18 December 1951, SUBJECT: Christmas Festival, 603rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron

Christmas 1951 saw Bub Moran stationed in Germany.  It's possible he had already met his future bride Ria Fuhrmann but for now he was still a bachelor.  The following letter was written by Earl L. Mack, Chaplain, USAF to all of the officers, airmen, and dependents of the 603rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron.  The subject being the 1951 Christmas Festival.  I've transcribed the letter which goes into great detail about Santa taking gifts to orphanages, poor houses and needy families.  Santa even visited the Burgermeister and I have to admit every time I see Burgermeister I am reminded of the Burgermeister Meisterburger from Santa Claus is Coming to Town!  Childhood memories are a wonderful thing and I've included a link to the Burger Meister at the end of this post.

But back to Bub's Christmas.  The letter says that everyone received from Santa a "bonified Zippo Cigarette Lighter to each Officer, Civilian, airman, and dependents of the Squadron which are engraved with:  Christmas, 1951, 603rd AC & W Squadron, Giebelstadt, Germany, and the individuals name."  Kent remembers seeing the lighter but so far no luck finding it to include in this post.  I have included a picture of Bub with one of his friends, Jim Brand, taken in 1952 in Wurzburg.

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Headquarters

603rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron

APO 800

SUBJECT: Christmas Festival

TO: Officers, Airman, and Dependents

        603rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron

1.  The Squadron, through your donations to the Christmas fund, funds from the unit fund, and
donations of money, clothing and food from individuals in the United States have made it possible to plan our Christmas Festival this year which will surpass any functions of this type that the Squadron has under-taken in the past.

2.  The following money donations were received by the Committee from:

   a.  Officers, Airmen and Dependents

        603rd AC & W Squadron                                 $2,458.10

   b.  Mrs. Eileen Metzger                                                   5.00

   c.  Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Ridgewood,

        New York                                                                  75.00

   d.  El Katif Masonic Temple, Spokane, Wash.              65.00

   e.  Elk's, Spokane, Washington                                      50.00

                                                                TOTALS    $ 2,653.10

3.  The following persons residing in the United States have contributed packages containing food, toys, shoes, and clothing as of this date and we are still receiving packages.

2    Miss Bertha Cornwell                                              18  Student Council, Regional 

7   Peacedale Congregational Church,                                 High School, Penn Grove, N.J.

     Peacedale, Rhode Island                                              1  Intermediate Class, First

2  Mrs. Mary G Soares                                                          Methodist Church, Palestine,

1  Mr & Mrs Manuel J Soares Jr                                           Illinois

1  Mr & Mrs Joseph Gill                                                   8  Luther Chapel Church, Coral,

1  Miss Delores Soares                                                          Pennsylvania

1  D.W. Oliver                                                                   1  R.P. Weis

2  S.M. Warfel                                                                   1  Edna Turner

1  Mrs. Millard Jarrett                                                       1  Mrs. W.H. Sutton

1  Mrs. J.F. Zeluff                                                              1 Mrs. R.M. Hughes

1  Florence Eaton                                                               1 Rev. Dodd

1  Mrs. Synia Fohtz                                                            3 Young People Union, First

4  First Baptist Church,                                                          Baptist Church, Snyder Tex.

    Milford, N.H.                                                                  1 J.W. Bates

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4.  The following is a rough run-down of how your money has been spent.  However, this is not a financial statement, but one will be posted for your inspection shortly after the New Year.

1,400          Christmas Candy boxes                          2,500 lb          Potatoes

   500          Christmas Candy bag's                           1,000 lb          Carrots

   700          Christmas Cards                                     1,000 lb          Cabbage

   540 lb      Christmas Hard Candy                                88              Loaves of Bread

   192          Assorted Toys                                            334 lb         Lard

   132 pr      Boys and Girls underwear                         162 pkg      Pudding

   136 pr      Boys and Girls Stockings                          324 lb         Noodles

   121 pr      Boys and Girls Nite Gowns                       188 lb         Sugar

   301 pr      Boys and Girls shoes                                 144             Bars laundry soap

     41          Chickens                                                    144             Bars face soap

     30          Geese                                                         144             Cans of Milk

     17          Ducks                                                             4             Complete sets of clothing

    405 lb     Flour                                                                              for orphan children in

                   Wrapping paper, string and                                           Giebelstadt

                   name cards

The above will be distributed to approximately 2,100 individual adults and children.

5   The following schedule is for your information.

Friday 21 December 1951    0800:  Santa leaves the Squadron Area to deliver toys to two Kinder Gardens in Giebelstadt and then on to the HICOG Office in Oschenfurt where approximately 35 poor and orphan children will receive from Santa, a new pair of shoes and a box of candy.

1300 hours:  Leave the Squadron Area to deliver food baskets to the two old folks home in Oschenfurt and to nine elderly folks in Landkries Oschenfurt.

