Finding Aid Round Up

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Amanda Dietz

We’ve been busy writing finding aids for recent acquisitions and revising finding aids for sets of papers already in our holdings. You can browse all of our collections 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!

Carr Family Bible, MS#422 [Revised Finding Aid]
This collection includes one Bible from the Carr family. The cover and beginning pages of the Bible are missing and it begins in Genesis 18.

Burl Edward “B. E.” Davis Papers, 1936-1989, MS#450 [Revised Finding Aid]
Burl Edward “B. E.” Davis was a professor of Communication at Abilene Christian University from 1969. Burl Edward Davis married Frances Dawn Bartlett Davis on February 22, 1952. The couple had four children, Kathy, Kay, Phyllis, and Mike. Burl Edward Davis passed away on May 21, 1998. This collection includes term papers, research reports, journal articles, surveys, correspondence, pamphlets, and presentations.

Paul William “Bill” Hosse Papers, 1949-2015, MS#463 [Revised Finding Aid]
This collection includes Paul William “Bill” Hosse’s sermons, sermon charts, teaching materials, information related to his short-term mission trips in Russia and Eastern Europe, personal and academic papers, and cassettes.

Dale Victor Knowles II Papers, 1984-2008, MS#476 [Revised Finding Aid]
Dale Victor Knowles II is a preacher, editor, writer and publisher who was involved as a planner and promoter of the annual Restoration Forum meetings. These materials reflect his activity in that capacity; he created and collected these materials. These papers include materials relating to the Restoration Forum, held annually from 1984-2007. There is additional material reflecting on the history and impact of the Forums, which was assembled in 2007 or 2008. The materials were rehoused from boxes into acid-free folders, retaining the creator’s original order. Folders contain photographs, programs, ephemera, cassette or video recordings, CDs and clippings. Boxes 1-2 contain folders for each Forum. Boxes 3-4 contain video cassettes of Forum presentations.

Restoration Forum and Restoration Forum III — March and July 1985, Dale Victor Knowles II Papers, 1984-2008. Center for Restoration Studies MS #476. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

A. M. and John McCormick Papers, 1934-1973, MS#498 [New Finding Aid]
This collection likely pertains to the Non-Sunday School Churches of Christ. One file folder consisting of a letter from W. Carl Ketcherside to John [McCormick?] dated 12 August 1973; three photographs (two possibly of A. M. McCormick; one of Wesley Jones, Dewey Shaw and Arlin Miller); a broadside written by A. M. McCormick; and several bulletins from the Main Street Church of Christ, Lockney, Texas, ca. 1934.

Stay tuned for more installments of Finding Aid Round Ups!

Finding Aid Round Up

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Amanda Dietz

Edwin Harold “Ed” Enzor, Jr. Papers, 1950-2015, MS#443 [Revised Finding Aid]
This collection includes materials created by Edwin Harold “Ed” Enzor, Jr. including documents, tapes, negatives, and binders.

James Orville Wilburn Papers, 1927-1970, MS#451 [Revised Finding Aid]
James Orville Wilburn was born March 9, 1905 in Grove County, Kansas. He passed away on September 7, 1970 in Lubbock, Texas. He was a preacher in the Church of Christ and participated in multiple debates, including with Russellites and Jehovah’s Witnesses. He married Frances Mae on September 1, 1930. The couple worked in ministry throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, California, and Kansas. These papers include a set of sermon notes, clippings, study notes and ephemera collected by James Orville Wilburn over the course of his ministerial career.

From the James Orville Wilburn Papers, 1927-1970. Center for Restoration Studies MS#451.

Noble Festus Patterson, Jr. Papers, 1938-2013, MS#465 [Revised Finding Aid]
Noble Festus Paterson, Jr. was the editor of the Christian Journal. Terry J. Gardner and Patterson edited Foy E. Wallace, Jr.: Soldier of the Cross. This collection includes Patterson’s correspondence, topical files, church materials (e.g., bulletins, directories, etc.), sermons, photographs, 35mm slides, and cassettes. Notably, the first box includes correspondence about Foy E. Wallace, Jr. following his death, and correspondence and photos concerning Patterson’s edited work on Wallace: Foy E. Wallace, Jr.: Soldier of the Cross.

Ewell Prather Papers, 1767-1978, MS#478 [Revised Finding Aid]
Ewell Prather served as Director of Security at Abilene Christian University. The Ewell Prather Papers includes Prather family genealogical and historical information.

Hermitage Church of Christ (Nashville, TN) Records, 1967-2017, MS#499 [New Finding Aid]
Hermitage Church of Christ (Nashville, TN) was established in 1967 (formerly known as Berryville Church of Christ) and closed in 2018 (renamed New Garden Church). Two cubic foot boxes of directories, ministry information, correspondence, financial statements, audio materials on cassette, and photographs and audio materials on CDs and DVDs.

From the Hermitage Church of Christ (Nashville, TN) Records, 1967-2017. Center for Restoration Studies MS#499.

Stay tuned for more installments of Finding Aid Round Ups!

Finding Aid Round Up

Posted on November 17, 2021 by Amanda Dietz

Wendel Lavern Moore Papers, 1951-1986, MS#444 [Revised Finding Aid]
These papers include cloth sermon charts, materials related to creating cloth sermon charts, magnetic audio reels, hymnals, film strip series, and photographs.

Gailyn Van Rheenen Papers, 1972-2016, MS#455 [Revised Finding Aid]
This collection includes newsletters, notes, correspondence, and photographs related to Van Rheenen’s mission efforts in East Africa. There are also African wood carvings, paintings, and spears.

Gailyn Van Rheenen

Robert D., Sr. and Lula Arrington Smith Papers, 1898-1993, MS#466 [Revised Finding Aid]
Robert D. Smith, Sr. preached in Churches of Christ in Texas for over fifty years. He was the brother of George Dallas Smith and uncle of Lawrence Leon Smith, Sr. This collection includes genealogical information, correspondence between Robert D. Smith, Sr., Lula Arrington Smith, and their family members. There are sermons, lessons, ledger books, and poetry authored by Smith. Additionally, there are many photographs, mainly of family members.

Carol Gafford Papers, 1974, MS#479 [Revised Finding Aid]
The Carol Gafford Papers include a paper by Bobbie Lee Holly called “God’s Design- Women’s Dignity” which was given at the Women in Christ Today Conference. Carol Gafford wrote the second response to “God’s Design- Women’s Dignity” which is also included in these papers.

Joe Allen Wilson Papers, 1960-1981, MS#510 [New Finding Aid]
Joe Allen Wilson (1923-2007) preached in various congregations for 65 years. These papers include seven folders of sermon notes, research materials, and print materials from Joe Wilson and various Churches of Christ.

Typed notes, Joe Allen Wilson Papers, 1960-1981. Center for Restoration Studies MS #510. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Stay tuned for more installments of Finding Aid Round Ups!