The Elusive Elise D.A

Unidentified young lady,
taken by H.Y. Darnell 
Dyersburg & Ripley TN
Maybe Elise Deberry Arnold?

In a previous blog entry dated Nov 10, 2014, title The "Hoops" Letter from Elise to Brud Moran, January 1898, I talked about an elusive letter writer who signed herself as "Elise D.A." I ended that entry with the hope of someday discovering who Elise had been. 

Today, while looking at an article about the wedding of Ida Moran to William Gilmer Timberlake in the Nov. 27 1902 Memphis Commercial Appeal, the name Elise Arnold of Dyersburg popped out at me. Elise was one of Ida's bridesmaids.  My spidey senses started tingling.  Even though it's been 9 years since I had thought about Elise and her letters, I felt this was the day Elise had revealed herself to me.

The Commercial Appeal June 14 1902 detailed the "Grisham-Gentry Wedding" in which Elise appeared as a bridesmaid again. This bride and groom were Benjamin F. Grisham and Martha Blaine Gentry of Newbern, TN.  Martha Gentry was the daughter of Joseph Collins Gentry and Belle Shumate.  Belle Shumate was an aunt of Virginia Shumate who, in 1911, would marry James H Moran III.  After the death of Virginia's parents, she and her sisters moved to Newbern from Kentucky to live with their uncle Quincy Shumate and his wife Louise McLean.

Elise Deberry Arnold was born Aug 21 1880 in Jackson TN to Dr. Willis Johns Arnold and Susan Rebecca Meriwether. Elise married Henry Adam Klyce in 1904. They had five children: Henry Arnold Klyce, Walter Brigham Klyce, Willis Rice Klyce, John Meriweather Klyce and David Jere Klyce.

Here is another chatty letter from Elise to Brud dated Dec 30 1898.

Dear Brud, Don't I get terribly mixed up about my presents from you? You see the trouble is that as I never hear from you in between times I naturally conclude you have forgotten all about me and tis such a pleasant surprise to find that you haven't. 

The stationary is as dainty and sweet and pretty as it can be and I can't wait to tell you how much I appreciate it.  Please accept my sincere thanks.  I am so glad that you instead of Ide (this would be Ida Moran who married Will Timberlake and is Brud's sister), who sent it because I know she thinks of me often and you--well if it were not for your sweet Christmas remembrance, I might doubt that you ever do.

Every Christmas is always my happiest, and this one is no exception to the rule. We had our house full of company and all enjoyed the fine weather and numerous entertainments we have attended.  D.B. (Dyersburg) has certainly been gay and I have been so naughty.  I danced until four o'clock (Wednesday morning and until two last night.  I mean this morning. Tell Ide I met Mr. Roy Martin Tuesday night. Please don't think I'm so perfectly terrible because that is the first ball I ever went to and I suppose will be my last.  There is another entertainment tonight which I suppose will wind up one holiday amusement (?) anyway for my mother has laid down the law that this is the last week I shall go out more than twice and I'm going to settle down and be good ever afterwards.

I was so sorry I couldn't spend the holidays with Ide, but I'm looking forward to a visit to her soon. I'd rather see her than any  body else on earth and I think its awful we can't be together more.  Why don't you all come to D.B. to live? Wouldn't that be lots of fun? Well I must thank you again for your nice present and say Goodbye.With many wishes for a happy New Year.

Sincerely your friend

Elise D.A.

Dec. 30th 98

February Birthdays

Here are just a few Moran relatives with February birthdays:

Mitchell Shumate, born February 7, 1792.  Died March 1, 1871.

Williamson Harris, born February 17, 1782.  Died in 1840.  His wife, Elizabeth Battle Perry was born February 18, 1795 and died in 1870.

Charles Harrell Moran aka Uncle Brud was born February 17, 1876 and died December 31, 1967.

Judith Carroll Scott Moran  born February 22, 1927 and died May 15, 2005.

Mary Ada "Addie" McCutcheon Harris  born February 27, 1861 and died October 10, 1930.

Newton Temple Harris Sr. born February 26, 1882 and died January 14, 1940.

Thomas C. Scott born February 27, 1855 and died August 21, 1861.

William Shanks Scott born February 13, 1807 and died January 2, 1873.

Daisy Gunn Ezzell born February 22 1873 and died June 30, 1972.

