Cousin Turner to Cousin Fannie, ca. 1880-1900

I'm starting out the New Year with a photograph that is annotated "Cousin Turner to Cousin Fannie" taken at Bingham & Hilliard's photography studio in Memphis Tennessee.  The Fannie is Fannie Moran but Cousin Turner is a bit more mysterious.  But I guesstimate that it's possible Cousin Turner is a Morehead.  The Moran's are related to many Moreheads including Turner Morehead who is connected via his daughter Caroline's marriage to Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn, the father of Sophia Gunn who married John W. Moran. 

The picture dates from 1880/81-1900. I use those dates because Charles D. Hilliard joined the Bingham Photography studio in 80/81 to form Bingham & Hilliard in Memphis. There were a large group of Morehead's living in Memphis and it's possible that this is the Turner Morehead that appears in the Sholes' Memphis Directory for 1895.  More research is needed.

Monteagle Sunday School Assembly ca. 1885

Here's a ticket from about 1885 to the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly.  For the price of $8, Fannie Moran paid for two classes: Primary Methods and Elocution.  The ticket was signed by T.H. Peebles, Treasurer of the Assembly.

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly was founded in 1882 and is still in existence today!  In addition to their website they have a Facebook Page too.

Invitation to a Recital by Daisy McLeod, 1896

Graduate's Recital

Memphis Conference Female Institute

Jackson, Tennessee

Friday Evening, May 8, 1896

Given by

Miss Daisy McLeod

Assisted by Miss Vyda Page

Program...

Medley.....Arranged by Daisy McLeod

                    Orchestra.

"Magic Fire"......Wagner

"Com'e Bello"....Donizetti

          Miss Page

Impromptu, Op 142, No. 3......Schubert

Waltz...........Composed by Daisy McLeod

                     Orchestra.

Sonata No. 15..........................Mozart

"Only in Dreams"...............Reginald DeKoven

                 Miss Page.

"If I Were a Bird,"  Op. 2, No. 6.............Henselt

Norma.......................................................

               Violin Quartette.

Waltz from Faust..............................Gounod-Liszt

After doing a bit of searching I actually came across several Daisy McLeod's with various surname spellings but I narrowed it down to Daisy McLeod the daughter of Asa H. McLeod and Matilda C. Long because of the musical connection.  In the 1900 Census for Hickman Kentucky she is listed as a music teacher and is living with her parents and brother, James.  She married Mark MacDougall on July 7 1908 in Obion County Tennessee.  The couple appear in the 1910 Census for Jackson Tennessee.   Her occupation is music teacher, age was 32, born in Kentucky.  Her father was listed as being from South Carolina and her mother from Mississippi.  Her husband, Mark MacDougall, was 35 years of age and a shoemaker from Canada.  His parents were both from Scotland.  They had a 9 month old daughter named Lucille who was born in the District of Columbia.  By 1920 they had moved to Humboldt Tennessee.  Mark is now listed as a merchant.

In 1930 Lucille MacDougal is living in Memphis working as a stenographer in a retail department store. She

appears in Memphis City Directories as Lucille E. MacDougall.  In 1935 a Lucille C. and sometimes O. MacDougall begins to appear in DC city directories as a stenographer.

Mark MacDougall died September 24 1937 at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis.  The certificate lists his parents as Mahlon MacDougall and Margaret Douglas MacDougall,. His birth year was listed, 1867.  The informant was his wife, Daisy McLeod MacDougall of 1634 Maple St. Humboldt Tennessee.  He died from Pernicious Anemia and was interred at Humboldt.

In 1940 Daisy and Lucille are living in Washington DC.  Lucille is single, head of household, age 30. She is a secretary at the State Department.  Her mom, Daisy, is 62 years old.  And that's where the Daisy McLeod trail ends.

What I do know for sure is that Daisy and Fannie were friends and that they both attended the Memphis Conference Female Institute at Jackson and they both shared a love of music.  It's also possible that Daisy was a pupil of either Sophia Moran or her daughter Fannie since they both were music teachers in Dresden.

Now for Vyda Page.  I think the spelling of her name was an affectation and sign of personal expression or a typo!  What I did find is a Vida Page DeBow, born 1878 and died in 1953.  She was the daughter of Dr. Samuel Newton Page and Narcissa Sophronia Roberts.   She married Charles Lawrence DeBow May 24 1899 in Gibson County Tennessee.  Interestingly enough, Charles DeBow was a "shoe builder" which goes right along with Mark MacDougall since he was a "shoemaker."  They had a daughter named Sarah Narcissa DeBow born in 1908.  In January 1954 a list of notable deaths appeared in the Chattanooga Times, Mrs. Vida Page DeBow was listed as a "music teacher and WCTU worker."  Vida and her husband Charles are interred at Highland Cemetery in Sparta Tennessee.

