Friday, March 16, 2007

Mary Annie Pressley

This is a post especially for a new cousin I have received an e-mail from. I thought I would add a picture on here to show some common relatives. This picture has my great-grandmother, Ellen Caroline (Butler) Gourley, as well as my two aunts, Della and Gracie Bivens. There is also a daughter-in-law of Ellen's, Edith, who married Bill Gourley. The boy and girl in front of Edith are two of her and Bill's children, Junior and Pauline. The older girl is Ellen's granddaughter, Mary Annie Presley, who is the daughter of Lady and William M. Presley.


Back Row: Mary Annie Presley, Ellen Caroline (Butler) Gourley, Edith (Williams) Gourley holding Gracie Bivens
Front Row: Della Bivens, Junior and Pauline Gourley

James Wesley Orr

I am going to go back to the Orr side of the family in this post. Earlier you were introduced to my grandfather, Price Orr. I had mentioned that Price and his twin brother, James, were both named after their grandfathers (Price-mother's, James-father's). Here is the man that great-uncle James was named after.

James Wesley Orr was born on July 19, 1841 in Lee County, Virginia. He was the tenth child (of thirteen) born to David and Rhoda (Ely) Orr. James served in the Civil War and was a First Lieutenant in the 37th Virginia Infantry Regiment Co. E. During the war he suffered an injury to his shoulder, which resulted in the loss of his arm. That did not slow James down after the war was over. He served one term as a sheriff in Lee County, was county clerk in 1871, became a county judge in 1889, served as a representative of Lee County in the Virginia Assembly for eight years, (by special appointment) a county judge of Scott County, Virginia for two years, and also representing Lee County in the Constitutional Convention for Virginia in 1901. In the article written on the event of his death it was said of James, "He was one of the best known and highly respected men in Southwest Virginia, and his span of life reached across almost a century of progress for Lee County." James also wrote Recollections of the War between the States, which all proceeds were to go to a fund to erect a memorial to the men who fought and died as Confederates from Lee County.

James was married
twice. First to Martha Pattie Vermillion on November 9, 1865. After living as a widower for three years he married again to Olivia "Ollie" (Johnson) Morison in 1910. The picture to the left is of James and Ollie.




Generation No. 1

1. JAMES WESLEY2 ORR (DAVID1) was born 19 Jul 1841 in Sugar Run, Lee County, Virginia, and died 08 May 1931 in Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia. He married (1) MARTHA PATTIE VERMILLION 09 Nov 1865, daughter of WILSON VERMILLION and SALLY MATLOCK. She was born 14 May 1840 in Virginia, and died 26 Feb 1907 in Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia. He married (2) OLIVIA OLLIE JOHNSON 10 Jun 1910 in Bristol, Virginia.

Children of JAMES ORR and MARTHA VERMILLION are:

i. (daughter) ORR3, born and died 26 Aug 1866.

ii. WILLIAM EMMET ORR, b. 15 Jun 1868; d. 15 May 1946; m. (1) ANNA LOUISE CROWELL; b. 1874; d. 1907; m. (2) MARY VIRGINIA SHELBURNE; b. 1878; d. 1939.

iii. ELIZABETH VERMILLION ORR, b. 14 Aug 1870; d. Mar 1948; m. BENJAMIN HOUSTON SEWELL.

iv. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ORR, b. 23 Jan 1873, Sugar Run, Lee County, Virginia; d. 05 Dec 1959, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee; m. (1) MARY PRICE, 17 Oct 1905, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee; b. 20 Sep 1885, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee; d. 26 Sep 1965, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee; m. (2) CAROLYN FRENCH, Aft. 1940; b. 27 Dec 1889; d. 13 Jul 1969, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee.

More About BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ORR:

Burial: 09 Dec 1959, Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Prince George County, Maryland

More About MARY PRICE:

Burial: 28 Sep 1965, Old Grey Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee

More About CAROLYN FRENCH:

Burial: Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Prince George County, Maryland

v. GEORGE W. ORR, b. 01 Aug 1875; d. 21 Nov 1955; m. (1) GOLDEN BARTON; m. (2) MAUD PET MORGAN, 14 Jun 1905; b. 16 Jun 1882; d. 04 Nov 1912.

vi. HENRY ORR, b. 15 Jan 1878; d. Abt. 1888.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

The Sons of Joseph Richards

This is a picture of the four Richards sons.
Standing are David (on left) and Joseph (on right).
Seated are John (on left) and William (on right).

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Joseph Richards

Joseph Richards was born on August 11, 1826 in Wales to John and Ann (Evans) Richards. He was one of the five children born to John and Ann. On October 3, 1847 he married Ann Thomas. This union produced twelve children (and one adopted daughter), though only six lived to see their adult years. They settled in Pennsylvania where they lived, though in several different locations, until the 1860's. After the Civil War ended the family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where Joseph along with his brothers and a Mr. Hiram Chamberlain started a firm which later was called the Knoxville Iron Company. Joseph stayed in Knoxville until the late 1870's and spent a brief time in Chattanooga, Tennessee as well as Portland, Maine before moving to Oliver Springs, Tennessee. Here is where he and Ann had a hotel by the mineral springs. The first hotel had thirty rooms, though the one that was later built after Joseph had died was a larger 150 room structure. Joseph died on December 31, 1888 in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.



