Document Type
Finding Aid
Publication Date
8-17-2026
Inclusive Dates--Span
1947-1948
Inclusive Dates--Bulk
1947-1948
Scope and Content Note
These papers include some notes from Vernon Woodrow Wilson, former Abilene Christian College Professor of Bible, during his time as a professor at ACC. A book on ancient Greek also came with the collection; it has been removed for cataloging.
Biographical Note
The following biographical note is excerpted from Ann Mount’s “Big Country Obituaries: August 2006”:
“Vernon Woodrow Wilson, son of the late William Asberry Wilson and Rose Ellen Eddings Wilson was born on March 1, 1920, in Everett, Kentucky. He had one younger sister, Dorothy Mae, and a younger brother, Cecil Clyde, who died from tetanus as a child. Woodrow lived in DeKoven, Kentucky, where he preached his first sermon at age 16, and Sturgis, Kentucky, where he graduated from high school in 1938 as valedictorian. He completed a junior college program at David Lipscomb College in Nashville in 1940.
Woodrow met his future wife, Ruth Wall, at Pepperdine College in Los Angeles. Both Woodrow and Ruth graduated form Pepperdine College in June 1942, with a B.A. Degree in Bible and she with a B.S. Degree in Home Economics. They were married in the Vermont Avenue Church of Christ in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 1, 1942, by W. B. West, Jr., head of the Bible Department at Pepperdine.
They moved from Los Angeles to Graton, California, where they spent one year. Woodrow preached and, alongside his wife, taught at Pacific Christian Academy. For one semester the two of them taught and directed the whole high school program.
At the end of that school year, Woodrow was eager for more study, and they moved to Louisville, Kentucky, so that he could study at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. They lived in the Louisville area for three years while Woodrow preached, worked at Western Auto, and completed his B.D. Degree.
Ruth became a full-time wife and mother when Mary Lois was born on October 12, 1945. In the summer of 1946, the Wilson family began a cross-country train trip from Louisville to Los Angeles, stopping along the way at several Christian colleges to apply for a teaching job for Woodrow. When they reached California, Woodrow received a phone call from Abilene Christian asking him to come back and teach, beginning with the summer session. Ruth and Mary Lois joined him in Abilene shortly thereafter.
Paul Joseph was born on August 19, 1947. In 1949, the family moved from Abilene to Fort Worth, where Woodrow did residence work on the Th.D. degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (1949-51), and preached full-time at the Highland Park Church of Christ in Fort Worth. They returned to Abilene in 1951, even though his degree was not awarded until 1956.
Woodrow taught Bible at Abilene Christian for 40 years, from 1946-1986, receiving full professorship in 1963. While teaching at ACU, he also preached for several small rural congregations, including Palava, Kamay, Lawn, Fisk, Shep, Roaring Springs, Nugent, and Fredonia.
Ruth and Woodrow retired from Abilene Christian in the fall of 1986, having completed a combined 69 years of service to the university. From 1984, they were very active members with the Oakland Drive Church of Christ in Abilene. Woodrow was the pulpit minister for a period of time and later served as an elder, associate minister, and Bible class teacher. They also owned and operated several units of rental property in Abilene. Woodrow was a longtime avid supporter of ACU athletics, and loved time spent outdoors tending his garden and maintaining his rental properties.
Ruth died on August 8, 2004, less than a month before they would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Woodrow died on Thursday, August 24, 2006, at the age of 86. Their marriage was an inspirational example of love, commitment, and growing faith which was blessed and guided by God.”
Source: Mount, Ann. Big County Obituaries: August 2006, text, 2006; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth865880/m1/152/?q=%22Vernon%20woodrow%20wilson%22: accessed August 17, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Public Library.
Donor Note
unknown
Arrangement
The processors retained the original as received.
Content List
[First Folder] Finding Aid
Folder 1
Notes from Vernon Woodrow Wilson, Abilene Christian College Professor of Bible
Language
ENGLISH
Extent of Collection
1 folder This collection is housed in the small manuscripts filing cabinet.
Manuscript Number
Center for Restoration Studies Manuscripts #135
Physical Location
Center for Restoration Studies
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [file or folder name], Vernon Woodrow Wilson Papers, 1947-1948. Center for Restoration Studies MS #135. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.
Use Restrictions
Open to researchers. Contact Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives to make an appointment.
Processing Status
Processed
Finding Aid created by
Kayla Sanderson, Ron Longwell, Mac Ice, Amanda Dietz
Comments
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