The Elusive Elise D.A

Unidentified young lady,
taken by H.Y. Darnell 
Dyersburg & Ripley TN
Maybe Elise Deberry Arnold?

In a previous blog entry dated Nov 10, 2014, title The "Hoops" Letter from Elise to Brud Moran, January 1898, I talked about an elusive letter writer who signed herself as "Elise D.A." I ended that entry with the hope of someday discovering who Elise had been. 

Today, while looking at an article about the wedding of Ida Moran to William Gilmer Timberlake in the Nov. 27 1902 Memphis Commercial Appeal, the name Elise Arnold of Dyersburg popped out at me. Elise was one of Ida's bridesmaids.  My spidey senses started tingling.  Even though it's been 9 years since I had thought about Elise and her letters, I felt this was the day Elise had revealed herself to me.

The Commercial Appeal June 14 1902 detailed the "Grisham-Gentry Wedding" in which Elise appeared as a bridesmaid again. This bride and groom were Benjamin F. Grisham and Martha Blaine Gentry of Newbern, TN.  Martha Gentry was the daughter of Joseph Collins Gentry and Belle Shumate.  Belle Shumate was an aunt of Virginia Shumate who, in 1911, would marry James H Moran III.  After the death of Virginia's parents, she and her sisters moved to Newbern from Kentucky to live with their uncle Quincy Shumate and his wife Louise McLean.

Elise Deberry Arnold was born Aug 21 1880 in Jackson TN to Dr. Willis Johns Arnold and Susan Rebecca Meriwether. Elise married Henry Adam Klyce in 1904. They had five children: Henry Arnold Klyce, Walter Brigham Klyce, Willis Rice Klyce, John Meriweather Klyce and David Jere Klyce.

Here is another chatty letter from Elise to Brud dated Dec 30 1898.

Dear Brud, Don't I get terribly mixed up about my presents from you? You see the trouble is that as I never hear from you in between times I naturally conclude you have forgotten all about me and tis such a pleasant surprise to find that you haven't. 

The stationary is as dainty and sweet and pretty as it can be and I can't wait to tell you how much I appreciate it.  Please accept my sincere thanks.  I am so glad that you instead of Ide (this would be Ida Moran who married Will Timberlake and is Brud's sister), who sent it because I know she thinks of me often and you--well if it were not for your sweet Christmas remembrance, I might doubt that you ever do.

Every Christmas is always my happiest, and this one is no exception to the rule. We had our house full of company and all enjoyed the fine weather and numerous entertainments we have attended.  D.B. (Dyersburg) has certainly been gay and I have been so naughty.  I danced until four o'clock (Wednesday morning and until two last night.  I mean this morning. Tell Ide I met Mr. Roy Martin Tuesday night. Please don't think I'm so perfectly terrible because that is the first ball I ever went to and I suppose will be my last.  There is another entertainment tonight which I suppose will wind up one holiday amusement (?) anyway for my mother has laid down the law that this is the last week I shall go out more than twice and I'm going to settle down and be good ever afterwards.

I was so sorry I couldn't spend the holidays with Ide, but I'm looking forward to a visit to her soon. I'd rather see her than any  body else on earth and I think its awful we can't be together more.  Why don't you all come to D.B. to live? Wouldn't that be lots of fun? Well I must thank you again for your nice present and say Goodbye.With many wishes for a happy New Year.

Sincerely your friend

Elise D.A.

Dec. 30th 98

The "Hoops" Letter from Elise to Brud Moran, January 1898

It's very surprising that Brud Moran never married. He seemed to be quite the ladies man if the letters to him from women are an indicator.  And he was very dapper looking!

We have quite a few letters from a woman who signs herself as "Elise D.A."  Elise is mentioned in a letter I transcribed in October of 2013, from Shepherd Milner Fowlkes to Brud.  Shepherd says "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 me 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." 

That letter was written a month after the "hoops" letter from Elise which makes me think Brud and Elise had known each other for a while for him to be sending her hoops!  As for the "Ide" who went to Boston, that may have been Brud's sister, Ida.  She may have been visiting some of the Gunn relatives since that's where her grandfather Lyman Taft Gunn was from.

Dear "Brud;"

Did you send the nice hoops that came from Nashville last week?  Farne (sp?) was there at the time & I thought he had sent them until I heard from him, then I could not think of another soul in that part of the country who would be at all likely to send them but you.  It would certainly be a delightful surprise to find that you did for I thought of course you had forgotten all about me long ago.  Hoops are the nicest presents any way and these are the ones I most wanted.

Just for fun we went to see a clairvoyant the other day and she said I had recently received something nice from a tall fair haired man and described you to a dot.  Wasn't that strange?  She told me many other things too that were exactly true and made many fine predictions for the future.

I am so sorry Ide has gone to Boston.  I wanted her to go and help me keep house next month while my mother is away on a visit.  I know you will all miss her so much.

Give my love to "Dennis" and don't either of you forget me before I come again next summer.

Yours Etc

Elise D.A.

Saturday

January 8, 1898

I hope someday we discover who Elise was.

Letters to Jim from his little sister Louise, 1932-1933

These letters were written by a young (8-9 year old) Louise Moran to her oldest brother, Jim Moran, who was at the Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland.  She focuses on kittens, puppies, schoolwork, friends and illness. Some of you may recognize a few of the folks she's writing about including Billy Mangum, Ila Ruth Moore, the math teacher Mrs. Pritchett, Dan Smith, and Louise Ferguson. Over the years the address of Moran Place went through some number changes.  Back in the 1930's it was 310 Cedar St. I think it's interesting that in 1932 she signed her full name, Marion Louise Moran, but in 1933 she drops the Marion and is now Louise Moran. 

