Guide to the Martha Lee Dickson Papers
Record Group 105
Date Span ca. 1900-2010
Extent: 2.5 cubic feet
Biographical Sketch: Martha Lee Dickson, though currently living in Pace, Florida, was a long-time resident of Gordon, Houston County, Alabama. In 1999 she self-published a history entitled, Gordon, Alabama: Pioneer Riverboat Town; Southern Terminus of Alabama's Chattahoochee River Trace. In 2007 she began a second major project, photographing and gathering information on wooden churches in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi (bounded irregularly from Tampa through Birmingham to Jackson). A portion of her research results became her book, Anchors of Faith: Early Wooden Churches of the Deep South (NewSouth Press, 2014).
Scope / Content: Documents Ms. Dickson's research interests in Gordon, Alabama, and wooden churches in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi (bounded by an irregular arc from Tampa through Birmingham to Jackson). Contains research notes, photocopies of primary sources, audiotapes, photo negatives, digital photos, and photo prints.
Organization Organized into 2 series with multiple subseries.
Series 1: Research related to Gordon, AL history, prior to 1999, 55 file folders. For Dickson's self-published 1999 book, Gordon, Alabama: Pioneer Riverboat Town; Southern Terminus of Alabama's Chattahoochee River Trace. Organized into 2 subseries.
- Series 1.1: Research concerning Gordon families and individuals, including genealogical research (formats include photographs), prior to 1999, 28
file folders. Arranged alphabetically.
- Series 1.2: Gordon Community History research (formats include interviews and artifacts), prior to 1999, 27 file folders. Arranged alphabetically.
Series 2: Wooden Churches, 1994 – 2009 (bulk 2008-2009), 83 files. Historical research and similar information, photographs, binders of wooden churches in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. Became the basis of Dickson's book, Anchors of Faith: Early Wooden Churches of the Deep South. Organized into 3 subseries.
- Series 2.1: Binders, ca. 2009, 7 items. Dickson's wooden church project of one-page per church, organized by state, then
county, then church. Photographic print and handwritten historical paragraph per
church / leaf.
- Series 2.2: Research materials, 1993 – 2009, 23 file folders. Textual materials (with a few photographs) of churches, denominational associations,
and records of research trips including maps.
- Series 2.3: Loose Photographs, 2007 – 2009, 53 file folders. Contains negatives, prints, and digital photos on CD-Roms of wooden churches and other local structures. Arranged by state then vaguely chronologically.
Provenance Dickson donated her Gordon materials to Dothan Landmarks Foundation, Inc., which sent them to the Wiregrass Archives in 2004. Ms. Dickson delivered her Wooden Churches material in person to the Wiregrass Archives on April 15, 2010
Preferred Citation Martha Dickson Papers, RG 105, Wiregrass Archives, ÂÌñÉç Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.
Access/User Limits? Open per gift agreement
Publications concerning this collection:
Dickson, Martha Lee. Anchors of Faith: Early Wooden Churches of the Deep South. Montgomery: NewSouth Books, 2014.
Dickson, Martha Lee. Gordon, Alabama: Pioneer Riverboat Town ; Southern Terminus of Alabama's Chattahoochee River Trace. [Dothan, AL]: M.L. Dickson, 1999.
Olliff, Martin T. "It Came from the Archives: History Through Faith." ÂÌñÉçToday (blog). May 24, 2018. .
Inventory
Series 1: Research related to Gordon, AL history, prior to 1999, 55 file folders. Organized into 2 subseries: 1.1 – Families and individuals ; 1.2 – Community history. For Dickson's self-published 1999 book, Gordon, Alabama: Pioneer Riverboat Town; Southern Terminus of Alabama's Chattahoochee River Trace.
Series 1.1: Research concerning Gordon families and individuals, including genealogical research (formats include photographs), prior to 1999, 28 file folders. Arranged alphabetically.
File ID File Title
105-16-0712-001-018 Dickson, Martha Lee
105-16-0831-001-008 Genealogy Search Info
105-16-0712-001-009 Gordon, AL - Family Surnames Recalled in Personal Letters
105-16-0831-001-005 Johnson, Hardy
105-04-0516-001-001 Kingry, C.B.
