Marion Moran and doll, ca 1890

The photo's of Marion Moran are always so sweet.  Notice the doll she's holding is wearing a bonnet that looks just like the one that Marion is wearing.  Adorable. 

The photo was taken by R.S. Patterson of Nashville Tennessee.

1890, Catholic Church Concert at the Opera House

I'm not sure which venue this playbill is for but there were several opera houses in northwest Tennessee including but not limited to Union City, Humboldt and Dresden.  However, it seems very possible the playbill is from a Nashville Opera House since the performers were Nashvillians.  

Performers:  

Mr. Justin Thatcher.  I believe this is the same Justin Thatcher that appears in the 1900 Census for Nashville. He's living with his father Justin M. Thatcher, age 65, born in England, widower.  Justin was 30 years old with a birth date of Jan 1870.  His occupation was vocal teacher.  In 1880 J.M. Thatcher is a General Agent for Adams Express and his wife is Jennie C. Thatcher, age 35. They also have a daughter named Grace E. age 10.   His father was a captain with Co. F 6th Ohio Infantry and is interred at Mt Olivet in Nashville with his wife.  Grace was a music teacher and married Henry DeBolt Cooper.  Justin moved to New York and died there October 20, 1915.  "Justin M. Thatcher, 35 years old, a musician, was found dead yesterday in his apartment at 500 West 177th Street.  An autopsy revealed that his death was due to fatty degeneration of the heart." New York Times, October 21, 1915.  The New York Death Index says he was 45, not 35.

Mr. Charles Washburn.  I believe this is Charles Campbell Washburn, born Dec. 15 1868 in Memphis and died April 30 1954 in Nashville.  He was the son of Cornelius Collins Washburn and Isora Elizabeth Blades.  He married Minnie Morgan in 1900 in Wilcox County Alabama.  The 1900 Census for Birmingham Alabama lists his occupation as musician.  He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashville while his wife, Minnie, is at Camden Cemetery in Camden Alabama.

Mr. John Bordieser.  There is a John William Bordieser born about 1865 and died in 1895 in Nashville. All records indicate he was a bookkeeper but it's possible that was his "day" job while singing and music were his hobby.  He is interred at Mt. Olivet in Nashville.

Mrs. Katie O'Brien Gillespie.  I'm leaning toward this being the Katie Gillespie that appears in the 1900 Census with William B. Gillespie who was born May 1848 in Ohio.  Her death certificate lists her occupation as housewife and musician, daughter of Martha Fuller and unknown O'Brien. However, I did find a marriage for M.J. Fuller to John O'Brien in Rutherford County TN on January 26 1858. The 1900 Census also shows a Martha O living in the household and is William's mother-in-law.    It's interesting to note that a William B. Gillespie is boarding with Henry H. Barr and his adult children Bessie and Hugh in Nashville in 1920.  The Barr's are Moran relatives and Bessie Barr was a singer and actress.  It's odd though that Katie Gillespie is not listed even though she doesn't die until 1937.

Miss Levy.  Not enough information is given to do an adequate search for this person.

Mr. Henry Ashford.  Several Henry Ashford's appear in a search but not enough to narrow it down to a specific Ashford.

Music:

Flute Solo- The Nightingale

Stars of the Summer Night

Bicknell's Village Builder and Supplement

James T. Gunn was a carpenter and owned his own construction business.

From the paperwork I've been looking at he built everything from sheds to houses and even did house renovations.  

We have receipts and letters from Tennessee families with well known names like McGavock, Donelson and Johnson.  James was based in the Nashville area but for a period of time he lived in Pecan Point Arkansas where I believe he was doing work for some of the McGavock family who had moved from Nashville to Pecan Point.  Specifically Edward and John Jacob McGavock and James T. Gunn all resided within the Pecan Point vicinity according to the 1870 Census.  James was there as early as 1868 as that's when he married Margaret D. Brown.

In his file folder I came across an envelope addressed to James at Pecan Point with a Nashville Postmark.  The only thing inside was a newspaper clipping from American Agriculturist, November 1872.  On one side is an advertisement for Bicknell's Village builder and Supplement.

Clipping from James T. Gunn file

  

Amos J. Bicknell was not an architect.  He published several pattern books for  houses as did George Barber.  Moran Place is based on a George Barber design.  

The back of the newspaper clipping is interesting in its own right.  I especially like the Bickford Family Knitting Machine.  It looks a lot like knitting machines you can get today.