Saturday 22 December 1951   0800:  Leave the Squadron Area with Santa and his sleigh to deliver shoes, underwear, candy and toys to the boy's and girl's orphanage, Vinzentinum, 10, Schlostrs and orphanage Marienaustalt, Franc-Ludwig Strsse, Wursburg.

1300 hours:  Leave the Squadron area and meet Santa at the Wurzburg Motor Pool and then on to a boy's and girl's orphanage where Santa will give out shoes, candy and toy's, thence to a crippled boy's and girl's hospital located at Reichenberg by Wurzburg where they will deliver night gowns, toys, and candy.

Sunday 23 December 1951 1600:  Leave the Squadron area to the Ralhaus in Giebelstadt where a program is to be conducted in conjunction with the German people of Giebelstadt; there will be Christmas carols sang by the two children's school choir from Giebelstadt and the Squadron Choir.The Bergemeister will address the audience.  Upon arrival of Santa Claus in his sleigh, he will distribute approximately 800 boxes of Christmas Candy to the children of Giebelstadt.

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1830 hours:  Start of the Squadron Christmas party in the Theater with the holiday Hi Jenks

consisting of Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Sredd, Mr. & Mrs. Ajelio Mismetti, 4 male and 2 girls with a 10 piece band from Wiesbaden.  There will be 5 acts with music by the band between acts and it is expected to last approximately one and one half hours.

2000 hours:  Maybe before - Free beer, soft drinks and dance band in the Airman's Club.  also a Buffett Supper which will be served in the large Airmen's Dining Room.

2100 hours:  Santa presents a bonified Zippo Cigarette Lighter to each Officer, Civilian, airman, and dependents of the Squadron which are engraved with:  Christmas, 1951, 603rd AC & W Squadron, Giebelstadt, Germany, and the individuals name.  The party will start breaking up when the beer is stopped at 2330 hours and everyone is encouraged to help his buddy off to bed for a good nights sleep as the following day there is still much to do for Santa.

Monday 24 December 1951  0900 hours:  THE BIG DAY FOR GIEBELSTADT!!!  Santa and his helpers leave the Squadron area for the Rathuas in Geibelstadt where after paying a visit to the Bergemeister, Santa and his helpers will deliver some 70 food baskets, with live chickens, geese, and ducks, shoes, toys and candy to needy families.

Christmas day - 25 December 1951:  Santa and his helpers have had a pretty full 4 day's work making other people and children happy with these presents and it is now their turn to sit back and enjoy their own individual Christmas day.  For those who desire, they may attend Christmas Services or Mass in the Squadron Chapel at 1100 hours.

Catholic Mid-night Mass 2400 at Leighton Barracks and transportation will leave the Squadron at 2300 hours.  Christmas Day services at the Hospital at 100 hours and the regular Christmas dinner.

Yes, you can have your Tom Turkey or choice of Ham with all the trimmings and may have either beer or a good wine with your meal.  Christmas dinner will be served from 120 to 1450 and supper from 1645 to 1800 hours.

6.  Santa needs lots of help to deliver all the things which you have helped to make available for the needy orphans, poor children and families, henceforth, Santa encourages you to participate in the delivery of these gifts.  Pick the day, time, and place which you would like to help deliver to and be in front of Headquarters one hour prior to the hour Santa is to leave the Squadron so that he can organize you all.  Don't just pick one day.  Santa Encourages you to go along on all his trips-The old saying is, "The more the merrier" certainly pertains in this instance.

Earl L. Mack

Chaplain, USAF

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas

and a very Happy New Year!

Kent, Nathan & Mary Moran

Fin de Siecle Club, Jackson TN, 1898

Fin de Siecle: of, relating to, or characteristic of the close of the 19th century and especially its literary and artistic climate of sophistication, world-weariness, and fashionable despair.

Source: Merrian-Webster Online Dictionary. 

Some quick research tells me that several of the people (Mrs. R.H. Cartmell, Mrs O.J. Nance, N.S. White, Miss Callie Mallory, Mrs. J.E. Springbett) on the member list resided in Jackson TN which leads me to think the book came into the family through Ida Moran.  She married William G. Timberlake of Jackson TN and resided there after her marriage.

The Battle of the Strong was serialized in The Atlantic Monthly starting in January 1898.  It came out later that year in book form and was a best seller in the United States ranking number 10 on the best seller list for that year and rising as high as number 2 the following year. Source: Wikipedia

Fin de Siecle Club book guidelines and member list:

This book must be forwarded to the next on the list, on the 1st, & 15th, of each month.  A heavy fine will be imposed for careless handling.  Notify the Sec. Miss Callie Mallory, if not delivered on time, or abused.

