Mary Moffett1

b. 7 December 1796, d. August 1845
FatherCapt. John Moffett1,2 b. 3 Jan 1771, d. 25 Dec 1845
MotherIsabel Davis2 b. 24 Aug 1775, d. 25 Sep 1835
Birth7 Dec 1796 Mary Moffett was born on 7 Dec 1796 in Virginia.3,4,2 
  Mary was the eldest of 8 children born to John and Isabel (Davis) Moffett of Washington County, Virginia. 
Marriage9 Sep 1819 She married Andrew Gilson, son of William Gilson and Mary McBroom, on 9 Sep 1819.3,5 
  Andrew had been previously married to Anne Jett who died July 5th, 1819. They appear to have had a daughter named Ann Elizabeth.6  
Migration1820 Mary and Andrew left Virginia and settled in Rushville Township, Rush County, Indiana, sometime after the 1820 census was recorded in August of that year. Some records list their year of migration as 1822.7,4,8,9 
Widowed17 Oct 1832  Mary was widowed in the fall of 1832 when Andrew died of cholera. She was 35 and the mother of 6 children, including an infant daughter. 
Court Record  The following spring William Moffett [Mary's brother], who had been appointed administrator of Andrew's estate, asked the court for permission to sell Andrew's land, stating that the estate would not otherwise be able to pay it's debts.10 
ChildDeath1835  Mary's oldest daughter, Mariah, died in 1835 at about 12 years of age. A younger daughter, Mary also died young. 
Land-GiftMay 1836  It appears that Mary may have struggled after Andrew's death. In May 1836 her father, John Moffett, who still resided in Virginia but owned land in Rush County, executed a deed that gifted Mary 80 acres of land (east half of the SW quarter of Section 17, Township 14N, Range 10E) "for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which the said John Moffett hath and beareth unto his said daughter...and also for the better support and livelihood of her, the said daughter."11  
Court Record1837  At the August 1837 term of the Rush County court Mary peitioned for the right to sell 1 undivided tenth part of two parcels of land on behalf of the infant heirs of Andrew Gilson, deceased, of whom she had been appointed guardian in May 1836. The infant heirs were named as: Ann, John, Isabella, Washington and Hannah Gilson.12 
Land-Sell1837  The children's interest was sold to Wesley Moffett for $47. The land had originally belonged to William Gilson Sr. [Andrew's father?]13 
Marriage29 Jun 1842 She married second John Smelser on 29 Jun 1842 in Rush County, Indiana.14 
DeathAug 1845 Mary died the 11th or 12th of Aug 1845 in Rush County, Indiana, at age 48.15,16 
1845  Following Mary's death Thomas Moffett [her brother] was appointed guardian of Mary's children Washington and Hannah.17 

Related Links and Images:

Mary's sister-in-law, Mary Jane (Davis) Moffett left a journal in which she recorded her knowledge of the Moffett family. See Mary Jane's Journal for images and text. In particular see the section titled "The Moffett family"

Family

Andrew Gilson b. 22 Jan 1792, d. 17 Oct 1832
Children
ChartsDescendants of William Moffett and Mary Gardner
Last Edited30 Mar 2012

Citations

  1. [S1936] John Moffett will (recorded 1846), Rush Co., Indiana Will Book 2: 79. The will was dated 8 Apr 1843 and recorded 8 Jan. 1846. It was witnessed by John McMillin and Azel Griffeth.
  2. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 13. Mary J.B. Moffett was the daughter-in-law of John Moffett and Isabella (Davs) Moffett.
  3. [S1943] Watt, "Andrew Gilson-Mary Moffett" family group sheet. Anne cites descendants of Andrew Gilson who state their information came from a family bible.
  4. [S1928] Atlas of Rush County, Indiana, p. 14.
  5. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 16.
  6. [S7] Ann Gilson was named in the will of Stephen Jett in 1832 in Washington Co. Virginia. It is clear from the wording of the will that Ann's mother was deceased. Andrew Gilson is known to have married Stephen Jett's daughter (also named Ann). Ann Gilson is named as Andrew's heir in probate papers filed after Andrew Gilson's death. Oddly, however, she is not named as Andrew's daughter in family records compiled by the Gilson family themselves. They state that Andrew Gilson marr Anne Jett on 13 March 1817 and that the one child of this marriage was born and died on March 13, 1819. Since Ann Gilson lived well into adulthood I cannot explain this discrepancy.
  7. [S475] History of Rush County, Indiana, p. 338.
  8. [S505] Citizens Historical Association, Biographical Sketches of Rush Co., IN. Article dated April 18, 1942 provides biographical information on Dayton Herschel Gilson; states Andrew and Mary came to Rush Co. in 1822.
  9. [S621] And- Gilson household, 1820 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, p. 944 (added script), p. 211 (stamped in lower right corner), viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2005, image 19 of 48. Andrew Gilson, hd of household; 1 M (under 10); 1M (10-15); 1M (26-44); 1 F (under 10); 1F (16-25).
  10. [S1929] Petition to sell real estate, Rush Co., Indiana probate file, Andrew Gilson deceased. May term, 1833, William Moffett, administrator.
  11. [S1940] Rush Co., Indiana Deed Book G: 220. The deed was dated 6 May 1836 and recorded 11 May 1836.
  12. [S1930] Petition to sell land (Aug. 1837), Rush Co. Indiana Probate Complete Order Book Vol. 2: 211.
  13. [S1931] Rush Co., Indiana Deed Book H: 526.
  14. [S491] Barbara S. Wolfe, Rush Co., Indiana, Marriage Records 1822-1849, lists marriage date as June 29, 1842.
  15. [S1932] Guardianship petition for minor heirs (Aug. 1845), Rush Co. Indiana Probate Complete Order Book Vol. 5: 48. States Mary died 11 Aug. 1845.
  16. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 14. States Mary died 12 Aug. 1845.
  17. [S1932] Guardianship petition for minor heirs (Aug. 1845), Rush Co. