Four Volume Holy Bible

Book

-

Historic Columbia Foundation

Name/Title

Four Volume Holy Bible

Entry/Object ID

1970.66.1 A-D

Description

Four volumes (I-IV) of the Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments. The series was printed by the American Bible Society in New York in 1859. All four books in the set are bound in a black pebbled fabric cover with gold-embossed lettering denoting the title and volume number. The interior pages contain handwritten annotations.

Context

This set was given to Janet "Jessie" Woodrow Wilson (1830–1888) by her husband, Joseph Ruggles Wilson (1822–1903), when they lived in Augusta, Georgia. The Wilsons were in Augusta for thirteen years before moving to Columbia, South Carolina. Joseph, a Presbyterian theologian, served as a pastor in several states, including Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and as an educator in Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. While in Columbia, Joseph served as a professor at the Columbia Theological Seminary (now known as the Robert Mills House). Their home, were they lived with their children, including President Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924), was a block away from the seminary. The American Bible Society was formed by Protestants in New York in 1816 to translate, produce, and distribute the Bible on a global scale. The organization provided Bibles to the blind and distributed pocket versions to soldiers during the Civil War. They were also the first organization to provide the Bible to hotels. The society had connections with many well-known Americans, including John Jay (1745–1829) who supported the abolishment of slavery. However, in 1834, the American Bible Society refused a donation from the American Anti-Slavery Society, who were hoping to increase the amount of Bibles distributed to the enslaved.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Location

Second Page

Transcription

Mrs. R. Wilson Augusta Georgia

Material/Technique

Pencil

Type

Inscription

Location

Third Page

Transcription

J W Wilson

Material/Technique

Pencil

Type

Inscription

Location

Last page (Volume IV)

Notes

Assorted notes

Dimensions

Height

1 in

Width

7-1/2 in

Length

11-1/4 in

Book Details

Publisher

American Bible Society

Place Published

State/Province

New York

Date Published

1859