I think the house in the advertisement looks a lot like this design from Bicknell's book.  Bicknell's Village Builder and Supplement is available in its entirety online if you want to view the plans for this and other structures.

In case you're interested in what the full page looked like before it was torn out of American Agriculturist I've included them here:

Maskey's Candies

I came across this pretty card from Maskey's Candies that one of the Moran's saved.  A quick google search tells me that there was a Maskey's Candies on Union St. in Nashville in the late 1800's.  Here is an example of a Trading card from the Nashville store.  It's possible this card was from that store.  

Another search brings up a 2010 obituary for Guido A. Ferrari of San Francisco, the owner of Maskey's Candies of San Francisco during the 1940's - 1950's.  I also found another Victorian trading card from San Francisco.

Perhaps it was kept for its beauty or maybe just as a remembrance of the giver, it's just one of many little keepsakes from Moran Place that we treasure.

The Death of Mrs. J.W. Moran, 1895

Sophia Riley Gunn Moran
Most likely painted after her death. 

This is the obituary that appeared in the Dresden Enterprise.  Another tribute appeared later written by Mary D. Duval of Clarksville TN.  It was published in the paper October 25, 1895.

Death of Mrs. J.W. Moran

Dresden Enterprise

October 11, 1895

  Last Monday afternoon, just before five o'clock, after an illness of eight weeks from malarial fever and brain trouble,  Mrs. J.W. Moran breathed her last, surrounded by her family and other relatives and many friends, who had come from far and near to see the last of one who had been so inexpressibly dear to them in life.  Among the throng gathered about her dying bed was her brother Mr. Lyman C. GUNN, of St. Louis, the last surviving member of a large family.  Dr. WRIGHT, of Huntingdon, was called to see her Saturday, but death had placed his seal upon her, and medical aid was powerless to release her from his grasp.  All that love and money could do was done to save her, but no power was strong enough to restore her to life and health.

  Mrs. Moran, who was formerly Miss Sophia R. GUNN, was born in Nashville in 1852, and was educated principally in Leavenworth, Kansas, where, as here, she had many close friends.  Her education was quite thorough, and especially in music, she taking up the latter as her avocation.  In 1870 she came here a stranger to all, and commenced a class in music which she taught up to the time of her marriage with Mr. Moran a year later, this event, which linked two loving hearts and congenial lives as one, occurring at the home of Col. Jno. A. GARDNER, of Gardner Station, whose wife was a relative of Mrs. Moran.

First paragraph of the obituary
that appeared in the Dresden Enterprise

  Soon after coming to Dresden Rev. B.F. BLACKMAN held a revival which resulted in the conversion of many, and the addition of forty to the church, many of them young people, some of the quite old.  The deceased was one of the additions to the church at that time, and ever after was a consistent member and conscientious Christian.  Her work in the church bore much good fruit, and it will sadly miss her aid and influence.  she was for a long time the competent organist of this church, and her voice has been greatly missed from the choir during the past two years.

  It is seldom we find a wife and mother who so happily combines the many estimable qualities that Mrs. Moran possessed.  While she was for years known and felt in every public work, her home life remained a model system of perfection.  Although for a number of years her life companion was not a Christian, at least not by confession, (though always a man of the strictest moral living), yet from the first she erected the family alter, and every night her little children, ere they could hardly lisp the name of Jesus, were prayed for and with by her.  Her children, each giving promise of a career of usefulness and influence in the religious world.  Mrs. Moran was ever an industrious woman, and though she always had wealth at her command, she never ate the bread of idleness, but was ever employed in some way, at times teaching classes in music after her marriage.  Her home has been open to many for entertainment, and all can testify to the perfect system that was plainly visible in her home, showing that as a housekeeper she lacked nothing as to qualifications.

   Tuesday afternoon her remains were carried to the church where the funeral service was held by Rev. A.J. MEADERS, pastor of the church.  In the congregation were many from distant cities and surrounding towns--in fact the largest crowd that ever attended a funeral was out the, thug giving visible evidence of the high esteem in which she was held.  The casket, which was borne by the following pallbearers, Messrs. J.E. JONES, Dennis BRASFIELD, Will TUGWELL, S.P. SCOTT, all of Dresden, G.W. MARTIN, of Martin, and W.B. WASHINGTON, of Nashville, was literally covered with handsome floral offerings from friends. The music, with Mrs. W.W. BROWN at the organ, was very appropriate, being furnished by Mr. Arch TRAWICK, of Nashville, and Mr. WRIGHT, of Huntingdon, and Mrs. AYRES, of Box Station, assisted by the church choir.  A solo by Mrs. AYRES, "Only Remembered by What I Have Done," a favorite song of the deceased, was sung.  After the services closed the remains were taken to the Moran burying ground, north of Dresden, for interment.

