Lyman Taft Gunn Bible Pages

Recently the Tennessee State Library and Archives completed a project to scan the photocopied Bible pages in their collection.  The collection currently has more than 1500 Bible records which have been donated through the years.  More will be added as they are received.  

I found Lyman Taft Gunn's Bible pages, which had been donated by Kent's Aunt Sophie, aka Sophia Ezzell Dobson, back in 1963.  Aunt Sophie is the one who urged us to document the Moran family.  

The Gunn Bible was published in 1846 by Harper & Brothers, New York.

The births page documents the birth of Lyman Taft Gunn and his first wife Caroline Matilda Morehead and their children:

James Tucker Gunn

Mary Frances Gunn

Lyman Cephas Gunn

William Lamartine Gunn

Sophia Reily Gunn

Caroline Louise Gunn

Charles Morehead Gunn

And grandchildren:

Caroline Margaret Gunn, daughter of James T. Gunn and Margaret D. Gunn

Charles Augustus Hugh Gunn, Son of James T and Margaret D. Gunn

Lyman Buckner Gunn, son of Lyman C. and Sallie B. Gunn

Fannie Lemira, daughter of John W and Sophia R. Gunn Moran

Mary Willie, daughter of James T.and Margared D. Gunn

The Marriage Page:

Lyman T Gunn was marriet at Nashville Tennessee to Caroline M. Morehead, January 22, 1840.

At Cincinnati May 15 1857 by the Rev. Dr. Fisher Lyman T. Gunn to Mary Anne Hall daughter of the late Joseph Hall, Esq of Boston Massachusetts.

James T. Gunn and Margaret D. Brown June 21st 1868 by the Rev. J. M DeSpain Mississippi County Arkansas.

Lyman C. Gunn and Sallie E Boyd Dec 14th 1870 by the Rev. Dr. John Hunter at Jackson Mississippi.

Sophia R. Gunn and John W. Moran Dec 27th 1871 at Gardner Tenn.

Deaths:

Mary Francis Gunn deid at Nahsville Tenn. Jan 1st 1845, aged Twenty-Two, 11 days.

Caroline Matilda Gunn died at Nashville Tennessee, November 10 1855.  Aged about Thirty Eight Years.

Caroline Louise Gunn Died at Nashville Tennessee July 28th, 1857. Aged Three years ten months and twenty eight days.

William L Gunn of Galloping Consumption died at (1876) Nashville August 7th at 12:30 a.m. Aged 26 years 11 months.

Lyman Boliver (Buckner) Gunn son of Lyman C and Sallie E Gunn died at Jackson Miss August 18th 1876 aged 4 years 10 months

Charles Morehead Gunn died of Galloping Consumption June 2nd 1878 at Nashville aged 22 years 8 months

James Tucker Gunn died at Goodlettsville Davidson County Tennessee August 11 1880 aged 39 years and 10 months of consumption

Dr. Lyman T. Gunn died at Dresden, Dec. 1st 1890, at 1/2 past in the evening, aged 80 years, 7 months, of old age and tropical affection.

Like most family Bibles not everyone was recorded and there are a few mistakes here and there such as Lyman Buckner Gunn listed as Lyman Boliver Gunn.  The name is a nod to General Simon Bolivar Buckner, a cousin to the Gunn/Moran families.

Most of the links in the post go to the memorials on Findagrave.  The headstones at Nashville City Cemetery, if there were any, are gone except for the main Gunn marker and the markers for Lyman Cephas Gunn, Sallie Boyd Gunn and their son Ellis Morehead Gunn.

Family Portrait of the Lyman Cephas Gunn Family, ca.1884

Lyman Cephas Gunn is a brother of Sophia Riley Gunn, the wife of John Williamson Moran.

Lyman married Sallie Boyd Dec. 14, 1870.  Their first son was Lyman Buckner Gunn, 1871-1876.  Daisy was born in 1873 and married Clyde Ezzell making her not only a cousin to Fannie Moran but her sister-in-law as well. Daisy died in Madison TN in 1972.  James Boyd Gunn was born 1874 and married Bess Ralston. James died in 1953 in Paris TN.  Mineola was born in 1876 and died in 1897 while the family was living in St. Louis.  Ellis Morehead Gunn was born in 1881 and died in Nashville in 1902.  Their last child was Carolyn "Carrie" Gunn who came along in 1887 after this picture was taken.  She married William Elbert Davis. Carrie died in Madison TN in 1972.

The picture has a nasty crease which I've attempted to erase via the magic of photoshop.  It's not the best job in the world but it's not the worst either.  :)  I've included the before and after.  The names go left to right in the photographs.

Turner Morehead, Revolutionary War Veteran

Search for the Morehead Family at Amazon!

To get back to Turner Morehead you need to start with John Williamson Moran and his wife Sophia Riley Gunn.  Sophia was the daughter of Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn and Caroline M. Morehead.  Caroline was the daughter of Turner Morehead and Polly (Mary) Ann Hewitt Hooe.  The Moreheads and the Hooe's have a rather distinguished history but today I just want to salute Turner Morehead.

Turner Morehead was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, on January 7 or 17, 1757, depending on which record you are looking at.  He comes from a line of Governor's, Attorney's General, and other assorted Moreheads.  Turner married his first wife, Ann Ransdell, on June 14, 1779.   He married his second wife Polly (Mary) Ann Hewitt Hooe on January 14, 1798.  Together he and Polly had eleven children.

Turner Morehead was a farmer for most of his life but he also was a business man and was engaged in the milling business.   He enlisted at an early age in the Revolutionary Army.  He began as a Sergeant in Captain James Scott's Company of Virginia Troops in 1777.  In 1778, he was appointed Captain.  Turner was with Brigadier General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Stony Point and it has been reported that he was one of the first to climb the parapet.  He received two bayonet wounds during the war.  According to "Adventures of Purse and Person", page 345, Turner was Captain of the Fauquier County Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War.  It has also been reported that he was an "intimate" of General George Washington and that Turner Morehead received a sword from General Washington for his service in the Revolutionary War.

