In the front are George Marion Morrow, Cora Woods Morrow and Susan Woods. Behind them are Will Morrow, Cattie Morrow Flatt and Lula Morrow Headden. The girl on the horse and the people on the porch are unknown

Another landmark is gone. The house recently razed by Mr. Hargrove is known to the younger generation as the F. E. Scobey place. Older people think of it as the Marion Morrow place, and perhaps there are a few, very few, who would remember it as the W. T. (Billy) Woods place, as it was he who was the first settler.

In March 1854, Billy Woods and Catherine Doak were married, and in November of the same year, his father, E. A. Woods, who lived at the place now known as the Ollie Miller home, deeded him this tract of land. At that time this tract included the J. R. Blakeley farm and the R. T. Towns land, making a hundred acres more or less, including the Union Grove School grounds.

A place was cleared in a grove of oak and hickory trees and the first home was built. This home was not built in the little village of Churchton, or even on the Highway 77. It was first a little home in a grove of trees by the side of the road, and Billy Woods was really a friend to man. He was known for his hospitality. Highway 77 was then known as "The Big Road." It was the main road leading from Trenton to Hickman, KY, and all the people traveled this road to Hickman to buy their year's supply. Many stopped at this home to spend the night and rest their team of oxen. Billy Woods always had a welcome word for strangers and was never too busy to stop, light his pipe and chat with friends.

In February 1858, a baby girl was born in this home. She was named Cora Alice Woods. She later became the wife of Marion Morrow, and the mother of Mrs. W. T. Flatt, of Churchton. With the coming of this little baby to the home happiness seemed to be complete but not for long. Soon tragedy struck. The day this baby was two years old the mother [Cattie Doak Woods, whom Billy Woods had married in 1854] died, a victim of that terrible disease "consumption." The father was left with the baby girl; then war clouds were gathering thick and fast. He never fought in the Army but his life at this time was one of trouble and anxiety.

During the day the little girl was cared for by a faithful old black mammy, who was his cook, and her daughter, Candas, "Aunt Candas Woods," who died in Newbern not too many years ago, and I think some of her descendants are still there.

We are glad to know that behind the darkest clouds the sun still shines and in the fall of 1862, the shadows began to move a little and more sun began to shine for it was then Mr. Woods married Susan Ann Goodloe. She proved to be not only a true wife, but also a loving and faithful mother to the little girl [Cora Woods Morrow]

In the course of time a baby boy was born to this union, Johnnie Woods. While he was never a very strong child, he lived to young manhood, and in 1882 married Lula McCorkle, daughter of HRA. and Margaret McCorkle. They continued to live in this home during their brief life. When a baby daughter was born to them, the mother died, and in less than a year both baby and father passed away. In February 1881 Cora married Marion Morrow and moved away from the home.

It was soon after the second marriage of Mr. Woods that the two front rooms to this home were built, and they were still standing when the house was razed.

Billy Woods died in 1889 and in November 1890, Cora Woods Morrow, with her husband and two little girls, Cattie and Lula Morrow, moved back to take charge of the farm and care for Mrs. Woods. In a few days after they moved, Willie Morrow was born in the same room his mother was thirty-two years before. By the time Mr. Morrow took charge of the place it had been reduced to fifty acres, more or less. In 1897 he remodeled the house, tearing away the back part and the moss covered roof off f the two front rooms and raised the front rooms a storey. During Mr. Morrow's lifetime there were a cotton gin, blacksmith shop and gristmill on this farm. Mr. Morrow died in April 1916.

This left Mrs. Morrow and her stepmother, Aunt Susan, as she was called by most everyone, to carry on alone as all the children were married and in homes of their own. They continued to live here until Christmas of 1921. Aunt Susan was now so old and feeble they could not stay alone any longer. So they closed the doors of the house that had been their home for almost a lifetime and went to live with Mrs. Morrow's daughter, Mrs. W. T. Flatt, and family at Templeton. Aunt Susan died in February 1922. Mrs. Morrow sold the farm to F. E. Scobey. It remained in the Scobey family until last year when the present owner bought it.

Edgar A. Guest says, "It takes a heap of living in a house to make a home." Surely this house has known just that. Here the wedding bells have rung and bells have tolled. It has witnessed the bringing in of the cradle and carrying out of the casket. It has been the scene of laughter and of sorrow. It was a place where both the young and old liked to gather. I would not attempt to name all the homeless who found a welcome in this home.

For many years this house stood in the midst of sturdy oaks and hickory trees. Like the people, they too have fallen one by one. Not an original tree is standing. Only a sacred memory remains to those who loved it best. The last residents of this house were Mr. and Mrs. Marion Whiteside and Jimmy. Mrs. Whiteside was a granddaughter of Mrs. Morrow, a great-granddaughter of William T. Woods.

The following notes were added by

Cattie Morrow Flatt (Mrs. Will T. Flatt)

Finis E. Scobey.

Marion Morrow married Cattie Woods and begat Cattie Morrow (Mrs. Will T.) Flatt; Lula Morrow (Mrs. Elmer) Headden, who died of tuberculosis; and Willie Morrow who married Maud[e] Blankenship and eventually moved to Texas [Breckenridge, Texas?].

