Postcard Photographs

Unidentified Man
card embossed "Scherer New York"

These three postcard photographs were in the same box together.  I don't know who they are and I don't know if they were together because they are related to each other or if it's as simple as they are three postcards and they fit neatly together.  

The postcard of the single man is embossed in the upper left corner "Scherer New York".  The photographer or perhaps just the company that printed the card?  

The card with the couple has no identifying marks at all.  

The last card tells the most, "Don't throw this away because it was taken in Colorado."  The Moran's took a  trip out west that included Colorado and some relatives moved to Colorado.  Virginia Moran's cousins Hattie Mai Shumate and Martha Belle Shumate both moved to Denver post 1900.  Another family member connected through the Cowardin branch of the family moved to Denver as well, Carrie Fuller Cowardin and her children Almus Sheffield Cowardin and Robert Purcell Cowardin.

Two Texas Harris', A Shumate and a Moran

This photograph helped me fill in some of the information for the Harris branch from Texas.   Uncle Brud is 62 years old in this picture that I believe was taken at the Moran home in Dresden Tennessee.  The boy named Jim, well, I haven't figured out who he is yet.  There are a lot of Jim's in the Moran extended family it's just a matter of narrowing it down to which Jim.

Maibelle Shumate Harris is Brud's sister-in-law and the sister of Virginia Shumate Moran.  Maibelle and Virginia's parents were Nathan McClary Shumate and Margaret Jane Adams of Rockcastle County Kentucky.  Their youngest sister was Louise Shumate Durway who passed away in 1921.  Maibelle ws married to Newton Temple Harris, the brother of Virginia and Mattie Mai who are also pictured here.

Newton Temple (not pictured), Bertie Victoria (not pictured), Mattie Mai and Virginia Frances are the children of William Dawson Harris and Mary (Mollie) Rush Temple. Their grandfather was W. Miniard (Maynard) Harris who was born in North Carolina.  An excellent resource for the Harris family is The Edward Harris Family Its Lineage and Traditions by Marie Harris Key.

Mattie Mai Harris married Elisha Brinton Ingram March 7, 1916 in Tarrant County, Texas. Their daughter Martha M. Ingram was born in 1924.

Virginia Frances Harris was the youngest child of William and Mollie Harris.  She never married.

Bertie Victoria Harris, how much more Victorian of a name can you get than Bertie Victoria?? Bertie married Henry Lee Spencer and they had a daughter named Mary Katherine Spencer.

Newton Temple Harris married Maibelle Shumate.  They had five children: Newton Temple Harris Jr, William Shumate Harris, Margaret Frances Harris, and one set of twins Joseph Brinton Harris Sr and his unnamed sister who died at birth.

I don't know who annotated the back of the picture with the names but I salute them!!!

The Gentry Family - Newbern Tennessee

Blain and Joe 7/7/54
Newbern Tennessee

Blain and Joe 7/7/54,
Newbern Tennessee

Joseph Helm Gentry

Martha Blain Gentry

We've been able to figure out that Blain and Joe are two of the children of Joseph Collins Gentry and Belle Shumate.  Belle Shumate is the aunt of Virginia Shumate Moran. I'm sure there were quite a few visits back and forth between Newbern and Dresden back in the day!

Nathan Blythe Gentry

Blain married Benjamin Franklin Grisham of Newbern Tennessee.  I can't find any evidence that Joseph ever married.  In addition to Blain and Joe there were two more Gentry siblings, Richard Collins Gentry and Nathan Blythe Gentry.  Like their brother Joe it appears that Collins and Blythe remained single. With the exception of Joseph Collins Gentry, who died in Abilene and was buried there, the other Gentry's lived in and were buried in Newbern Tennessee.

First Cousins Joseph Helm Gentry and Virginia Shumate Moran. 

  

The Wedding of Margaret Frances Harris, August 1940

Wedding Invitation

Transcribed from the Fort Worth Star Telegram
Sunday Edition
August 18, 1940

Margaret Frances Harris

WEDDING PARTIES AND VACATIONS HOLD INTEREST AS FALL SEASON NEARS
by Mary Sears

Late Summer weddings, parties for visitors, vacation trips, plans for college and the approaching club season hold the social interest as August goes into the second half.

Among the weekend weddings that of Miss Margaret Frances Harris, daughter of Mrs. Temple Harris, 1010 South Jennings Avenue, to Mr. Curtis Gail Smith of Bloomington, Texas, which took place in the garden of Mrs. W.B. Paddock's home on Sixth Avenue, was of wide-spread interest.  The bridegroom is the of Mr. and Mrs. D.W. Smith of DeLeon.  Rev. W. Douglas Hudgins read the ceremony at 7 p.m. in Mrs. Paddock's garden in a natural setting of greenery and flowers.  Miss Gene Roberts, accompanied by Mrs. A.M. Campbell sang "Ich Liebe Dich" (Grieg) and "At Dawning".  Mr. H.L. Spencer of Waco played the wedding marches, and "Traumerei" during the ceremony.

