My Right Hand Bower

This letter comes from Agnes Marion MORAN who married Benjamin Dabney IRVINE.  Her husband passed away in 1916.  She apparently was living in Bowie Texas with her son John Sidney "Sid" Irvine and his wife Blanche BOULWARE  I blogged earlier about Sid Irvine and his brother Thomas "Tom" E. Irvine.  It's a fascinating tale of two brothers.  Tom committed murder and fled the state of Texas,  His brother Sid was accused and tried four times, eventually he was acquitted of the crime and remained in Bowie Texas.

I digress. Agnes was writing to her nephew Charles Harrell "Brud" Moran asking him to help her out with an easement situation  back on the "home place."  In the letter she refers to Brud as her "right hand bower." In the card game Euchre, the term right hand bower signifies the highest ranked card so she was telling Brud he was her trump card and she was playing him against the KY & Tenn Light Company.

Bowie Texas
Jan 2, '25

Mr. Harrel Moran,

Dear Brud wishing you a happy and prosperous new year & good luck all the time.  I received the nice & sweet Xmas present you sent me which I appreciate and thank you so much for you remembrance of aunt Agg.  Hope you all enjoyed a nice Merry Xmas back home.

Brud, I have just received today a letter from Bump telling me the Ky & Tenn light co. were surveying a right of way through the lot north of home place.  (Bump is another of Aggie's children, James A. Irvine, nicknamed "Bump")  They say they will have to cut some trees down for the Right of Way but are willing to pay.  I have been told they have a right to go through anyones land so I guess it will do no good to oppose it but must pay for all damages done, so if they do establish a line through this lot we can bring suit & get value of land & damages.

Brud I will have to employ you to look after this for one you can read the contract and if they offer a reasonable price you can accept, and may save a lawsuit.  Now I am leaving all this in your hands you can do the best you can.  You know they will just go ahead without consent of people, but I hope they wont go through my woods if they have to cut down all trees in fifty feet of the line I think that would be quite a slaughter of timber but I hope that won't be the case.

Dear Brud I don't know who to call on but you.  I feel like you are my right hand Bower.  I won't sign anything that comes out here only through you you for I know it will be all right if you send it.  You can talk with Bump as I am not qualified to do business of any kind so I will be perfectly satisfied with what you will do.  Sid has been gone from home for two months so I had no one to talk business with so I hope you can understand how it is with me.  Sid left home the first of Nov one month before I came down here he is off buiyng up cotton and maybe another month before he gets back home.  Write and let me know how things are.  Love to Jim, Virginia & family, Lots & lots for your dear self (Jim is Brud's brother. Virginia is Jim's wife Virginia Shumate.)

Yours devotedly,
Aunt Aggie

From Murder in the Second Degree to Innocent...John Sidney Irvine, 1885

This entry into the genealogy blog started off completely different from where it ended up.  I scanned the images of John Sidney "Sid" Irvine and his wife, Blanche Boulware.   Sid was born in Dresden, TN August 1862. His parents were Benjamin Dabney Irvine and Agnes Moran.  He was the third born in a group of nine children.  Census records show him living in Dresden TN till 1880.  He moved to Bowie Texas soon after 1880.  I haven't been able to find out who Blanche's parents are but then I've only been searching for about 9 hours!  She was born in Texas about 1870.  By the 1900 census she and Sid have two sons, Sidney (b. 1891) and Harry Clinton Irvine (b. 1897). Blanche and Sid married sometime between 1880 and 1890.   

Blanche Boulware Irvine
b. abt 1870 - d. Dec 13 1939

That was basically going to be the blog entry today but I thought no, let me do a bit of searching to see if I can come up with something else.  And I did. 

It seems that Sid and his brother Thomas "Tom" E. Irvine ran into a bit of trouble while living in Bowie Texas.  Tom, one of Sid's older brothers, owned a Furniture business and Sid was working with him in the business.  It appears there was an incident between the Irvine brothers and a local attorney named J.W. Kerr.  According to Tom, Mr. Kerr was trying to collect money on debts before they were due and that he, Tom, would not pay them until they were due.

Tom confronted Mr. Kerr on July 1, 1885.  His brother Sid was not there at the confrontation.  On July 2, about 5 or 6pm Tom and Kerr were arguing again.  This time Sid was there but according to witnesses he did not have a gun.  Tom and Kerr had the guns and they started shooting.  At some point in the fracas Sid hit Kerr with a board and held him.  Tom approached and shot Kerr.  Kerr lingered through the evening and died of his wounds around 10pm that night.  In addition C.W. Easley was injured during the shooting when a bullet went through his right hand which may have required the amputation of his thumb according to newspaper sources.

Tom fled immediately and avoided arrest.  I have not located if Tom was ever brought to justice in Texas.  I do know he went back to Tennessee.  In 1894 he married Mettie May Gardner and had a daughter, Annie A. Irvine.  He remained in Weakley County until his death October 20, 1918. His occupation, according to the death certificate, was "decorator."  He died from stab wounds that became infected and his death was ruled a homicide.  I'm sure there must be an interesting story there!  He's interred at Sunset Cemetery in Dresden.

Sid was arrested immediately.  Over the next four years he went through four trials.  The first trial found him guilty of second degree murder and he was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary.  He appealed.  The second trial found him guilty of manslaughter and he was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary.  He appealed.  The third trial ended in a hung jury.  The fourth trial the jury found him not guilty.  Sid remained in Bowie till his death in 1927.

If you are interested in more about the case of Sid and Tom Irvine be sure and read Irvine vs the State of Texas.

John Sidney "Sid" Irvine
b. Aug. 1862 - d. 1927