William Davis Moffett1

b. 27 June 1832, d. 2 May 1905
FatherGarner Moffett2 b. 18 Jan 1807, d. 5 Oct 1856
MotherMary Jane Beaty Davis2 b. 13 Sep 1814, d. 28 Jun 1894
Birth27 Jun 1832 William Davis Moffett was born on 27 Jun 1832, 2 or 3 miles east of Greenfield in Hancock County, Indiana.3 
Migration  His parents moved to LaPorte County, Indiana a few years after William's birth but did not stay there long. They settled in Carroll County, Illinois in the spring of 1836. 
Education1852 William graduated from Bethany College in West Virginia (then Virginia) in 1852. He taught school briefly and assisted his father in running the family farm.4 
Fath-Death1856  William's father died in 1856. 
Cens-186014 Jun 1860  Four years later William was enumerated as the head of a household that included his mother, his brothers John and Robert and their wives. The census reported that the family farm was valued at $19,000 and that William owned personal property worth $2,000.5 
Marriage5 Mar 1861 He married Susan Rosalia Reichard, daughter of Daniel Reichard and Maria Brewer, on 5 Mar 1861 in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland.6,7 
Cens-Sum  Following their marriage William and Susan established their own household in Carroll County, first in Freedom Township and later in Salem Township.8,9 
  There they raised 2 sons and a daughter (only one of whom married) as well as an adopted son Herbert. 
  A county history states that in 1884 William came into possession of 105 acres of land in section 23 in Freedom township. An 1893 plat map for the area shows William and his brother John as the owners of adjacent parcels that straddled both sections 23 and 26. Both parcels had been part of Garner's original holdings.10,11 
Cens-19008 Jun 1900  Susan died in early 1898 and at the turn of the century William was enumerated with his son Lester (38), daughter Nellie (36) and son Herbert (12) in the town of Lanark.12 
Death2 May 1905 William died of Bright's Disease on 2 May 1905 in Lanark at age 72.13 
Burial He was buried at Lanark Cemetery in Carroll County.14 

Related Links and Images:

Find Lanark Cemetery on the Carroll County map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).
Read bio of William Moffett from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Carroll County Illinois (1889)" at Genealogy Trails
See Mary Jane's Journal for images and text from the journal of William's mother, Mary Jane (Davis) Moffett

Family

Susan Rosalia Reichard b. 19 Mar 1836, d. 5 Jan 1898
Children
ChartsDescendants of William Moffett and Mary Gardner
Descendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Last Edited2 May 2011

Citations

  1. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 23.
  2. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 20.
  3. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 20, 41.
  4. [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.
  5. [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.
  6. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 21.
  7. [S301] Clan Moffat in America Project, "William Davis Moffett-Susan Rosalia Reichard family group sheet". This family group sheet was submitted by Lester Challen Moffett, son of William D. Moffett and Susan Reichard.
  8. [S1031] William Moffatt household, 1870 U.S. census, Carroll Co., Illinois, pop. sched., Freedom township, p. 131b (stamped, dwelling 76, family 76, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 12 of 21. Enumeration records: William Moffatt, 27, farmer, b. IN, owns real estate of $15,000; Susan, 34, keeping house, b. VA; Lester, 8; Nellie R., 6; Thorne, 2, all b. IL.
  9. [S1032] William D. Moffett household, 1880 U.S. cens., Carroll Co., Illinois, pop sched., Salem township, ED 18, page 564C (stamped), dwelling 89, family 89, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 11 of 18. Enumeration reports: Wm D., 48, farmer, b. IN; Susan R., 45, keeping house, b. VA; Lester C., 18, son; Nellie, 15, dau; Thorn J., 12, son; all children b. IL.
  10. [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, 964-5.
  11. [S2065] Carroll Co. Illinois Plat map, 1893 Carroll County Genealogy Society.
  12. [S1052] Wm D. Moffatt household, 1900 U.S. cens., Carroll Co., Illinois, pop. sched., Lanark, ED 19, sheet 5A (180 stamped), dwelling 104, family 107, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 9 of 29. Enumeration reports: Wm D. Moffatt, 37 [sic] b. June 1832, marr 38 yrs, b. IN; Lester, son, 38, b. Jan. 1862; Nellie R., dau, 36, b. March 1864; Herbert B., adopted son, 12, b. Nov. 1887, IL.
  13. [S1027] Lanark Cemetery, Sexton's records. William D. Moffett, d. 2 May 1905 of Bright's Disease, b. Abington, VA.. Res Lanark, age 72 yrs, 10 mos, 5 days.
  14. [S1026] Carroll County Genealogical Society, Carroll County, Illinois Tombstone Inscriptions Vol. 3, p. 22. William is reported to be buried in Sect. 3, Row 4, Lot 49 with his wife and 2 children, however there is no stone present.