TN Deaths & Burials 1874-1955

The Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) continues to bring us all valuable resources as part of their FamilySearch site.  One of the latest resources includes a database of TN Death and Burials that covers 1874-1955.

The information in the database is extracted from various sources; you can learn more here.   It may not be a fully comprehensive database, but it is certainly worth consulting.

A link has been added to the Deaths page on the Blount County TNGenWeb site.

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Moses Gamble 1830-1895

From the March 14, 1895 issue of the Maryville Times

“The great monster, death, has again visited our community and, taken one of our good citizens, Moses Gamble.  He was born May the 8th, 1830 died March the 8, 1895, age 64 years 10 months he leaves a wife, seven children and a host of friends to mourn his loss.  We all sympathize with the bereaved family and hope they will look to a higher power. ”

March 14, 1895 issue of the Maryville Times

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Maryville Times Book pt. 2

Glenn Teffeteller is one busy guy! New in the Heritage Books catalog is his latest book – Past Times Volume 2: Obituaries, Marriages and Other Selected Articles from the Maryville Times 1891-1895

Glenn has contributed a wonderful resource to the Blount County TNGenWeb project – a database of obituaries from Blount County newspapers and funeral home records.  If you’re researching families of the county, you may wish to consider purchasing this book.

If you’re unable to purchase it – check with your library for details on how to order via Interlibrary Loan.

Congratulations to Glenn on his latest book!

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Moses Gamble House

Today on Flickr, I found a picture of the Moses Gamble house.

Moses Gamble House. Digital image. Flickr. WallandBoy, 13 Oct. 2009. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallandboy7777/4007879348/>

The Moses Gamble House is located in Maryville, Tennessee.  It was built in 1892 and one of the original owners was Moses Houston Gamble (1871-1934).  They have a great website that I only just learned about while putting together this blog post, so it is worth checking out.

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Society

From the Maryville Enterprise  – December 3, 1942

• Mary Blount Chapter of the Eastern Star will entertain Dorothy H. Connor, Grand Worthy Matron of Tennessee, with a pot luck supper at the Masonic Temple on July 17th at 6:30 pm.  The supper will be followed by initiation work at 8pm.  All chapters are invited. 
• Mr. and Mrs. Olin Dodson of Stillwater, Okla., announce the birth of a son on July 8.  Mrs. Dodson was the former Barbara Tot Goddard.
• Mrs. W.W.  Elmore is in Doctors Hospital where she underwent a serious operation. 
• Mrs. Hubert Cowden of Pruden, Tennessee, has been visiting her sister, Mrs. R.O. Smith.
• Mrs. Ralph Piper is confined to her home with illness.
• Mr. and Mrs.  L.A. Black are visiting Mrs. Black’s mother,  Mrs. Green in <…>, and Mrs. Black’s daughter, Mr. John C. Carr and family.
• Miss June Akers is visiting in Pittsburgh, New York, and Washington D.C.
• Mr. and Mrs. Robert Byrne of Louisville, Ky. spent the weekend with relatives here.
• Mr. and Mrs. L.T.  Letsinger and two sons are spending their vacation in Norfolk, Va.
• Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Baker and daughter, Patsey of Damarest, New Jersey, are the guests of Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Miller and Mr. and Mrs. <…>
• Mrs. Vernon Lloyd and little daughter, Gayle, of New Haven, Conn., are the guests of Dr. and Mrs. R.W. Lloyd.
• Mr. Dan Mays of California, Mr. and Mrs. John Mays of Toledo have been visiting their brother, Sheriff  and Mrs. Ben Mays.  John Mays and Dan Mays hadn’t seen each other in twenty-five years.
• Mrs. Justin Smelcer is very ill at her home on Ellis Ave. 
• Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Taylor of Los Angeles, Calif., are visiting Dr. Taylor’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Taylor.
• Mr. and Mrs. Hobart Goddard celebrated their birthdays on July 3rd.  They were born on the same day, and are the same age. 
• Miss Marinell Ross went by plane to Whitesville, N. Car. for a visit with Miss Katherine Powell.
• Mr. A.N. Jackson of California is visiting relatives and friends here.
• Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Crow spent the weekend with relatives in Alabama
• Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pearson returned last week from a trip in Myrtle Beach.
• Miss June Lane had as her weekend guests,  Miss Mary Dillon and Miss Dorothy Hedge of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
• Mr. and Mrs. Harry McDaniels are spending their vacation at Myrtle Beach.
• Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Register had as their weekend guests, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Register, Mrs. A.J. Grant and children of Nashville
• Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Lewis (Miss Jackie Odell) are the parents of a little daughter born at Doctors’ Hospital, July 5.  The baby has been named Cecilia Carolyn.  This is the first grandchild of Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Odell. 
• Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rule and two children Jean and Robert Jr., Mr. and Mrs. James Rule and family of Nashville, are the guests of Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Rule.
• Mrs. L.M. Ross and Miss Marie Griffits are in Cincinnatti this week attending the convention of <…> Educational Association <…>.
• Mr. and Mrs. Claude W. Best have returned from their wedding trip, and are at home on Highland Avenue, in the apartment occupied by Mrs. Mary Ellen Boyatt
• Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Maloney of Telford, spent the weekend with Mrs. Maloney’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.G. Smith.
• Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Overton spent the weekend in Newport.
• Dr. Sam Crawford is visiting his parents, Dr. and Mrs. S.E. Crawford.  He plans to leave soon for Japan. 
• Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Riddle and daughter, Miss Lorene Riddle have returned from a vacation in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Mrs. Victor Reneau is visiting her husband, who has been transferred to Davenport, Iowa.
• Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Young, Miss Delores Young,  and Kenneth Young are on a trip to Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Canada.
• Mr. and Mrs. James Heiskell and children, have returned to their home in Indianapolis, Ind. after a visit with Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Waggoner, parents of Mrs. Heiskell.
• Mr. and Mrs. John D. Harper and children, and Mr. and Mrs. Towle of Knoxville are spending two weeks at Caroline Beach.