Hattie Mai Shumate, 1881-1956

Harriette Mary (Hattie Mai) Shumate
abt 1881 - 1956

I came across a lovely letter written by Charles B. Kingry to Virginia Shumate Moran regarding the death and funeral of Hattie Mai Shumate.  Virginia was Hattie's cousin and Charles Kingry was Hattie's second husband. It's the kind of letter that genealogist love to find.  It's chatty, informative and a treasure trove of information about Hattie and her family. For instance, until I found the letter we didn't know her full name was Harriette Mary Shumate.  Census records only list her as Hattie.  We didn't know she had married once, let alone twice and we didn't know she had children.  We didn't know what she looked like and now we have several pictures of her and even one of her husband Charles.  So without further ado, here is the transcription of the letter and a few pictures.









Postmarked January 15, 1957
Denver Colorado

333 Ivanhoe St., Jan. 15
Dear Virginia and Family:
Thank you for you kind letter of sympthy (sic).  We were under the impression that Sittie (We haven't identified which person is Sittie but her name appears in several letters.)  would notify promptly all concerned in the Memphis are.

Page 1, Ltr from Charles Kingry

We bought and moved into a one-story English cottage type of house at he(sic) above address last Sept. 4th, to give Hattie Mai a change, after nearly four years of confinement to up-stairs, except when I took her down and up.  Here she could have the range of the house in her walker chair, as well as enjoying the screened back porch on warm days.  And she was refreshed and improved until about Nov. 1st, when the rheumatoid process began to involve her heart.  She suffered no great distress or discomfort, except some degree of nausea when we had to give her Digitalis.  Everything we thought possible was done to help her, but to no avail.  The morning of Nov. 20th her pulse was rapid, but regular, and I went to the office as late as I could, about 10:30, with no inkling that the situation was more critical.  I phoned about noon and Earlene, an excellent negro nurse and maid, said she had taken a little breakfast after I left and thought she was better.
Not long after that Hattie Mai called her, with her little bedside bell, and said "earlene let's change my gown and freshen up the bed".  As soon as that was finished, she patted Earlene on the cheek and said "you have been so good to me" and slumped over.  Earlene called me "Come quickly", and Harriette and Allison (These are Hattie Mai's two children from her first marriage to a man with the last name of Tyler.  Allison is a boy.) and Martha Belle (Martha Belle Shumate Baum is her sister and has a story of her own.  We are still trying to find out when she passed away and where.), and I called her Doctor (Buchanan).  We all got here at about the same time (15 minutes or so), but it was too late.

Hattie Mai Shumate and
Charles Bowdon Kingry

I feel she was ready to go, and that God saw fit to terminate the course of her disability and take her to Heaven where she could be healed.
She was beautiful in her favorite dress, a powder blue lace, with pearl beads necklace and ear rings and a white orchid, and her hair-do was just perfect.  We invited about fifty close friends and twelve honorary pall bearers (mostly Doctors).  An eloquently beautiful and most comforting Service.  "Life is eternal. There is no death of the Divine Spirit. No beginning. No end, insofar as real values are concerned."  We asked that no flowers be sent, but in lieu thereof, that donations could be sent to the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation, Colo. National Bank Bldg., as a memorial to her.  But, many beautiful flowers were sent. We placed an arrangement of many red roses (her favorite Happiness rose, something like American Beauty) at either end of the casket, and a blanket of 120 such rosebuds and Lilies of the Valley.
After a brief service at the Chapel in beautiful Fairmount Cemetery, with just the family, her mortal remains were cremated, and the following Saturday afternoon we had a sweet, but brief interment of her remains in a beautiful bronze Grecian urn, placed in a family niche, with glass front and bronze frame and fittings, the floor of the niche draped in her favorite bright red velvet.  She did not want her date of birth or age stated in any of the records, bless her proud soul, -- so the old English style of engraving on the urn
HARRIETTE MARY KINGRY
Died Nov. 20, 1956
Wife of Dr. Chas. B. Kingry
Mother of Harriette and Allison Tyler

BEGIN PAGE 2
I go to the Mausoleum -- a large beautiful Greek Temple on a gently hill overlooking the Cemetery and toward the Rocky Mountains -- Beautiful White marble interior -- Sundays after Church, and replace the flowers, usually red carnations, and commune with her "Blithe Spirit" which has always been my conception of her, and especially sice she has been released from the cares, suffering and disability of this earthly existence.
We have sold the other house, just recently, and have this house up for sale.  Don't know just what living arrangements I shall make, apartment, at the Club or something -- It doesn't see so important now.

