Courthouse At Dresden TN pre-1919

This picture of the Courthouse in Dresden Tennessee was taken prior to 1919 since there aren't any "wings".  Those were added in 1919 by L.E. Wingo. For more information about the courthouse and 1948 fire that destroyed it be sure to visit the earlier blog post from 2011.

Dresden Enterprise Apr 24 1896 - The Illustrated Edition Part 6 "Weakley & the Tennessee Centennial"

This is the sixth in a multi-part series featuring the April 24 1896 edition of the Dresden Enterprise.  If you missed the previous posts you can find them here: part one, part two, part three, part four, part five.

Today's post covers page 3.  The top half of the page is an advertisement for something called the "Cash Racket Store" and the bottom section is dedicated to the Tennessee Centennial.

Transcription of the Tennessee Centennial article:

Beckersteth in his beautiful poem, "Yesterday, Today and Forever," speaks of anniversaries as white stones in the journey of life.  They are set up to comemmorate what i past, and to give strength and inspiration for the further journey.  They mark both a burial and a birth.

Tennessee is completing the circle of years that marks her stone one hundred.

All the hands that placed the first stone have mouldered back to dust.  The men and women of the old heroic days belong now to history.  In camp, in forts, in the humble home, in legislative hall, in foreign courts, anywhere and everywhere, the men who fought our battles and laid the foundation of our state and plead for her recognition were such as posterity delights to honor.  Their praises have been sung in poetry and written in books and inscribed on stone.  It is eminently proper, then, that the state should herself celebrate her Yesterday by a Today that will make her famous forevermore.  This notable event should be a great gathering in which every county, every citizen, every woman, every child is suitable represented.  The mother, venerable in years and usefulness, deserves a token from all who claim her care--who share her protection.  A long absent son writing from a foreign field said, "Mother, I cannot be with you, but I send my love and my offering."  There are ninety-six counties in Tennessee ? is able to send love and an offering worthy of the occasion.  some of the counties--through the county court--have devised liberal things. When the courts refuse an appropriation more remains to be done by individual action.

Weakley, so rich in resources, will surely send some gift for the birthday of the state.  Right here in Dresden we have one of the best mills in West Tennessee.  It runs regularly, working from ten to fifteen hands, with a capacity of 100 barrels of flour, fifty barrels of meal and fifty barrels of chopped feed.  It is owned and operated by home men--S.P. Scott and B.D. Irvine, with a capital of thirty thousand dollars.  In tobacco the showing is just as creditable, while the growth of small fruits and tomatoes yields a heavy income for the money and labor invested.  All in all, Weakley County is a good county and one that has honored the state in nearly every deppartment. (sic)  Why should not Weakley take some part in the erection of that white stone to mark the Mother's birthday into a fuller and more glorious future.  I know that there are difficulties in the way of the Woman's Board.  It is a hard matter for the wives, mothers and children to do anything or to go anywhere without help from the husbands, the fathers and the brothers--yes and the old bachelors, for on these Rome used to put a double tax for all public enterprises.  however, despite discouragements, the members of the Woman's State and County boards appeal to one and to all for help in securing suitable means for a creditable county exhibit.  They earnestly desire that the exhibit of woman's work from Weakley shall not be a whit behind the chiefest.  To this end, they urge upon sub-committees throughout the county, or in each civil district, and upon all women to put forth their best efforts to secure specimens of handiwork of every kind, fine needle work, painting, embroidery, crocheting, knitting, leather work, dairy products--anything from the home or from a farm or garden managed by women.  Then we must have money or the exhibit cannot be transported and mounted.

Now, in some neighboring counties the farmers are helping by donation of hams, flour, corn, cotton, tobacco, meal and the women donate the money from a pound or more of butter, the sale of so many dozen eggs.  The hams are cooked and made into dainty lunches by the women and sold for the Centennial fund.  The articles donated all go to the treasury.

Who will be the first to help our county board with such things as he or she can spare from the farm and from the dairy and the orchard?  Will not each help to make the mother's birthday an occasion of great rejoicing?
           Mrs. S. F. Mooney
-------
Why suffer with Coughs, Colds and LaGrippe when Laxative Bromo Quinine will cure you in one day.  Does not produce the ringing int he head like sulphate of quinine.  Put up in tablets convenient for taking.  Guaranteed to cure, or money refunded.  Price, 25 cents.  For sale by G.I. Baxter.