Name   Rec'd  Deliv'd Condition

1. Mrs. H. Tomlin 

2. Mrs. J.D. Morgan

3. Mrs. C. Sutton

4. Mrs. R.H. Cartmell

5. Miss Callie Mallory

6. Mrs J.R. Withers

7. Mrs. H.C. Iroy

8. Mrs. W.R. Stout

9. Mrs. Riley Ely

10. Mrs. N.S. White

11. Mrs. Muse

12. Miss Mary Bell

13. Miss Mamie Caldwell

14. Mrs. P.J. Murray

15. Mrs. W. Chandler

16. Mrs. Hamilton

17. Miss F. Mallory

18. Mrs. S. Reid

19. Mrs. R. Balch

20. Mrs. Fulghum

21. Mrs. J. Friddle

22. Mrs. J. Springbett

23. Mrs. P. Bates

24. Miss A. Stephens

25. Mrs. O.J. Nance

26. Mrs. Tom Long

Originally posted in the Dresden Enterprise, October 11 1895

"Brummitt-Jones

Last Tuesday night Mr. Horace Brummitt, of Gleason, was united in marriage to Miss Helen Jones at the residence of her aunt, Mrs. Mattie Rogers, three miles west of town, with whom she had made her home since a child.  The ceremony was performed by Rev. A.J. Meaders, of this place.  The wedding march was played by Miss Lucile Rogers.  The ushers, Messrs. Edwards and Brummitt, the latter a brother of the groom, were preceded to the parlor by little Miss Valda Boyd.  The bride and groom stood under a heart of flowers, pierced by Cupid's arrow, and made, indeed, a handsome couple.  The house was beautifully decorated with potted plants and evergreens and added much beauty to the joyous occasion.  Supper was served in superb style, and consisted of many substantials and delicacies.  The bridal presents from admiring friends were numerous and handsome.  Mr. Brummitt is a popular young grocer man of Gleason and is well worthy of the charming lady he has won as a life companion.  To both we extend best wishes for a long life of happiness and prosperity.

A dining was given to the bride and groom on Wednesday at the residence of the grooms' grandparents, Mr. Geo. W. Simmons and wife, in the 6th district, which was pronounced a nice affair by those who attended."

Horace Brummitt was born July 15 1872 and died Nov. 6 1922. He was the son of J.B. Brummitt and Anna Simmons Brummitt. He and Helen had one child, Rogers Simmons Brummitt.  

Helen Marie Jones was the daughter of Edward and Mary Jones. She was born Mar 28 1877 and died Nov. 8 1964.

The article indicates she lived at the residence of her aunt, Mrs. Mattie Rogers.  The Moran tree has a Mattie Rogers and I'm wondering if this is the same person.  The only problem is our Mattie Rogers married George Scott Boyd in 1879 so at the time of the Brummitt-Jones wedding she would have been Mrs. Mattie Boyd.  Mattie and George Boyd had a daughter named Valda Boyd who was part of the Brummitt-Jones wedding procession.  So it does make me lean toward the idea that perhaps the Enterprise meant Mrs. Mattie Boyd and not Mrs. Mattie Rogers.  

After the death of Horace in 1922, Helen married William Montgomery on Dec. 4 1924.  The 1930 Census shows that Helen and William were living in at 404 Cedar Street, just two doors down from the Moran family.  She and William were residing in the home of William N and Inez L. Christian. William was a lumber clerk and Helen a dressmaker working at a "burial dress shop." She and William appear in the 1940 Census for Weakley County. William worked as a clerk in a retail lumber store and Helen was a dressmaker.

Helen has a memorial in Sunset Cemetery on findagrave but I wonder if she's really there.  She is entered as Helen Marie Jones Brummitt rather than Helen Montgomery.  None of the family trees I've seen on ancestry.com list a place of burial nor a place of death for her or her second husband and since they both died after 1960 their death certificates are not available as public record yet. 

Advertisement for C.W. Cottrell's Dry Goods Store 1895

I came across a copy of the Dresden Enterprise dated October 11, 1895.  I plan on scanning it all and posting it over the next few weeks but for today I picked this advertisement for Charles W. Cottrell's Dry Goods store. While doing research I came across a biography for him and am including that as well.

At one point, Cottrell was in the dry goods and general merchandise business with several Moran relatives including Benjamin D. Irvine, Stephen Preston Scott and George Scott Boyd.  According to the death announcement in the Dresden Enterprise he retired from that business and became the president of the Weakley County Bank.  I'm sure he and J.W. Moran had much in common since J.W.Moran also started out in dry goods and branched out into banking with the Dresden Bank!