1890 Annual Hop Sewanee Corps of Cadets

Fannie Moran was invited to the Annual Hop of Sewanee Corps of Cadets for Thursday Evening, July 3rd, 1890 by a distant cousin, John Martin Gardner.

John Martin Gardner was the son of John Cains Gardner and Virginia M. Martin.  He married Ellender Wilson on May 4, 1905 in Dyer County.  Their children are Virginia Gardner and John M. Gardner Jr.

The pleasure of your company is requested at the Annual Battalion Hop of the Sewanee Corps of Cadets in Forensic Hall.  Thursday Evening, July 3rd, 1890.  University of the South.  Sewanee, Tenn.

Dancing begins at 8:30.

Military Guests requested to appear in Uniform.

Management.

2nd Lieut. W.P. Stone, 2nd U.S. Artillery, President

Captain A.S. Cleveland, Texas, Vice-President

Captain W.G. Brown, Alabama, Secretary

Captain J.A. Austin, Jr., Tennessee, Treasurer

Floor Managers.

Captain A.S. Cleveland, Texas, Chairman

Captain W.G. Brown, Ala           Captain J.A. Austin, Jr., Tenn.

Adjutant D.H. Hamilton, Jr. N.C.

Arrangement Committee.

1st Lieut. W.D. Cleveland, Jr. Texas, Chairman

2nd Lieut. J.B. Wilder, Ky.                1st Sergt. G.H. Glass, Texas

Sergt. W.H. Johnston, Ala.                Sergt. N. Heyward, S.C.

Corporal D.B. Stanton, Miss             Dorporal A.G. Blacklock, Tenn.

Private J.H. Haskell, S.C.                  Private E.D. Johnston, Ala

  "  R.R. Moore, Ala                            "   E.W. Letellier, Mich.

  "  J.C. Watson, Fla.                           "  F.C. Fishburne, S.C.

  "  W.A. Wilkerson, Texas                  "  W.H. Philan, Tenn.

  "  Leg. Guerry, S.C.                          "  W.F. Starley, Texas

Refreshment Committee

1st Lieut. W.C. Robertson, Texas Chairman

2nd Lieut. John Lewis, Ala                 1st Sergt. C.L. Glass, Texas.

Sergt. L.D. Hearne, Texas,                 Corporal H.H. Adams, Texas.

Corporal W.E. Wilmerding, Texas       Private F. E. Jones, Ala

Private R.M. Kirby Smith, Tenn.            "  D.L. Miller, Ky

  "  R.W. B. Elliott, Tenn.                       " F.P. Phillips, Fla.

  "  W.E. Coleman, Mo.                        "  E. Sargent, Ind.

  "  S.J. Adams, Texas                           "  J.B. Cannon, Tenn.

Invitation Committee

1st Lieut. A.L. Kirk, Miss. Chairman

Sergt Major C.K. Lincoln, Ark.              Sergt. E.F. Howard, Miss

Sergt. J.H. Elliott, La.                              Corporal G.W. Hodgson, Ga.

Music Committee

1st Sergt. S.B. Ford, La.                          Sergt. W.B. Aiken, Tenn.

Corporal A.B. Hall, Ala.                           Corporal L.C. Thomas, Miss.

We have a lot of Fannie's handwriting and it doesn't look like this so I'm assuming that John M. Gardner signed it himself.

Chatty Letters from Shepherd Milner Fowlkes, 1891 and 1898

The letters include new information!  We didn't know Ida Moran attended the New England Conservatory of Music.  Shepherd was trying to set Harrell up with a mystery woman named Elise. Well, she probably wasn't a mystery to him but she is to us.  The second letter is to Fannie.  Shepherd mentions Sophie and addresses her as "cousin".  I know there is a Gardner connection possibility somewhere but don't know if that is the family connection being referred to here.  Shepherd mentions friends from Wards visiting her.  That would be Ward's Seminary in Nashville which later became Belmont College.  Fannie also attended Wards. It seems there was a mystery man named Mr. Parks who was interested in Fannie and gone so far as to take pictures from Shepherd's album, presumably of Fannie!  

Before proceeding to the letters here's a bit of background regarding Shepherd and her husband William.

Shepherd Milner married William Connell Fowlkes December 17, 1889.  If you'd like to see the wedding invitation and birth announcement for Martin Fowlkes in 1891 you can visit that page here. In addition to their son Martin, they had Benjamin M. Fowlkes and George Gardner Fowlkes.  The curious thing about Martin is that his birth announcement clearly says his name is Martin Irl (corruption of Earl perhaps?) Fowlkes but other records say his middle name was Milner.   According to the death certificate, Shepherd was the daughter of Ben Milner, mother unknown, and was born in 1870. She died at Bolivar in 1952 and is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Dyersburg.  

