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.

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.

School Days With Sophia Gunn, 1870

Sophia Riley Gunn

Before she became Mrs. John W. Moran at the tender age of 18, Sophia Riley Gunn was living in Nashville with her prominent father, Dr. Lyman Taft Gunn.  Dr. Gunn was reputedly one of the first if not the first dentist to open up shop in Nashville.  

Sophia's School Bell
ca. 1870

It is reputed that Sophia came to Dresden TN, probably in the late 1860's, as a teacher and that J.W. Moran fell in love her with at that time.  They were married December 27, 1871 in Weakley County, Tennessee.

Sophia rang the school bell to call the children to class each morning.  Education was of great importance to Sophia and John and this importance was passed down to their children.  Jim went on to become a lawyer and would take the position of Bank President at the death of his father in 1912.  Charles (Brud), attended business college and was the head cashier at the bank and though he didn't have the title of President, he was  responsible party of the two sons.  Their daughter Fannie followed in her mother's footsteps and upon graduating from college became a school teacher and later was heavily involved in civic activities and politics.  She was Tennessee's first Democratic National Committee woman and for a time an associate social editor on the Nashville Banner.  Ida had a love of music and her educational pursuits were along the lines of furthering her abilities as a pianist.  Marion, the youngest, was dedicated to educational pursuits and was a founding member of the Delta Beta Sigma Sorority.

Sophia's School Bell
ca. 1870

Photo Friday - Marion Moran ca. 1890

Marion Moran is on the right. We aren't sure
who the other girl is and with a plethora of cousins it's
anyone's guess as to which branch of the family
she belongs to.

Today's Photograph is dedicated to Marion Agnes Moran, the youngest child of John Williamson Moran and Sophia Riley Gunn.  Marion always touches my heart in so many ways.  We don't know the exact date of her birth, just that it happened in 1885 and we only know that from her headstone.  Marion was just 10 years old when her mother died.  From some of the letters it seems that she may have been a lonely girl and it appears there was some concern about her finding a husband.  I think she was considered the "homely" child.  However, Marion did marry, Charles H. Cobb of Union City, but it doesn't appear to have been a happy marriage and she ended up committing suicide October 1934.  They had one child, Carolyn Elizabeth Cobb. 

Closeup of  the two
holding hands.

Closeup of unknown girls necklace.

We don't know who the other little girl is except that she could belong to any number of the Moran cousins from the Irvines, Scotts, Fergusons and maybe even the Gunns.   I love the details in this photograph and the contrast between the two girls.  They are both dressed ornately but Marion's outfit is more subdued.  She has a simple dark ribbon in her hair and no jewelry.  The other little girl appears to be a bit older than Marion and she's dressed more like an adult than a child from the long train to the two bracelets, necklace and even what looks to be at least one gold hair pin.

I love the way the older girl is holding Marion's hand, as if to say I'm here and I'll take care of you.

Methodist Missionary Couple Identified, 1890 Kobe Japan

Willard Elmer Towson and his wife
Emily/Emma Hatton and daughter
Manie Cooper Towson.  Kobe Japan June 1890.
Manie was born in Healdsburg, CA, Dec 3, 1889.
According to the announcement in the paper she was
"a 10 pounder!"

Several months ago I had come across an entry in the Dresden Enterprise dated June 29, 1883 that said "Miss Emma Hatton of Nashville, assistant state librarian, is visiting her cousin Mrs. J.W. Moran."  Neither my husband nor I had ever heard of any Hattons in his family tree so I filed the information away for another day in order to follow more pressing leads in the Moran family genealogy.

On November 3, 2011, I had posted an image of a man, woman, and Japanese child taken in Kobe Japan, 1890, and posted it to The Victorian Hoarders blog.  The picture was taken by a rather famous Japanese photographer named S. Ichida.  We had no idea who the people were.  Friends? Family?  Missionaries was a sure bet but other than that, no clue.

Brig. Gen. Robert Hatton

Then last night I came across the Enterprise entry again and wondered who Emma Hatton was and how she was a cousin to Sophia Riley Gunn Moran.  So I took a few minutes to see what I could dig up. I wasn't able to find their ancestor in common as yet but  I did find that Emma Hatton had married Willard Elmore Towson, a Methodist Preacher, and that the couple had spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as Missionaries, along with Emma's mother Sophie K. Reilly Hatton. Sophie Hatton was married to General Robert Hopkins Hatton.  There is an excellent article about General Hatton including genealogical information about his parents, siblings, wife and children.

Sophie K. Reilly Hatton

According to the Handbook of Methodist Missions published in 1893, Rev. W.E. Towson and wife of the Pacific Conference arrived February 20, 1890 as part of the missionary reinforcements for Kobe Japan.  "In addition to the duties of Treasurer, Brother Towson had charge of Osaka Circuit.  Four regular services were held each week.  He had a class of bright young men who met daily for Bible study."  His wife was not able to devote time as a full missionary due to taking care of and schooling their three children.  However, according to the obituary of her mother that appeared in the Confederate Veteran her mother, Sophie Hatton, took over the duties of schooling her grandchildren so that her daughter Emily could fully embrace and enter life as a full missionary.

Bells and whistles were going off all over the place for me.  I immediately was struck by the similarity of names for Sophia K Reilly and Sophia Riley Gunn.  The next thing I remembered was a picture taken in Japan of a missionary couple that I had written about in November.  I think it is safe to say that the couple in the picture is Willard Elmer Towson and his wife Emma Hatton Towson.  On a side note, census records list her as Emily H. Towson.  Emily was probably her given name but she was probably called Emma by family and friends.

With that mystery cleared up I am now on the trail of the Moran/Gunn/Reilly/Hatton family connection.

J.W.Moran & Sophia Riley Gunn Wedding Portrait, 1871

John W. was 31 and his bride, Sophia, was 18 when they were married.  

The photo was taken by C.C. Giers in Nashville, TN.