Generation No. 1

1. JOSEPH2 RICHARDS (JOHN1) was born 11 Aug 1826 in Wales, and died 31 Dec 1888 in Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee. He married ANN THOMAS 03 Oct 1847, daughter of DAVID THOMAS and ANN WILLIAMS. She was born 30 Sep 1826 in Wales, and died 14 Dec 1916 in Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee.

More About JOSEPH RICHARDS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

More About ANN THOMAS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

Children of JOSEPH RICHARDS and ANN THOMAS are:

i. JOHN3 RICHARDS, b. 22 Aug 1848; d. 06 Sep 1849.

ii. DAVID WILLIAM RICHARDS, b. 05 Aug 1851; d. 11 Aug 1852.

iii. JOHN WILLIAM RICHARDS, b. 06 Dec 1852.

2. iv. ANN MARIA RICHARDS, b. 16 Jul 1854, Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania; d. 16 Mar 1941, Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia.

3. v. WILLIAM D. RICHARDS, b. 15 Jan 1856; d. 1931.

4. vi. JOHN ROBERT RICHARDS, b. 15 Oct 1857, Danville, Pennsylvania; d. 1934.

5. vii. DAVID C. RICHARDS, b. 20 Aug 1859.

viii. JOSEPH RICHARDS, b. 30 May 1861; d. 30 May 1861.

ix. MARY RICHARDS, b. 30 May 1861; d. 30 May 1861.

6. x. MARY RICHARDS, b. 01 Mar 1863; d. 11 Jan 1935, Oliver Springs, Tennessee.

xi. MARTHA RICHARDS, b. 03 Feb 1865.

7. xii. JOSEPH J. RICHARDS, b. 06 Apr 1866.

8. xiii. SADIE THOMAS RICHARDS, b. 29 Sep 1869, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine; d. 23 Feb 1951; Adopted child.

Generation No. 2

2. ANN MARIA3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 16 Jul 1854 in Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania, and died 16 Mar 1941 in Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia. She married THOMAS REES PRICE 15 Sep 1874 in Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, son of JONATHAN PRICE and ELIZABETH JONES. He was born 26 Aug 1851 in Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania, and died 04 Mar 1906 in Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee.

More About ANN MARIA RICHARDS:

Burial: 18 Mar 1941, Old Gray Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee

More About THOMAS REES PRICE:

Burial: Old Gray Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee

3. WILLIAM D.3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 15 Jan 1856, and died 1931. He married MARGARET WILLIAMS. She was born Jul 1860, and died 1939.

More About WILLIAM D. RICHARDS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

More About MARGARET WILLIAMS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

4. JOHN ROBERT3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 15 Oct 1857 in Danville, Pennsylvania, and died 1934. He married HANNAH DAVIES 16 Aug 1879 in Portland, Maine. She was born 15 Nov 1857 in Aberystruth, Wales, and died 04 Jun 1946.

More About JOHN ROBERT RICHARDS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

More About HANNAH DAVIES:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

5. DAVID C.3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 20 Aug 1859. He married ETHEL BROWN. She was born 1878, and died 1961.

Child of DAVID RICHARDS and ETHEL BROWN is:

i. HELEN4 RICHARDS, b. Abt. 1906.

6. MARY3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 01 Mar 1863, and died 11 Jan 1935 in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. She married ASA KELLEY SHELTON. He was born 15 Jan 1857, and died 07 Apr 1941 in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.

7. JOSEPH J.3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 06 Apr 1866. He married NETTIE SIENKNECHT. She was born Feb 1871, and died Bef. Mar 1951.

8. SADIE THOMAS3 RICHARDS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1) was born 29 Sep 1869 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, and died 23 Feb 1951. She married EVAN D. PHILLIPS, son of THOMAS PHILLIPS and MARY PARRY. He was born 31 Jan 1868 in Hirwain, Wales, and died 10 Jun 1957.

More About SADIE THOMAS RICHARDS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

More About EVAN D. PHILLIPS:

Burial: Oliver Springs Cemetery, Oliver Springs, Anderson County, Tennessee

Monday, March 05, 2007

Ann Maria Richards

Ann, or Annie, was the wife of my great-great-grandfather, Thomas Rees Price. She started her life as the fourth of twelve children born to Joseph and Ann Richards. She was born on July 16, 1854 in Danville, Pennsylvania, USA. She was in the first generation of my Richards family to be born in America. She spent her younger days in Pennsylvania. By the early 1870's the family had moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. After becoming a wife and mother of four children Annie became a widow at the age of 51, but remained in the home she shared with Thomas until a few years before her death. She was said to be a smart business-minded woman and nothing if a little stubborn. She died on March 16, 1941 while with her daughter, Mary, in Jonesville, Virginia. She was buried in the Thomas Price family plot in Old Gray Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee.