Finding Aid Round Up

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!


J. W. Roberts Papers, 1946-1972, MS#25 [Revised Finding Aid]
Born in 1918, J W Roberts began preaching in 1938 as a senior in high school. He attended Freed-Hardeman College from 1936-38 and Abilene Christian College from 1940-42 where he received a M.A. in religious education. Preached in Iraan, Texas, 1938-40; Wichita, Kansas, 1942-45; Indianapolis, Indiana 1945-46; and Perrin, Texas. He preached two summers for the Graham Street Church of Christ in Abilene and two summers for Pepperdine University and Great Lakes Christian College. He was Religious Emphasis speaker at Washington State College in 1963 and Texas A&M in 1964. Roberts was director of Graduate Studies for Bible and Religious Education at Abilene Christian College from 1963 until his death in 1973. He was heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of American for more than 20 years and was a deacon for the College (now University) Church of Christ in Abilene. He also served as moderator for Otis Gatewood in a debate in 1942. He wrote or co-wrote multiple books and commentaries. These papers include a collection of seminar notes, correspondence, course syllabi, gnostic library, septuagintisms, trips, commentaries, reports, articles, research, personal papers, and notes from J W Roberts.

William Newton Short Jr. Papers, 1948-1997, MS#27 [Revised Finding Aid]
William Short was born on February 23, 1943 in Southern Rhodesia, Africa. Graduated from Gilbert Rennie School, Lusaka, Africa and moved to the United States in 1961. Received a BSW at Harding University and began Graduate Studies at Abilene Christian College before receiving his Masters in French, German, and Spanish from the University of North Texas. Short obtained his Doctorate in Foreign Languages from Rice University. Short was a Professor of Languages at McMurry University for 27 years, teaching French, German, and Spanish. He was the Chairman of Modern Languages and served as a sponsor of the Makona Social Club for almost 3 decades. He served as a member at Minter Lane Church of Christ for over 20 years where he taught Bible classes. He traveled the world as a missionary and teacher, taking trips with Let’s Start Talking Ministries and led many International Studies Abroad campaigns. These papers include a collection of autobiographical stories from experiences in Africa and America from Bill Short. Written in the 1990s, Short’s recollections mainly include childhood memories from the late 1940s and 1950s.

Tillit Sydney Teddlie Papers, 1885-1987, MS#29 [Revised Finding Aid]
Tillit Sidney Teddlie was a singing school teacher, composer, publisher, and minister of the Church of Christ. Teddlie was educated in Southern Development Normal in Waco, Texas, a school for advanced instruction in theory and harmony. He also attended what is now North Texas State University. He composed his first song in 1906. During his lifetime, Teddlie taught singing schools for 61 years, composed 130 songs, published 14 song books, and served as a full-time minister, including the Johnson Street Church of Christ (1945–1951), Central Church of Christ in Greenville, Texas, and Churches of Christ in Ennis, Sulphur Springs, Lone Oak and Quinlan. For two years he sang only with Foy E. Wallace, Jr. while traveling across the country for gospel meetings. These papers include notes, scripture, and sermon notes.

From the Tillit Sidney Teddlie Papers, 1885-1987. Center for Restoration Studies MS#29.

Homer Lee Terry Papers, 1955-1984, MS#30 [Revised Finding Aid]
Homer Lee Terry was born in 1909 in Lindale, Texas. He graduated with honors from Texas A&M in 1936. He began preaching in 1956. The bulk of his preaching occurred between 1956 and 1958 in rural churches in Texas. He preached his last sermon in 1964. This collection contains some of the sermon and Bible class notes of Homer Lee Terry.

David Edwin Harrell, Jr. Papers, 1923-2017, MS#467 [New Finding Aid]
David Edwin Harrell, Jr., was born on February 22, 1930, in Jacksonville, FL. He received a B.A. (1954) from David Lipscomb College, and an M.A. (1958) and Ph.D. (1962) from Vanderbilt University. Harrell served as a professor of history at numerous American universities (1961-2004), finishing his teaching career at Auburn University (1990- 2004). Additionally, he served as a Fulbright Lecturer in India (1976-1977), and as the Director of the American Studies Research Centre in Hyderabad, India (1993-1995). Harrell is a noted social historian of American religious history. His research interests included the Stone-Campbell Movement, Pentecostal traditions, the southern black and white sectarian tradition, and twentieth century American Christianity. Additionally, he wrote biographies of Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, and Homer Hailey. This collection includes correspondence, presentations, research, and reviews from Harrell’s academic career. Additionally, there are correspondence and reports regarding his work with Churches of Christ.


Stay tuned for more installments of Finding Aid Round Ups!

Finding Aid Round Up

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!

Folder & Finished: Ila Duncan Sewell Papers

The Ila Duncan Sewell Papers (1921-1924) are processed and ready for researchers. The finding aid for the papers is now available on DigitalCommons@ACU and digitized selections are also available on DigitalCommons@ACU.

Scrapbook page 5, 1921-1924, Ila Duncan Sewell Papers, 1921-1924. Center for Restoration Studies MS#399. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

​Ila Christine Duncan received an A.B. from Abilene Christian College in 1924, and married Jesse Mac Sewell on December 30, 1926, in El Paso, Texas. She taught English in Ysleta High School (El Paso, Texas), and later received an M.A. from Texas Western College of the University of Texas (later named the University of Texas at El Paso) in 1949. She died on December 25, 2002.

Scrapbook page 109, 1921-1924, Ila Duncan Sewell Papers, 1921-1924. Center for Restoration Studies MS#399. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

This collection contains a scrapbook from Ila’s time as a student at Abilene Christian College. This scrapbook includes photographs of ACC students and Jesse Mac Sewell, pamphlets from school shows and graduations, some correspondence, newspaper clippings, and biographical information from many fellow ACC students.