Left to right
Helen Wilson, Madelon Campbell, Harriet Dee Rushing Harris,
Maibelle Shumate Harris (Mother of the Bride),
Margaret Frances Harris (The Bride), Betty Harris,
Martha Ingram and Gene Roberts

Martha Ingram and Joe Brint Harris, cousin and brother, respectively of the bride were the ribbon bearers.  Miss Helen Wilson and Miss Betty Lou Harris of San Antoino were bridesmaids and Mrs Temple Harris Jr. of Houston was matron of honor.  Mr. Cleland Early of Stinnett was best man, and Mr Temple Harris Jr. of Houston gave his sister in marriage.  Miss Wilson wore a pink frock made with a bouffant skirt and tight bodice, and carried pink gladioli.  Miss Harris wore yellow net and carried orchid gladioli.  Martha Ingram wore a full skirted blue taffeta frock and Joe Brint Harris wore a white suit.  Mrs. Harris Jr. was gowned in blue marquisette, made with puffed sleeves and a full skirt over taffeta.  She carried an armful of peach gladioli.  Each of the bridal attendants wore a strand of pearls to match her gown, the gift of the bride.

Margaret Francis Harris Smith

Margaret Francis Harris Smith

The bride, whose "something borrowed" was a double strand of pearls, wore a white chiffon gown trimmed at the square neckline and sleeves with duchess lace.  She wore Chantilly lace mitts and her illusion veil fell from a starched lace halo caught with orange blossoms.  The bridal bouquet was of white rosebuds and tulle, and her "something old" was a point lace handkerchief made by Mrs. E. L. White.

The mother of the bride,
Maibelle Shumate Harris. The bride
Margaret Frances Harris and her
brother, Newton Temple Harris Jr.

The refreshment table, set in the garden, was a glass-topped white wrought iron table centered by a bouquet of white blossoms and marked at one end by a three-tiered wedding cake topped by a miniature bridal couple.  Mrs. Donald McFarland and Miss Anne Campbell  served punch from a crystal bowl at the other end of the table.  Mrs. Burton Paddock presided at the cake, and Miss Elizabeth Martin at the bride's book.

After a trip to South Texas, the young couple will live in Bloomington.  The bride traveled in a shocking blue redingote crepe romaine ensemble having a navy velvet collar on the coat, with navy accessories and a corsage of white rosebuds.  Mr. Smith, who is athletic coach in Bloomington, and his bride are graduates of Texas Christian University, where he was a member of the T Association.

The Happy Couple
Curtis Gail Smith and Margaret Francis Harris

At the wedding, the bride's mother (Maibelle Shumate Harris) was gowned in white dotted swiss trimmed with black velvet, with a sweetheart rose corsage.  The men of the wedding party wore white suits with navy ties.  Mrs. Paddock and the bride's three aunts, Mrs. H.L. Spencer of Waco, Mrs. E.B. Ingram and Miss Virginia Harris, received the wedding guests.
---------

Sadly, the father of the bride, Newton Temple Harris Sr, passed away January 14, 1940 due to a cerebral hemorrhage.  Margaret and Curtis G. Smith had one child, Curtis G. Smith Jr. He was born December 4, 1946.

Margaret Francis Harris is our 1st cousin once removed.

Maibelle Shumate Harris, Mother's Day 1952

May Belle Shumate was born in Rockcastle County Kentucky in 1885.  She was the firstborn of Nathan M. Shumate and Margaret (Maggie) Adams.   Her mother died in 1896 and her father followed her in 1899.  After the death of her parents, she and her sisters, Virginia and Louise, lived with their uncle Quincy Shumate and family in Newbern Tennessee.  She married Newton Temple Harris of Tarrant County Texas and changed the spelling of her name to Maibelle.  She and Temple had five children.

This picture was taken on Mother's day 1952.  Maibelle must've been remembering her own mother and father on this date because she wrote the following on the back of the picture:

"This vase, one of a pair my father, Nathan M. Shumate, gave my mother Margaret Adams before they were married in Mt. Vernon Kentucky, 1882.  This picture taken Mothers Day May 1952, Maibelle Shumate Harris, Ft. Worth, Tex."

Maibelle Shumate Harris died of colon cancer June 14, 1960.

Maibelle Shumate Harris
Mothers Day 1952

Handwritten note by Maibelle on the back of the picture.

Shumate Family Home, Rockcastle County Kentucky, 1885

Shumate Family home near Brodhead, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.
Transcription from the back: My Ky Home where I
was born (Rockcastle Co.)
On highway, 4 miles
from Mt Vernon and
2 miles from Broadhead (sic)
9 miles from Crab Orchard.
May 15, 1885 - May Belle Shumate
(Now Maibelle S. Harris Ft Worth Tex. Feb 4, 1955)

This is the family home of Nathan M. Shumate (1859-1899), his wife Margaret (Maggie) Jane Adams (1866-1896) and their three daughters May Belle, Virginia, and Louise.  Nathan and Maggie were married July 2, 1884 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky.