Page 2, Ltr from Charles Kingry

Allisin spends part of the time with me, lunch, dinner, and occasionally sleeps here.  Has his own little house.  He is in the Real Estate business and is managing the sale of the houses.
Harriette divorced Albert Crumbaugh after a long and unsuccessful effort to make a success of their marriage.  Had adopted Dorris, (9), and Charles Michael, (5), now, I mean.  Both wonderful children.  She married James Samuel Gutshall last June.  They are very happy.  He and his brother own a good Tent & Awning business here.
My work keeps me busy, and I try to seize whatever opportunities the Lord reveals to me to be of service to those who need it, over and above purely medical matters.
Macki (Macki is her sister Frances McLean Shumate MacPherson) was here with us for the Services.  She owns a nice little home in a very scenic location in Banning, Calif., and has enough from Gov't. Insurance and Pension to live on.
Martha Belle has a apartment and has one of her widow friends to share it with her.  Address 1225 E. 9th Ave., Apt. 10.
Hattie Mai loved you, in return, and great respect for you and Louise and Maybell.
She was the greatest person I ever knew -- the main works in this organization, Kingry & Co., and all I could possibly be and do were far less than she deserved.  My loss of her physical presence is difficult to bear, but I am resigned to God's will in terminating her illness and disability before it became too much for her to tolerate cheerfully and bravely.  She never gave up.  Her Bible marker, I find, was at the 3rd chapter of The Acts.

Hattie Mai Shumate

The organ music at the Mortuary Service was the instrumental for the Hymns "Just As I am Without One Plea" and "In the Cross of Christ I Glory"
I am enclosing some color prints which show how we looked in our home before she began to have the disabling effects of arthritis.  I would like you to keep whichever one of her you like best and return the others.  She means so much to me that I want all who lover her to know of her as she was, and to have some picture or memento of her.
I do hope to have the pleasure of seeing and getting to know you and all your fine family, and you certainly have my cordial invitation to visit us here if you ever come this way.

BEGIN PAGE 3
You probably remember Annie Laura (Pretty) Campbell of Dyersburg.  She has lived here for years.  Lost her husband, John, a year ago.  She and Hattie Mai were great friends and she was very kind and attentive during her illness, and has been a great help during these trying times.
Bertha Minning of Dyersburg (Mrs. Nat Green, 4350 Middlesex, San Diego, Calif.) kept in touch with Hattie Mai in recent years.  She lost her husband several months ago.
Harriette and Allison send their love.  She appreciated your letter greatly and will write you soon.  Her address is 2300 Poplar St.

Page 3, Ltr from Charles Kingry

Memorial pamphlet from Hattie Mai Shumate Kingry's funeral.

Hattie Mai, of course, told me much about her childhood and early life down there, and I had the great privilege of know Mr. and Mrs. Shumate (Quincy Shumate and Louise Elizabeth McLean were her parents).  They were great people.  One of my fondest memories is of a visit I had with them in Milltown, in their declining years.  On a trip to Alabama to see some of my family, in 1934, I believe, I stopped off in Lewisburg on the way back and went out to see them for a day.  We went up to Harvey's and had a visit with him and Sister Hattie, who was visiting him at the time, and we had an interesting time going over some of teh McLean family history and lore.  Hattie Mai had the Clan history and pictures of the old Castle of Duarte, on the Island of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, together with pictures of the then Chief, Sir Fitzroy.  These were taken by one of her friends who visited the Castle and had tea with the old Chief, and she proudly displayed Coat of Arms in the entrance hall of our homes, and it is there now in this present house.  An aristocrat in spirit and manner and deeds, but never lacking in love and human kindness to the lowliest in birth and fortune, was she, oved and respected by all who knew her.
Affectionately,
Chas. Kingry

Ladies Club, Dresden TN, ca. 1890's

Socializing with friends and family was an important part of Victorian life.  One form of socializing was the club.  Clubs were formed around things such as books, music and philanthropy.  People with common interests came together to talk about and share information as well as to see and be seen.  Clubs and churches were good places to find like minded people and sometimes even life partners.

Here is a group photo of one of the local ladies clubs in Dresden Tennessee.  Most likely it was taken sometime in the mid-late 1890's.  I haven't been able to make out the name of the club even though it is written on the back of the photo, along with the names of the people in the photograph.  Ida Moran is listed as a member and many of the other names that are listed were her relatives or later they became her relatives through marriages such as Mrs. George Jeter, Mrs. James Irvine and Miss Mary Gray Little.

I've done some research and have included the maiden names and other information of the women listed if available. The names in red are relatives of the Morans, either blood or by marriage.

"??" Club

Mrs George Jeter (Maud Little)- President

Miss Lula Jeter (Maud's sister-in-law)- Vice

Mrs. Joseph E. Jones (Ella Hill) - Her husband wrote an article for the Dresden Enterprise on the death of John Williamson Moran, they were nextdoor neighbors

Mrs. Shobe Smith (Mattie D. Wooldridge)

Mrs. Frank Hall

Mrs James Irvine (Marie Rogers)

Mrs R.E. Maiden 

Miss Nannie Drewry

Mrs Ida Basta (SP?)

