The Nautical Comic Opera "Ship Ahoy" 1891

"Ship Ahoy" was a comic opera written about 1891.  The libretto was written by H. Gratton Donnelly and the composer was D. Miller Jr.  This production was under the management of James W. Slocum.  Unfortunately there is nothing in the programme that tells us where this particular performance was presented.  The item was was found in the papers belonging to Fannie Moran.

Invitation to a Recital by Daisy McLeod, 1896

Graduate's Recital

Memphis Conference Female Institute

Jackson, Tennessee

Friday Evening, May 8, 1896

Given by

Miss Daisy McLeod

Assisted by Miss Vyda Page

Program...

Medley.....Arranged by Daisy McLeod

                    Orchestra.

"Magic Fire"......Wagner

"Com'e Bello"....Donizetti

          Miss Page

Impromptu, Op 142, No. 3......Schubert

Waltz...........Composed by Daisy McLeod

                     Orchestra.

Sonata No. 15..........................Mozart

"Only in Dreams"...............Reginald DeKoven

                 Miss Page.

"If I Were a Bird,"  Op. 2, No. 6.............Henselt

Norma.......................................................

               Violin Quartette.

Waltz from Faust..............................Gounod-Liszt

After doing a bit of searching I actually came across several Daisy McLeod's with various surname spellings but I narrowed it down to Daisy McLeod the daughter of Asa H. McLeod and Matilda C. Long because of the musical connection.  In the 1900 Census for Hickman Kentucky she is listed as a music teacher and is living with her parents and brother, James.  She married Mark MacDougall on July 7 1908 in Obion County Tennessee.  The couple appear in the 1910 Census for Jackson Tennessee.   Her occupation is music teacher, age was 32, born in Kentucky.  Her father was listed as being from South Carolina and her mother from Mississippi.  Her husband, Mark MacDougall, was 35 years of age and a shoemaker from Canada.  His parents were both from Scotland.  They had a 9 month old daughter named Lucille who was born in the District of Columbia.  By 1920 they had moved to Humboldt Tennessee.  Mark is now listed as a merchant.

In 1930 Lucille MacDougal is living in Memphis working as a stenographer in a retail department store. She

appears in Memphis City Directories as Lucille E. MacDougall.  In 1935 a Lucille C. and sometimes O. MacDougall begins to appear in DC city directories as a stenographer.

Mark MacDougall died September 24 1937 at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis.  The certificate lists his parents as Mahlon MacDougall and Margaret Douglas MacDougall,. His birth year was listed, 1867.  The informant was his wife, Daisy McLeod MacDougall of 1634 Maple St. Humboldt Tennessee.  He died from Pernicious Anemia and was interred at Humboldt.

In 1940 Daisy and Lucille are living in Washington DC.  Lucille is single, head of household, age 30. She is a secretary at the State Department.  Her mom, Daisy, is 62 years old.  And that's where the Daisy McLeod trail ends.

What I do know for sure is that Daisy and Fannie were friends and that they both attended the Memphis Conference Female Institute at Jackson and they both shared a love of music.  It's also possible that Daisy was a pupil of either Sophia Moran or her daughter Fannie since they both were music teachers in Dresden.

Now for Vyda Page.  I think the spelling of her name was an affectation and sign of personal expression or a typo!  What I did find is a Vida Page DeBow, born 1878 and died in 1953.  She was the daughter of Dr. Samuel Newton Page and Narcissa Sophronia Roberts.   She married Charles Lawrence DeBow May 24 1899 in Gibson County Tennessee.  Interestingly enough, Charles DeBow was a "shoe builder" which goes right along with Mark MacDougall since he was a "shoemaker."  They had a daughter named Sarah Narcissa DeBow born in 1908.  In January 1954 a list of notable deaths appeared in the Chattanooga Times, Mrs. Vida Page DeBow was listed as a "music teacher and WCTU worker."  Vida and her husband Charles are interred at Highland Cemetery in Sparta Tennessee.

