Hattie Florance Smith Gunn (1890-1933) Obituary

(click on photograph for larger image)

The Bee (Danville, Virginia) 10 April 1933 (Page 5)

Mrs. J. H. Gunn

Mrs. Hattie Florance Gunn, wife of John H. Gunn, former sheriff of Caswell county, died suddenly at her home at Yanceyville Wednesday morning at 8:30 o'clock. She was 43 years of age.

For eight years while her husband was sheriff of the county, Mrs. Gunn was in charge of the routine of the office, and thus became acquainted with most of the residents of Caswell county. She was particularly esteemed by people or Yanceyville and the immediate vicinity.

For 22 years Mrs. Gunn was a member of the Methodist church and was at the time of her death actively identified with the work of the church at Yanceyville and the work of the Women's Missionary Society.

Funeral services were conducted at Prospect Methodist church near Yanceyville at three o'clock yesterday afternoon by Rev. L. T. Poole, pastor. Interment took place at Prospect.

Besides her husband, Mrs. Gunn is survived by four children: William Laroy, Henry Wesley, Annie Elizabeth, and Elvin Malloy Gunn, all of Yanceyville. She also leaves her mother, Mrs. Lucy Rudd Smith, of Pelham and four brothers: Felix S. Smith, Burlington, John Franklin Smith, Ruffin, Route 1, Onza G. and G. Robert Smith of Pelham.
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Hattie Florance Smith (1890-1933) was the daughter of William Sheppard Smith (1862-1928) and Lucy Ann Rudd (1862-1935). On 26 December 1909 she married John Henry Gunn (1882-1962). He was the son of Hiram Leroy Gunn (1852-1909) and Virginia Elizabeth Jones (1856-1921).

Hattie Florance Smith Gunn and John Henry Gunn had four children:

1. William Laroy Gunn (1910-1984). He married Elizabeth Jefferson Foster (1911-2004).

2. Henry Wesley Gunn (1913-1986). He married Hallie Mae Wrenn (1917-1964).

3. Annie Elizabeth Gunn (1914-1959). She married Clyde Vernon McKinney (1908-1955).

4. Elvin Malloy Gunn (1916-1983). He married Dorothy Bowles (1915-1986).

For more on this family go to the Caswell County Family Tree.
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Note the Florance part of the name Hattie Florance Smith Gunn. Elsewhere it is seen as Florence. From where does this come? On the mantle of the Graves-Florance- Gatewood house in Yanceyville, North Carolina, is a photograph of John Henry Gunn. See below. Why? Is it because his wife had Florance family connections? Or is it because one of the owners of the house, John Yancey Gatewood was, like John Henry Gunn, Caswell County Sheriff?

(click photograph for larger image)

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