1912 - Fannie Moran's 15th Wedding Anniversary

This letter is to Charles Harrell Moran from his cousin Daisy Gunn and she's talking about Fannie's 15th wedding anniversary to James B. Ezzell.   Fannie Moran is Charles' sister and also Daisy's cousin.  In addition, Daisy married James Ezzell's brother Clyde making her Fannie's sister-in-law as well as her cousin.  Got that?  :)












Thursday
Oct 1912

Dear Brud
As next Saturday the 19th is Fanny's fifteenth anniversary we have been planning to go out and give her a surprise on that day.  Just the family, and I wondered if you were expecting to be down here any time soon, if you could not arrange to be with us at that time.



We don't want her to go to so much trouble so have not written her we were coming although I told her that probably Mama (Sallie Boyd Gunn) and Carrie (Carolyn Gunn Davis) would be out.  I met Sophia and told her and will probably see Jim.  Did not know until yesterday whether to plan or not for I was afraid Fanny would have a house full already, and expected Marion and Ida (Fannie's sisters) to be there.

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather as we are.  I spent Saturday before last at Newsom and it was certainly beautiful in the country.  I saw Emmie (sp) yesterday as she and Carrie came in and she enquired especially about Mr. Moran.

Hope Virginia (Fannie's mother) has felt the benefit of her trip to Epperson and is gaining her strength rapidly.

Now I am just writing this note hoping you can join the family on the 19th.

Love from all to Jim (Fannie's father), Virginia and yourself.

As ever....
Daisy

Went to hear Heoper (sp) and Judge Jones the other night.

Epperson Springs was a resort area at Westmoreland Tennessee.  During the Civil War it was used as a Confederate recruitment and training center.  By the middle of the war the Federals had taken control of the area but were constantly plagued by Confederate Troops.

It became one of the most famous Tennessee health resorts in the early part of the 20th Century and was known for its variety of waters. It was listed in Brennecke's First Annual Automobile and Resort Guide, Tennessee, 1912.

Lover's Quarrel, pre 1897

Fannie Moran had many suitors in her day.  She received numerous notes, cards and invitations to go on buggy rides, walks, church soirees etc.  But it was James Ezzell who caught her heart and eventually kept it.

However, even in the 1890's not all relationships were free from trouble as can be seen in this note written on, of all things, mourning paper.  Was that a Freudian Slip on Fannie's part?  Or did she purposely choose to write the good bye note on mourning paper to convey more feeling?  Or did she simply grab the first piece of note paper she could find?  

Most likely we'll never know why she chooses this moment to never see Jim Ezzell again but we do know that he was able to change her mind.  We also know this note was written prior to October 1897 as that's when she and Jim were married.  It might possibly have been around 1895 as that was when her mother Sophia Riley Gunn Moran passed away and hence, the black bordered paper.




Mr. Ezzell,


You will please excuse me this morning.  
I can not see you again.


F.L. Moran



I can't excuse you.  I have something very important for you.  Are you angry at me this morning?


Jim-------------



I would imagine that for her to address him as "Mr. Ezzell" she was not happy with him. I'm also assuming that she normally addresses him as Jim since that is how he signed his portion of the note.

In today's terms, this note is the 19th century equivalent of a "tweet."  :)  Short, under 140 characters, and returned by the recipient.