The complete list of links in this multi-part series:
part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten, part eleven, part twelve, part thirteen, part fourteen, part fifteen, part sixteen, part seventeen, part eighteen, part nineteen, part twenty, part twenty-one, part twenty-two, part twenty-three.

Dresden Enterprise Apr 24 1896 - The Illustrated Edition Part 3 "Weakley County in Brief"

This is the third in a multi-part series featuring the April 24 1896 edition of the Dresden Enterprise.  If you missed the previous posts you can find part one here and part two here

Colored M.E. Church

Weakley County In Brief

Situated on the western slope of the plateau of West Tennessee, and is bounded north by Kentucky, east by Carroll county, south by Carroll and Gibson, and west by Obion.  The county has an area of seven hundred square miles, and is drained by the north, south and middle forks of the Obion river.  Its tributaries are Mud, Cypress and Cane Creeks.  The dividing line of the twelfth and thirteenth surveyor's district runs through the town of Dresden.  The western part of the county is generally level: the other portions gently undulating.

The Subsoil being of clay, fertilizers are well retained, Oak, hickory, sweet gum, ash and other timbers, with

some walnut and poplar, are abundant, except the latter two.  Evergreen holly is frequently found in the woods.

The first settlers were Uncle Reuben Edmonston (now gone to rest) and his brother-in-law, John Bradshaw and family.  The next settlers in this neighborhood were Isaac H. Ward and Wm. Miles.  The famous DAvy Crockett once lived in the southeast part of the county, and in our court-house now is a legal document bearing his signature.  Lewis Stunston, recently deceased, was the first white child born within the county's limits.  He died possessed of much wealth.  Dr. J. Almus Gardner was the first white child born in Dresden.

The county was created by an act of the legislature October 21, 1823.

A tract of thirty-nine acres was donated for the town site by John Terrell.  For fifty dollars seventeen and one-half acres more were added thereto, making fifty-six and one-half acres in the town site.  In April of the year 1825 the first town lots were sold--$5,742 being realized.  This sum went towards erecting public buildings.  The first courthouse was a brick structure, built by John Scarbrough, of Stewart county.  Later Emerson Etheridge, Alfred Gardner and Dr. A.G. Holden, commissioners, let the contract for a new court-house, the old one proving too small, and $16,000 was appropriated.  The final cost was $20,000.  The present jail was completed in 1875, at a cost of $8,000.  It has been added to since, and is a nice two-story brick.  $100,000 was subscribed by a small majority vote to build the N., C. & St. L. road, which was completed through the county in 1861.  The county has lost the whole amount of its stock.

The following are the first recorded officers: county clerk, Wm. H. Johnson; circuit clerk, Mears Warner;

sheriff John J. Calvert; trustee ? Dodd; register, William Landrum.  The latter two are not the first, and their predecessor's names are lost to history.  Adam R. Alexander was the first congressional representative.  The first term of the circuit court in Weakley county was held November, 1827, John C. Hamilton presiding.  The chancery court at Paris had jurisdiction over chancery business here until 1838.  Jas. Julian was the first grand jury foreman, and the first indictment was against Wm. Ward for assault and battery, who plead guilty, threw himself on the mercy of the court, and was fined one dollar and costs.  The first murder trial was the State vs. George W. McClain and Wm. Price for the murder of one Stunston.  McClain escaped from jail while under sentence to hang, and was never rearrested.  Price was later acquitted.  The first and only judicial hanging in the county took place June 181853.  Anthony and Alfred Peck, colored, were hanged for the murder of their master, the maternal grandfather of our present circuit court clerk, Mr. John J. Thomason.  Milton Brown was the first chancellor.  

The Tennessee Patriot was the first paper published in the county, Jesse Leigh, editor.  Its first issue contained the message of President Van Buren.  In the newspaper business he was succeeded by Carlton & Whittlesey, and they by Wash Talbert and he by A.W. King, who published a paper about the year 1849.  Somers & Guinn published the dresden Spy a short time in the fifties.  Henry Massey published a paper preceeding the civil war.  The Gossiper was published six months in 1867 by W.F. Hampton.