I haven't been able to find anything about a Ben Milner but I believe there is a good chance that wasn't correct anyway.  She may possibly be the daughter of Terrisha Aurelius Milner and his wife Rebecca Melissa Abington, who had been married previously to James Richard Gardner.  If so that means she was recorded as "Saluda S. (Shepherd maybe?) Milner" in the Census records of 1880 along with her brothers/half brothers Henry, Benjamin, and George.   Rebecca and A.T. Milner are buried at Stovall Cemetery in Obion County.   The entire Milner listing for the cemetery is here and it includes Saluda Stovall Milner and B.J. Milner, parents of A.T. Milner. (Census Records 1850, Weakley County)

Shepherd's husband William was the son of William P. Fowlkes and Sarah E. Connell.  He was born in 1865 and died in 1941 and is also buried at Fairview Cemetery.  There is another blog entry about William's sister Sallie.  She married William Henry Haywood.

page 1 to Harrell

On to the letters....

The first letter is dated February 1898 and is to "Harold", aka Harrell.

My dear Harold:

No doubt you have forgotten such a human exists, and I can only think of you as "Bob Taylor's" barefooted boy", for I visited at your home seven years ago this past Summer, and I can't remember how you look, only that you were barefooted, but Elise tells met that you are a "thing of beauty and a joy forever" now, and that you were not barefooted while she was at Dresden. She spent one day and night with me last week, and we planned many schemes to get you down here.  Presume you will wonder who I am & ask Fanny and she'll tell you.  

page 2 to Harrell

Don't you think you can come down and make us a visit, and Mr. Fowlkes will go bird hunting with you, and if you don't like that there is another attraction you know, and we will have a "house party" for a few days.  Perhaps I would tell you some of these lovely things to Elise and about you.  Tell Fanny I'm going to write her in a few days.  I'm nearly wild to see she and Jim.  I hear Ida is in Boston at the N.E. Conservatory and so glad she went.  We have a young lady from here there at the School of Oratory & I'm going to write her to go to see Ida.

Miss Chiles from Dresden was here today & I just saw her, that was all.  We took dinner at the "Hotel Dismukes" and Mr. Crane and Mr. Dismukes both called to see her (Miss Chiles) this aft.  Tell Fanny I'll never get through telling her that nice things Mr. Crain said about her.  Jim must get a ??

I've written quite a letter.  Hope you consider the matter, and run down to see all your friends.

With much love for all. I'm,

   Sincerely,

     Shepherd Milner Fowlkes

Dyersburg, January the Thirteenth, Ninety eight

The second letter is to Fannie Moran dated February 14 1891.

page 1 to Fannie

Dyersburg

Feb. 14 '91

My dearest Fan

Your letter received yesterday and I will show my great appreciation of it by responding at once.  I've been thinking I'd write, and see what had become of you ever since were to see you in Sept. but failed to so.have heard from you a few times through "Mr. Parks". Certainly I will write him at once for the pictures, which he "stole" out of my Album. he promised to return them, and I'll make him do it.  He is over here quite often, and always comes up to see us, really I have him selected for my "second", should I ever need one.  What on earth is the matter with you?  Know he has given you the "shake".

page 2 to Fannie

Quite a crowd of us are going to Memphis Monday night to hear Jefferson & Florence- wish you could come down and go with us in place of going to Nashville, by the way, can't you make us a visit soon; you can't imagine how much we all would appreciate a visit from you.  Dyersburg is unusually gay now, quite a number of young ladies visiting here, and a "dancing school" and a "protracted meeting" in progress help to make things lively.  

We have two of our School mates with us, and have been here every since Xmas.  One of them, Mamie Heron, of Water Valley Mississippi was my room-mate at Wards, so you know I'm happy she's a lovely girl wish you knew yer.  The other one also attended Wards & is up from Pecan Point Ark.  I expect to be housekeeping in about a month or six weeks, & I shall certainly expect you to visit me this Spring or Summer.  

page 3 to Fannie

We are building now & will have such a pretty home when completed. Connell has fallen very much in love with you, and cousin Sophie too-we fully expected some of you to Conference, but was disappointed.  I had a long letter from Julia last week, she apeaks of coming out in the spring.

Carrie & Sallie (Shepherd's sisters-in-law) join me in lots of love to yourself & Mama.  Write me as often as you can, am always glad to hear from you.  Connell is out here, but I'll send his love any way,

page 4 to Fannie

Lovingly,

Shepherd F.

