Nashville Photo of Unknown Clergy by Rodney Poole, 1870-1896

I can't tell you who the man is or if he was family or friend but it's obvious he was a clergyman and meant something to the Moran family. The photograph was taken by Rodney Poole between 1870 and 1896 when the Poole Art Co. was in business.

I can tell you a lot about the photographer, Rodney Poole. He was a well-known Nashville photographer owning his own studio from 1870 - 1896. He was born June 12 1837, a son of Horace Poole and Sophia Mahy, in Ohio. He was the oldest of eight children.  

1850 Census

Springfield, Clark County Ohio

Horace Pool (sic) is 42 and a grocer.  His birthplace is listed as New York.  Sophia is 37 and a native of France.   All of the children are listed as natives of Ohio.  Rodney age 12, Forrest age 11, Oscar age 9, Marilla age 4, Samma (actually I think this is Emma) age 1.  A William Pool is in the household, age 84 a native of Connecticut and most likely Horace Poole's father.

1860 Census

Springfield, Clark County, Ohio

The Poole family shows up in 1860, minus Rodney.  Horace is a merchant, native of Vermont. Sophia is 42, a native of the "Island Guernsey."  Forest, age 22, is also a merchant, born in Ohio. Oscar, age 20 is a clerk.  Marilla is 14, Louisa Emma is 9, Charles is 7, Ella F. is 5 and James is 3.

1870 Census

Springfield, Clark County, Ohio

Horace is now 63 years old and a farmer.   His wife, Sophia is 52 and Prussia is listed as her native

homeland this time around.  There oldest son Rodney is 32 and "book pedler".  Marilla is 24, Emma is 18.  Son Charles is 16 and it looks like he may have been apprenticed out.  Allen is 15 and James is 13.  Both are listed at school.  Mary May is 83 and is Sophia's mother. She is listed as being from Prussia.

1870 Census

Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

Another 1870 Census, this time for Nashville TN, has Rodney, age 33 and "Millie", age 22, (I believe this is his sister Marilla) living in the home of Nashville Photographer J. H. Van Stavoren. Rodney is a photographer, maybe working at Van Stavoren's studio, the studio he ended up purchasing.  

1880 Census

Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

In 1880, Rodney is 40 years old and still a photographer.  He's living with his brother James, age 23. James is a carriage merchant.

1900 Census

Civil District 15, Davidson County Tennessee

Rodney Poole is 62 years old and out of the photography business.   He heads the household and lives with siblings: Louisa Emma Poole, age 48, single, dressmaker, Charles Poole age 46 and single an electrician, Ella F. Poole age 45 and single and a dressmaker like her sister Louisa 

1910 Census

Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

This time around Emma, age 45, is listed as head of household although she has no income, Rodney , age 70, does have an income an occupation is not listed.  Charles is 46 now and an electrician while Ella, age 40, is now an artist.

The 1915 Nashville City Directory shows that Rodney Poole is working at the Masonic Library as a librarian.  The 1920 City Directory lists no occupation and his address is 908 Berryhill.

Rodney Poole died at the Nashville City Hospital on January 29, 1921.  The death certificate is transcribed incorrectly as Rodway Poole and lists his parents as Harris Poole and Sophie Mahy which makes it a bit difficult to find him in a search.  The informant was his sister, Emma Poole and they were still living at 908 Berryhill Street.  Cause of death was chronic interstitial nephritis.  He was interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville.

Known Interments at Mount Olivet:

Rodney Poole

Ella F. Poole

Louisa Emma Poole

Charles Poole

Monteagle Sunday School Assembly ca. 1885

Here's a ticket from about 1885 to the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly.  For the price of $8, Fannie Moran paid for two classes: Primary Methods and Elocution.  The ticket was signed by T.H. Peebles, Treasurer of the Assembly.

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly was founded in 1882 and is still in existence today!  In addition to their website they have a Facebook Page too.

Dresden Enterprise Apr 24 1896 - The Illustrated Edition Part 23 "Sharon and Gleason Communities"

This is the twenty-third and final (unless I come across the rest of the paper) 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, 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.