Turner Morehead moved to Barren County, Kentucky in about 1811.  I have seen sources report his death as early as February 23, 1820 and as late as 1824.  So far all sources I've located say that he died in Barren County.  But I'm not so sure about that.  At some point  the Morehead family had connections to Nashville and/or had moved to Nashville through marriages with several of the Morehead daughters.  His wife, Polly, died May 20, 1838, and was buried in the Gunn Plot of the Nashville City Cemetery which is very interesting since her daughter Caroline Morehead did not marry Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn until two years after her mother's death.  Yet her mother is in the Gunn plot indicating an already close connection to the Gunn family.  In addition, the plat maps from 1908 show a "T. Moorehead" buried in the Gunn section.  It might even be possible that if he had been buried in Barren County Kentucky that the family, having removed to Nashville, had his body exhumed and transferred to the Nashville City Cemetery.

"T. Moorehead" in the Gunn Family Plot.  Map dated 1908.

There is much more to discover about the life of Turner Morehead.  I hope to expand upon his story later and to locate definitively his final resting place.

The Gunn Family, Nashville City Cemetery

Search for Gunn Family Genealogy at Amazon!

Only three individual headstones remain in the Gunn Family section
at Nashville's City Cemetery.  However, this Gunn monument marks the
area where the Gunn family is laid to rest.

If you are hoping to find the headstones for members of the Lyman T. Gunn family you will be sadly disappointed.  The stones have been gone for more than a hundred years but you will see the monument marking it as the Gunn Section.  As for individual markers, there are only three Gunn's that have memorials: Lyman C. Gunn, Sallie Boyd Gunn and Ellis M. Gunn. 

In addition, Lyman and Caroline Gunn's son James T. Gunn and his daughter Hattie are buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery, Nashville TN.

Their daughter Sophia Riley Gunn Moran is buried in Moran Cemetery in Weakley County, TN.

Be sure to check out the Nashville City Cemetery website for more information!  Also, the Index of Individuals Buried at the Nashville City Cemetery Recorded in the Interment Books 1846-1979 by last name is available online.

Modern Methods
Nashville, Tennessee
September 7, 1917. Article XI
“The City Cemetery” by Charles A. Marlin

THE CITY CEMETERY

Interesting Account of Some of the Prominent Men
and Women Who Figured in the Early
History of City and State
By Charles A. Marlin.

The Gunn Family.

On the Gunn Lot are buried the following:
Mrs. Mary Hewit Hooe, second wife of Capt. Turner Morehead, of Kentucky, who died in Nashville, Tenn., May 20, 1838. She was a woman of culture and ability and noted for her hospitality and noted for her hospitality. Her husband Capt. Morehead was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, being with Gen. Wayne at Stony Point and was presented with a sword by Gen. Washington for his acts of bravery. She was the mother of Mrs. Lyman Taft Gunn. (I haven't been able to locate a burial location for Turner Morehead yet.  I have some suspicions but till I confirm I'm keeping it to myself.  If by chance anyone else finds his grave I'd love to know about it!)

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 descendent o 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 Was, 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 the known as Spring street, and was one of the leading citizens of Nashville, and a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

Caroline Morehead - first wife of Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn was born in Glasgow, Ky., November 21, 1817, and died in Nashville, November 10, 1855. Was the daughter of Capt. Turner Morehead and Mary Hewitt Hooe Morehead.

Mary Francis Gunn - daughter of Dr. Lyman T. and Caroline Gunn, was born December 9, 1844 and died January 1, 1845; also the following children of Dr. L.T. Gunn and Caroline Gunn:

Wm. E. Gunn, born October 15, 1849, died 1876.

Caroline Louise Gunn, born August 30, 1853, died, July 28, 1857.

Chas. Morehead Gunn, born September 30, 1855, died June 2, 1878.

Lyman C. Gunn, born in Nashville, Tenn., November 16, 1846, died in Nashville, Tenn., August 18, 1914. He was the last surviving member of a family of six children. When a boy 14 years of age he enlisted in the Confederate Army serving with Com- A, First Tennessee Regiment, with Gen. Forrest and the last two years of the War with General Simon Bolivar Buckner as Courier. He was a first cousin of General Buckner, their mothers being sisters. He surrendered with Gen. Buckner at Shreveport, La., in 1865. In recent years he was affiliated with Forrest Calvary [sic], being first Lieutenant of Troop C, and also a member of Frank Cheatham Bivouc [sic].. He was in service of the Express Company out of Chattanooga shortly after the War, being associated with the late Major John. W. Thomas. Was also with the T. & P. Ry. in its early history in Dallas, Texas, also the M.K. & T. Ry. at St. Louis, and he severed his connection with that road in 1900 to become Gen. Freight and Passenger Agent of the Tennessee Central Ry. He was a member of the Moore Memorial Church of Nashville at the time of his death. (He was married to Sallie Boyd Gunn)

Ellis Morehead Gunn - son of Lyman C. Gunn and Sallie Boyd Gunn, who died in Nashville, Tenn., November 6, 1902. He was a soldier of the Spanish American War, being Corporal of Company G, Sixth Missouri Regiment. He served in Cuba, and while there contracted rheumatism which effected his heart and was the ultimate cause of his death.

The Gunn lot is the third lot from the Memorial Gate on City avenue. Nearly every old inhabitant remembers Dr. Lyman Gunn and his book, “Gunn’s Family Medical Adviser,” which had such a sale a few years after the War.