Biography of the Charles W. Cottrell family taken from The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed in 1887:

"C.W. Cottrell, proprietor of a general merchandise store at Dresden, Tenn., was born in Granville County, N.C., December 4, 1840.  His father, Samuel Cottrell, was born in the same county and State, August 7, 1820, and was a farmer by occupation.  He immigrated to Tennessee in 1844, locating in Weakley County, and died in the Tenth District of that county, October 29, 1847.  The mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Hicks, was born in the same State and county as her husband, February 8, 1819. After her husband's death she married C.E. Baxter, and after his death she united her fortunes with those of W.R. Ross, who is also deceased. For the past eight years she has been living with our subject.  Mr. Cottrell was educated in the schools of Dresden and became a salesman in the general merchandise store of M.D. Cardwell, in Dresden, at the age of sixteen.  In 1859 he began clerking for E.J. White, with whom he remained until 1865, when he became a partner in the business, the firm consisting of E.J. White (his son) J.M. White and Mr. Cottrell.  In 1868 E.J. White died, and from that date until 1879 Mr. Cottrell and J.M. White continued as partners.  In 1879 Mr. Cottrell disposed of his interest in the stock to his partner, and in 1880 formed a partnership with B.D. Irvine, S.P. Scott and G.S. Boyd, under the firm name of Cottrell, Irvine & Co., starting a large dry goods and general merchandise establishment, and building a fine flouring-mill, saw-mill, etc.  In 1883 Mr. Cottrell sold his interest in the mills and bought the entire stock in the store, and from that date until the present, has successfully managed the business.  April 25, 1866, he married Mary E. Johnson, who was born near Murfreesboro, February 14, 1841, daughter of Joseph M. Johnson, who was, at one time, sheriff of Rutherford County.  They have no children.  Mr. Cottrell is a Democrat and belongs to K. of H. Lodge, No. 312.  His wife and mother are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South."

From the Dresden Enterprise, April 1, 1904:
"Sudden Death.  The entire populace of Dresden was shocked on last Saturday night shortly after 7 o'clock to learn that Mr. C.W. Cottrell had very suddenly expired at his home.  Mr. Cottrell had been at the bank all day and apparently in robust health, but was taken suddenly ill that evening and expired in ten minutes time.  Dr. Baxter, his half brother, arrived a few minutes before he died and administered medical aid.  Mr. Cottrell came to this county from North Carolina overland with his parents when he was six years of age, and has resided here ever since.  for a number of years, he engaged in the mercantile business here and enjoyed a very extensive patronage, but retired in 1896 and devoted his entire time to the presidency of the Weakley County Bank, one of the strongest financial institutions in the county, to the time of his demise.  He was a man of few words and slow to express an opinion on current questions; he attended strictly to his own affairs.  He had gained what earthly possessions he had by hard toil and shrewd management, and was at the time of his death one of the wealthiest men of the county.  A large number of prominent and influential men from this and many adjoining counties attended his funeral Sunday afternoon.  He leaves, besides an aged wife, a sister, Mrs. Bettie Freeman, of Paris, and a half brother, Dr. G.I. Baxter of Dresden.  There were no children.  Funeral services were conducted Sunday at the residence by Rev. Russell.  Interment took place at Dresden cemetery."

Charles Cottrell and his wife Mary E. Johnson Cottrell are interred at Sunset Cemetery.  In addition, his mother Catherine Hicks Cottrell Baxter Ross  and half brother George Isaac Baxter are there as well.

Bacon Ham Receipt from J. M. Glass, 1878

It's January 1878 and John W. Moran has purchased 73.5 lbs. of bacon hams at 7 cents a lb.  He paid J. M. Glass $5.15. I haven't figured out the exact family relationship but the Glass, Underwood, Martin surnames appear in the Moran family tree.  John Glass also served with the Confederacy during the Civil War.   He appears in the Civil War Confederate Pension Applications Index as serving in the 20th (Hollis') Calvary. Service records show him as a private with Co. I 20th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Russell's)

John M. Glass was born December 27 1843 and died February 18 1937.   He was the son of Thomas Glass and Malinda R. Martin Glass.  He married Sarah "Sallie" J. Underwood March 17 1868 in Weakley County TN.  She was the daughter of Nelson O. Underwood and Nancy Ann Hollis. John and Sarah Glass had one child, Thomas O. Glass.  He was born Nov 22 1869 and died Aug 16 1925. He married Laura Moore and they had two children. Fannie T. Glass and John Bailey Glass. 

Census Records

The Glass household in 1860 looks like this:

Thomas Glass, age 34, Farmer, real estate valued at $118,000, personal estate valued at $6600. Native of Virginia

Malinda Glass, age 34, Virginia

Thomas D. Glass, age 20, $20,000 real and personal estate, Tennessee

May D. Glass, age 15, TN

John M. Glass, age 14, TN

Nancy Glass, age 11, TN

Susan Glass, age 9, TN

James Glass, age 8, TN

William Glass, age 7, TN

Turner Glass, age 3 months, TN

J. M. Glass appears in the 1870 Census, District 7, of Weakley County Tennessee.  He was 26 years old and per the death certificate, was born Dec. 27 1843 which makes him a contemporary of J.W. Moran. He was a farmer.  His real and personal estate was valued at $6500.   Also in the household were his wife, Sarah J age 20, and their son Thomas O age 7 months.  The Glass household also included two domestic servants James and David Glass, ages 19 and 18 respectively. 