Mrs. L.E. Holliday

Mrs Lula Woods (Lula Reavis married a Woods. After he died she married Thomas M. Little who was the brother of Maud and Mary Gray Little)

Mrs R.T. Lewis

Miss Mary Gray Little 

Mrs Charles Ferguson (Sophia A. Irvine)

Ida Moran

Brief History, CSA 31st Reg. Tenn. Volunteers Battle Flag

John Williamson Moran served in the Civil War and was a 1st Lieutenant, 31st Reg. Tenn Volunteers.  The following is what appears to be the draft version (including strikethroughs and mispellings) of a letter written by him to an unknown person at the Capital in Nashville.  The letter is undated but we do know it was written sometime between 1900 and 1912.  The letterhead is from the Dresden Bank which was owned by the Moran family.




"I see in the last Veteran an account of the Casing of the Confederate flags at the Capital under your supervision.  I am very much interested in one I saw on the left wing of A.P. Stewart's Brigade at Perryville when the bearer and every guard was shot down and half the regiment killed and wounded but it was carried billowing against the 2nd Ohio and the 24th Illinois driving them from the field capturing the flag of the latter regiment.  I saw it again under Stewart at Murfreesboro when it was first to pass through the guns of a federal battery.  I saw it again at Missionary Ridge under Brig Genl Strahl on the right wing waving proudly as ever and again at Missionary Ridge when it was"














"the last regiment to leave the ridge on the left wing of the army calling forth the remark from Genl Stewart to Genl Bragg as he looked upon it "my old brigade is yet intact".  It always waved in the front from Resaca to Jonesboro.

I again saw it in battle for the last time as it disappeared in the smoke over the breast works by that brave Sergeant William Belew who was made prisoner there but he tore the flag from its staff and concealed it in his bosom for six months in prison.  This flag belonged to the 31st Tenn Reg and was commanded by Col F.E.P. Stafford a"















"braver and truer man never lived. He fell in the ditch with Strahl at Franklin.  He was standing in the ditch dead with his men around him.   He was killed at Franklin in the ditch near where Genl Strahl fell.  He was standing dead with his brave boys piled around him.

This flag is now in the custody of G.W. Nowlin of Greenfield Tenn who will write you in regard to placing it in the Capital.

J.W. Moran"












The letter was prompted by an article he read in the Confederate Veteran regarding the preservation (casing) of Confederate flags in Nashville.  In the letter he talks about his recollections of the war and most specifically about the battle flag of his unit, the 31st..  He mentions the battles of Perryville, Missionary Ridge, Resaca and Franklin.  He talks about the bravery of the men who fought and died for the South and of William Belew who saved the flag from being captured and/or surrendered though Belew himself became a prisoner.  At the end of the letter he says the battle flag was in the custody of G.W. Nowlin of Greenfield, Tennessee.  According to J.W. Moran, Mr. Nowlin was going to contact the recipient of the draft letter in regards to placing the battle flag of the 31st in the Capital with the other flags.  That never happened.

In 2006, Heritage Auctions put up Lot 25479, The Confederate Battle Flag of the 31st Tennessee Volunteers, "The Western Stars".  It was listed under the 2006 December Signature Civil War Auction #642. The flag, which should have been placed in the care of the Tennessee State Archives, was sold for $119,500.00 to a private collector,  forever removing it from the public.

History belongs to us all, or it should.   The Confederacy lost the war, but the Battle Flag of the 31st Tennessee Infantry won its place in history and it deserves to be housed where people can view it, the Tennessee State Archives.

Here is the description from the Heritage Auctions page linked above:
The Confederate Battle Flag of the 31st Tennessee Volunteers, "The Western Stars". A Confederate battle flag that was never surrendered or captured is a rare find indeed.  This flag is just such a rarity.  An Army of Tennessee pattern, it was probably delivered to Company A of the 31st Tennessee Infantry when the regiment wintered in Dalton, Georgia from 1863 to 1864 since this pattern is known to have been issued at the Dalton Depot.  Ensign William BELLEW daringly carried this flag through every battle until the ill-fated Battle of Nashville in December 1864 where he was captured by federal troops.  BELLEW stripped the flag from its staff before the Union forces could take it from him, concealing it inside his coat under the cover darkness.  Taken to Camp Chase, Ohio as a prisoner of war, he quickly quilted the flag into the lining of his coat.  Released in June 1865, he returned home to Gibson County, Tennessee with the flag still secretly sewn inside his coat.