Twins and a Job Reference 1893

I came across a cabinet portrait today taken by Clintock & Harper in Jackson Tennessee of two babies. It's annotated with the names William Freeman and James Rhodes Blackard. The name Blackard seemed familiar.  I do a lot of cemetery transcription and documenting graves on Findagrave and I recalled the Blackard family at Riverside Cemetery in Jackson. 

But even before that it seemed familiar and it was.  We have a letter from J.W. Blackard to Fannie Moran dated April 4 1893.  Fannie was looking for work and needed letters of recommendation.  James Washington Blackard of Jackson was writing back to say sure thing, be happy to give you a good recommendation.  

Dr. James Washington Blackard was a president emeritus of Lambuth College at Jackson Tennessee.  He was also a leader in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Memphis Conference.  Educated at Union University he received a BA in 1882 and in 1900 the doctor of divinity was conferred at Young Harris College in Georgia.  He was ordained in 1885 and held pastorates throughout West Tennessee including Dresden which is probably where the association with the Moran family began.  He retired in 1935 but by no means slowed down and continued to be active in the church til his death in 1938.

He married Louisa Francis White in 1883 and they had six boys and one girl.  He was the son of Sheriff Wiley Freeman Blackard and Teresa Matilda Wiley.  

The twins, William Freeman Blackard and James Rhodes Blackard, were born on June 29 1893 in Somerville Tennessee just a few months after he wrote the letter Fannie..  James died the following year on August 8 1894 in Jackson Tennessee.  His twin brother William went on to have a long life and followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a Methodist Minister.  He married Edith Crawley Warren and they lived in Johnston City Tennessee are interred at Monte Vista Memorial Park.  On a side note their daughter Edith married Aubrey U. Meadows of Bristol, Tennessee.  He was employed in the chemicals division at Eastman Kodak and ironically James Henderson Moran was also employed at Eastman after he moved his family to east Tennessee!  I wouldn't be surprised if Jim knew Aubrey.

Here's the letter from Dr. J.W. Blackard to Fannie:

Somerville Tenn

April 4, 1893

Miss Fannie Moran

    Nashville Tenn.

My Dear Friend:

  You must excuse my delay in answering your letter.  I have been busy in a revival meeting lasting two weeks.  My time has been completely occupied.  So you are destined to be a Pedigogue and "teach the young idea how to shoot."  I think if I were you I would about as soon marry a Methodist preacher as to become a school teacher.  

However I can recommend you for either position.  I do not think however that a testimonial from me will be of much value to you.  If you succeed in finding a desirable position open you can refer the trustees to me and if they see proper to write to me you can rest assured that I will give you a first-class recommendation.

How would you like to come to Somerville to teach.  We have two very fine schools here-a Female Institute and a Male College.  There are five teachers in the one and three in the other.  I am quite sure there will be no vacancy in the Male School.  It is not likely that there will be a vacancy in the Institute still there may be.  There would be no harm in your writing to Prof. N.A. Flournoy the president and  referring him to me.

I was somewhat disappointed when you closed your description of the Mills revival without adding that you had joined the Church.  We are all well.  The family sends regards.

Yours,

      J.W. Blackard

In the letter Dr. Blackard mentions N.A. Flournoy.  He was Nathaniel Abraham Venable Flournoy, born 1839 in Virginia to Thomas and Frances M. Venable Flournoy.   Nathaniel was a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in 1858 and attended the University of Virginia in 1859.  Before the war he taught school in Mississippi.  At the age of 21 he enlisted in the Confederate Army.  Rank at enlistment was 1st Lieutenant, he was promoted to full Captain on Mar. 29, 1863.  He served with his brother Jacob Morton Flournoy in Co. E, Virginia 56th Infantry Regiment.  

He married Laura E. Lewis in 1864 and had four children.  After the war he removed to Tennessee where he opened a school.  From the letter we know for sure he was the president of Female Institute and Male College at Somerville.   In 1892 he married Dora Alston, the daughter of a prominent Haywood county physician named Auguston Alston.

The Dodson Family of Humboldt Tennessee

The Dodson family are kin to the Moran's through at least two surnames, Blakemore and Scott.  Albert Russell Dodson was the son of Watkins Hopkins Dodson and Jerusha Ann Blakemore.   W.H. and Jerusha were married in Gibson County TN in 1847. He was a prosperous merchant owning many business interests including a foundry, mill and plow factory.  

Albert R. Dodson was a graduate of Southwestern Baptist University in Jackson TN.  He also attended Eastman's Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York where he completed a course of study in business. He returned to Humboldt and began a successful career in the banking industry.  I was struck immediately by the similarity of his life to that of Jim and Harrell Moran.  First they were the sons of industrious, financially well off families.  Second, all three were well educated and third, they all went into the banking business. 