105-16-0831-001-001 Lee, John Franklin - Gordon, AL
105-04-0516-001-002 Leslie, Miss Dora
105-04-0516-001-021 Liddon, Francis Bartow
105-04-0516-001-003 McLendon Family
105-16-0831-001-002 Meadows Family - Harper, Dupree, Barber
105-16-0712-001-015 Mueller, Edward A.
105-04-0516-001-005 Presley, Renee (Adams) [incl. photos]
105-04-0516-001-006 [Pynes], Daniel
105-16-0712-001-016 Rountree Brothers Information - Gordon, AL & Crosby, AL
105-04-0516-001-007 Rountree Family [incl. photos]
105-16-0831-001-015 Rountree Family - Earliest Records - Gordon, AL
105-16-0831-001-014 Rountree Family Bibles w/ Marriage Record of Dr. Rountree
105-16-0712-001-010 Rountree, Elma - Postcard notes in Elma Rountree Collection held at Landmark Park
105-16-0831-001-013 Rountree, Harry - Crosby, AL Area (unincorporated)
105-16-0831-001-011 Rountree, Jeff Davis
105-16-0831-001-003 Rountree, John Griffin
105-16-0831-001-012 Rountree, John Richardson
105-10-0801-MD6-001 Rountree, W. G., Jr. - Family Portrait - 11"x16" Sepia
105-16-0712-001-014 Rountree, William Gaston, Jr. - Gordon, AL
105-16-0831-001-010 Stapleton Family Line - Crosby, Zoe Area (Gordon Route)
105-16-0712-001-017 Tomlinson, Betty - Gordon, AL
105-04-0516-001-009 Tuttle, Edward -- house/home [incl. photos]
105-04-0516-001-010 Wood, William [incl. photos]
Series 1.2: Gordon Community History research (formats include interviews and artifacts), prior to 1999, 27 file folders. Arranged alphabetically.
File ID File Title
105-16-0712-001-002 Alaga, AL
105-16-0712-001-007 Cemetery - Gordon - Historic Marker Dedication
105-16-0831-001-004 Cemetery - Gordon - Oldest Grave Markers
105-16-0712-001-008 Cemetery - Gordon Civil War Soldiers
105-04-0516-001-011 Cemetery - Gordon, AL
105-16-0831-001-006 "Chattahoochee Bottom": A Memoir by Martha Lee Dickson
105-04-0516-001-012 Churches
105-04-0516-001-018 Community -- Misc.
105-04-0516-001-013 Correspondence
105-16-0712-001-003 Crosby, AL - Houston County
105-16-0712-001-004 Gordon Artifacts - Landmark Park, Dothan, AL
105-16-0712-001-006 Gordon Baptist Church - Historical Marker Dedication (5/16/2004)
105-16-0712-001-013 Gordon Search Records - Names, leads, phone #s, etc.
105-16-0712-001-005 Gordon, AL
105-16-0712-001-011 Gordon, AL - History - Charles Bowdon Kingry, Mrs. Myra Appling
105-16-0831-001-007 Gordon, Alabama - History of
105-16-0831-001-009 Gordon, Alabama - Pictures in Newspapers, Articles, Calendar, etc.
105-16-0712-001-012 Lee, William F. (Hannah) - Personal Reminiscences of Early Gordon Days
105-04-0516-001-014 Maps
105-04-0516-001-004 Mickels, Frank - Gordon's 1st Black Mayor [incl. photos & audio tape]
105-04-0516-001-015 Newspaper Articles
105-04-0516-001-016 Photographs & Copies of Photographs -- Misc.
105-04-0516-001-017 Railroad
105-04-0516-001-019 Schools
105-04-0516-001-008 Smith, Walter Lee – Interview audio tape.
105-16-0712-001-001 Smith, Walter Lee - Gordon, AL, Retired Cook - Atlantic Coastline RR. Interview Transcript.
105-04-0516-001-020 Steamboats