My Adventure Through Our Family Tree Branches

For over 50 years my Dad researched both his and my Mom's family tree branches - and loved every minute of it! Trying to fulfill the promise I made him the last month of his life, I have spent the past four years continuing where he left off - finding out about all the many family members who came before us, from the many branches of our family trees. The histories will still be published as my Dad always wanted. But what he wanted most was to share the stories of the people who came before us - the places they lived, the cultures of the times, the families they created, and the circumstances - good and bad - that would one day lead to us, their descendants. These are the stories of my Mom's families. . . .

Surnames in this Blog

BRUNETT, DeGRUY, DeLERY, FLEMMING, FORTIER, FRISSE, HORST, HUBER, JACKSON, McCAFFREY, McCLUSKEY, O'DONNELL, WEINSCHENK



Wednesday, November 6, 2013

WEDNESDAY'S WEDDING - McCaffrey-Morris Wedding, 1902

Wedding Invitation

Charlotte Teresa McCaffrey was the tenth of thirteen children born to my great-great-grandparents, Thomas J. McCaffrey (1832-1896) and Charlotte Elizabeth McCluskey (1838-1917). She was born April 5, 1875, in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia. My great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Agnes McCaffrey Flemming (1858-1922), was her oldest sister, 17 years her senior.

On September 24, 1902, at the age of 27, Lottie, as she was called, married William Sidney Morris, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee. He was 34 at the time of their wedding. The ceremony took place at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rome.

Their Wedding Certificate lists one of their witnesses, most likely Lottie's Maid-of-Honor, as "Susan Flemming" [see below]. Susan Elizabeth Flemming (1879-1909), Susie as she was called, was Lottie's niece, the 22-year-old oldest daughter of her sister Lizzie, and the sister of my great-grandfather Harry Clinton Flemming (1878-1955).

Wedding Picture of Mr. & Mrs. Morris
September 24, 1902
McCAFFREY-MORRIS
Wedding Announcement
Interesting Wedding at Catholic Church Yesterday Morning
"The marriage of Miss Lottie Theresa McCaffrey to Mr. Wm. S. Morris, of Anniston, was solemnized at St. Mary's Catholic church yesterday morning at 7 o'clock with a nuptial mass. Rev. Father Fahy, the pastor, performed the ceremony, assisted by Rev. Father Doyle, of Anniston, Ala.
Miss McCaffrey is a lovely young woman and greatly admired by her host of friends. She is the leading spirit in St. Mary's choir where her sweet voice will be greatly missed.
Mr. Morris is a prominent young business man in Anniston, and the very suitable match calls for mutual congratulations. After the ceremony the bridal couple left for Tennessee going to Knoxville the groom's former home." [from Rome News-Tribune, Sept. 25, 1902]


Close-up of Lottie & William
Lottie and William settled in Birmingham, Alabama, and had four children: William Fahy Morris (1903-1921); Joseph Morris (1904-1904); Charlotte Elizabeth Morris (1906-1996); and George Lawrence Morris (1908-1980).

In January 1925, Lottie was admitted into St. Vincent's Hospital. After five days she was operated on for appendicitis. Two days later she died, at the age of forty-nine. She is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham. William who began working for the L&N Railroad about this same time, lived for thirty more years, dying in May 1955. He is buried next to his wife.


Certificate of Marriage
[CLICK TO ENLARGE]

2 comments:

  1. Their wedding certificate inside the church engraving is gorgeous. I've never seen one like it.

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  2. Hello! I am Lynn McCaffrey Cox and am also researching my McCaffrey ancestors. Currently our oldest known ancestor is Michael McCaffrey born 1835 in Fivemiletown, County Fermanagh or County Tyrone, Ireland. Next I would love to learn who Michael McCaffrey's parents and siblings were. I wouldn't have gotten this far without a combination of paper trails and DNA testing. Are any of your McCaffrey descendants interested in taking a DNA test? Do you know of any living male McCaffrey descendants? My father, uncle, and I have all taken DNA tests. We have tested with both AncestryDNA and FamilyTreeDNA. Please let me know if you are interested in exploring DNA testing. Thanks - LynnCox99@gmail.com

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