The Curtis Publishing Co. Asks a Favor, 1911

The Curtis Publishing Company published great magazines such as The Ladies' Home Journal and The Saturday Evening Post.  In this letter from 1911 to Brud Moran they asked him to list some people on the back of the letter who might be interested in being local POST agents and return the letter with names to Curtix Publishing.  Brud wrote some names but that's as far as it went unless he sent it the information in a separate letter.

Most of these folks are known relatives like the Scott's in Texas, others were family friends such as Attorney Sharp of Corinth.  Whoever they were Brud felt comfortable enough listing them as people that might interested in the Curtis Publishing scheme!

October 12, 1911

Mr. C. H. Moran

Dresden Tennessee

Dear Sir;-

Assuming you are an interested reader of THE POST, I write to ask a favor:  Will you name five or ten friends or neighbors who might care to earn some extra money by doing a little pleasant work for us.

We want someone to appoint a local POST agent for us in your town - and perhaps later in other towns.  It will take only a short time and whoever does it will be well paid.

By sending us their names on the back of this letter, you will do a great favor to them.  Of sourse we will not mention your name.

A stamped envelope is enclosed. Thanking you in advance for an early reply, I remain

Very truly yours

The Curtis Publishing Company 

R.C.  Clot...

Contract Manager

And on the back are the lucky names Brud penned...

Known family:

Dr. Arthur Scott, Temple Texas, nephew of J.W. Moran and noted cancer specialist and a founder of the Scott-White Hosptital

Mr. Oscar Scott, Gainesville Texas, nephew of J.W. Moran

Mr. James Burns, McKenzie Tennessee.  Another cousin from the Harris side out of Carroll County. He married Mary Lee Harris, another 1st cousin to J.W. Moran

Mrs. Agnes Irvine, Dresden Tennessee, sister of J.W. Moran

George Woods Harris, St. Louis Missouri, employee of Ely Walker, 1st cousin of J.W. Moran through Williamson Harris of Carroll County TN

Mr. George Martin, Martin Tennessee, I believe this is George Washington Martin, a distant relative of the Moran family through the Martin/Gardner/Irvine/Noran families.

Mr. and Mrs. Finis Garrett, another cousin through the Harris line from Carroll County and U.S. Congressman

Mr. Eugene Boyd, a cousin through the marriage of Martha H Moran to Rufus Franklin Scott.  At one time he worked as a cashier at the Dresden Bank.

Mrs. Zachary Taylor Collier, McKenzie Tennessee.  Because of this letter that Brud saved I was able to determine that she was Ada Medora Harris and married Zachary Taylor Collier, yet again another cousin through the line of Williamson Harris of Carroll County Tennessee.

Friends and Possible family connections

Mrs. Mattie Stone, lived in Texas.  There are other Stone family in Moran tree but at this time unknown how she might be related.

Attorney Sharp, Corinth Mississippi.  This is Major Samuel Sharp, a friend and fellow soldier of J.W. Moran's during the Civil War. 

Mr. Eugene Freeman, Huntingdon TN.   Another possible cousin from Carroll County.

Mr and Mrs. Harvey Armstrong, Chattanooga Tennessee.  No clue who these people are at this time.

J. McK. Wright, Jacksonville Florida.  Cf Wright Barrel & Coal Co.  No clue and I'm not sure if I've transcribe the name correctly.

Mrs. J.A. Hefley, Union City Tennessee.  This would be Lou Emma Odom who married John Armstead Hefley.  Originally from Carroll County they moved to Union City Tennessee.  No clue who they are.

Dr. Wright, Huntingdon Tennessee. No idea.

Mrs. Tom Jones. Name too vague.

R.P. Whitesell was Robert Peter Whitesell of Union City Tennessee.  He was a prominent land owner and lawyer. No idea the connection.

Haynes Ayres.  I've seen the name before but don't remember in what connection.

Morris Akin.  Name too vague.