Albert married Martha Bell Scott who was known as Mattie on January 2, 1889 in Weakley County Tennessee.  Mattie was the daughter of William Carroll Scott and Mary Susan Clement of Dresden. Albert and Mattie lived in a large Victorian home in Humboldt that is so similar to Moran Place it leads me to believe that both families used the same George Barber floor plan with minor variations.  Just one more similarity between the Dodson and Moran families.

Mary Lemire Dodson

Mattie presented her husband with a baby girl on October 24th that same year.  She was named Mary Lemire Dodson.  The Moran boys older sister was named Fannie Lemire Moran.  Fannie was two years younger than her cousin Mattie.  It seems possible that Mary Lemire was partially named after Fannie.   I don't know if Mattie and Albert had any other children but if they did it appears that Mary was the only one to survive past infancy.

Mary Lemire Dodson

Mary Lemira Dodson Callahan
and daughter Catherine.

On October 30, 1917, Mary Lemire Dodson married Malcolm Whitfield Callahan in Gibson County, Tennessee. Malcolm was the son of Perry Commodore Callahan and Catherine Paris Howard. Malcolm served as a Captain in the US Navy during World War I.    On October 24, 1919 their first child was born and they named her Catherine.  When Malcolm was sent overseas in 1926 the three of them boarded the S.S. President Cleveland and set sail for Shanghai China.  

On Mary's passport application she was described as 35 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall, forehead medium, eyes hazel, with a straight nose.  Her mouth was small and she had a round chin. She had light brown hair, was fair complected with an oval face. She is pictured with their daughter Catherine in the passport application. She is listed as Mary Lee rather than Mary Lemira.

They are back in the US by 1930 and they actually appear twice in the 1930 Census.  On an enumeration dated April 14 1930 Malcolm, Mary and Catharine are living in Norfolk Virginia and Malcolm's occupation is "Lieutenant".  On another enumeration with the same date, April 14 1930, Mary, Catherine and Martha, who was born in 1927, are living in Humboldt Tennessee with Edd Lewis and his wife.  However by 1940 Malcolm, Mary, Catherine and Martha are living in Washington DC and their "inferred" residence for 1935 was listed as Rural, San Diego CA.  

Malcolm Whitfield Callahan died in 1958.  Mary Lemira Dodson Callahan passed on in 1974.  Their daughter Catherine "Cay" Dodson Callahan had a career in the Navy like her father.  Her headstone indicates she was a Lieutenant Commander serving in World War II and Korea.  She died in 1998 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with her parents.

This information comes from the press release issued at the time of her death:
"Catherine Dodson "Cay" Callahan, 78, a retired Navy lieutenant commander and World War II veteran whose duties included service as a legislative liaison officer to the U.S. Congress, died of pneumonia November 7, 1998 at Suburban Hospital, Washington.

Commander Callahan, who lived in Washington, was born to a Navy family in Nashville, TN.  She grew up on naval installations in Chongqing, China; Manila; and various U.S. cities.

She began her naval career as a member of a graduating class of WAVE Midshipmen from Smith College in 1943.  As a young communications officer, she served on the staff of Fleet Adm. Ernest J. King throughout World War II.

After her military retirement in 1961, she became special assistant to the executive director of the U.S. Catholic Conference and later executive director of the National Society of the Daughters of American Colonists.

She was a member of the Chi Omega fraternity, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Army and Navy Club.  She also was  a past president of the National Society of the Daughters of the Barons of Runnymede.

She leaves no immediate survivors." 

Malcolm and Mattie's daughter Martha Ann Callahan married Wade H. Atkinson of Fairfax Virginia. Martha died December 8, 1997 in Gaithersburg, VA.  She was a graduate of George Washington University.  She was a research and administrative assistant to Sen Andrew. Shoeppel of Kansas during the 1950's.  In addition Martha belonged to many organizations including the DAR, Colonial Dames of America, the Army and Navy Club to name a few.  

Though the family connection has long since been forgotten the pictures of Mary Lemire Dodson that we found in Moran Place have helped bring us closer to those past connections.

Young Love, Fannie Moran and George Brasfield

In a previous post I went into detail about George Moore Brasfield.  Who his parents were, who he married, his occupation, children, travel and where he died.  That post was prompted by a letter he had written to J.W. Moran in 1910 asking for a $5000 loan.  If you are interested in more information about George be sure to check out that blog entry!











Today's post is prompted by a school tablet belonging to Fannie Moran, dated about 1889.  At first I wondered what the FMB stood for on the front cover.








As I flipped through the pages I could see that Fannie was studying: grammer, latin, french, literature and poetry.  This page is about the character of Macbeth.

But then I found a few items that were definitely not school related and the mystery of the FMB became clear to me.  It wasn't FMB  it was FM  GB, Fannie Moran and George Brasfield.  Fannie had a crush on George Brasfield.  Whether or not it was reciprocated I cannot say but these tidbits of daily life are the things that make family research so much fun.

