1929 Dresden High School Football Team

We can thank James H. Moran IV for hanging onto this photograph and I'm really appreciative that he annotated the back with the names of the folks in the picture!  By the way, he's in the front row, third from the left.

Front Row, left to right: **please note that there are six people in the front row, James only listed five names!)

Joe INGRAM, Wilson KILLEBREW, James MORAN, Shannon FISHER, George MONTGOMERY

Second Row, left to right:

Clyde STRAWBRIDGE, Gene SHAW, Aubrey  GALLIMORE, Ralph BRANN, Delbert PALMER, Warren HEARNE, Luke Lee HILLIARD, Bill MAYO, C.V. COOPER

Third Row, left to right:

Press CALVERT, Snooks SMITH, Jim STRAWBRIDGE, Prof. W.W. CHURM, Norman HALE, "Cotton" DEASON, "Shiek" FERGUSON

This is a closeup of the 1929 football being held by Delbert Palmer.

The letter sweater is being worn by Clyde STRAWBRIDGE.

Here's the backside of the picture with the annotations.

The Moran, Irvine, Ferguson, Little Connection

On the back is written Richard M. Little "Dr. Ted", age 16 yrs.

I came across the picture of Richard M. Little a few months ago but he was set aside as my focus was on the main family of Morans.  But a few days ago I picked up a box of pictures and letters to take another look at them and there was Richard, again.  Since all of the material I work with is not related to my family I had to ask my husband, hey, you ever heard of a Richard M. Little?  He said the only "Little" he knew was his Aunt Tommie Little who was married to his Uncle Ferg.

*blinks*  A few months ago that information would've meant nothing to me.  I had no idea how a Ferguson was related to the Moran's, much less how a Little was related to a Ferguson.  Fast forward a few months of researching and the prospect of connecting the Little leaf to the Moran tree wasn't as daunting.

Flashback to 1987, that's when my husband and I started dating.  I never had the pleasure of meeting Uncle Ferg but I do remember the name.  When Kent and I first started seeing each other his Uncle Ferg was still alive and living in Greenfield, TN.  He was one of the extended family who would come to Thanksgiving every year at the Moran home in Dresden.  Thanksgiving was a large affair for the Morans.  Dresden was the family home and the center of Moran life, family would gather there for get togethers but the large gathering was at Thanksgiving.  By the time I met Kent a lot of his family had died off, moved away, or were too elderly to make the trip each year.  Sadly, Uncle Ferg passed away in December 1990.  

Moran Place, Dresden, TN, circa 1910

I don't have all of the dates and will fill those in later but for now I can add the leaves to the family tree! Let's begin.

Richard M. Little was born about 1879 in Tennessee, probably Dyer or Weakley County.  He was the second born in a family of seven children and his parents were Thomas and Sarah Little.  Richard attended medical school and by the time he married Ina Allen Bobbitt (b 1883) on November 12, 1902 in Weakley County, he was already a doctor. The wedding announcement appeared in The Journal of the American Medical Association, volume 39 pt 2, 1902.  Richard was also known as "Ted", hence the notation "Dr. Ted" on the back of his picture.

Richard and Ina Little had three daughters: Sarah E. Little (b. 1906), Thomas (Tommie) R. Little (b. 1908) and Mary H. Little (b. 1910).  Please note that their child Thomas R. Little is a girl and is the very same Aunt Tommie that Kent talks about.  

Tommie Little grows up and meets Forrest Ferguson.  They are married July 30, 1935.  

Marriage record of Forrest Ferguson and Thomas (Tommie) Little.
Also, Albert G. Ferguson, Forrest's brother, is listed on the record as well.

Now it's time to connect the leaves of the Ferguson family to that of the Moran tree.

Forrest Ferguson was born April 17, 1899, most likely in Dyer or Weakley County.  He was the son of Charles A. Ferguson (born abt 1876, probably Dyer County) and Sophia A Irvine (born abt 1876 Weakley County).  Charles and Sophia were married November 28, 1895 in Dresden, TN.  They had two other children in addition to Forrest:  Albert Granville Ferguson (b. 1903) and Harry Ferguson (b. 1906).  Note that Albert G Ferguson's name appears under Forrest's name on the marriage record above.

Sophia A. Irvine was the daughter of Benjamin D. Irvine (1832-1916) and his wife Agnes Moran (1838-1932).  You may remember that I blogged about another child of Agnes and B.D. Irvine, Florence Irvine, who died tragically from severe burns she received in a fire in the Irvine home.  Florence is buried in the Moran Family cemetery while her parents are buried in Sunset Cemetery in Dresden.

Agnes Moran was the daughter of James Henderson Moran (1796-1843) and Harriet Harris (1813-1848).  She was also the sister of John Williamson Moran (1840-1912) who was responsible for building the Moran home in Dresden; James Henderson Moran Jr (1843-1864) who died at Bryce's Crossroads Fight during the Civil War as well as Martha Helen Moran (1833-1901), Eliza Jane Moran (1835-1852), and Marion Miller Moran (1842-1861).  

No slight is intended toward Martha, Eliza and Marion.  I just haven't had a chance to do much research or blog about their individual stories.  I do know that Martha married Rufus Franklin Scott and they moved to Gainesville, Texas founding a rather large Scott family dynasty in the Lonestar State.  Eliza Jane Moran never married and despite having the name Marion, Marion Miller Moran was a boy.  More information will come later.

And now you know who Richard M. Little was and his connection to the Moran family. 

The Death of B.D. Irvine, Prominent Dresden Citizen 1916

Funeral notice of 
Benjamin D. Irvine, 
husband of Agnes Moran.  

