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Marse and Marian Grant Papers

Finding Aid & Inventory

Marse and Marian Grant were two of the best known North Carolina baptists. Married for 66 years, they had three children. Marse Grant served as editor for the publication Children and Charity from 1949-1959 and for The Biblical Recorder from 1960-1982. Marian Grant served as a columnist for both Charity and Children and The Biblical Recorder as well as serving as the chair for the North Carolina Women's Forum. These papers document both the personal and professional lives of Marse and Marian Grant. They are accounts of the couples correspondence with their family, other members of the baptist community, and other editors and publishers. In addition, they include various news clippings both related to the correspondence and recording the writing of Marse and Marian. This collection also includes copies of the publication Children and Charity, as well as some personal artifacts including books and plaques.

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Biographical and Historical Note

J. Marse Grant was born September 13, 1920, in High Point, N.C. to Leonidas L. and Elsie Blankenship Grant. Grant attended High Point College, graduating in 1941. His early career was spent as a journalist at several N.C. newspapers. By 1949, Grant was Editor of Children & Charity, the long running news publication of the N.C. Baptist Children's Homes. He remained in this role until January 1960, when he became Editor of the  Biblical Recorder, is the official journal for the N.C. Baptist State Convention. He stayed in this position from 1960-1982. In 1970, he wrote the book  The Scandal of Drinking and Driving.

Grant married Marian Sanford Gibbs on June 16, 1941, and soon after their marriage Marian began working alongside her husband. Throughout her long career, she contributed numerous articles to Children & Charity and later to the  Biblical Recorder. Marian Grant was the first woman to serve as chairperson of the Southern Baptist Convention Committee on Order of Business and was recording secretary of the N.C. Woman's Missionary Union. Married for 66 years, Marse and Marian had three children together.

Marse Grant died October 17, 2008 and Marian Grant died March 15, 2017.

Collection Overview

These papers document both the personal and professional lives of Marse and Marian Grant. The collection includes the couples' correspondence with their family, other members of the Baptist community, and other editors and publishers. News clippings related to the correspondence and recording the writings of Marse and Marian are also present along with copies of the publication Children and Charity and a small number of personal artifacts, books, and plaques. Materials are listed in original order.