Weakley County Court House

The complete list of links in this multi-part series:

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten, part eleven, part twelve, part thirteen, part fourteen, part fifteen, part sixteen, part seventeen, part eighteen, part nineteen, part twenty, part twenty-one, part twenty-two, part twenty-three.

1848 Washington Lodge No. 5 IOOF Dresden TN

Cover page
Washington Lodge No. 5, IOOF
Dresden Weakley County Tennessee
Opened The 1st Jany AD 1848 by
Eaton J. White

Scroll down to see a list of the 322 members of the Lodge.

I love books. Particularly old books.   I love the way they feel in my hands, the smell of the paper, dust jackets, and illustrations.  I love the way they look on shelves.  And yes, I spent about 17 years of my professional life working in libraries which fed into my affinity for the printed word.

Since our focus was to preserve the history of Moran Place and the Moran family it was only natural to save as  many books as possible. We have everything from school books to books on parlor games which probably came in handy since Moran Place had a beautiful front parlor.  Some of the books were ledgers, after all the Moran's owned the Dresden Bank so ledgers were their bread and butter.  But not everything we saved was about the Moran family.

Cover of the Ledger

One book that we have is from 1848, it's the ledger book for The Washington Lodge No. 5, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Dresden, Weakley County, Tennessee beginning with the First of January 1848.  The Bookkeeper on that date was Eaton J. White.  According to The Official History and Literature of Felloship: The Three Link Fraternity the Washington Lodge No. 5 began on September 9 1842 in Dresden.

Unlike many of the books we have, The Ledger is not a book about the Moran family at all, although you will find Moran relatives in the book as well as many well known Weakley County Tennessee family names.  The Ledger had been in the possession of James H. Moran IV.  Back in the 1970's James Moran had the book binding professionally restored and it was because of him that the Ledger survives today.  

Emerson Etherage (Etheridge)

One very prominent Dresdenite who was a member of the Odd Fellows was Emerson Etheridge, although in the ledger his name is misspelled as Etherage.  Etheridge was born in North Carolina and moved with his parents to Tennessee in 1931.  He was a practicing attorney with his office located in Dresden TN.  He was elected to the TN House of Representatives.  He was later elected to the United States House of Representatives and in 1861 gave a speech opposing secession. In 1867 he had an unsuccessful bid for governor of Tennessee but went on to have successful election to the Tennessee Senate.

You can see where Etheridge paid his "quarterage" fees and also gave money to the Orphans Fund.

William H. Jenkins

The Odd Fellows were serious about not breaking rules and were not above expelling members who were caught committing offenses.  One such person was William H. JENKINS.  At the bottom of his ledger page it says he was "Expelled for Intoxication".  It doesn't indicate he was readmitted but it was possible for a member to redeem themselves and be an active member once again.

I think this will probably be the first of many posts regarding this Ledger book. This book is full of names and even some death dates so the information might be of some use to others who are researching their Weakley County ancestors.

COMPILATION of MEMBER NAMES

Here is a complete list of the 322 names as they appear in the Ledger.  Should you find one that you're interested in let me know and I'll scan the page for you  The book begins at 1848 and goes through the late 1870's.  Because the penmanship is so different from modern writing I may have misinterpreted some of the initials.  Let me know if you see an error.  Additional research is indicated in italics.

