Mary Jane Beaty Davis1

b. 13 September 1814, d. 28 June 1894
FatherWilliam Davis2,3 b. Apr 1778, d. 24 May 1842
MotherSarah Ryburn2 b. 29 Dec 1788, d. 18 Mar 1873
Birth13 Sep 1814 Mary Jane Beaty Davis was born on 13 Sep 1814 near Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia.2 
  She was the eldest child in a family that included 5 girls and 3 boys. 
Marriage15 Sep 1831 She married Garner Moffett, son of Capt. John Moffett and Isabel Davis, on 15 Sep 1831 in Washington County. Mary Jane was 17; Garner was 24.4,5 
  A month after their marriage Garner and Mary Jane headed west, stopping first in Hancock County, Indiana where they settled land abutting the newly opened National Road about 2 or 3 miles east of Greenfield. Their first two children, William and John, were born there in 1832 and 1833.

However, Garner, ever in search of better farmland, moved the family further north to LaPorte County in the spring of 1834.6 
  When Garner and Mary Jane first arrived in LaPorte County they lived in a hut about 2 miles from their land as they needed to plant a crop before building a cabin. The following fall Mary Jane's father came out from Virginia and along with 2 of Garner's brothers helped finish a cabin for the family. Son Robert was born there in 1835.7 
  But again the family did not stay put long, moving on in the spring of 1836 after Garner purchased a claim from Wesley Crain in Freedom township, Carroll County, Illinois (part of JoDavies Co. until 1839). Daughter Sarah was born in 1837 followed by Margaret in 1838. The following summer the family traveled back to Virginia for a visit.8 
  Indians were frequent, although unexpected, visitors in the early days of the county. Years later Mary Jane related the story of a large and savage Indian appearing in the cabin one day when she was alone with the children. He laid down his rifle, tomahawk and scalping knife and asked for something to eat which he was given.9 
Cens-1850- AgricJun 1850  The 1850 census provides a glimpse at Garner and Mary Jane's farm in Freedom Township. They owned 300 acres of improved land and 260 acres of unimproved land valued at $5,600. They also owned 13 horses, 8 cows, 10 oxen, 36 cattle and 60 swine, all valued at $1,250. Their crops included wheat, Indian corn, oats and Irish potatoes. They sold 50 pounds of beeswax or honey in the previous year. This was a good sized farm for the neighborhood and was quite productive.  
Residence  A few years earlier they had moved from their small cabin to a large brick home. Like many of his neighbors and relatives Garner considered joining the covered wagons heading west in the early 1850s. But the move did not take place.10,11,12 
Widowed5 Oct 1856  Mary Jane was widowed when Garner died of typhoid fever on Oct. 5th, 1856. 
Cens-186014 Jun 1860  By 1860 3 of Mary Jane's children had married. Her sons had all completed college and returned to live on the homestead and help run the farm. William was still single but as the eldest son was enumerated as the head of Mary Jane's household. William estimated the value of the farm at $19,000. Other family members lived nearby including Mary Jane's mother Sarah who had moved to Carroll County after the death of Mary Jane's father in 1842.13 
Cens-187020 Jun 1870  William married in the spring of 1861 and established a separate, although adjacent, household. By 1870 Mary Jane's big brick house was home to not only she and her 80 year old mother, but also her son John, his wife Sarah, their four children, 2 laborers and a servant.14 
  In the months following this census Mary Jane began a journal [see Related Links below] in which she recorded the story of the early days of her marriage. With the assistance of her mother she also recorded all that she knew about the Ryburn, Davis, Moffett, Beattie and Buchanan families to which the women belonged. 
  Mary Jane spent at least some of her final years in the home of her daughter Sarah Stover in Lanark.15 
Death28 Jun 1894 Mary died on 28 Jun 1894 in Carroll County, Illinois, at age 79.16,17 
Burial She was buried at Wolfe Cemetery. Her monument bears the inscription: "Blessed are the dead Who die in the Lord."17 

Related Links and Images:

Visit Mary Jane's Journal and click on the link titled "Remembering Mary Jane". Also note the links to various sections of Mary Jane's journal
Two views of what is believed to have been Garner and Mary Jane's brick home in Carroll County, IL18
Garner and Mary Jane's monument was located at Wolfe Cemetery in 2000. The first image shows Mary Jane's side after the brush covering it was cleared away. The second image shows the double sided monument after being cleaned and refixed to it's base
Find Wolfe Cemetery on the Carroll County map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).