In 1880 John M. Glass is still farming and is now 36 years old.  His wife Sarah J is listed as 32 years of age, 2 years off from the previous census.  Son Thomas is 10.

The 1900 Census finds John and Sallie Glass living one household away from their son's family in Civil District 08, District 0121, Weakley County Tennessee.  John's occupation is listed as "capitalist."  Thomas O. Glass is a farmer, age 30.  His wife Laura is 24 and had two pregnancies and two live births.  Their children are daughter Fannie T, age 4, and son John B., age 2.

In 1910, John, Sarah and their grand daughter Fannie are living in Sharon, District 0146, Weakley County TN.  John is 66.  Sarah is 62. The census indicates Sarah had two pregnancies and one living child, Thomas O. Glass.  This is the first indication that I've seen that John and Sarah had more than one child.

I haven't located the 1920 Census for John so we skip to 1930.  Sarah died in 1928 and John M. Glass is now living with his grandson, John B. Glass and his wife Virginia.  John M Glass is 86 years old. John B. Glass is 31 and his occupation is listed as "oil truck."  His wife Virginia M. Glass is 24

I haven't seen John M. Glass listed with a middle name.  I like to think that he was named John Martin Glass, the Martin being his mother's maiden name.  Just my own theory. Your mileage may vary.

Sources for the information come from Census records, death certificates, Findagrave and family trees on ancestry.com.  As always, information is subject to error.  If you find an error just leave a message and I'll get it corrected.

Dresden High School and Bethel College Memorabilia

Bub Moran loved sports.  Today we came across his football letters from Dresden High School.  One is dated 1932-33.  The other school ephemera are a belt buckle and letter from his time at Bethel College.

Veteran's Day 2015

Major Nathan H. Moran USAF with his wife, Ria, and their two sons.
August 1961, Japan.

Vintage Linens and Old School Laundry Day

We saved a handful of vintage linens from Moran Place consisting of some tablerunners, placemats and handkerchiefs.  Most of them have stains from their daily use by Moran's back in the day.  I didn't know what to do with them but yesterday I decided to wash them the old fashioned way.  I got some Woolite and some bowls. I'm handwashing a few at a time and then hang them to air dry in our kitchen. Once these are dry I'll pull out the iron and ironing board to complete my old school cleaning routine. Heck, at this rate I might just want Kent to put up a clothesline out back, get myself some clothespins and start hanging our linens out to dry.  I always did think towels and sheets smelled the freshest and felt the best when they were hung out to dry.  Of course that memory of sun dried freshly folded linens may be better than the reality!

Tatted Lace

I'm not a very crafty person.  I do cross stitch and needlepoint and can sew on the occasional button and that's about it. So I'm in awe at what I assume are tatted items that some Moran woman produced. I wonder what garments and which Moran ladies they graced.

Dresden TN Sesquicentennial and "Saga of Seven Hills" 1975

Front side of the Dresden Sesquicentennial brochure

I'm in the midst of revamping my genealogy/history room at Moran Place Redux.  To say it looks like a tornado came through is an understatement but today I came across items from the August 8-17 1975 Dresden Sesquicentennial Celebration.  I don't have access to my scanner right now but I did want to post a few of the items so grabbed my digital camera since today, August 17th, marks the last day of the celebration.  Later I will go back and scan the entire documents.

Back side of the Dresden Sesquicentennial brochure (left) and on the right is a working copy
of the play "Saga of Seven Hills"

Official Souvenir Program for Dresden Sesquicentennial Celebration
August 8 - 17, 1975

The Double Wedding of the Sisters Kennerly, 1891

You are invited to attend the marriage of Helen Kennerly to A.B. McCans, and Maude Kennerly to J.D. Tanner, Wednesday morning, April twenty-ninth at half past ten o'clock, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, at the residence of S.J. Kennerly, Cottonwood Street, Gainesville, Texas.

This wedding invitation was found in the attic of Moran Place among the papers of Fannie Moran.

It's not certain at this time if there is a familial relationship between these families and the Morans but I would not rule it out.