May Belle was born March 15, 1885.  She married Newton Temple Harris Sr. and they lived in Tarrant County Texas and had five children of their own.  May Belle changed the spelling of her name to Maibelle.  Maibelle died June 14, 1960.

Virginia was born January 10, 1888.  She married James Henderson Moran III and they lived in Dresden Tennessee at the Moran family home.  They had three children: James Henderson Moran IV, Nathan Harrell Moran and Marion Louise Moran.

Louise was born about August 1891.  The last time she appears in the census is 1900 when she and her sisters were living with their uncle Quincy Shumate in Newbern Tennessee.

There is a house on Old Brodhead Rd that looks like it could possibly be the old Shumate home.  Of course the second story porch is missing and it's been enclosed on the first floor but there are enough similarities that it could be the house.  And if it isn't, it's a very good representation of the Shumate home.

I'm My Own Grandpa

Search for I'm My Own Grandpaw at Amazon!


Today is one of those genealogical days that make my head hurt and remind me of the song I'm My Own Grandpa by Ray Stevens.

Some weeks back I had been researching my husbands great grandfather, Nathan M. Shumate.  I had discovered that Nathan had married Margaret J. Adams and one of the offspring from that union became my husbands grandmother, Virginia Shumate Moran.  So far so good.

Nathan married Annie Purcell after the death of his first wife, Margaret.  Family gossip said that Nathan's three daughters didn't get along with his new wife. It happens. To make matters worse Nathan had a child by Annie so now there was a not just a step-mother but a step-sister.

In addition, Annie Purcell was not just the second wife of Nathan.  She was the first wife of Milton Green Dermon and they had four children of their own which came into the Shumate household.

The three original daughters started spending a lot of time with their uncle Quincy Shumate and his wife Lou in Newbern, TN. Quincy and his wife had six children of their own.  You can see it's starting to get a little complicated.

I didn't give anymore thought to Annie Purcell and Milton Green Dermon because they weren't blood relatives and I had way too many other people to track down.

My research continues and from notes I have I was able to confirm that Margaret J. Adams (first wife of Nathan) parents are Cy W. Adams and Mary Elizabeth Cummins.  I use Ancestry.com but I also use original source material so I'm happy with my finds.

Today I was delving into the parentage of Mary Elizabeth Cummins and have confirmed through records that her parents are Stephen (corrected from Samuel) G. Cummins Jr and Amanda Carson.  But...I've also run into a name that I've seen before, Milton Green Dermon.  According to the 1860 Census, Milton age 16, was living in the Cummins household and he's listed as an orphan.  Interesting.  Could it possibly be the same Milton Green Dermon?  The birth year pans out and how many Milton Green Dermons can there be in Rockcastle County Kentucky in 1860?

So I move on to the 1870 Census and there he is again, still living in the household with the Cummins family.  This time he's listed as a farmer.   Up next, the 1880 census which now lists him as a boarder with the Cummins family.  Who the heck is he and how did this orphan come to live with Stephen Cummins?

Time to look into who were the parents of Stephen (corrected from Samuel) Cummins.  His father was Stephen G. Cummins Sr. and his mother, depending on which records you're looking at, list her as Clarissa Dermon/Durmon/Dearmond.  You've got to be kidding me!  I haven't found out yet what relationship there is between Clarissa Dermon and Milton Dermon but it's very very possible that Milton Dermon is a blood relative to Nathan Shumate's first wife, Margaret Adams.  And as I've already reported, Milton Dermon was the first husband of Annie Purcell, who was also Nathan Shumates second wife.  Which means that all of the children from the Shumate, Adams, Dermon, Purcell marriages are blood related and not just step children to each other!

Nathan Shumate married Margaret Adams in 1884, had 3 children. Margaret died in 1896.
Milton G. Dermon married Annie Purcell in 1883, had 4 children.  Milton died in 1894.
Nathan Shumate married Annie Purcell Dermon in 1896, had 1 child.

I believe Margaret J. Adams Shumate and Milton G. Dermon are related by blood through the Stephen (corrected from Samuel) G Cummins and Clarissa Dermon union.  How?  I'm not sure yet but it's almost to the point that someone is their own grandpa!

The search goes on.

Virginia Shumate Moran

I came across this Gibson Girl style picture of Virginia Shumate Moran today while going through boxes that we've had in our storage shed for a couple of years.  I must say it was a lovely surprise to find this and many other items that I hope to scan and share with everyone.  

The photographers hallmark is "Milloy" in Memphis, TN.  

From the desk of Virginia Shumate Moran

We found this in a plain white envelope, one of many items discovered in the desk of Virginia Shumate Moran. b.Jan 10, 1888 d. April 22, 1970    It is obvious that whoever they are, they were precious to Mrs. Moran because it has a glass cover, the frame is tin and the tintypes appear to be soldered into the frame.
Of all the tintypes we've found so far, this is the only one which is in a frame.

Mournful Man

We aren't sure who this man is but his image is so striking that I felt he deserved to be the first blog entry.  We think he's from the Shumate side of the family but until we get more information about him we simply call him the Mournful Man.