A

John D. Aydelott- page 11

Ben F. Arrington- page 17

F. Alexander- page 48, dead.  Last entry July 1852

W. H. Alexander- page 49

J.R. Adkins- page 104

Samuel B. Arrington- page 129, expelled 1851

A. G. Almond- page 211, suspended

F. V. Alexander- page 262

N.L. Allen- page 122
W.J. Allen- page 221

B

Tomisher Bowers- page 9 (Appointed Postmaster Dec 27 1859 Crocketts Station Obion County TN)
Tom Bowers- page 107
William Bradshaw- page 10
Caleb E. Baxter- page 32, dead, burial benefit paid to widow Jan 1852
F. Bynum- page 35, Parson, no benefits
W.B. Billingsley- page 74
W.P. Blake, page 87, expelled 1851
Rev. E.J. Bradley- page 110
Henry M. Bunch- page 126
Thomas W. Bunch- page 152, suspended 1859, died
W.S. Bowlin- page 154, dead, last entry Aug 1859
Thomas N. Biggs- page 163
S/L .N. Berry- page 165, expelled 1857
Joseph Blackwell- page 166, suspended 1856
C.R.P. Byers- page 167
S.M. Baxter- page 195
J.F.M. Bowers, page 205, suspended
T. Z. Beard, page 221, died, last entry Apr 1866
J.S. Bryant- page 237, "dropt"
Emerson E. Bowers- page 242
John H. Baker- page 245
John E. Bowers/Bowen- page 246, "dropt July 1 1873"
Gustavus T. Blacknall- page 249
William R. Blacknall- page 253, "dropt July 1 1872"
Henry P. Barber- page 255, expelled March 1873 and page 302 expelled
John W. Baxter- page 268, expelled Oct 1 1872
James M. Brock- page 280, "dropt"
J. W Boyer- page 294
Carl Baker/Balzer- page 302, died Feb 1873
William Brinkly- page 310 "dropt"
W.J. Burnett- page 315
J.H. Bradberry- page 328
Simeon C Bowlin- page 155
C
William T. Cochran- page 7
Albert Cooke- page 24 & 191 & 205 & 214
Atlas Cooke- page 25 & 190 & 213
James M. Cole- page 37
W.S. Cloyd- page 76, expelled 1851
L.B. Cockrum- page 77, died Sept 16 1848
George Coleman, Jr.- page 78, expelled 1851
B.A. Crawford- page 66 & 81 & 264
N.O.K. Cole- page 88, died January 1853
James W. Curry- page 108, moved to Washington Co Mo. June 1854
W.R. Cowell- page 109, "Gone to Parts Unknown" last entry Jan 1852
Elijah W Cross- page 116, died 1856
Shelby C. Curry- page 121
Rev. Benjamin Cooper- page 118, "Gone to Parts Unknown" last entry Jan 1852
M.D. Cardwell, page 157
A.D. Cutter- page 174
A.D.W. Cutter- page 175, expelled 1859, reinstated
Rev. T. G. Cardwell- page 176 suspended 1859
Scott Curry- page 182
David Campbell- page 206
W.M. Cargill- page 143
L.B. Cochran- page 214, expelled
Robert A. Cradder- page 234
W.H. Carolton/Carlton- page 267
Isiah I. Cook- page 272
Alexander J. Colwell- page 273
O. Carlton- page 276, "dropt July 1 1872"
H.L. Cannon- page 200
W.H. Cantrell- page 320
J.B. Cook- page 319
D
Joseph E. Dent- page 62
Joshua ? Dodds- page 71
R.P. Darrington- page 181, withdrawn
W.W. Dudley- page 217
J.F. Durham- page 23
Henry C. Dryfus- page 296
E
Robert Eskridge- page 54, expelled 1851
Emerson Etheridge- page 59
Sam M. Edmunds- page 64
Samuel P. Eskridge- page 173 expelled 1858 for lewd conduct, reinstated
R.W. Eskridge- page 212
J.A. Eskridge- page 223, suspended
John H Edwards- page 288
Thomas Edwards- page 293
F
John F. Farmer- page 19 & 216, expelled 1856
John V. Freeman- page 56
Thomas B. Frizell- page 57, died 1852
Charles E. Fowler- page 80
R.M. Fisk- page 82
Stephen Farmer/Farmar, page 105, expelled 1851.  "18th July '52 Dukedom"
W.J. Freeman- page 186
R.P. Farmer- page 225 "dropt"
T. M. Farmer- page 229, dead.  Last entry April 6 1861
Colman S. Fowler- page 289
Thomas Fox- page 256, expelled
G
Robert J. Glenn- page 8
Ira Gray- page 29
William Gibbs- page 39, suspended 1858
John Gibbs- page 40
Alfred Gibbs- page 41
Lewis Gray- page 42
Joseph D. Glasgow- page 61, expelled 1851 "Returned good for nothing"
William Greer- page 73, died in Henry County 1852
Rev. Gregory, page 35, Parson no benefits
William Gentry- page 35, Parson, no benefits

