A Wedding and a Baby 1910

Vivian was the daughter of Rev. George Thomas Mayo and Ella Savannah McWherter of Dresden, Tennessee.  She married William D. Wilson of Mayfield, Kentucky in 1910.  For more information about the Mayo and Wilson families check out a previous blog entry entitled Letter from Vivian Mayo Wilson.

Here is the wedding invitation to the marriage of Vivian and William:

Mr. and Mrs. G.T. Mayo
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Vivian
to
Mr. William D. Wilson
on the evening of Wednesday, the second of February
One thousand nine hundred and ten
eight o'clock
Methodist Church
Dresden, Tennessee






And here is William D. Wilson Jr, age 4 months and 12 days, circa 1914.

Rev. James Ashley Moody, 1854-1928

The search for Rev. Moody began with an annotated photograph in an old cdv photo album belonging to the Moran family:

Rev. Moody

A quick google search for "Rev. Moody" and Weakley County didn't bring up anything.  So I tried different combinations, again with zero results.  And then I remembered we have a copy of the history of the Dresden First United Methodist Church 1833-1983 and on the inside front cover I found an entry for a circuit rider named J.A. Moody, 1884.

Back to google I went and found an entry in the Dresden Enterprise, April 29 1892 that said "Rev. J.A. Moody of Sharon circuit visited the family of Mr. J.L. McGlothlin last week" and with that information I was off to the races.

Rev. James Ashley Moody was born to D.S. Moody and Caroline Midget/Midyett in Brownsville Tennessee on April 22, 1854.  That much is listed on his Texas Death Certificate.  In the 1880 census he is a boarder at the home of Ike Bell in Henderson TN.  His occupation is listed as D.D., Doctor of Divinity, his age was 26.  His mother Caroline died in 1903 according to the Christian Advocate: "wife of D.S. Moody born Mar 25, 1827; married Nov 27, 1851; died Oct. 26 1903; 2 daus., 1 son (Rev. J.A. Moody, Memphis Methodist Conference)."  A year later his father passed away, "David S. Moody born May 19, 1826, married (1) Eleanor Mydgette, Dec. 21, 1848; (2)Caroline Mydgette; died Oct 26, 1903 had 2 daus and one son, Rev. J.A. Moody." 

I thought his first wife was Elizabeth McGlothlin because I found the marriage record which says Lizzie McGothlin and James Ashley Moody were married in Weakley County on July 21, 1885.  But then I came across a death notice in the Christian Advocate dated August 25, 1883:

"Fannie Moody, nee Young, born Louisiana, Sept. 27, 1860; about age one year moved with family to Miss. where her mother died when she was five years old; moved with her father to Fayette Co., Tenn. where he married his first wife's sister.  She married James A. Moody, Sept 27 1882; died in home of her father-in-law, D.S. Moody, Crockett Co., Tenn, July 13, 1883."

So it seems that James was perhaps not so lucky in love.  His first wife died less than a year after they were married.  His second wife was Elizabeth McGlothlin.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Henrietta M. Fonville and Judge Joseph L. McGlothlin of Dresden.  Elizabeth died a year and a half after the couple were married. From the Christian Advocate: "Mrs. J.A. Moody born Jan 19, 1862; died Jan 15 1887.

After the death of Elizabeth James married Mary Susan Cason.  Although I wasn't able to confirm the marriage year family trees on Ancestry.com say they married in 1888 and they do appear in the Newbern Tennessee 1900 Census. The couple had five children: Cason Ashley, Carrie , Margie Nell, DAvid Shelton and Marion Lee.   By 1910 they have moved to Morris County Texas.   The 1920 Census has them living in Alvin County Texas and in 1928 the Reverend James Ashley Moody passes away on March 31, 1928, in Houston Texas.  His wife passes away in 1953.

Sophia Gunn Moran was a deeply religious woman and very active in the Methodist Church of Dresden.  It's possible we have the photo simply because Rev. Moody was a good friend of the Moran family.  Or possibly, was a distant relative through his marriage to Lizzie McGlothlin.  Her mother was a Fonville and there are Fonville's in the Moran tree.  I haven't explored that branch very much but perhaps now I have a reason.