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Remarkable Man

From the Feburary 10, 1895 issue of the Daily Journal & Journal Tribune of Knoxville, TN

Funeral of the late Alex Kennedy, Sr, of Blount County, Yesterday — The remains of Mr. Alex Kennedy, who was one of the oldest and most respected farmers in East Tennessee, were laid to rest in the family burying ground in Blount county, near Maryville, yesterday afternoon at one o’clock.  He died last Wednesday.

Deceased was a remarkable man.  He was the father of twenty-six children, fourteen of whom are living and eleven of whom attended his funeral.  He had eighty grandchildren and two hundred great grand children.  Three of his sons had thirty children.  The father of the deceased lived to be 84 years old and his mother 85.

Services were held at 11 o’clock in the church which deceased out of his own means and at a cost of $3,000 had built.  He was an earnest Christian, having been a member of the Methodist church for half a century.  Rev. G.W. Jackson preached the sermon which was highly eulogistic.  The funeral was largely attended.  Several relatives from Knoxville were present, amont them being Constable James Kennedy.  The remains were interred with Masonic honors.

Deceased died in the home he was born in and raised in.  It was built 125 years ago by his father who immegrated from Ireland and settled in what is now Blount county and entered a large fertile tract of land.  Kennedy was a vibrant captain in the war of 1812.  Although frequently tendered it he never accepted public office.  He was however, a river commissioner under Governor Brownlow, and under supervision Little River was made navigatable.

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Maryville Timeline

The website for the City of Maryville has a timeline of the city. I’ve added a link to it from the History section on the Blount County TNGenWeb site. 

William B. Scott, who I’ve previously blogged about, is on the timeline, as in 1869 he became the first black mayor of Maryville. 

See more events here.

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Will Abstract: Isaac Anderson

Date of Will: 10 May 1856

Grandson: Isaac Anderson
Granddaughter: Rebecca Anderson
Other names mentioned: Robert M. Anderson, J.G. Wallace, James Quiet, Rev. John M. Caldwell (& his sons Samuel and William Caldwell), Sheriff Wallace, Mary Caldwell, John E. Tool, Wm. P. Collins, Will Cummings

Source: Moore, John Trotwood. Records of Blount County, Tennessee, Wills. [Nashville, Tenn.?]: Works Progress Administration, 1937.

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Bibliography Page

I’ve recently started a bibliography page for Blount County resources. Look for the tab at the top of the screen that says “Bibliography.”  You can access it here.

While the list is currently short, I will remain on the lookout for items to add to it.  If you have any suggestions, let me know!  One of the books on the list is particularly interesting to me, it is the book by Dean Stone, formerly of the newspaper, the Daily Times – Snapshots of Blount County History and the Calderwood Story. It is a visually engaging book with lots of photographs and illustrations and tells stories from Blount County history.  In my quick perusal of it while on a trip to the state archives, I felt I had  quick glimpse into many of the unique aspects of county history.

One of the stories most interesting to me was that of Polly Toole, a former slave of James M. Toole of Blount County that saved records from the burning courthouse after it was set afire in a strategic move by the Confederate army that went awry.  So, Polly saved several minute books, estate books, deed boxes and more and moved them to a hiding place.  The article in the book talks more about the creation of a statue to honor her. You can see the statue here.

Very cool book.

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News from Centenary (4 Jan 1960)

Township Tuesday posts will share news specific to a township of local relevance.

As published in the Maryville-Alcoa Times -January 4, 1960

• Mrs. Ella Wilson has been feeling much worse since Christmas Day.  Her greatest desire since coming from the hospital last February has been to be able to go back to church, but so far she hasn’t been able to go.  The pastor, the Rev. Jimmie Milsaps, has brought recorded sermons for her to hear.  For the eve of the Christmas program at the church he brought his recorder and took down her testimony for the services.  Mrs. Wilson presented her pastor with a quilt, the cross and the crown for Christmas.
• Misses Brenda, Sandra, and Sheila Hargis are spending a few days with their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Conard Edmonds of Knoxville.
• Miss Lucille Walker is a patient at Blount Memorial Hospital.
• Mr. and Mrs. Ray Janeway and daughters of Carpenters took supper Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Shields.
• The Rev. Jimmie Milsaps entered the hospital Saturday and underwent a tonsillectomy Wednesday.
• Mrs. Rose Miles visited Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Chambers of Mint Sunday afternoon.
• Spending Christmas Day with Mr. and Mrs. Harold Everett were their parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.N. Everett and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Wilson.
• Miss Linda Marine spent one afternoon with Mrs. Glen Boering of Fairview recently.
• Mr. Shird Franklin is a patient at Blount Memorial Hospital where he will undergo surgery.
• Mr. and Mrs.  Thomas L. Ferguson spent Christmas with their daughter, Mrs. Cecil Blevins and Mr. Blevins of Lakemont.
• Mr. and Mrs. I.D. Jackson of Knoxville spent Tuesday night with their aunt, Mrs. Ella Wilson, and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Shields.   The Jacksons are leaving the first of the year for Reno, Nev., where they will spend several weeks with Mr. and Mrs. Melbourne Jackson and family.
• Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Blevins took dinner Sunday with their son, Mr. Cecil Blevins, and Mrs. Blevins of Lakemont.

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