Family

Garner Moffett b. 18 Jan 1807, d. 5 Oct 1856
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Last Edited29 Jan 2011

Citations

  1. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 10.
  2. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 19.
  3. [S268] William Davis will (recorded 1842), Washington Co., VA Will Book 9: 122. Will was dated 16 April 1842 and recorded 27 June 1842; names wife and children.
  4. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 16.
  5. [S149] Washington Co., VA Marriage Register 1 & 2 (transcribed), 316. Transcribed record states: Garner Moffett and Mary J. B. Davis were married by David R. Preston on Sept 15th 1831.
  6. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 30-34.
  7. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 34-41.
  8. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 34-41, 44.
  9. [S1925] Charles Hostetter, Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Carroll Co., 1822-1879, p. 646.
  10. [S1894] Amanda M.F. Hallett (Mt. Carroll, IL) to "Dear Sister" [Julia A. Laird], letter, 17 June 1849; Laird Family Letters, 1849-1864. Letter states, "Garner Moffett has bilt [sic] a fine brick house."
  11. [S1894] Eliza F. Pierce (Plum River, Carroll Co., IL) to Julia Adaline Laird (Linneous, Linn Co., MO), letter, 21 Jul 1850; Laird Family Letters, 1849-1864. Letter states, "Garner Moffett has built a large brick house up on the road."
  12. [S1894] Eliza Pierce (Mt. Carroll, Il) to Mrs. Julia Laird (Linn Co. MO), letter, 17 Nov. 1850; Laird Family Letters, 1849-1864. The letter states, "Abram [Moffett] wants to sell his place if he can, he will go to Oregon in the spring. Garner Moffett, William Owings and Willis Fisk all talk of going."
  13. [S1030] Wm D. Moffett household, 1860 U.S. census, Carroll Co., Illinois, pop. sched., Freedom, p. 870 (added script), dwelling 317, family 306, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 12 of 22. Enumeration includes: Wm D. Moffett, 27, farmer, owns real estate: $19,000, pers. prop: $2,000, b. IN; John, 25, laborer, b. IN; Robert, 24, preacher, b. IN; Margaret D., 20, b. IL; Sally, 22, b. OH; Howard, 1/12, b. ?; Mary J.B., 44, b. VA; Frank Smith, 40, farm laborer, b. ?; Lucy Moffett, 22, b. OH.
  14. [S1031] John Moffett household, 1870 U.S. census, Carroll Co., Illinois, pop. sched., Freedom township, p. 131b (stamped, dwelling 75, family 75, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 12 of 21. Enumeration records: John Moffett, 35, farmer, b. IN; Sarah, 31, b. OH; Lucellue, 10, (f); Frank 5; Edwin 2, baby 2, all b. VA; Mary J., 56, b. VA; Sarah Davis, 80, b. VA; + 2 laborers and 1 servant.
  15. [S1926] Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Davies and Carroll Co., Illinois. For a full transcription of this and other Carroll Co. biographies from this book see: http://genealogytrails.com/ill/carroll/carrollbios.html; p. 922.
  16. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", loose paper #3 (cause of death).
  17. [S1259] Mary J. B. Moffett tombstone, Wolfe Cemetery, Freedom Township, Carroll County, Illinois. This double sided monument (husband Garner's info is on reverse side) was located in Wolfe Cemetery in Sept. 2000. It had fallen off it's base and was lying on it's side beneath years of overgrowth. The monument has since been uprighted and reaffixed to it's base.
  18. [S1376] Photo courtesy Caralee Aschenbrenner.
  19. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 20.