Moran & Brasfield, Atty's at Law.  Cases of Matrimony & love a specialty.

And the back cover:

Fannie Lemira Moran.  Geo M. Grasfield, ma chere.  Voulez-vous aller au Dresden Noel?  My dear, Do you want to go to Dresden for Christmas?

The Yellow Kid, A Lock of Hair & Minnie Cowden Yowell - 1897

Today I dug into a box and picked up an envelope from Yowell & Williams, State Agents, Union Central Life Insurance Company, Under Capitol Hotel, Little Rock, Ark.  It wasn't addressed to anyone but it had a few things inside which means to me it was personally hand carried and hand delivered to the recipient.

The Yellow Kid

On the back of the envelope is an odd little metal figure who Kent immediately identified as  "The Yellow Kid".   Kent's a fountain of trivia like that but for me, I had to google it and discovered he was a cartoon character that ran from 1895 - 1898 in the New York World and later in the New York Journal.  I don't know if he was supposed to be stuck to the back of the envelope or if it was put on later or perhaps it was something that just accidentally stuck to the paper. I do think he's ugly!

Inside the envelope I found a calling card, a train ticket, and a lock of hair.

The calling card reads "Miss Minnie Cowden Yowell" and on the back is written:

Back side of Minnie's
calling card

"Do you remember the 5 July 1897?  I do.  Dream of the girl that's still in the swing/ring.  You ought to have been here at the wedding."

I don't know what happened July 5 1897 but I know that Fannie Moran and  James Ezzell were married on Oct. 19, 1897 and that the train ticket for Minnie Yowell  expired October 30, 1897 and it's a ticket going from Nashville to Dresden.  Perhaps Minnie was attending Fannie's wedding.

Minnie's Train Ticket

Back of Minnie's train ticket.

This is the backside of the envelope and you can see where the Yellow Kid is attached.  I also used the envelope as the backdrop for the enclosed lock of hair tied with a pale pink or lavender ribbon.







I don't know if Minnie was a distant cousin or just a close friend but I did a bit of research and found the following information.

Minnie Cowden Yowell was born in 1876 to Joel George Washington Yowell and Elizabeth Prudence Rector.  Minnie Cowden Yowell married Robert Leathan Lund August 16 1899 in Washington County Arkansas. They had at least four children: Robert Leathan Lund Jr., Jowel Yowell Lund, William Rector Lund and Dorothy Talbot Lund.  Minnie and Robert moved to St. Louis and are listed in the 1933 city directory where Robert was the executive vice president/treasurer of the Lambert Pharmaceutical Company.

Minnie died in 1953 and Robert followed her to the grave in 1957.  According to family tree's they both died in St. Louis Missouri.

If you're really interested in Minnie's lineage I found her sister, Mamie Snow Yowell Ledbetter, listed in volume 46 of the Lineage Book- National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Updated September 19, 2013
I came across another letter today from Minnie Yowell to Harrell Moran.

The envelope is dated June 16 1897:
My dear Mr. Moran:  Ida asked me to let you know when I passed through Nashville.  She thought that perhaps you would like to go down to Dresden as I do.  I arrived last evening and will leave to-morrow (17th) at 3 o'clock.

I am stopping at Mrs. Matthews no. 400 Belmont ave.  would be glad to see you sometime.  Perhaps we ?could table? it over and you will go down to Dresden as I do.

In haste
Your friend
Minnie Yowell

O'Bryan Washington, Oct 1894 Letter from Nashville

O'Bryan Washington was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 20 1870 to Allen Hall Washington and Sallie Ewing Garner.  He was married to Martha Lanier Scruggs about 1910. Her mother Martha Lanier was living with them when the 1910 census was taken but she died later that year on Oct 26 1910.  The couple had two children: Martha E. and O'Bryan Washington Jr.

O'Bryan is listed in many Nashville City Directories during the 1800's and his occupation was salesman.  The 1920 Census lists him as secretary at a hosiery mill and in 1930 he had moved up to become proprietor of the mill.  He and his wife are listed in the Nashville Social Directory, 1911-1915 as living at 110 16th Ave. S.

This information comes from the Sons of the American Revolution Magazine, volume 17:

O'BRYAN WASHINGTON, Nashville, Tenn. (37451).  Son of Allen Hall and Sallie (Garner) Washington; grandson of Francis Whiting and Eliza Mason (Hall) Washington; great-grandson of Warner and Mary (Whiting) Washington; great2-grandson of Francis Whiting, Lieutenant in Thurston's and Baylor's Regts., Virginia Cont'l Dragoons.