Dabney Glass- page 106
P.T. Glass- page 115
William B. Gibbs, page 161
Jesse A. Gibbs- page 215, "dropt"
William H. Gibbs- page 222, suspended 1871
Jesse G Gibbs- page244, suspended
N. J. Garrett- page 265 (Noah J. Garrett, Confederate Military Service: TN 20th (Russell's) Cav. Co.K)
James M Groomes- page 279, "dropt"
Morgan Green- page 307
John H. Glass- page125, permit card sent to Jno H. Glass Ripley TN
H
Balie E. Heard/Herd- page12
Benjamin D. Hynds- page 13
A.D. Horsely- page 34, expelled 1851
W.W. Hall- page 75, suspended 1845
Thomas P. Hawkins- page 117, 18th January? '50, New Madrid Mo (Married Mary Boyd Nov 3 1834, Mecklenburg VA)
Thomas L. Harris- page 118
John L Hill- page 136
John F. Hicks- page 137
Joseph Hoover- page 148, expelled 1857
William C. Hill- page 149
John W. Harris, page 160, expelled 157
R.L. Howard- page 162
Rev. N.D.F. Hafford- page 169
H.T. Hollis- page 170, expelled for swindling 1857
W.H. Humphreys- page 196, suspended 1859
J.L. Husketh- page 197
George Hynds- page 150
William M. Hornbeak- page 196, suspended
John W Hunter- page 257, "dropt"
David R. Hynds- page 290
J.O. Hollis- page 246, "dropt July 1873
W.F. Hornbeak- page 183
J.P. Hornbeak- page 312, "dropt Jan 1872"
W.W.H. Hubbard- page 330
W. W. Hubbard-page 326
I
J. W. Inscor- page 313
W.C. Insco- page 325
J
William H. Jenkins- page 3
John W. Jenkins- page 18, dead
F. Jenkins- page 51, expelled 1851 "He had taken a certificate of card"
J.M. Jones- page 35, Parson, no benefits
Thomas H. Jenkins- page 156
H.C. Johnson- page 236, "dropt"
R.T. Johnson- page 248
S.B. Jones- page 291, "dropt"
David N. Johnson- page 306
James C. Jones- page 98, dead.  Last entry Aug 1851.
William Johnson- page 228
J. C Johnson- page 247
K
Charles Kilgore- page 36, expelled 1851
James W. Kilgore- page 47, expelled 1851
K. Kilabrew- page 96, expelled 1851
P.C. King- page 107, expelled
A.W. Kilby- possibly the same as A.W. King- page 123 "Gone to Parts Unknown" last entry Dec 1850
G.W. Kilby- page 140 & 183, suspended 1857
William Kelton- page 29
H.G. Killgor- page 325
L
William Landrum- page 2 & 151 & 243 "dropt Jan 1 1872"
Samuel Landrum- page 5
William Lenox- page 44
John P. Lenox- page 45
E.P. Latham- page 84, dead.  Last entry July 1856
N.L. Learnard- page 122 per index but the name listed is N.L. Allen
Samuel Landrum P.B.K.
C.M. Luten- page 127
E.B. Learned- page 124 & 204, 1862 0f Susan S Learned administratrix E.B Learned died
Lodge Grand of Tennessee
C.S. Lovelace- page 192
P.W. Lee- page241
William H. Lyne- page 274, dead, last entry Oct 1869
James B. Long- page 277, suspended
William P. Landrum- page 208
J.A. Lumpkin- page 308