SHARON

There is not a better community in all of Weakley county than Sharon, and the country surrounding it.  Twenty-three years ago there was no town there-only a house here and there- a closely built neighborhood.  the editor's first visit there was when the Illinois Central railroad, then called the Mississippi Central, was being surveyed.  Today it is one of the most enterprising towns in the county, and has a growing population and business.  Today the population is said to be from 800 to 1,000 which we consider a reasonable estimate.  There are five dry goods houses, some of these buildings handsome bricks; two drug stores, eight groceries, two hotels, one livery stable, two planing mills, one cotton gin, two barber shops, four leaf tobacco houses doing a good business, one newspaper, one roller mill, two brick churches, Methodist and Cumberland Presbyterian, and one brick school house.  The people of Sharon are a moral, religious, industrious, progressive people, and never allow an opportunity to pass they may have to further the moral and material interests of their community.   Sharon for years has had no saloons, and, like Dresden and other places in the county, has found their absence to be a blessing, both morally and financially.  By their removal they have never lost any trade that they would have been bettered by keeping.

GLEASON

Our first recollection of Gleason was thirty years ago.  It was then called Oakwood, situated on the N.C. & St. L. Ry., running between McKenzie and Dresden, and surrounded by very fertile lands, but rather sparsely settled.  A large portion of the country was in woods at that time.  There were only about two or three small store houses here, no churches, no schools and no society.  During the next ten years several small business houses were built, the most of which were used for saloons.  There were very few residences and a small church house.  The moral status of the town was very low, there being at one time as many an nine saloons in town, all doing a thriving business.  Very little attention was paid to the Sabbath.  We had religious services only once a month, and but little attention was paid to education.  Drinking, gambling, horse-racing, fighting and brawling were the order of the day, and Gleason thus very deservedly earned an unsavory reputation away from home.

While our growth has not been phenominal (sic), so far as numbers go, as some other towns, it has been substantial.  But from the standpoint of morality, we claim it is unsurpassed by any town in the county.  We have between 400 and 500 inhabitants; 8 general stores, all of which carry good stocks and do a good business; 2 blacksmiths and wood-working shops; livery stable, grist and saw mill, stave factory, three good church buildings, and a two-story brick school building, and no saloons.  A large percent of our people are members of the various churches, and seem to be making a united effort to elevate the standard of Christianity.  We have two good Sunday schools, with an enrollment of about 100 each and a good average attendance.  It is nothing uncommon to see 150 or more children and young people attending the Sunday schools.  Gleason is proud of her churches and Sunday schools.

Our school was chartered as the Masonic Male and Female Institute, early in the '70's, since which time we have had, nearly all the time, a good school interest.   We call especial attention to the work done by this institution while under the presidency of Prof. J.W. Huey, now president of Springfield Male and Female college.

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And that is where our paper comes to an end.  We know there is another section.  It may be among the papers we've not yet uncovered or it may just be all we have.  It's been entertaining and enlightening to see what was of interest to the community in 1896.

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.

The Ladies Vanity Set, A Symbol of Women's Virtue, ca 1912

Search for Ladies Vanity Items at Amazon!

During the Victorian and Edwardian periods ladies and men's vanity sets were commonplace.  In an age where indoor plumbing was not very common, grooming items were kept in the privacy of your bedroom.  You would most likely have a washstand in the corner or a nook specially built into the bedroom for the washstand.  Tub baths were not taken everyday and were a luxury.  You had to make do with spot washing with the washstands till it was bath day.  Ladies had dressing tables where they kept the necessities of grooming close at hand.

In addition, women's hair had then and to this day a lot of symbolism going on.  With the exception of young girls who were not yet of an age to marry, women (respectable women) kept their hair pinned up. Wearing your hair up was a sign of maturity, hence availability for marriage. A virtuous woman only let her hair down in the confines of her own bedroom.  How you wore your hair proclaimed you as a virtuous or a loose woman. Even today many people think of updo hair or short hair as a sign of professionalism and maturity.

Most vanity sets included a brush, comb and mirror.  This one belonged to Virginia Shumate Moran and includes a brush, comb, mirror, small tray, toothbrush holder and powder box.  In addition she had a handpainted porcelain tray from Japan where she would place some of her grooming items.  The small pink box is made of marble and might have been used to hold jewelry and might have been added later to the set.  The mirror, brush and powder box are engraved with her initials in black.  The comb has a smaller engraving which isn't visible in the pictures. The comb is also very heavy as is the mirror.  These are not made of plastic!

Vanity sets could be simple or ornate in design, material, or the number of pieces included in the set.  One thing is certain, the vanity set might have been used for everyday practical things but the symbolism contained therein went beyond cleaniliness of the body.  It symbolized cleaniliness of virtue and of course cleaniliness was next to godliness.

Here's the before image.  Notice the safety pins and
fingernail file impressions left on the tray, surrounded by grime.

And here's the after picture.  They cleaned up rather well.
The brush, mirror, and powder box are engraved VSM,
Virginia Shumate Moran.