O'Bryan had a good lineage and was on the Nashville social register but on this date in 1894 he was just another friend or potential suitor of Fannie Moran.  There are a few holes in the letter and some staining which make a few words impossible to fill in.    He mentions Mrs. Moran, that would be Fannie's mother Sophia Riley Gunn Moran.  Sadly she died the following year.  He mentions Sousa and he wants Fannie to attend a Musicale the following month with him in Nashville.  He also mentions a trip to Texas that he had been putting off but had renewed his interest in going.  Possibly because Fannie and some of the other Moran's were going to visit their Texas cousins.

The Nicholson
Rates $2.00, 2.50 & 3.00

Nashville, Tenn. Oct 28, 1894

Dear Miss "Fannie",

Mr.______ - he is to be pitied.  Him yesterday and he looks as if he has been run through a grist mill, and your friend ______ I understand contemplated suicide.


I have such pleasure of informing all their_____ of their youthful appearance and you can consider me as your debtor.  Please just draw on me for any amount and the draft will be honored.

Have at last met your friends from Columbia, and like yourself, enjoyed my chat with him very much.

Mrs. Moran will tell you what a treat you missed in not meeting(?) Sousa and I will not attempt to tell you how disappointed I was, when I received your telegram.  Thought you understood you need not worry to wire unless you were coming and when  boy came in, my expectations were above par, but in a few moments there was a decided drop in the markets.  There will be a very swell "Musicale" here Nov. 27, and if you are here, am very anxious for you to go.

For some time have been wanting to put off my Texas trip, but lately have for some reason, taken new interest in it.  Can you account for it?  Please let me know when you intend coming and please if you can, come this week, as I will be here, and I am anxious for you to meet some of my friends.  If the Texas trip should be abandoned consider yourself engaged of foot-ball Thanksgiving.

Love to your family,
O'Bryan Washington












 The letter is written on stationery from The Nicholson Hotel which was built in 1894 in Nashville.  It replaced a boarding house of the same name that dates from the 1860's.  The Hotel was later renamed The Tulane and has a very interesting history including the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and Suffragettes.

Nashville College for Young Ladies 1892

This letter comes from Alice Foxworthy, the "lady principal", at the Nashville College for Young Ladies and is dated December 13 1892.  She was writing to Fannie Moran explaining when the next term would begin and how much it would cost.  Fannie was interested in becoming a teacher and apparently she was asking about the coursework required to teach Kindergarten.  It's interesting to see that Miss Foxworthy was willing to take into account Fannie's previous library coursework and apply it toward her curriculum reducing the time she would have to attend the college.



Rev. Geo. W.F. Price, President
Alice S. Foxworthy, Lady Principal
Florence M. Pooser, Accountant
Patronage 1892           425 Pupils

Nashville College for Young Ladies (in small print under "Ladies" it says C.H. Green Nash, Tenn)
108 Vauxhall Street
Nashville Tenn

December 13. 1892

Dear Miss Moran,

Page 1

At the request of Dr. Price, I take pleasure in replying to your favor of the 12th inst.

There will be a new class in the kindergarten organized in Jan. at the opening of the new term, two terms of 10 months each are necessary to secure a diploma ten months awards a certificate but I should think five months of work by a young lady who had graduated in the library course would give you quite a good start for teaching.  You teach 3 hrs per day in the free kindergarten for the benefit of the experience so you see you put into practice what you learn every day, which is of utmost importance.  The tuition is $5 per month, from this is deducted $? for street care fare in going to and from the branch schools in the city.

Page 2

We do all we can to assist our people in securing positions.

Eng. Literature per month.        $1.40
Music Prof Groban " "                8.00
Kindergarten " "                         5.00
Board & Laundry " "                20.00
Expense per month                 $34.40

I am sure it would be to your interest to begin your work at once.  I am sure you could complete the course in fifteen months as you would have your whole time to devote to it and as I said before, your previous mental training so well prepared you for taking up the subjects and also fits you to accomplish more in less time, than the average kindergarten student could do.

Page 3

I hope you will pardon the length of my letter, also, the apparent presumption of a voluntary opinion.

Hoping you will consider the full benefits of the advantages our school offers, and that we may have the pleasure of having you with us at an early day.