  We all will miss Mrs. Moran from society and the church, and when the hand of charity is needed, for to the poor she was ever a responsive friend.  She is gone from among us, as have so many others during the present year, but let us hope that her good deeds may live after her and find fruit in the relatives and friends who are left to mourn her loss. To the broken-hearted and lonely companion we know how to extend a deep sympathy.  The greatest sorrow that can come into the life of man has been his.  With the children, who are grieving for a loving mother we can also sympathize, for we, too, have suffered the same loss; to the brother left so bereft of kin our heart can also go out in condolence, and for one and all we ask the richest benedictions from a kind, heavenly Father, whose will it has been to take their cherished one.  We say farewell to Mrs. Moran, but in that other life we know we will meet her where others have gone before, and that there all will be peace, love, and joy without separation.

Photo Friday, Leila ca. 1900

We have no idea who Leila might be.  The photograph was taken in Nashville at the Taylor Photography Studio sometime around the turn of the century.  She was a sorority girl, Theta Kappa Delta.  Jim, Fannie and Ida Moran all attended college/university in Nashville at one time so it's possible that Leila might be a friend from college, or a girl that Jim was sweet on.  Of course the possibility exists that she might be a distant relation since the Moran's seem to have distant relatives throughout the country!

Commencement Exercises 1889, A Florentine Mosaic

I can only guess that this invitation belonged to one of the Moran girls, most likely Fannie Moran.  I know she and Ida Moran attended Mrs. M.E. Clark's Select School for Young Ladies and were probably friends with the ladies mentioned in the announcement.

Commencement Exercises

of Mrs M.E. Clark's
Select School for Young Ladies,
At Watkins' Hall, Nashville, Tenn
Wednesday Evening, June 5 1889,
8 to 9:30 o'clock.

"A Florentine Mosaic,"
By the Class of 1889

Miss Mary Porter WEAKLEY, Tenn
Miss Claribel R. TURNER, Tenn.
Miss Elizabeth P. MCDANIEL, Mo.
Miss Sara H. GLASGOW, Tenn.

Conferring of Honors by the President of the 
Board of Advisers,
Dr. Charles Forster SMITH





Mary Porter Weakley was the daughter of Thomas Porter WEAKLEY and Harriet Helen MOORE.  She is related to Robert Weakley, a politician and representative in the Tennessee House of Representatives.  Weakley County Tennessee was named after him.

Without more information I am not able at this time to discover who the other ladies might have been.

Manie Campbell Hatton

I haven't yet been able to make the connection between the Hatton's and the Moran's but I know there is one.  I had previously written about Emma Hatton, a cousin of Sophia Riley Gunn Moran.  Manie Hatton is Emma's sister.  This obituary was found among family papers in the Moran home.  Manie was born in Lebanon Tennessee, September 25, 1855 and died in Americus, Georgia March 14, 1938.  She is buried with her parents in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

NOTE:  The article title lists her as Marie, she is Manie.  In addition, they mention several of her Towson relatives but they mispell the name as Towsen.

Death End Long Career of Service as School Teacher in Nashville for Marie (Manie) Hatton
Miss Manie Ann Hatton, 82, teacher of three generations of Nashville's public school pupils until her retirement in October, 1935, died in Americus, GA., Monday night, friends were advised Tuesday.

The daughter of Gen. Robert Hatton, Civil War officer whose monument stands on the public square of his native Wilson county in Lebanon, Miss Hatton won laurels of her own in Nashville.

For nearly 50 years, most of them in old Howard School, she served as teacher, hall principal and friend of pupils, many of whom are now gray-haired grandparents.

In the latter years of her service in the school system before she requested that she be retired Miss Hatton in the capacity of hall teacher for the three lower grades had seen some of her early pupils' grandchildren attend her classes.

Since her retirement Miss Hatton had lived with her nephew, Lambuth R. Towson, of Americus. She is also survived by a niece, Miss Manie Hatton Towson, missionary to Japan who is now on leave at Americus.