Helen and Maude Kennerly were the daughters of William W. and Martha (Mattie) McGehee Kennerly. Based on research and perusing family trees William Kennerly was born in 1833 in Franklin County, Tennessee.  He died Feb. 20 1881 in Smithville, Georgia.  He married Martha McGehee about 1867 based on the fact that in the 1880 Census their daughter Helen was 12 years old. William died Feb 20 1881 in Georgia but was interred in Featherston Cemetery in Franklin County, Tennessee.  Mattie was born Oct 22 1844 in Griffin, Georgia. On her death certificate her name is listed as Mattie F.C. Kennerly.  I found a tree on ancestry that listed her full name as Martha Frank Oliver McGehee. Her parents were James Andrew McGehee and Sarah "Sally" Hamilton Harper both of South Carolina. The informant was W.H. Beaty, the second husband of Helen Kennerly McCans Beaty.  Mattie died on august 20 1919 in what was then known as Polytechnic, Texas but is now a part of Fort Worth.  She was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Fort Worth.  Helen Kennerly was born Dec. 9 1868 in Georgia while Maude was born Feb 29 1872, also in Georgia.

William was the son of Samuel and Helen Kennerly.  Here is the makeup of the Kennerly home as it appeared in the 1850 Census for Franklin, Tennessee:
Samuel Jackson Kennerly, age 47, merchant, Real Estate valued at $2000, Birthplace Tennessee
Helen (Taylor) Kennerly, age 36, Tennessee
William W. Kennerly, age 16, Tennessee
Leathy J. Kennerly, age 14, female, Tennessee
George T. Kennerly, age 7, Tennessee
and his twin brother
John P. Kennerly, age 7, Tennessee
James H. Kennerly, age 5, Tennessee
Archy Jordan, age 22, Physician, Tennessee
George R. Kennerly, age 46, Farmer, Tennessee
In addition to those named above Samuel and Helen Kennerly had another son named Samuel Jackson Kennerly born in Jun 1849, but not listed in the 1850 Census. He moved to Gainesville, Texas by 1881.

Martha appears in the 1850 census  for Pike, Georgia with her family:
J.A. McGehee, age 41, physician, real estate valued at $80, born in South Carolina
S.H. McGehee, age 38, South Carolina
Maude R. McGehee, age 15, Georgia
Jane H. McGehee, age 12, Georgia
Stephan G. McGehee, age 9, Georgia
Martha F.C. McGehee, age 7, Georgia
Sarah C. McGehee, age 5, Georgia
Charlotte E. McGehee, age 3, Georgia
Susan L. McGehee, age 1, Georgia

William appears in the 1860 Census for Marion, Buena Vista, Georgia, in the household of John Matthews.  His occupation was school teacher. He was 27 years old.

1860 Census for Martha McGehee not located at this time.

1870 Census for W.W. Kennerly not located at this time.

1880 Census Lee, Smithville Georgia
William W. Kennerly, age 47, School Teacher
Martha Kennerly, age 35, wife, Georgia
Helen Kennerly, age 12, daughter, Georgia
Maude Kennerly, age 9, daughter, Georgia

After the death of her husband William Kennerly, Martha moved to Texas with their daughters Helen and Maude.

In a double wedding ceremony April 29, 1891, Helen married Alexander Bailey McCans and her sister Maude married James Donnell Tanner at the home of their uncle Samuel Jackson Kennerly.

Helen and her first husband A.B. McCans had six children: Alexander B. Jr, Josephine, Maude L, Lindsey Harper McCans, Helen and an unamed infant that died in 1899.  The family lived in Gainesville, Texas, a place I've written about before.  Most likely the McCans knew J.T. Edwards and his wife Josie Gardner who were from Weakley County, TN and had moved to Gainesville.  Another Moran and Weakley County connection would be Rufus Franklin Scott who married the sister of John Williamson Moran, Martha Helen Moran.  They moved to Gainesville in 1858 and were prominent citizens as were the Gardners.  Helen and A.B. named one of their daughters Josephine Gardner McCans.  I find it interesting that Alexander B. McCans Jr became a banker and the Moran family helped found the Dresden Bank.

A.B. McCans died in 1898 and was interred at Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville.  After his death, Helen became a dressmaker and  in the 1900 Census Alexander Jr, Maude and Josephine were living in the Masonic Orphans and Widows Home at Justice, Texas.  Helen married William Herbert Beaty on Dec. 25 1903 in Bryan, Texas.  They had three children: Jennie, Samuel and William H. Jr.  Helen Kennerly McCans Beaty died in 1941 and is interred in Shannon Rose Hill Memorial Park Cemetery at Fort Worth as is her second husband W.H. Beaty.

Maude Kennerly and her husband James Donnell Tanner appear in the 1910 Census for Pontotoc, Oklahoma.  James is 52 years old, born in Alabama and was a bookkeeper.  Maude is 38 years old and had 6 births and 6 living children: Val (son) age 17 TX, James D. age 14 TX, Martha age 10 OK, Willie W. age 7 OK, Hellen P. age 4 OK and Robert W. age 2 OK.  Maude Kennerly Tanner died May 5 1956 and is interred at Highland Cemetery in Pawnee Oklahoma.  Her husband, James Donnell Tanner died October 30 1910 and is interred at Mannsville Cemetery in Mannsville Oklahoma.