Collection Inventory

  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1957-1957) box 8
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1960-1960) box 8
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1965-1965) box 8
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1968-1968) box 8
  • Speeches: Marian Grant  (1971-1999) box 7
  • Speeches: Marian Grant  (1971-1999) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1964-1992) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1955-1972) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1961-1972) box 7
  • Speeches: Marian Grant  (1963-2009) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1980-1991) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1975-1984) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1971-1986) box 7
  • Speeches: J. Marse Grant  (1962-1990) box 7
  • Speeches: Marian Grant  (1967-2003) box 7
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1969-1969) box 7
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1973-1973) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1974-1974) box 2
  • Correspondence and certificates  (1975-1975) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1976-1976) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1977-1977) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1978-1978) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1979-1979) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1980-1980) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1981-1981) box 2
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1982-1982) box 2
  • Correspondence  (1983-1983) box 2
  • Correspondence  (1984-1984) box 2
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1985-1985) box 2
  • Correspondence  (1986-1986) box 2
  • Correspondence  (1987-1987) box 2
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1988-1988) box 2
  • Correspondence  (1989-1989) box 2
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1990-1990) box 2
  • Correspondence, newspaper clippings, and member directories  (1991-1991) box 2
  • Correspondence between Rev. Livingston Johnson and E. Y. Mullius  (1925-1925) box 3
  • Photographs  (1926-1934) box 3
  • Newspaper clippings, photographs, and personal notes  (1942-1942) box 3
  • Photographs  (1943-1943) box 3
  • Church program  (1945-1945) box 3
  • Newspaper clipping  (1948-1948) box 3
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1949-1949) box 3
  • Correspondence, certificates, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1950-1950) box 3
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1951-1951) box 3
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1952-1952) box 3
  • Photographs  (1953-1953) box 3
  • Correspondence  (1954-1954) box 3
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1955-1955) box 3
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1956-1956) box 3
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1957-1957) box 3
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1994-1994) box 4
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1995-1995) box 4
  • Correspondence, newspaper clippings, and budgets  (1996-1996) box 4
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1997-1997) box 4
  • Correspondence  (1998-1998) box 4
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, photographs, and directories  (1999-1999) box 4
  • Correspondence and photographs  (2000-2000) box 4
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (2001-2001) box 4
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (2002-2002) box 4
  • Correspondence  (2003-2003) box 4
  • Correspondence  (2004-2004) box 4
  • Correspondence and photographs  (2005-2005) box 4
  • Correspondence and photographs  (2006-2006) box 4
  • Correspondence  (2007-2007) box 4
  • Photographs  (2008-2008) box 4
  • Grant pedigree  (1999-1999) box 4
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1958-1958) box 4
  • Correspondence  (1959-1959) box 6
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1960-1960) box 6
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1961-1961) box 6
  • Correspondence  (1962-1962) box 6
  • Newspaper Clipping  (1967-1967) box 6
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1968-1968) box 6
  • Correspondence  (1969-1969) box 6
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings and photographs  (1970-1970) box 6
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1971-1971) box 6
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1972-1972) box 6
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1954-1954) box 5
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, photographs, and publications  (1953-1953) box 5
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1955-1955) box 5
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1962-1962) box 5
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1963-1963) box 5
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1964-1964) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1957-1959) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1963-1969) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1970-1970) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1971-1974) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1975-1977) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1978-1980) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1981-1981) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1982-1983) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1984-1984) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1985-1985) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1986-1986) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1987-1987) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1988-1988) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1989-1989) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1990-1990) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1991-1991) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1992-1997) box 5
  • Newspaper clippings  (1998-1998) box 5
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1957-1959) box 1
  • Photograph of Grant printing plate (undated) box 9
  • Correspondence  (1950-1950) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1951-1951) box 9
  • Correspondence and photographs  (1952-1952) box 9
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1954-1954) box 9
  • Correspondence and photographs  (1955-1955) box 9
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1956-1956) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1958-1958) box 9
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1961-1961) box 9
  • Correspondence and photographs  (1963-1963) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1966-1966) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1968-1968) box 9
  • Correspondence  (1973-1976) box 9
  • Newspaper clippings  (1978-1978) box 9
  • Correspondence  (1980-1980) box 9
  • Newspaper clippings and directories  (1981-1981) box 9
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, photographs, passports, and certificates  (1982-1982) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1983-1983) box 9
  • Correspondence  (1985-1985) box 9
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, photographs, and certificates  (1986-1986) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1987-1987) box 9
  • Correspondence  (1988-1988) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1989-1989) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1990-1990) box 9
  • Correspondence. survey report  (1991-1991) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1994-1994) box 9
  • Newspaper clippings  (1996-1996) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1999-1999) box 9
  • Personal notes  (2007-2007) box 9
  • Death certificate, newspapers, and a program  (2008-2008) box 9
  • Correspondence  (2009-2009) box 9
  • Correspondence and photographs  (2010-2010) box 9
  • Photographs, Personal Notes  (2011-2011) box 9
  • Correspondence, personal notes, and newspaper clippings  (2012-2012) box 9
  • High Point University 50th Class Reunion Pamphlet  (1991-1991) box 9
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1971-1971) box 10
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1972-1972) box 10
  • Scrapbook with newspaper clippings  (1986-1988) box 16
  • Scrapbook with newspaper clippings  (1982-1984) box 16
  • Scrapbook with newspaper clippings  (1988-1991) box 16
  • Scrapbook with newspaper clippings  (1984-1986) box 16
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1966-1966) box 12
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1970-1970) box 12
  • Correspondence  (1973-1973) box 13
  • Correspondence  (1976-1976) box 13
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1992-1992) box 13
  • Correspondence, personal notes, and newspaper clippings  (1993-1993) box 13
  • Correspondence  (1956-1956) box 13
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1959-1959) box 13
  • Children and Charity newspapers  (1950-2012) box 14
  • Oversize documents  (1939-1955) box 15
  • Certificates  (1937-1982) box 15
  • Publications  (1959-1982) box 15
  • Plaques (circa 1965-1985) box 15
  • Photographs and negatives (undated) box 15
  • Scrapbook with newspaper clippings  (1981-1982) box 15
  • Daily report books  (1942-1942) box 15
  • Bibles and other books  (1964-1984) box 15
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1967-1967) box 11
  • Correspondence  (1974-1974) box 11
  • Correspondence, related newspaper clippings, and photographs  (1984-1984) box 11
  • Correspondence  (1995-1995) box 11
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1997-1997) box 11
  • Correspondence and newspaper clippings  (1998-1998) box 11
  • Plaques  (1965-2003) box 17
  • Charity and Children and Southern Baptist Convention panoramic photographs (circa 1937-1960) oversize 1

Summary Information

Repository
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
Title
Marse and Marian Grant Papers
ID
MS625
ID
/repositories/2/resources/1825
Date
circa 1925-2012
Quantity
17 record cartons, 1 oversize folder
Extent
23.4  Linear Feet

Administrative Information

Publication Information
Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2017 November 1
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use. 
Copyright Notice
The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. 
Preferred Citation
Marse and Marian Grant Papers (MS625), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. 

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