration Studies MS #6. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Reuel Gordon Lemmons Papers, 1908-1989, MS#11 [Revised Finding Aid]
Reuel Gordon Lemmons served Churches of Christ as a minister, writer, editor, and publisher. These papers are arranged by subject and include minutes, academic papers, broadcast transcripts, pictures, correspondence, and sermons materials.

John Parham Lewis Papers, 1926-1985, MS#12 [Revised Finding Aid]
John Parham Lewis was a Church of Christ preacher and teacher. These papers include his handwritten Bible notes and class notes, correspondence, assorted literary materials, and a scrapbook.

James Shannon Papers, 1849-1857, MS#505 [New Finding Aid]
James Shannon was president of Bacon College (Kentucky) from 1856-1859 and then president at Christian University (Missouri). He was an ardent defender of slavery and frequent contributor to church papers such as Alexander Campbell’s Millennial Harbinger. These papers include six issues of the Millennial Harbinger dating from 1849-1857 that were owned by James Shannon.

Front cover, Millennial Harbinger, March 1849, owned by James Shannon

George Phillip Holt, Sr. Papers, 1971-1972, MS#506 [New Finding Aid]
George Phillip Holt, Sr. was an evangelist and education advocate in the Church of Christ. These papers include one folder of photocopies of sermon outlines written and preached by Holt.

Stay tuned for more installments of Finding Aid Round Ups!