J Estell Moffett1,2

b. 15 January 1871, d. 20 January 1953
 
J. Estell and Sylvia (Moody) Moffett (at the time of their marriage)
photo courtesy Mary Roundy
FatherJohn Harvey Moffett3,4 b. 7 Oct 1842, d. 14 Mar 1920
MotherMary Jane Snoddy3,4 b. Apr 1845, d. 5 Feb 1878
J Estell Moffett|b. 15 Jan 1871\nd. 20 Jan 1953|p1174.htm|John Harvey Moffett|b. 7 Oct 1842\nd. 14 Mar 1920|p335.htm|Mary Jane Snoddy|b. Apr 1845\nd. 5 Feb 1878||Wesley Moffett|b. 15 Dec 1806\nd. 28 Jan 1862|p314.htm|Catharine Summers|b. 13 Apr 1810\nd. 14 Sep 1862|p332.htm|||||||
Birth15 Jan 1871 J Estell Moffett was born on 15 Jan 1871 in Burlington, Kansas. His first name was Joseph, but he never used the name. Instead everyone referred to him as "J. Estell" or "Ett."5,6 
Moth-DeathFeb 1878 When Ett was seven years old his mother died after giving birth to a younger brother in Coffey County, Kansas.7 
  Shortly afterwards, Ett and his sister Herma went to live with a couple by the name of Parrish.7 
Migration1879  In 1879 the Parrishes loaded Herma and Ett into a wagon and left Kansas in the middle of the night. Though no one knew where they had gone at the time, they were headed for Colorado, where Mr. Parrish had sold trinkets in the gold fields the previous year. They settled on a farm near Monument, Colorado.7,8 
  Ett did not get along well with the Parrishes, who were not kind to him. At the age of about fifteen he took back the name "Moffett" and left to live with a family by the name of Shubert who were wonderful to him and who remained close to Ett for the rest of their lives.7 
Migration Ett's father, John Moffett, located him in Colorado in the 1890s and by 1898 was living with him. When John left to return to Nebraska he owed Ett money. Ett followed John to Weeping Water (Cass Co.), but then moved on to Coffeeville, Kansas, where there was much talk about the pending opening of the Cheyenne Strip in Oklahoma. But the opening was delayed and work was scarce so Ett returned to Monument.7 
 In May 1895 Ett's sister Herma married Elmer Moody in Colorado Springs. This led to an acquaintance between Ett and Elmer's sister Sylvia. 
Marriage16 Mar 1902 He married Sylvia May Moody, daughter of James Robinson Moody and Myra McMichael, on 16 Mar 1902 in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado.9,10 
Migration  Sadly Herma (Moffett) Moody died in Jul 1902, following an operation for appendicitis. Ett and Sylvia suffered a second loss in 1904 when their first child died at the age of 18 months. The couple then left the Colorado Springs area and moved out onto the plains at Calhan (Colorado).11 
Migration1909  In 1909 they moved to Willow Springs in Howell County, Missouri.11 
Cens-19103 May 1910  There they were enumerated on the 1910 federal census. Ett (recorded as "J. Moffett") was farming. Sylvia was taking care of the family which by then included three children: Willard (5), Herma (2) and Robert (9 mos).12 
Migration1912 In 1912 the family returned to the plains of Colorado, settling on a farm near Keysor.11 
1913  Here they experienced the Big Snow" of 1913; one of the worst winters in the history of Colorado. 
Residence  For the next several years the family stayed in Colorado, although they moved from farm to farm and at one point lived in a sod house.11 
  Two more daughters joined the family during this period, Margaret, born in 1911 in Missouri, and Isabel, born in 1914 back in Colorado. 
MigrationFall 1917 Then, in the fall of 1917, they moved back to Missouri, this time settling in Salem.11 
Migration1920 For a brief period in 1920 Ett moved the family to Crawford, Kansas, where he worked on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.11 
Migration1920 Later, in 1920, Ett rented a ranch near Matheson, Colorado, and the family again returned to Colorado.11 
Occupation Ett worked at a variety of jobs through the years. Among other things, he bought and sold horses and livestock, and farmed.11 
Occupation His son Willard, writing about his father, comments that Ett was a wonderful horseman. As a young man Ett would catch wild horses and break and train them. Later he worked as a teamster.7 
  Willard also comments, "My father must have been born with itchy feet as I can't remember him living longer than two years in one place."11 
Residence1927 In 1927 Ett and Sylvia sold their cattle, their large farming equipment and most of their horses and rented a small fruit farm. Over the next few years they moved to three different small fruit farms in Penrose, Colorado.7 
Residence  When Ett finally retired they settled nearby, in Canon City.11 
Residence  However, following the pattern of his earlier years, Ett did not stay in one place for long. He and Sylvia moved back on to the plains at Calhan to be near their son and daughter, but the winters proved too harsh and they returned to Canon City.11 
Death20 Jan 1953 Ett died on 20 Jan 1953 in Canon City, Colorado, at age 82.13 
Burial23 Jan 1953 He was buried on 23 Jan 1953 at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado.14 

