1938 Dresden Home - Coming

This sounded like a great time with a dirty joke contest, veil dancing, good food and great friends.  I believe Oscar Alexander to be John Oscar Alexander Sr and Mary Alexander is Mary Katherine Mitchell Alexander his wife.  I'm taking a guess here that "Mutt Alexander" is their son, John Oscar Alexander Jr.  As for "Snow Irvine" I can't make a guess.  There were several Irvine's and many of them all had their own nicknames of Bit, Bump and Blue!  Peck Mayo is another one that will remain a mystery unless someone can step forward and claim him as their own!  There were two John Irvine's: John Albert Irvine and John Sidney Irvine.  No clue which one was keeping the stork away.  

Herbert Stone was Herbert Given Stone.  He married Josephine Marguerite Boyd in 1918 in Dresden.  By 1930 he had moved to Kingsport TN along with several other locals including James Moran IV where they worked at Eastman Kodak.  The Boyds are related to the Moran's through the Scott/Rogers/Blakemore connection.  Herbert Stone made a lot of money and he purchased the historic home known as Rotherwood built in 1818 by Reverend Frederick Ross.  His daughter, Rowena, was engaged to a young man who died when his boat overturned on the river in front of Rotherwood.   Rowena's second fiance died from Yellow Fever.  She eventually succeeded in getting married and she had a daughter.  When her daughter was 6 years old, Rowena committed suicide.  Apparently she thought she heard the voice of her first love calling from the river and she followed the voice into the river.  According to some, Rowena and others haunt Rotherwood.  Sounds like a great place to live!  :)

But forget about Rotherwood and join us for the 

THE 1938 DRESDEN HOME-COMING

PLACE ***Old Dresden Club House on Reelfoot Lake
TIME    ***Friday, July 15th through Sunday, July 17th
BRING ***Sheets, blankets, pillows, knife and fork (if you use fork), Spoon, Cup
Don't bother about tooth brush as we can all use the old club house brush.
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Listen Folks - We have been trying to get together for a long time.  Let's all go and have a good time once more before we check out of this good ol' world.  (We may not all see each other again after we leave here) Everybody that does not show up is a big "Sissy"
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Oscar Alexander is treasurer.  Send him $5 in advance in order that everything will be ready when we get there.  This is $5 per couple.
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Big veil dance Friday night at midnight - Mutt Alexander
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Dirty joke contest Saturday night (No limit)
(Judges will be picked)
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Lemonade Drinking Contest Saturday night at Dinner
by - Snow Irvine and Peck Mayo - Served by Roscoe
(Judges * Sara and Lucille)
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The show will start with a big fish dinner Friday around 6:00 pm - - Don't eat anything before then - that day.
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Ladies, you won't have to worry for old faithful John Irvine will be there to keep off the storks.
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No drinking permitted (If your wife objects and is close by)
No rules against getting away from your wife - if you can.
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If the drinks run out old Herbert Stone knows how to make them.  (gin for instance) by the way Herbert, all drinks will be served up stairs and not in the basement.  The husbands are to be with their wives when you serve (this time).
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Every wife that gets mad at her husband on this trip will be barred from all meetings in the future.  (regardless of what the husband does)  Let's all be broadminded.
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Swimming ** fishing ** dancing ** card playing and anything else you can think of that you want to do.
(Subject to approval)
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Last but not least ** the meals are planned by Mary Alexander and Millie Brooks.  And boy do they know how!!
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P.S. Agan we say all that are not there are ?*@3/4&%#'(etc)
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James A. "Bump" Irvine, 1947

This is James A. Irvine, known as Bump to family and friends. His parents were Benjamin Dabney Irvine and Agnes Marion Moran.  The photograph was taken June 15, 1947 on the porch of the original Moran home in Dresden Tennessee.   He married Marie Rogers at the Scott Hotel in 1888. They had three children:  Charles L. Irvine, John Albert Irvine, and James Benjamin Irvine.  James Irvine was a grocer by trade. He was born in 1864 and passed away in 1951.

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

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. 

Miss Marie Rogers and J.A. Irvine Wedding Invitation

James A. Irvine was the son of Benjamin D. Irvine and Agnes Moran.  Agnes was one of John W. Moran's sisters so this invitation was for John W. and his wife, Sophia Gunn Moran to attend the wedding of his nephew James Irvine.

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.