As always, the research is subject to corrections.  If there are descendants of Helen and Maude still surviving we hope this information proves useful to them and that they will enjoy seeing the wedding invitation of the sisters Kennerly.

Mary Kay Killebrew Conaway, The Dresden Connection

We think it's possible that the Confederate Officer is Thomas Leroy Killebrew and the man on the right could be his
son William Thomas Killebrew

These pictures did not come out of Moran Place in Dresden but from an estate sale in Memphis. However they do have a Dresden, TN, connection and now reside in our home, Moran Place Redux. :)  We hope you enjoy this discovery as much as we do and one we are still researching.

In case you hadn't noticed, Kent and I like history and genealogy.  A lot.  That means we frequent estate sales almost every weekend. Sometimes, just like the people in Northwest Tennessee who visited the estate sale at Moran Place we go just to see the interior of homes we would never have the opportunity to see.  We always go looking for bargains just like everyone else and sometimes we find them, sometimes we don't.   But we always go with an eye toward historical items and on random occasions serendipity occurs.

Yesterday, such a "fortunate happenstance" came into play when we visited 440 S. Greer St. in Memphis.  I noticed a drawer with pictures and some empty frames.  I sat down on the floor and pulled the drawer out hoping to find something of interest.  My first find was a tintype of a baby and it was annotated on the back "Bill Killebrew" with the following information: "Connie Lodice, P.O. Box 2563, W. Helena, AR. 3 Print to Prints from orig."   The Killebrew name piqued my interest.  I came across three other pictures of interest: 1) a framed copy of a Confederate Officer in uniform, two stars at his collar and carrying a sword, 2) a loose copy of a post-civil war man, possibly the same man who is in uniform and 3) a framed picture of an unidentified man ca 1880-1900.

We know this is "Bill Killebrew" but which "Bill Killebrew?"  We think this baby picture is of the man in the red
oval frame.  We think he might be William Thomas Killebrew.

I asked how much for the pictures and was told "we don't usually sell pictures, we sell frames."  Um, yes you do sell pictures, we attend estate sales all the time by this company so we know they do sell pictures.  But I wasn't going to argue so I said how much for the frames??  He didn't know which made me laugh.  We wandered down to ask the check out person and was told he could go $8, I said how about $5?  He said no but then promptly knocked off $2 on another item we bought.  Go figure.

Could this be William Thomas Killebrew, son of Thomas Leroy Killebrew and grandfather of Kay Killebrew Conaway?

A quick search of property records told me that Lawrence S. Conaway owned the bungalow style home built in 1920.  My next search was marriage records for Shelby County which told me that Lawrence Stephen Conaway married Kay Killebrew (bingo!) on March 10 1967, the service was performed by Loyal O. Hartman, Jr.   A google search for Kay Killebrew Conaway led me to the obituary of her brother, William Kenneth Killebrew Sr who was born January 4, 1938 in Dresden, TN!!    According to his obituary, their parents were William Thomas "Captain Bill" Killebrew and Marie Buckley Killebrew of Memphis.  This branch of Killebrews moved to Memphis in 1943.  Kay was born June 17 1941 and passed on November 20, 1005 per the SSDI.

Is the perhaps the Confederate Officer in a post-war picture? 

Kay Killebrew's grandparents were William Thomas Killebrew (1869-1943) and Alice Ruth Moore (1877-1862), both interred at Sunset Cemetery in Dresden.  We believe that the "Bill Killebrew" in the baby picture might just be Kay's grandfather, William Thomas Killebrew, and to us, the baby picture bears a resemblance to the man in the red oval frame.  Kay's great-grandfather was Thomas Leroy Killebrew (1839-1907).  He married Martha Ann Kennedy (1841-1928).  They are also interred at Sunset Cemetery.

We believe there is a strong possibility that the Confederate Officer is Thomas Leroy Killebrew. There are two stars on the officer's collar which indicates he was a lieutenant.  Thomas Leroy Killebrew served in Co. H, 33 Reg. Tennessee Infantry. He was promoted from Brevet Lieutenant May 8 1862, to 1st Lieutenant.   Killebrew tendered his resignation January 12 1863 however he appears on a roster for Jan and Feb 1864 as a a private and teamster with Co. H 33rd Infantry. Oddly enough, in May 1864 he appears on a register of patients at Ocmulgee Hospital at Macon Georgia with chronic diarrhea  His rank was Captain at that time.