1926-1927 Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Directory, Dresden Tennessee

The Moran's were very involved in the Methodist Church of Dresden, Tennessee.  In 1869 the church purchased its first organ with the help of a young music teacher from Nashville named Sophia Riley Gunn who was just 16 years old.  She volunteered to solicit funds for the organ and when enough money had been collected she was asked to travel to Nashville to select and purchase the new organ  Sophia became the church's first organist.  Two years later she would marry a local businessman named John Williamson Moran.

With that auspicious beginning the Moran's began a relationship with the Methodist Church that spanned over a hundred years.  However, it takes many more people to build, grow and maintain a religious organization and we thank each of the individuals for their time, money, and devotion to the Methodist Church of Dresden.

Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Dresden Tennessee
1926-1927
Rev E.L. Robinson Pastor

1893 Letter of Recommendation

When Fannie Moran chose an occupation she followed in the footsteps of her mother, Sophia Riley Gunn Moran, and became a school teacher.  Even though the Moran's were financially well off the Moran children were expected to attend school, have a career and if possible, get married.  In March 1893, Fannie was 20 years and 4 months old.  Having completed her education she was now looking for employment and needed letters of recommendation,

Reverend William Thomas Harris was the nephew of Tennessee's Governor Isham G. Harris who served from 1857-1862.  William's father, Reverend George Washington Davidson Harris, was Isham's older brother.  William's mother was Elizabeth A. Dewitt.  William T. Harris was married to Mary Woods and had several children with her.  After she passed away in 1873 he married her sister Georgia Woods and they also had children.  The Woods family was from Carroll County Tennessee.  On a side note...the Moran's had Harris relatives in Carroll County, Harriet Harris (Fannie's Grandmother) who married James Henderson Moran (Fannie's Grandfather). In addition, Haywood Harris (Harriet's brother) married Elizabeth Hairston Woods.  I mention this because I believe that the Moran family is related to Isham G. Harris.  I just haven't stumbled across the ancestor in common as yet.

Reverend W. T. Harris thought highly enough of Fannie to provide her with a very nice letter of recommendation:

"W.T. Harris
Presiding Elder
Union : City : District,
Martin, Tenn, March 23rd 1893

I take pleasure in saying I have known Miss Fannie Moran for a number of years.  She is of one of the best families in the South.  She is well educated & in my judgment, well qualified to teach in any of our schools.  I recommend her most cheerfully."

It's very possible when he says Fannie is qualified to teach in any of "our" schools that he meant a school affiliated with the Methodist Church as he was a Methodist Preacher and the Moran's were Methodists.

When Rev. Harris passed away there was an obituary in the Nashville Christian Advocate, 1902:

Reverend William (Will) T. Harris born Gibson co., Tenn., May 13, 1833; licensed to preach in Methodist Church, summer 1852; nephew of Governor Isham G. Harris, Tenn.; served in General Forrest's command, CSA, Civil War. Doctor of Divinity degree bestowed upon him by Trinity College, N.C., in 1877; married (1) Mary Woods, 1854; 6 children; she died in 1873; (2) Georgia Woods, one child (died infancy); died in Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 13, 1901; burial in Martin, Tenn.  Surviving children were Mrs. Lillian Dickard, Texas; Mrs. Annie Hayden, Jackson; Rev. Edmond Sidney Harris, Clinton, Ky.

Dresden TN, ca 1920's photographs

These stamps were found among the papers of James Henderson Moran IV. We believe they date from the  mid 1920's to the mid 1930's.

The Weakley County Court House was built in 1858 and was lost to a fire in 1948.  For more information about the courthouse and the fire read the article that appeared in the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

West Side of the Public Square in Dresden TN

East Side of the Public Square in Dresden TN

Methodist Church S., Dresden Tennessee.

The first Church was built in 1833.  The Moran family were members and helped in many ways.  In the 1800's, Mrs. Sophia Riley Gunn Moran, along with Mrs. C.W. Cottrell, aided in selecting new pulpit furniture.  Both ladies donated one chair each.  Mr. John Williamson Moran planted the trees and cared for them for many years.

Residence of D.C. Bower, Dresden, Tennessee.

Dresden Tennessee Fair Grounds.