A Family Heirloom: The 1868 Bible of Lottie Ann Sheets

Among the treasures preserved by the Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society is a well-worn 1868 New Testament, printed by the American Bible Society (ABS). Inscribed in pencil on the inside cover is the name Lottie Ann Sheets, who signed the book on March 17, 1884, probably when she was a young woman. Though small in format, this humble octavo Bible provides a window into the life and lineage of a family rooted deeply in Lee County, Virginia.

The Bible, produced during the post-Civil War reconstruction era, reflects the ABS mission to distribute affordable scripture to families across the South. Unlike large, ornate family Bibles designed for display, this edition is compact and practical—meant for regular use. Lottie's neat inscription suggests it was a personal gift, possibly for confirmation or school completion.

Interleaved among its pages are several handwritten records. Frank, Sible (sic), and Brotus (sic) Maxie, born between 1905 and 1909, are recorded by name and birth date. Though their exact relationship to Lottie remains unverified, their inclusion suggests she was their mother or a closely connected relative.

Tucked later in the text is a heartfelt statement by Ben Wilson, likely a family member, who describes his poor health following military service at Camp Humphreys, Virginia, during World War I. His note includes a military ID number and reflects the quiet struggles many veterans faced returning from war.

Loose clippings found in the Bible further tie it to the Agee, Anderson, Martin, Jones, Goins, Robinson, and Rosenbalm families. One page records the 1961 death of Mrs. Effie Agee Martin, linking the Bible across multiple generations and neighboring counties.

Two intimate objects—a pressed flower in Acts 7 and a lock of hair in Romans 9—speak volumes without words. Such keepsakes were commonly preserved to honor deceased loved ones or mark sacred life events. Their placement in the text likely corresponds to verses with emotional significance.

Today, the Lottie Ann Sheets Bible stands as more than a religious volume. It is a layered artifact of genealogy, grief, faith, and family storytelling. Each inscription and item preserved within it deepens our understanding of the lived experiences of Lee County families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This project also demonstrates the value of digital tools in historical preservation: OpenAI's ChatGPT assisted in transcribing faded handwriting, identifying obscure names, and formatting this report into a concise historical brief. 

If you recognize any of these names, please let us know. 

Faux-leather coated paperboard, heavily worn from being passed down through generations.

Lottie Ann Sheets 'Hur book'

W.E. Parker death; Maxie family

Jones family

Effie Aggie death date

List of items

Rambling letters, words (illegible)

Pressed flower

Notation for 'bushels of corne'

Southern gospel hymns became popular in traveling revivals and radio performances during the 1950s.

U.S. Postage 1c stamp. Portrait of George Washington. Issued between 1908-1922 for postcards.

"N" Series Coupons - War Rations; ca. 1943.

Receipt: D. Cury's Dept. Store in 1940s. 7 yds. print $2.03; 2 thread $0.12. Location: unknown.

Anderson infant. Powell Valley News, ca. 1984.

Lottie Ann Sheets name appears a second time.

Ben Wilson's personal statement of the ill affects service in WWI had on him.

Maxie family birth dates.

Lock of hair, probably taken at the funeral of a close friend or relative.

Obituary for Colby S. Goins, ca. 1961.

' L. Rosenbalm, Linden Ave., Knoxville, Tenn. ''

"This is how it looked on your last trip..." humorous jab. Knoxville Sentinel.

Pressed flower.

Parting thoughts to console someone for their loss.

Update:

After posting this article, we received a reply that this Bible was a family heirloom that was loaned to the LCHGS several years ago. This person had always wanted someone to decipher the faint handwriting. With her help we now know that some names were incorrectly identified by Open AI. For example, Ben Wilson was actually 'Ben Nelson'. And Lottie Ann Sheets was 'Lethe Ann' Sheets. Using these corrections helped solve relationships using Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org

Sheets, Nelson and Maxie families:

It appears that the Bible belonged to Lethe Ann Sheets. She did not have children and probably gave this Bible to her sister Virginia Josephine 'Josie' Sheets sometime before her death in 1913. Virginia married Jim Nelson in the late 1800's. They had three sons, the third being Ben Harrison 'Harris' Nelson. Ben enlisted in the armed forces in 1917. He was single, age 21, and a farmer in Rose Hill, Lee Co., Va. He was honorably discharged in 1919 and did not serve overseas. We know from his heart felt entry in this Bible that he served at Camp Humphreys now known as Fort Belvoir, Va. Ben Nelson married Syble, d/o Charlie Maxey and Martha McGee / McGhee, in 1908.

Parkey and Maxie families:

Sybil Maxie, age 12, was a boarder in the household of William F. Parkey. This 1900 census information provided a positive link for the handwritten entry "W.E. Porkey died Aug 25 1941" on the Bible's title page and corresponds to William F. Parkey's death date. There are three handwritten entries of the Maxie family. Frank Maxie born Sept. 5th 1905; Sible born May 2nd 1908; and Brotus(?) born Dec. 13th 1909. The relationship between the Maxie and Parkey families remains unclear.

Jones family:

The link with the Jones family entries appears to be through Lethe Ann Sheets older sister, Mary Margaret, who married Hiram Jones. They had at least four children: 1. Robert D. (1883-1943), 2. Sarah J. (1886-), 3. Dora (1889-), 4. William F. (1898-1919). The handwritten entry for

Robert Jones "born January the 21 1882" suggests a different birth year. Likewise, Sarah J. Jones' birth date was written as February 18 1885. The remaining entry near the top is unclear but suggests a birth date of July 19th 1881 of that person.