Block 26. A Stitch in Time

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

A stitch in time. . . Block 26 of the circa 1931 Friendship Quilt in the Museum of the Itawamba County Historical Society

MORRIS, A.J., Mrs., Block 26

Mrs. A.J. Morris is Mary Morris, wife of Judson Morris. Mary Lee Morris 1877 - 1957 is buried next to Andrew Judson Morris at Mantachie Cemetery.

A.J. or Judson Morris and family appear on the 1900, 1910, 1920 Mantachie census. On each is he listed as a farmer.

In 1900, Judson, 23, and wife Mary L., 22, and son Dewey G Morris are members of this young family.

In 1910, the family is listed as living on Cotton Gin-Aberdeen Road. A.J. Morris is 33, his wife Alice is 32, Dewey is 9, and a daughter E.M. is 8.

The 1920 census lists A.J. as Judson Morris, 42, wife Mary 41, son Dewey 20, daughter Eula May 19. Also included in the household is daughter-in-law Lorrette Morris 20, wife of Dewey.

MORRIS, A.J. Mr., Block 26

A.J. Morris is also known as Judson Morris. See entry above for Mrs. A.J. Morris.

Andrew Jackson Morris 1877 - 1956 is buried at Mantachie Cemetery next to Mary Lee Morris.

MORRIS, Jimmie, Block 26

According to IHS member Joe Sheffield, this is Jeaninne Morris.

Jeaninne Morris may be Mrs. J. Morris, age 45, listed as head of household on the 1910 census of Mantachie who resided on Mantachie-Tupelo Road with her two sons Bryan, 12, and Roy, 6.

Burton-Cruber lists a Jennie Morris 1865 - 1940 buried at Stephens Cemetery.

McFERRIN, Mertis, Block 26

No information was found for Mertis McFerrin.

DUVALLE, Mrs., Block 26

There were many Duvall families in Itawamba County during the time of the making of this Friendship Quilt. It is impossible to determine who this was without a given name.

If you have additional information about any of the names on this quilt square, please post a comment below. Your help is needed to "write" the story of this almost eighty-year old quilt.

A stitch in time . . . The 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt

Raffle tickets for the 2010 Friendship-Memory Quilt are $1.00 donation each. The king-sized quilt will be raffled to a lucky winner later this year. To obtain raffle tickets, contact the Itawamba Historical Society, PO Box 7, Mantachie, MS 38855. All proceeds of the quilt project will benefit the work of the Society which is a non-profit organization which operates solely on funds generated by its members and benefactors.

SOURCES:

Family information from Memories from Itawamba County: A Friendship Quilt circa 1931 --- A Stitch in Time by Terry Thornton with assistance from Members of the Itawamba Historical Society, Itawamba Settlers, Quarterly Journal of the Itawamba County, Mississippi, History and Genealogy. Winter 2009, Pages 143-61.

Square from 1931 Friendship Quilt photographed by Terry Thornton, September 3, 2009, Bond's House Museum, Itawamba Historical Society, Mantachie, Mississippi.