William T. Woods was a Purviance descendant. Generation I: John & Mary Jane (Wasson) Purviance; Generation II: Anne Purviance Woods, 1774-1858, m. Samuel Woods, 1776-1840, son of Rev. War Capt. Samuel Woods (N.C. Battle of Kings Mtn.). Anne Purviance Woods, b. 3 Feb. 1774, lived Middle TN, Montgomery Co., Ky., Giles Co.,TN; moved 1820 to Dyer Co.,TN, died 17 Aug. 1858 in Benton, Arkansas. [Anne Woods' older sister Elizabeth H. Purviance (Mrs. William Thomas), who lived in Dyer Co., TN, at her death, had been born in Rowan Co., NC, in 1765.] Generation III: Eleazor A. Woods. Generation IV: William T. Woods m. 1st Cattie Doak & 2nd Susan Goodloe. Generation V: Cora Alice Woods m. Marion Morrow. Generation VI: Cattie Morrow Flatt (Mrs. Will T. Flatt); Lula Morrow Headden (Mrs. Elmer Headden); and Will Morrow, who m. Maud(e) Blankenship and eventually moved to Texas.

Eleazor A. Woods.

Mr. Ollie Miller, son of Tom Miller, married Miss Irva London. Mr. & Mrs. Eber [Ebenezer?] Brasfield [Eber Brasfield & wife Florence London Brasfield] moved onto Ira Cope land and for a time Mr. Brasfield worked on the Cope farm. Irva London Miller was Mrs. Brasfield's daughter by Mrs. Brasfield's 1st husband. Mrs.Eber Brasfield came to Churchton as Mrs. Brasfield but had been a Mrs. London who had 3 daughters, namely (1) Irva London Miller; (2) Genier London married Aaron Jackson of Churchton; and (3) Nellie London Jackson who married a Mr. Jackson from the Cool Springs Community. The Jackson men whom Genier London and Nellie London married were not brothers.

The children of Ollie and Irva London Miller were: Juanita Miller Carrell; Demova Miller McKeel of Yorkville ( ) of Yorkville; Bruce Miller, lives Trimble, TN; Florence Etta Miller Fultz; Charles Miller who moved to Henderson, TN; Vernon Miller (US Postal Service, Newbern); Billy Miller m. a Mrs. Bates and died Aug. 2003; Edith Miller Hassell (Moore); Edna Miller (never married); Finis Miller m. Patricia Trimble and lives Yorkville, TN.; Arthelle Miller, lives Newbern, TN; Don Miller married (1st ) Claudia Hicks, (2nd ) Linda Jo Tackett.

Mr. & Mrs. Blakeley lived at the Alec King house in Churchton, north of Lemalsamac Church. Alec King was a brother to Irma King (Irma King was the 2nd Mrs. Glenn McCorkle). Alec King's siblings as well as Irma King McCorkle included Jim King who married Lillian Scott King and lived in Newbern (no issue); and a sister Mrs. ___ King Harris. The Blakeleys attended church at Carmel Methodist.

Robert Towns married Era Grills. He came to Dyer Co. from Middle Tennessee [Fayetteville, TN, area.?]. Robt. & Era Towns begat Lurline Towns Overall, who lived in Trenton as Mrs. Clyde M. Overall; Maurine Towns (Crosby), who lived in Memphis & worked at Gerber's Dept. Store; and Louise Towns (Mrs. Charles) Milner, who lived in Baton Rouge, La. Robert Towns had a brother in Newbern known as "Kurg" Towns and Kurg Towns and wife had a son named Green Towns and a daughter named Katie Towns who lived on West Main in Newbern Katie had no children. Green Towns had 2 daughters: Juanita Towns (Mrs. Bill Pace) and Kathleen Towns (1st m. Eugene Cole; 2nd and moved to Lake County, TN. See Union Grove Schoolhouse picture posted elsewhere on the Dyer County, Tenn., Web site.

Cora Alice Woods Morrow. Miss Cora [Ma or Maw, the next generations called her], was the mother of Lula Morrow, Cattie Morrow, and Will Morrow. Just as Lula Morrow Headden's grandmother, Cattie Doak Woods (Mrs. William T. Woods) had died of consumption circa 1860, her granddaughter, Lula Morrow Headden, was to die of tuberculosis.
Tennessee Civil War records show that William T. Woods enlisted in the Union Army; but his granddaughter Cattie Morrow Flatt would have known that he never fought in the war. Some of the old records spell the name "Goodlow."
John Woods married Lula McCorkle, daughter of Hiram R. A. McCorkle.
This should read Hiram R. A. McCorkle for Hiram McCorkle, not R.A.H. McCorkle for Robert Andrew Hope McCorkle, the latter being the uncle of the former.
Lula McCorkle is buried McCorkle Cemetery, Dyer Co., TN. Her tombstone says "Lula McCorkle" not Lula Woods.
Imogene Headden was daughter of Lula Morrow and Elmer Headden. Her mother Lula died of tuberculosis and Imogene was kindly cared for by her aunt Notie Headden Cope and Ira Mitchell Cope. Imogene Headden married Marion Whiteside and begat James Whiteside, born 1949; John Ray Whiteside; and Jeana Whiteside; Imorgene and Marion Whiteside moved to Gary, Indiana.