M
John R. Moore- page 6
John Henry Moore- page 15, died 1857
Keneth Manning- page 20
R.J. Moss- page 21
John Milner- page 33
J.M. Morrill- page 46
William B. Martin- page 58 & 111
John Moss- page 35, Parson, no benefits
H.C. McCutchen- page 85 & 194
George T. Moore- page 101, expelled 1851
John Marshall- page 104, expelled 1850 by note of the Lodge
Johnson Martin- page 113
L.M. Martin- page 113 & 114
Sutherland Martin- page 114. Name listed is Martin V. Sutherland
John Morgan- page 119
W.L. McCutchen- page 141
William H. Maxwell-- page 219
James A. Maugham- page 220
John Westley Myrick- page 235
R.B. McFadden- page 233, "dropt"
W.L. Mayes/Mays- page 227
John W. McElvey/McKelvy- page 271 "dropt July 1 1872"
D.J. McKee- page 281
J. McKanley/Mccanles- page 282, dead, last entry Dec 1869
Henry C. Moore- page 285
Isaac C. Mathews- page 295
Felix H. Murrie- page 298
William E. Moore- page 300, "dropt"
G.W. Midkiss- page 161
John R. Moon- page 202, suspended 1859, reinstated Jan 1860
L.T. Moore- page 323, "dropt Jan 1874"
N
William C. Northcut- page 164
 J.M. Nooner-page 299, "dropt"
O
Joseph A. Ore- page 27 & 207, died July 13 1867
Charles Oldham- page 69, expelled 1856
George W. Oldham- page 89, expelled 1851
W.A. Owens- page 322, "dropt Jan 1874"
P
T.J. Parham- page 30, expelled 1851
Nathaniel Parham- page 31, expelled 1851
Israel Porch- page 66
W.W. Parham- page 68, expelled 1851, intoxication
William Palmer- page 102, expelled 1851
Rev. W.W. Peeples- page 139
P.C. Pinkerton- page 199, Gone to Kansas, last entry dated June 1860
John A. Paschal- page 209
H.W. Paschal- page 210
William Powell- page 218
W.W. Parham- page 224, "dropt Jan 1874"
John G. Parham- page 239, died January 1870
Benjamin .F. Parks- page 259, "dropt July 1 1872"
Silas Parks- page 275, "dropt July 1 1872"
Walter E. Parham- page 283
J.B. Prestwood- page 286
D.E. Philpott- page 327
Q
James M. Quarles- page 79
R
Samuel Richardson- page 26, expelled 1851
B. F. Ridgway- page 50, expelled 1851
John A Rogers- page 65, expelled 1857
John A. Rogers- page 72
George H. Roulstone/Raulston- page 83 & 201, suspended 1859
J.C. Reavis- page 95, expelled 1850
William W. Ray- page 128, died in 1853 in New Orleans
James M. Reavis- page 266
H.W. Ridgway- page 270
James Ross- page 278
M.V. Roberts- page 228
John J. Roberts- page, "dropt July 1 1873"
Joseph L. Reagan- page 248, dead last entry dated March 1871
J.M. Ridgway- page 316
S
John Somers- page 14
James Somers- page 16 & 17
Jeremiah S. Spann- page 23
James Southerland- page 55
Rev. J.P. Stanfield- page 110
Jacob A. Somers- page 120, expelled 1851
Lemuel.C. Stow- page 138, expelled 1857
William C. Scott- page 142
Rev. J.J. Smuthers- page 143
J.C. Stanley- page 144, "expelled and published as a villain Dec 1853"
John Somers- page 168
R.F. Scott- page 172
P.B. Stubblefield- page 179
Rev James M. Spence- page 187
James C. Simmons- page 189
G.L. Scott- page 200
Thomas O. Sullivan- page 209
George L. Smith- page 213
John Sullivan- page 252
L.F. Stalcup- page 309
W.B. Sims Jr- page 318
Martin V. Sutherland- page 114 In the index listed as Sutherland Martin
T
Ben F. Taliaferro- page 28
Edward A. Tansil- page 60
Jobe Taylor- page 64, expelled 1848
Daniel Tabbs- page 35, Parson, no benefits
A.J. Thomas- page 86
Treasurer- Robert J. Glenn- page 99-100
George W. Talbot- page 135, "Gonr to Parts Unknown" last entry Aug 1851
Allen Thornbrough- page 150
Darius Tucker- page 198
James J. Teague- page 240
W.L. Tuck- page 258
F.N. Tuck- page 287
W.J. Taylor- page 230
E.E. Tansil- page 311
U
C. Underwood- page 43
C.L. Underwood- page 324, "dropt Dec 31 1874"
John Underwood- page 231, "dropt"
N.O. Underwood- page 254
J.L. Utterback, page113, expelled 1851 restored to Fellowship upon payment of dues 1853
V
John R. Vaughan/Vaughn- page 72
W.A.J. Vincent- page 178, left for Kanzas (sic) 1858
William Vaden- page 269
John E. Vincent- page 284
W
Samuel A. Warner - page 1
Eaton J. White- page 4
John H. Winston- page 22 & 193, suspended 1859
B.P. Wheeler- page 52
Charles Wheeler- page 53, expelled 1856
John K. Williams- page 63
William Whittington- page 67, suspended 1848, died in California
E.C. Williams- page 70
John Witt- page 35, Parson, no benefits
Wilson Wood- page 94
Joseph Walker- page 97, suspended 1848
Robert H. Watkins- page 130
Bolin G. Watt- page 147
J.J. Ward- page 177
J.A.P. Ward- page 180
George Ward- page 188, died.  Last entry dated April 15 1869
Joseph E. Waiscott- page 144
E.J. Waiscott- page 226, dead.  Last entry Sept 29 1866
R.W. White- page 230
J.A. Williams- page 238, suspended
Samuel E. Waiscott- page 251
F.E. Wethington- page 297, "dropt Jan 1874"
P.J. Workman- page 317
Z.H. Womble- page 329 (There were at least two Z.H. Womble's in Weakley County.)
R.A. Wilson- page 263, "dropt Jan 1 1872"
Y
Rev. W.C. Young- page 139
B. Yates- page 260