Initial research leads us to think this just might be Thomas Leroy Killebrew, Co. H 33rd TN Infantry

A search for person named on the back of Bill Killebrew's baby picture, Connie Lodice of West Helena Arkansas turned up the following information.  She is the daughter of Peggy Craig and Raymond Eugene Tucker.  She married Thomas Joseph Lodice.  Connie's sister, Pamela Jo Tucker married Stephen M. Conaway who, if I'm correct, is the son of Lawrence and Kay Killebrew Conaway.   I am still researching the Conaway family

If I've mangled any of the family information let me know and if anyone can confirm our suppositions regarding the identity of the men in the photographs we'd like to hear from you.

John J. Wingo, Trezevant TN July 1901

Here's another piece of ephemera from a distant branch of the family.  It's dated July 10, 1901.  The sender is J.B. Lane of Crossland Kentucky and it's to John J. Wingo of Trezevant Tennessee.  

The Wingo family are distantly related to the Morans via J.W. Moran's mother, Harriet Harris via the Perry and Hillsman lines of Carroll County TN.  James Reddick Hillsman married Esther Wingo, the daughter of Dr. Thomas Rudd Wingo.  John James Wingo, the recipient of the postcard, is Thomas Rudd Wingo's brother.  How it ended up in Moran Place is a mystery.

Crossland Ky

July 10, 1901

Sir:

I have shipped you 1 sk wheat- will be down about the 15th.

Yours, etc.

J.B. Lane

The John James Wingo family and home appear in History of Carroll County Tennessee, vol. 1, 1987.

Bank of Huntingdon, Tennessee

Here's a piece of bank ephemera from the Bank of Huntingdon, Tennessee.

The Iola and Baby at the Beach

So many of the pictures are not annotated and there are very few clues about who, where, when they were taken.  That's the case in this instance.  The pictures were together which may or may not mean anything but it's all I have.  Both pictures look like they date from the 1920's or 30's.

The first picture is of three unknown men and if you look closely there is someone sitting inside. The boat is named "IOLA" and registered in New Orleans.

The next picture is stamped on the back "Made by Purple Pigeon Studio P.O. Box 2 Gulfport, Miss." The baby is wearing a long dress with a long coat.  The appears to be covered with lace and had rosettes on each side of the face.  The hands appear to be covered but in what I can't tell!  Doesn't look like gloves or mittens.

The Brook Hill Dog by Alexander Pope II

Because we love animals so much, particularly dogs, one of our most treasured pieces from Moran Place is a lithograph on tin of a dog from 1911. The artist is Alexander Pope II.  

The lithographs were given to bars in pre-prohibition days to promote a line of Whiskey. The picture is quite large.  The tin itself measures 39 1/2 by 29 1/2 inches and is rather large.  

The picture to the left is when we first unwrapped a few years ago.  

Since that time we have given it a place of honor on our mantel next to Kent's deer head trophy.

Here is a closeup of the name of the artwork:

And here is the artist's signature.

The Moran's actually had two copies of this treasure.  One of them which was in very poor condition hung in the workshop behind the house, unframed, nailed to the wall.  At some point the eyes had been shot out!

The one we have had been stored in Uncle Brud's room and was still in the Mayflower packing box.   It was one of many items that came back when Nathan H. Moran and his family returned to Dresden to take up residence at Moran Place after the death of his parents, James H. and Virginia Moran.  So many of the items the family brought back were never removed from the packing boxes. 

Louise Moran Fashions, ca 1930

This beautiful matching hat & coat is made of velvet and is edged with fur.  It belonged to the very fashionable Louise Moran, youngest child and only daughter of James and Virginia Moran.  It was packed away in a cedar chest with other pieces of Moran clothing including some Trousseau pieces that belonged to Virginia Moran and a baseball uniform belonging to Louise's brother, Nathan "Bub" Moran.  Although Moran Place was packed to the gills with "treasures" I believe the items in that chest may have been some of the most treasured items of all.

Here is Louise at the fair wearing another lovely hat.

19th century Ledger Books, Dresden Tennessee

Being bankers and bookkeepers you can just imagine how the Moran's loved ledger books!

KPM Porcelain ca. 1885

I don't know about you but this looks like something you might buy at Cracker Barrel.  A reproduction of days gone by maybe, so imagine my surprise when I happened to look at the back and noticed a maker's mark, KPM.  

Quick research told me that it was made about 1885 by the Konigliche Porzallen Manufactur company in Berlin Germany.  The company was started in 1761 by Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky.  A couple of years later Gotzkowsky ran into financial difficulties and the company was taken over by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia.  In today's market KPM is most sought after for its plaques.

Since we can date the item to 1885 I like to think that it was something that John W. Moran purchased for his wife Sophia. 

Young Lady, Off the Shoulder Evening Dress by Thuss

This lovely young woman is unknown to us.  The photograph was taken at Thuss Studios, 230 Cherry Street, in Nashville, Tennessee. I liked her so much I've included a closeup of her lovely face.