Dresden Enterprise February 1916

Honored Citizen Passed Away

Death of B.D. Irvine Removes One of the County's Best Known Men

In the death of Benjamin D. Irvine, Dresden and Weakley county loses one of the oldest and best known men.  Mr. Irvine died Sunday afternoon at 1 o'clock at his home in Dresden following a brief illness. On Monday of last week Mr. Irvine was down town, but quite feeble, as he had been most of the winter.  Going home, he took his bed, but his condition did not become critical until Saturday, and many of his friends in town did not even know of his illness.  He sank rapidly.

Mr. Irvine was the son of Sam Irvine, for many years circuit court clerk of this county.  His mother was a Miss Jones, his parents coming here from Virginia and settling on Thompson Creek, nine miles east of Dresden, where the deceased was born and reared.  And where he received education in the common schools of the community.

When about twenty years of age, Mr. Irvine came to Dresden to reside, being deputy to his father, and it was evidently in this station that he learned the methods of careful business transactions that afterwards characterized his life, he being considered one of the best business men of the country.  In early life he was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Moran, sister of the late John W. Moran.  To this union thirteen children were born, eight, with their sainted mother, surviving him, as follows:  Thomas E. Irvine, California; Sidney Irvine, Bowie, Texas; Robert Lee Irvine and James A. A Irvine and Moran Irvine and Mrs. Sophia Irvine Ferguson, Dresden: Forrest Dabney Irvine, Ft. Worth, Texas; and William Preston Irvine, Georgia.

In early life Mr. Irvine engaged in the mercantile business in Dresden, remaining in public life until the early '90's when he retired.  During his long and successful business career he was associated with such well-known men as Tom Baker, now cashier of a leading bank at Paducah; John R. Moore, John W. Moran, C.W. Cottrell and others of equal prominence.  All these relations terminated most pleasantly most agreeably, there being no word of criticism, no spark of ill feeling, nothing but the most cordial, friendly relations between himself and his business partners.  The reason of this was his fair, honorable, open methods, his fairness toward his associates and his generous disposition.  There was nothing little about the man.  He was broad and liberal in all matters.  While in those days he was making money, paying not as much attention to the future welfare of his soul as in his latter days, yet he was a liberal contributor to religious matters, evidenced by his generous donation when the present Methodist Church was erected, and his donation of both the lots on which stand the Presbyterian and Baptist churches here.

All his characteristics were positive none, negative.  The ties of friendship were enduring and strong with him.  Possessing a high sense of honor, his word was his bond; and it has been said of him by one who is in a position to know, that he never knew Mr. Irvine, in all the latter's various and many business transactions to take an undue advantage in a business deal. He was absolutely without guile.  He was an unassuming man.  Perhaps his strongest characteristic was his generosity and indulgence toward his family.  He possessed and analytic mind, weighing carefully and and all matters he had in hand.

At the very bottom, in faint lettering:
Christ is my hope

During the latter years of his life a great change had come over him spiritually.  He spent many long hours searching the scriptures, which, as was said at his funeral, resulted in his conversion and recognition of "Christ as his hope."  This inscription "Christ is my Hope" was engraved upon his tomb at his direction before his demise, and he left every assurance that he fully believed in and trusted in the saving grace of his Master.

Nor more gentlemanly, affectionate, modest man ever lived in Dresden than Uncle Ben Irvine, who is now gone to his final home.  Peace to his ashes.  Funeral services were conducted at his late home Monday afternoon by Rev. G.T. Mayo, A.E. Scott and D.C. Johnson, and a worthy tribute paid him by his life long friend, Mr. Geo. S. Boyd.  The remains were held over to Tuesday morning, pending arrival of two sons from Texas, and laid to rest at 10 o'clock Tuesday at the Dresden Cemetery.

The following is from  Goodspeed's History of Tennessee:

B. D. IRVINE, farmer and miller of Dresden, Tenn., is a native of Weakley County, Tenn., born October 31, 1832, son of Samuel and Catherine (Jones) Irvine.  He was educated in the neighboring schools and in Dresden, and made his home with his parents until he was fourteen years of age.  e served four years as his father's deputy.  In 1855 he and his brother R. N. and J. E. Freeman engaged in merchandising, and November 5, 1856, he married Agnes Moran, daughter of James H. and Harriet Moran.  Mrs. Irvine was born October 7, 1838, in Dresden, and became the mother of twelve children, ten of whom are living: Harry C., who is in Texas; Thomas B., who is in South America; John B., James A., Florence, Robert L., Moran, Sophia A., Forest D. and William P.   In 1857 Mr. Irvine sold his interest in the mercantile establishment to his brother and Mr. Freeman, and with T. A. Baker established a now firm, continuing two years.  He owns 450 acres of fine land, and a handsome residence in the suburbs of Dresden.   In 1880 he, C. W. Cottrell, G. S. Boyd and S. P. Scott engaged in merchandising and milling, the dry goods firm being known as Cottrell, Irvine & Co., and the milling firm as Scott, Boyd & Co.   In 1883 Mr. Cottrell bought the store, and Mr. Irvine and Mr. Scott bought Mr. Boyd's and Mr. Cottrell's interest in the mill, and from that time until the present the firm has been known as Irvine & Scott.   For the past thirty years Mr. Irvine has been one of Weakley County's enterprising business men.   He is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan.  In 1876 he was elected trustee of Weakley County, and served in that capacity two years.   He is a member of the Masonic, I.O.O.F., K. of H. and A.0.U.W. fraternities, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.