Related Links and Images:

Ett as a young boy
Ett and his sister Herma
Moffett sod house (abt 1913). Click on the camera icon for larger image

Family

Sylvia May Moody b. 4 Apr 1873, d. 20 Sep 1966
Children
  • James Harvey Moffett (31 Jan 1903 - 14 Feb 1904)
  • Willard Estell Moffett+11 (2 Jan 1905 - 4 Jul 2008)
  • Herma Elizabeth Moffett11 (10 May 1907 - 29 May 2000)
  • Robert William Moffett11 (9 Aug 1909 - 11 Dec 1992)
  • Margaret May Moffett11 (1 Nov 1911 - 23 Jun 1991)
  • Isabel Laura Moffett11
ChartsDescendants (with their spouses) of William Moffett and Mary Gardner
Last Edited24 Jun 2011

Citations

  1. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible.
  2. [S466] Letter, Mary Roundy to Diana Powell, 20 Oct. 2002.
  3. [S379] Deposition of John H. Moffett, dated 13 Feb. 1902 at Colorado Springs, Colorado; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  4. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. John Harvey Moffett recorded the names of his children (in his script).
  5. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. J. Estell's name and birth date were recorded in the handwriting of his father, John Harvey Moffett.
  6. [S466] Letter, Mary Roundy to Diana Powell, 20 Oct. 2002. Mary included a copy of an obituary for J. Estell Moffett from an unnamed and undated newspaper which included both his date and place of birth.
  7. [S445] "Autobiography of Willard Moffett". Willard notes that this information was recorded from his "memory of what he was told."
  8. [S512] G Parish household, 1880 U.S. cens., El Paso Co., Colorado, pop sched., ED 45, page 26 (471A stamped), dwelling 215, family 235, viewed online at Ancestry.com, J. Estell and Herma are listed as the Parishes children, although they were not their biological offspring and at this point had probably not been adopted either.
  9. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. The marriage of Joseph and Sylvia was recorded in Sylvia's handwriting, but the date appeared to have been written over, and was difficult to interpret.
  10. [S624] El Paso Co., Colorado Marriage Book G: 159. Application #1659: J. Estell Moffett of Colorado Springs and Sylvia M. Moody of Colorado Springs were married by W.T. Warren (minister) on 16 March 1902 at Colorado Springs.
  11. [S445] "Autobiography of Willard Moffett."
  12. [S1251] J. Moffett household, 1910 U.S. cens., Howell Co., Missouri, pop. sched., Hutton Valley township, ED 84, sheet 9A (p. 186 stamped), dwelling 186, family 186, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Apr. 2005. Enumeration includes: J. Moffett, 39, marr #1 marr 8 yrs, b. KS, parents b. IN, farmer; Silva M., wife, 37, marr #1, 8 yrs, mother of 4 children, 3 living, b. MO, parents b. MO; Willard _, son, 5; Herma, dau, 2; William R., son, 9/12; all children b. CO, father: KS, mother: MO.
  13. [S466] Letter, Mary Roundy to Diana Powell, 20 Oct. 2002. Mary cited handwritten notes of her father's as well as an obituary (copy provided) for J. Estell.
  14. [S380] Athlyn Luzier, Evergreen Cemetery Records. This source reports the following information: J. Estell Moffett, b. 1871; buried 23 Jan 1953, lot I.
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