In the mid-1970s, I enjoyed a family vacation through the Southern States. We stopped in Selma, Alabama, and toured Sturdivant Hall. During the tour, I remembered a book displayed on a table in the entrance that I wanted, but my parents thought otherwise.
The tour guide said that it was about the history of Sturdivant Hall (or family). I believe it had a photo of one or two girls whose portrait was hanging on the wall of the front parlor. It was a creepy painting because their eyes seem to follow you as you moved about the room.
I failed to note the name of the book. I remembered it being fairly thick. I cannot find anything close on the internet (archive.org, amazon.com, google.com) to what I remember seeing.
I did a little poking around, but the only book I found was a book of ghost stories that mentioned the house and Parkman family. It’s old enough to be the book, but it’s not particularly about the family history.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_Alabama_Ghosts_and_Jeffrey
The house apparently also got a mention in these two books:
Gamble, Robert (1990). Historic architecture in Alabama: a guide to styles and types, 1810-1930. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Press.
Hammond, Ralph (1951). Ante-Bellum Mansions of Alabama. New York: Architectural Book Publishers.
If you haven’t already contacted the gift shop, maybe you could send them a message and see if they’re still selling it. It might only be available locally, but maybe they could send you a copy.
https://www.facebook.com/Sturdivant-Hall-Gift-Shop-821744914531465/
If that doesn’t work, maybe the local historical society can help.
https://www.facebook.com/historicselma/