Dresden TN Gun Club By-Laws 1923

SYNOPSIS OF BY-LAWS OF THE DRESDEN GUN CLUB APPLICABLE TO CLUB HOUSE
-------
The Board of Directors shall have charge of the Club Property, look after, and manage the affairs of this club.
-------
No stockholder or member of this Club shall be permitted to transfer, assign or sell his stock, without the consent of the Board of Directors, and any transfer or assignment or sale of said stock, without consent and approval of the Board of Directors shall be null and void, and any assignee of said stock shall not be recognized as a member of this club or have the privileges of this club unless said sale is ratified and approved by said Board of Directors.
-------
Until the present indebtedness of the Club has been extinguished the Board of Directors shall be empowered to make assessments at reasonable intervals to exhaust this indebtedness, afterwards the annual dues shall be $5.00 (Five dollars) payable annually in advance on Jan 1st. On the 15th of Jany., all members whose dues have not been paid, shall become delinquent and be deprived of the privileges of the Club until the dues are paid with a penalty of 15% for every six months or a part thereof.
-------
The Club House shall be open to members at all times and any member may at any time invite as guests any non-resident of Weakley County, except when Club House is full.  No member shall have as his guest at one time more than three residents of Weakley County.  He must register their names with Secretary, stating time they are to remain, and pay Secretary in advance fifty cents per guest for each day.
-------
No member shall use the property of any other member without first getting written permission.
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Children of Club members, under 21 years of age shall not be permitted into or stay at the Club house unless accompanied by their parents or some responsible Club member.
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Any member taking guest to Club House shall see that they obey the rules.
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Each member visiting the Club House shall upon leaving the premises shall see that the same are cleaned up and in good order, failing to do this he is subject to a fine of not less than $5.00, and his only appeal shall be to the Board of Directors.
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Many of the locals would go hunting at Reelfoot Lake.  One of the club houses that they looked at, and possibly used, was the Trenton Outing Clubhouse.

Marion Agnes Moran, circa 1886/87

Marion Agnes Moran was the youngest child of John W. Moran and Sophia Riley Gunn.  She was born in 1885 in Dresden Tennessee.   This picture was taken about 1886/87 and the notation at the bottom says "Marion, To Grandpa with a Kiss."  Take note on the right side of the picture and you'll see an arm reaching across the back of the chair most likely holding Marion by the dress so she doesn't tumble out of the chair!

The Grandpa note would be referring to Lyman Taft Gunn, her maternal grandfather because her paternal grandfather, James Henderson Moran, passed away in 1843.  Lyman Gunn was born in Massachusetts and was a prominent dentist in Nashville.  Many of the Gunn's are buried in Nashville's City Cemetery although most of the headstones are missing.  Lyman Gunn and his second wife, Mary Ann Hall, were living in the Moran home in Dresden at the time of his death.  After his death Mary Ann Gunn moved to Boston and is buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Suffolk County Massachusetts.  Lyman passed away in 1890, just a few short years after this photo was taken and is buried in Nashville's City Cemetery.

I've posted the photo as we found it but I also did some touch up work to get rid of some of the black spots and stains that are on the original and I've included the "after" image as well.

Picture as it was found Oct, 2011.

Marion, To Grandpa with a kiss.

Photo touched up a bit.

The Moran, Irvine, Ferguson, Little Connection

On the back is written Richard M. Little "Dr. Ted", age 16 yrs.