Funeral services will be held at the First Methodist Church in Lebanon at 10 o'clock with the Rev. Dean Stroud officiating.  Burial will be in Cedar Grove Cemetery beside her parents.

Miss Hatton was born in Wilson County in 1856.  Her father, who practiced law in Lebanon and was a member of the United States Congress before the Civil War, was killed at the Battle of Pines.  She was educated at the Corona School in Lebanon, Dr. D.C. Kelly's School for Women which flourished during the Civil War period and afterwards.  Later she was graduated at Ward's Seminary in Nashville.

In Nashville Miss Hatton taught school while her mother served as state librarian.  They maintained a home here until Mrs. Hatton resigned her state post to join another daughter, the late Mrs. W.E. Towson, in Japan, where Mr. Towson served as a missionary.  After her mother moved to the Orient Miss Hatton made her home with various friends, most of the time residing with Mrs. George Gray at 45 Rutledge Street.

Children at Howard School from the elegant eighties down to the modern thirties loved Miss Hatton.  They recall her as looking the same always, the plump little lady of the old South whose gentle pleasant manner beguiled them into the regimentation of Howard School's class system.

Miss Hatton attended Peabody College even in recent years, keeping abreast of her profession.  She was a member of McKendree Methodist Church and was frequently honored by the various local chapters of the Uniteed Daughters of the Confederacy.  Her last visit to Nashville was last summer when she spent a short time with Mrs. Gray.  *NOTE: McKendree Methodist Church is also where Sophia Eleanor Ezzell married Matt Dobson.

Sophia Dobson's Mission...Which we chose to accept.

Sophia E. Ezzell and her grandfather,
John Williamson Moran

This post is dedicated to the memory of Sophia Eleanor Ezzell Dobson or as I know her, Aunt Sophie. A few years before I married Kent, he and I took a trip to visit his Aunt Sophie. He had visited her several times, this would be my one and only chance to meet her as she passed away just a few years later. I had heard many things about her such as her ability to make one heckuva Mint Julep.  I had also heard of her love for history.  In particular, her family history was very dear to her heart.  Aunt Sophie loved to tell about the times she would spend with her grandfather, John Williamson Moran.  She would sit on his lap and listen to his stories about the "old days" and his adventures as a Confederate soldier.  She said he once commented upon how she was always so finely dressed that she seemed "to the manor born", as indeed she was.

I wish I had paid more attention back then to what she said but honestly, the names would've meant very little to me at that time.  I remember meeting her son, Matt Dobson and I also remember how he asked Kent if I was the girl he was going to marry.  :)  I remember the beautiful family portraits lining the walls and also the feeling of smallness in a place that seemed dedicated to a different time period.  What I remember most is Aunt Sophie blessing Kent with the mission to research, preserve and report the family history.  We didn't have much to go on back then and life got in the way but this past year we've begun the work in earnest and we hope that Aunt Sophie is proud of what we've accomplished to date.

Lyman Taft Gunn
1810-1890

In my research journeys I have seen many webpages.  On Ken Gunn's website I found portraits that were purported to be of Lyman Taft Gunn (1810 - 1890) and his first wife Caroline M. Morehead (1817 - 1855).  I say purported because like any good researcher I like to have proof of something and as we all know anyone can be a dog on the internet. :)  No offense intended toward Ken, I'm sure his research is superb, I just wanted confirmation.  And I got it.  Last night.

On a side note, Ken's site says that it's okay to "view, borrow, and use any information" on his website that may be helpful in other research so I took him at his word and have copied the images here but I am also giving him credit for his hard work and diligence cause that's the right thing to do!

Caroline M. Morehead
1817-1855

A brief background:  My husband, Kent Moran, is the great great grandson of Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn and Caroline M. Morehead through their daughter Sophia Riley Gunn who married John Williamson Moran.  As a matter of fact at the end of his life Dr. Gunn was living with his daughter and her family in Dresden, Tennessee and it was in their home that he passed away.  He was buried in Nashville's City Cemetery.  Most of the Gunn family headstones are missing.  We have some personal effects of Dr. Gunn's such as his Bible which dates from 1808 and possibly belonged to his mother, Mary Taft Gunn (1793-1810). We found a slip of paper in the Bible with her name written on it.. At some point I will be posting pictures of these items.

