Sarah Ann Bell's New Testament

The collection contains originals and photocopies of a deed and survey from 1843 for land in North Carolina, correspondence between family members giving news and addresses, and talking about their daily lives.

There are also two family Bibles included. According to a note tied around it, the 1827 New Testament belonged to Sarah Ann Bell, Elsa Lee Lamkin's great-great-grandmother. Information written in pencil on a back page states that Sarah Ann Bell "was borned on November the 11 day, 1815, and was married on April the 1, 1838." The othe Bible belonged to Nannie Gunter, and a note written on the flyleaf states that she received it on January 15, 1929, and that she "completed reading the New Testament, Sept. 15 - 1929."

There are three other books included that belonged to Elsa Lee Lamkin. One is a history of Helena, Alabama, and the other two are self-published books of poems, stories, and family memories written by Lamkin's friend Edna Haley Rucks.

According to the donor, the owner of the property in North Carolina referenced in the deeds contained in the collection was Samuel P. Johnston, father of Emma Johnston Blackwell, mother of Nannie Blackwell Lee-Gunter, mother of Elsa Lee Lamkin. The letter from Atkins to Blackwell addresses a broken engagement precipitated, according to the donor, by Atkins trying to kiss Blackwell.

The collection also contains fifty-three photographs.