I am yours very respectfully
(Miss) Alice S. Foxworthy









The following comes from Contributions to American Educational History, Volume 16, 1893
"Nashville College for Young Ladies"

On Broad and Vauxhall streets in Nashville stand three large brick buildings covering a half acre of ground.  The one immediately on the corner of Broad and Vauxhall is tall and massive.  It is five stories high above the basement and extends 108 feet along Broad and 68 feet along Vauxhall.  Further back on Vauxhall stands another brick, four stories high, with a frontage of 100 and a depth of 140 feet.  Between the two larger buildings is another four story brick 110 by 50 feet.  The first of these buildings is not yet completed; the second was erected in 1882, and the third in 1888.  These commodious structures are the home of the Nashville College for Young Ladies, and represent better than anything else can the growth of the school from 104 pupils in 1881 to 413 in 1891.  The institution took rise in the desire of the Methodists girls' school of their own denomination.  It was in response to this desire that Rev. George W.F. Price, D.D., of Alabama, opened on South Spruce street, in September, 1880 the Nashville College for Young Ladies, at his own expense, with the assurance that if it proved successful the means would be forthcoming for its enlargement.  It did succeed, the funds were raised, and a charter was obtained in November, 1881.  In November, 1882, the school was removed to its new quarters on Vauxhall street.

Although it is a Methodist institution, "Price's School" is not under control or care of any conference or number of conferences.  There is, however, a charter restraint laid upon the election to vacancies in the board of trustees; such elections are subject to the confirmation of the board of trustees of Vanderbilt University.  But that board appears never to have exercised its right.

In the Sprint of 1889 D.r Price was enabled by the addition of a new building to fit up the old chapel as a gymnasium for his own pupils and for the girls and ladies of the city who wished to attend.  The work of the college is organized in a number of departments, viz: Kindergarten, primary, intermediate, academic, collegiate, modern languages, art, music, and post-graduate.  A special comparative study is made of the literature of different languages.  The library is small, but is is composed of valuable books of reference and is so classified as to facilitate their use.  Dr. D.C. Kelley was instrumental in raising the funds for the inauguration of the Nashville College for Young Ladies on a larger scale, and he has always been the president of its board of trustees.

Freedman's Bank Record

George Washington Fergus Price was born in Alabama about 1831 and died in Nashville on April 7 1899 from a cerebral embolism..  His wife was Elizabeth Margaret Pooser.  She was born  June 22 1827 and died August 4 1872 in Huntsville Alabama.  

While searching on Ancestry.com I came across this record from the Freedman's Bank.  It's wonderful because of the variety of information it tells us about George Washington Furgus Price.  We know he was born in Butler County Alabama and that he was 40 years old, white, and living in Tuskegee Macon County, Alabama.  His occupation was Pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and he worked as a teacher and was the President of the Tuskegee Female College in 1871.  His wife was Elizabeth Margaret and his children were Wliza, Angie, George, Edwin and Betty. His parents were James Nicholls Price and Cornelia Price.  It even lists his siblings: William H.C in Brookly, Flora J wife of William Edward in Tuskegee Ala, and Sarah.

The 1880 census reveals that in addition to his own wife and children his household included a stepson, Julian D. Whitehurst who was a miner, and a step-daughter, Clara E. Whitehurst who was a teacher.  His nephew Francis Adams also lived in the residence and was a druggist.  Florence M Pooser (listed on the letterhead of the letter) is his sister-in-law.  His daughter Eliza is living there with her husband Lawrence W. Cooper who is a lawyer along with their child George Price Cooper.


The following information about Miss Alice S. Foxworthy comes From A Woman of the Century, Fourteen Hundred-Seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women In All Walks of Life, 1893.

Miss Alice S., Foxworthy, educator, born in Mount Carmel, Fleming County, Ky., 22nd, December, 1852. (this differs from the date listed on the death certificate)  Through her paternal grandmother, Mary Calvert Foxworthy, she is a lineal descendant of Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, of Maryland.  Her early education was received in the Stanford Academy, Stanford, Ky., and there she began her career of teaching immediately after her graduation.  In her native State she taught successfully in the Stanford Academy, The Catlettsburg high School and the East Kentucky Normal School.  From the last mentioned position she was called to the responsible post of presiding teacher in the Tennessee Female College of Franklin, Tenn. She next received a call to the position of lady principal in the Nashville College for Young Ladies.  Since 1884 Miss Foxworthy has occupied that position.  Dr. G.W.F. Price, the president of that college, early invested her with full authority, leaving her to work out her ideas in the practical organization and management of the school.  Miss Foxworthy's attainments are by no means insignificant.  Her school training has been continued and extended by reading and study during the whole of her professional life.  In 1890 the University of Nashville, Nashville Tenn, conferred upon her the degree of M.A.  Though the duties of principal have gradually withdrawn Miss Foxworthy from class-room work, her intimate acquaintance with each pupil under her care is not lessened.  The Sabbath-school class of over one-hundred pupils and the flourishing missionary society which she has built up give her an opportunity for a strong influence in forming the characters under her charge.  She is an original and impressive teacher of the Bible.  Her religion is a religion of justice and unselfishness, her energy is inexhaustible, her perseverance indomitable.  Her close observation, her keen and accurate judgment of men and things, and her long experience as a practical educator place her easily in the first rank of her profession.