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.

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.