BELLEW's mother is responsible for the flag being transferred out of the family's hands.  When Dr. George W. NOWLIN, a medical doctor who had been the hospital steward of the 31st during the war found out that Mrs. BELLEW had been flying the flag in her garden to scare off marauding birds, he sent for the flag to keep it secure.  The flag has descended to its present owner throught the NOWLIN family.

Measuring 35" on the staff and 51" on its fly, the flag is made of hand-sewn red wood traversed by a 5.25" wide dark blue bunting St. Andrew's cross edged on each side with a 2 " wide strip of white cotton.  The cross bears thirteen white cotton e.25" diameter five-pointed stars set at 8" intervals from the center star.  Accompanying the flag is a 24" cotton strip stenciled with the words "Co. A 31 Reg. Tenn. Vol.".

Company A, called the "Western Stars" of the 31st Tennessee regiment of the Confederate Infantry was formed out of Weakley County, Tennessee and organized with the regiment in Gibson county at Camp Trenton in September 1861.  Under the command of General J.P. McCown, the regiment moved to Columbus, Kentucky and on to Fort Pillow and by April 1862 was in Corinth, Mississippi.  Passing through Tupelo and Chattanooga, the regiment saw action at the Battle of Perryville where it lost 100 men.  A contemporary account by a Federal soldier at the battle stated that the 31st Tennessee attacked "with death-defying steadiness, uttering wild yells until staggered by the sweeping crossfire of our artillery..." And the regiment would suffer for their bravery, the casualties only multiplying throughout the rest of the war; 250 at Chickamauga, 300 at Franklin in one day, 600 dead within fifty yards of them.  Just two weeks later William BELLEW would carry the same flag that he waved in these actions into the Battle of Nashville.  His quick thinking on the battlefield combined with the wisdon of Dr. NOWLIN and his descendants have preserved this unique treasure from the Civil War.

Noted conservator Fonda Thompson has framed the flag with archival quality which comes with the accompanying research volume.  Renowned author and Civil War expert Howard Madaus has authenticated the flag and a copy of his research is provided as well.  A 500-page leather bound volume along with a photograph album tracing the 31st and their path during the war is included with the banner, documenting the history of the regiment and the flag.  This historic flag has been the subject of much press coverage and is used in many academic texts as an example of rare Civil War flags, unique in every way.

~~~~~
Updated April 3, 2013
The following information is published here with permission.  It was originally posted on the Moran Place Facebook page by Roland Reid.

I just found your blog while researching the CSA 31st Reg. Tn. Infantry.  I was disheartened to learn the fate of their flag.  85 members of the regiment, including F.E.P. Stafford, came from a community my family has called home for the last 187 years, Providence, in NW Madison County. These 85 men organized as the "Knights of the Forked Deer" on Sept. 19, 1861 at Providence Church.  The church property was given by my great-great grandfather, Beverly M. Williamson.  After a bounteous dinner the men traveled to nearby "Jones Station" where they boarded the train for Trenton.  The next day they joined the Confederacy.  In a clipping from R.T. Chambers (Dyer, Tn. March 6th 1917), he stated only 10 members of the original 85 remained at the time of surrender April 26th, 1865 in Greensboro, N.C.. I have the names, as best he could remember, of the original men and survivors.  The names of the survivors are R.D. Williamson, B.W. Dougan, W.J. Shaw, J.C. Paisley, W.D. Fletcher, R.E. Crutchfield, J.J. Rooks, J.B. Tassel, Joe Chambers, and B.T. Chambers.

Thank you Roland for adding more information about the 31st!

Genealogy Creep

Genealogy Creep, sometimes known as Genealogy Spread.  Caused by the ever increasing desire for another place to sift through old, dusty, moldy, dirt laden "treasures" requiring more and more room to place items of interest to be researched for that next blog entry, scanning project or a place to sort those boxes you're waiting to pick up on that next visit to the family home.

Symptoms: watery itchy eyes, sneezing, and sniffling due to the dirt and dust. A noticeable change in demeanor when people try to "touch" your stuff or even worse move it!  An insatiable urge to join sites such as Ancestry.com and Genealogybank.  Poking around in cemeteries and knowing more about your dead relatives than your live ones.

Treatment:  At this time treatment options are limited but include Benadryl, learning relaxation techniques, practicing yoga, and limiting computer time.  :)

Genealogy Creep has been known to be contagious!

This used to be the dining room table.  Now it's a victim of "genealogy creep" and is just
one of the many places in our home that have been taken over by the past.

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.