Sophia Riley Gunn
1853-1895

Fannie L. Moran
1872-1955

Sophia Gunn Moran's daughter, Fannie Lemira Moran, married James Benjamin Ezzell.  Their daughter, Sophia Eleanor Ezzell (Aunt Sophie) spent a lot of time with her Moran relatives and was enamored of her grandfather, John Williamson Moran who had been in the Civil War.   Sophia grew up and married Matthew H. Dobson and they lived at Harpeth Westover Farm near Nashville.  Kent used to visit his Aunt Sophie at Harpeth and he and I visited her before we were married back in the early 90's.  She was a wonderful woman, southern to the core and very proper.  She made us mint juleps.  It was a great visit.  I wish I had taken the time to look closer at the history of the home and its contents because the Dobson branch of the family is where the portraits of Lyman Taft Gunn and Caroline M. Morehead ended up.  And how do I know this?

Sophia and Matt Dobson's daughter Lillian Ezzell Dobson married William Dunavant Jr of Memphis.  This was the wedding of two powerful families and their socialite children. Articles about their engagement and parties had been appearing in the newspapers for months.  However this article appeared in the Nashville Tennessean June 27, 1952 detailing the wedding of Lillian and William which took place at Harpeth Westover Farm. This article is where I had the "aha" moment last night. Take a close look at the portrait above the mantle. That is the portrait painted sometime in the 1840's of Caroline M Morehead.  It's good to know the portraits are in the family and are well cared for.  It would be really exciting to see them in person.

Wedding Photo, Lillian Ezzell Dobson and William Dunavant Jr
The Nashville Tennessean 1952
The portrait hanging above the mantle is
Caroline M. Morehead

TN House of Representatives, 1925, 64th General Assembly

Search for the Tennessee House of Representatives at Amazon!

James Henderson Moran III, Representative from Weakley County
Fifth Row from the top, seventh person from the left.

This is a composite picture of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 64th General Assembly, 1925.  James Henderson Moran III was the Representative from Weakley County.  For a complete list of the 64th General Assembly be sure and visit the Tennessee General Assembly website.

The Gunn Connection

Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn, a prominent Nashville Dentist, and Caroline M. Morehead were the parents of several children.  One of them was Sophia Riley Gunn who went on to marry John Williamson Moran.  Together they had five children and are responsible for building the lovely Victorian home in Dresden, TN for their family.  

When researching the family history I've noticed that a lot of people don't seem to know, or at least don't bother to mention, that he was staying at the home of his daughter Sophia at the time of his passing.  Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn's obituary can be found at The Nashville City Cemetery website.  The information was originally published in September 7, 1917 in Modern Methods, Article XI entitled "The City Cemetery" by Charles A. Marlin.


Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn - Born at Montague, Mass., April 1, 1810, died in Dresden, Tenn., December 1, 1890, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Sophia Gunn Moran.  He was a descendant of the Montague's of England, his mother being a Montague, and was also connected with the Taft family.  He spent the early years of his life with Mrs. Taft (grandmother of ex-President Taft) after the death of his mother.  Dr. Gunn was educated in Boston, Mass., and attended the Dental Department of the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated in dentistry.  He came to Nashville a few years before the war, and was one of the first dentists of Nashville, being associated with Dr. Morgan and practiced his profession over forty years, in this city.  His office was on what was then known as Spring street, and was one of the leading citizens of Nashville, and a member of the First Presbyterian Church.


For pictures and more detailed information about the Gunn Family and the Nashville City Cemetery check out my other blog post after we visited Nashville in July. 

Carolyn Elizabeth Cobb and Joseph Linton Godown - Marriage

Wedding invitation for Louise Moran and Harrell Moran II to attend the marriage of Carolyn Elizabeth Cobb (b.April 24 1907 d. June 2 1997) to Mr Joseph Linton Godown (b March 25 1906 d. March 29 1992), June 8, 1938 in Nashville TN.  Carolyn was Godown's second wife and was the daughter of Charles Henry Cobb and his first wife, Marion Moran Cobb.  The invitation reads "Mr and Mrs Charles Henry Cobb announce the marriage of their daughter Carolyn Elizabeth" but in reality Carolyn's mother, Marion Moran Cobb, died in 1934 after jumping from a bridge so the Mrs. Cobb mentioned in the invitation would've referred to Cobb's second wife and not the mother of Carolyn.