Books were not always as plentiful as they are now. A working-class family in Europe or the United States might have had only one book: the Bible. For decades, if not longer, this single book would serve as the catch-all for family record keeping. Knowing their audience, Bible printers frequently left blank pages for families to fill in the births, deaths, marriages, and other life events that told the story of that family.

These old Bibles can be quite valuable today, but they almost never leave the family because they are such a valuable genealogical resource. However, one family Bible in Oregon has been separated from its family. Some antique Bibles contained illustrations, and many were further enhanced by the presence of poetry or other musings that were either written in or placed inside as a loose leaf.

These books served as a repository for a family’s history, attitudes, and artistic flair, in addition to being records. Aunt Bee’s House, an antique store in Salem, Oregon, recently made social media posts in an attempt to determine which family owns this incredible Bible. The cover is made of high-quality embossed leather with gilt lettering.

While the owners of Aunt Bee’s have not revealed what’s inside, the photo they posted shows that the book is filled with relevant newspaper clippings dating back decades. Their yellow corners could contain wedding announcements or death notices. Anyone descended from this line may be able to learn a lot about their ancestors from these clippings. Who knows what else could be hidden between the pages of this antique Bible?

The store shared a photo of the disputed Bible on Facebook and Instagram, noting that some of the families listed inside are Hunsingers and Moores, and that the name “John Moore” appears written in the front of the Bible. Aunt Bee’s House provided their phone number in the event that anyone had any information about this extraordinary piece of history.

Wouldn’t it be great if more people did stuff like this? One commenter on the store’s Instagram post described how their family Bible had gone missing and how special it was to have it returned safe and sound. Let’s hope the same holds true in this case! We can imagine a family in a wagon train heading out West, taking very little furniture or decor and the family Bible safely secured as they began their new life. Please contact Aunt Bee’s House if you have any information about where this Bible belongs.