Yes, he sure did. Sonny Moran was Garland Moran, Jr. and he is also my cousin, as well. His dad, Garland, was a contemporary of my Grandpa LeRoy Madison Gates (Sr.) and Sonny was the grandson of Ed. He was named after Mr. Garland who was the owner of the foundry at the Ferry Branch of Kanawha River. Garland, Sr. (Sonny's dad) had an important position with Kanawha Manufacturing on Dixie Street at Charleston's East End. They built an early automobile called The Kanawha which Garland owned and later sold to my father, LeRoy Madison Gates, Jr. Dad many years later sold it back to Kanawha Manufacturing who subsequently donated it to the WV Cultural Center where the Archives and Mountain Stage are located. Unfortunately the Cultural Center Museum closed. I don't know when or if it will open again. LeRoy Madison Gates, Sr. was named for both his grandfather's James Madison Moran and James Madison Gates (founder of Gates Paint Company.) The Moran name kept up under James Madison Moran, but others of his brothers went with Mournen and Mourning/Morning. I wish I knew what William Moran/Mournen/Mooren/Mornin's real name was and if he was really from Bedford County. I have never heard anyone speculate that he was an American Indian. As for Memory/Member, I hope the brick wall will also tumble for her some day. Thanks again for all the wonderful comments and help given to help break down this brick wall In a message dated 4/7/2009 3:10:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Just an aside.? Sonny Moran was the basketball coach in the late 1950s and early 1960s at Morris Harvey College, Charleston, WV.? A great basketball team at that time.? I believe he went from there to WVU. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Sent: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:49 am Subject: [WVWYOMIN] Mooren, Moran, Mornin, etc. I have a brick wall I request your help. My great-great-grandfather was named James Madison MORAN. He lived his whole adult life as a blacksmith at Fort Hill, Loudon District, Kanawha County, WV. This is part of Charleston now. He married Mary Jane CALDWELL, born in NC. When he was a boy he lived with his father, William and his mother, Member, Mimber, Memory. I have found them in the Wyoming County Census, the Raleigh County Census and the Boone County Census. His father later married STEWART after he had two children with her, but I haven't found a record of his marriage to Member. I can't find a record of a divorce from Member, Minber, Memory. If they never married but were common-law, then a divorce was still necessary unless he was a bigamist. I don't think that the community let such slip by in those days, certainly. I don't know her maiden name. I have also not found a marriage license for James Madison MORAN and Mary Jane CALDWELL. They are married and living with their family, including my great-grandmother, Alice Sarah MORAN (Gates) in the 1880 Kanawha County Census. Where is James Madison MORAN or Mary Jane CALDWELL in 1870 Census? With the misspelling of this surname and controversy surrounding what the surname really is--this is a terrible brick wall! Some of the descendants go by the surname of MORNING, MOURNING and MOURNEN, who knows what else? Can anyone out there help me? Sharon Lee Gates Apopka, FL **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)