I came across the picture of Richard M. Little a few months ago but he was set aside as my focus was on the main family of Morans.  But a few days ago I picked up a box of pictures and letters to take another look at them and there was Richard, again.  Since all of the material I work with is not related to my family I had to ask my husband, hey, you ever heard of a Richard M. Little?  He said the only "Little" he knew was his Aunt Tommie Little who was married to his Uncle Ferg.

*blinks*  A few months ago that information would've meant nothing to me.  I had no idea how a Ferguson was related to the Moran's, much less how a Little was related to a Ferguson.  Fast forward a few months of researching and the prospect of connecting the Little leaf to the Moran tree wasn't as daunting.

Flashback to 1987, that's when my husband and I started dating.  I never had the pleasure of meeting Uncle Ferg but I do remember the name.  When Kent and I first started seeing each other his Uncle Ferg was still alive and living in Greenfield, TN.  He was one of the extended family who would come to Thanksgiving every year at the Moran home in Dresden.  Thanksgiving was a large affair for the Morans.  Dresden was the family home and the center of Moran life, family would gather there for get togethers but the large gathering was at Thanksgiving.  By the time I met Kent a lot of his family had died off, moved away, or were too elderly to make the trip each year.  Sadly, Uncle Ferg passed away in December 1990.  

Moran Place, Dresden, TN, circa 1910

I don't have all of the dates and will fill those in later but for now I can add the leaves to the family tree! Let's begin.

Richard M. Little was born about 1879 in Tennessee, probably Dyer or Weakley County.  He was the second born in a family of seven children and his parents were Thomas and Sarah Little.  Richard attended medical school and by the time he married Ina Allen Bobbitt (b 1883) on November 12, 1902 in Weakley County, he was already a doctor. The wedding announcement appeared in The Journal of the American Medical Association, volume 39 pt 2, 1902.  Richard was also known as "Ted", hence the notation "Dr. Ted" on the back of his picture.

Richard and Ina Little had three daughters: Sarah E. Little (b. 1906), Thomas (Tommie) R. Little (b. 1908) and Mary H. Little (b. 1910).  Please note that their child Thomas R. Little is a girl and is the very same Aunt Tommie that Kent talks about.  

Tommie Little grows up and meets Forrest Ferguson.  They are married July 30, 1935.  

Marriage record of Forrest Ferguson and Thomas (Tommie) Little.
Also, Albert G. Ferguson, Forrest's brother, is listed on the record as well.

Now it's time to connect the leaves of the Ferguson family to that of the Moran tree.

Forrest Ferguson was born April 17, 1899, most likely in Dyer or Weakley County.  He was the son of Charles A. Ferguson (born abt 1876, probably Dyer County) and Sophia A Irvine (born abt 1876 Weakley County).  Charles and Sophia were married November 28, 1895 in Dresden, TN.  They had two other children in addition to Forrest:  Albert Granville Ferguson (b. 1903) and Harry Ferguson (b. 1906).  Note that Albert G Ferguson's name appears under Forrest's name on the marriage record above.

Sophia A. Irvine was the daughter of Benjamin D. Irvine (1832-1916) and his wife Agnes Moran (1838-1932).  You may remember that I blogged about another child of Agnes and B.D. Irvine, Florence Irvine, who died tragically from severe burns she received in a fire in the Irvine home.  Florence is buried in the Moran Family cemetery while her parents are buried in Sunset Cemetery in Dresden.

Agnes Moran was the daughter of James Henderson Moran (1796-1843) and Harriet Harris (1813-1848).  She was also the sister of John Williamson Moran (1840-1912) who was responsible for building the Moran home in Dresden; James Henderson Moran Jr (1843-1864) who died at Bryce's Crossroads Fight during the Civil War as well as Martha Helen Moran (1833-1901), Eliza Jane Moran (1835-1852), and Marion Miller Moran (1842-1861).  

No slight is intended toward Martha, Eliza and Marion.  I just haven't had a chance to do much research or blog about their individual stories.  I do know that Martha married Rufus Franklin Scott and they moved to Gainesville, Texas founding a rather large Scott family dynasty in the Lonestar State.  Eliza Jane Moran never married and despite having the name Marion, Marion Miller Moran was a boy.  More information will come later.

And now you know who Richard M. Little was and his connection to the Moran family.