Dresden Tenn

June 1932

310 Cedar St.

Dear James

I miss you a lot and everyone loves (you), even Bobby.

The kittens are growing and their eyes are blue also pretty.  I named the one like Bobby Dinks and the other one Puff.

I recived your letter this morning and I am glad that your like Annapolis.

We are going over to see Mrs. Holdman to-night.

Mother made some delicious nectar yesterday and I wish that you could have some.

Mr. Brock is working in Milan.

Joan is going to Martin this afternoon for a visit.

The puppies are growing a lot and are cute.

Bubby Brock stepped on a bee and hurt his foot bad.

I am nearly over with whooping.

How are you?
All of us well (over)
I hope that you can understand the boy that you that room with you better now.
Love to you from every one.
Your little sister,
Marion Louise Moran
kiss the . please
.........................

Dresden, Tennessee

June 15 1932

Mr. J.H. Moran

U.S. Naval Academy

Washington DC

Dearest Admiral:

Bobby was just had a fit and she scared Mother and I very much.  We were eating supper yesterday and Mother jumped up in a chair and I did too.

Louise Ferguson and her baby came Sunday at noon, and her baby is very pretty.

Mildred brought your book home yesterday.

Mr. Ellis is better now, night before last Uncle Brud stayed out there all night.

How are Daddy and Harrell, p.s. and you?

Did you see the Commercial Appeal picture? and the Banner one? I thought the one in the C.A. was better than the one in the Banner.

How are You?

Love to all and all

Your little sister

Marion Louise Moran

Dresden Tenn

Jun 10 1933

Dear James, 

I am sorry to hear that you are sick, & hope that you will soon recover.

Again I thank you for the ring which I am crazy about.

Yesterday Billy Mangum, Ila Ruth Moore, James Whartion, Dan Smith, and I were chosen to write a talk on Lindbergh.  As I was first to read mind which I did got everything the others had & more too. James got his from a book in the library, I got my story from your book "We".

To-day we are taking test.  This afternoon Mrs. Pritchett gave us Arithmetic test & she did not ell us anything about it she just took up our papers as she always does.  (We are subtracting fractions)  & counted off "five" five left out an * sign or - sign.  When she read out the grades my face became hot & my hands cold, I shivered & shook until she said "Louise Moran, 100".  Dan made 30 & yet he didn't miss a problem.

I getting sleeping so must close,

Love & Kisses,

Louise Moran

The Face of Social Media, Then and Now

Search for Social Media at Amazon!

Social media permeates our lives from Facebook to Twitter, Androids and Blackberry's, Blogger and Wordpress, Emails, txt messages, instant messages, WiFi, Bluetooth and more.  It seems there isn't a moment in the day that we aren't somehow connected to each other.  Even my television now has messages.  Thanks to U-Verse when we get a phone call a message appears on the television telling us who it is and what number is calling.  That makes it very easy to decide if I want to answer it or not.  Even easier, I can pause live tv, take the call and then return to the program all without having to miss a thing.   Our son links his DS to the WiFi and connects with other gamers.  Going on a trip? Forget about that Rand McNally Road Atlas! Download the latest maps to your GPS and go. Playing World of Warcraft and you're hungry?  Order food online and have it delivered then continue killing those Horde, or Alliance if that is your preferance.  I have a level 80 Worgen and Night Elf.  Life is good.  

I think it's ironic with all of the social media and online interaction going on that most of us have less actual face to face time with other human beings.  It seems we've become a bunch of recluse's sitting in front of computer screens or on the go with iPads and cell phones.  Facebook?  Sure, you might have 835 friends but how many have you actually met in person?  You're in a guild on Runescape that has 238 people?  Awesome!  But do you ever met them outside the game?   The face of social media today has become, well, faceless.  Unless you count your Avatar!

Social media has always been around, it just didn't have a name.  You met people at church, cotillions, school, and through family and friends.  You corresponded with ink and paper.  As a matter of fact you corresponded a LOT.  You received notes asking if it was permissable for Mr X to drop by this evening or if Miss G could visit the new baby.  Letters of introduction were used as were calling cards, sometimes accepted, sometimes not.  Dance cards were filled with names of hopeful gentlemen.  Mourning cards and letters were trimmed in black and usually used for at least a year after the death of the person you were mourning.  Invitations were sent for anniversaries, weddings, christenings, concerts, and dances.  People sent announcements on the birth of the baby which usually including the babies very own calling card!  Is it your "Wooden Anniversary"?  Then by all means announce it to your friends!  When was the last time you received a card that wasn't an e-card?

And let's not forget photographs!  Friends, family, school groups, musicals, the girl you met on that trip to New York or that cousin you haven't seen in 10 years, perhaps a picture of the new house your uncle built out in Gainesville, TX!  People made special trips to larger cities to have pictures made and photographers were proud of their art.  Photo studios placed their name and location on each photograph such as Thuss, Kollein & Giers from Nashville.  Photographers often traveled to small towns giving many people a chance to be photographed who might never have the opportunity again.  How often does anyone go to a professional photographer these days?

The internet is a wonderful thing but like anything else, it's best when used in moderation.  So get up, go out, have some fun.  Then blog about it and maybe share some digital photo's on Facebook.  :)  With that I present a few images of Moran Family 19th century social media....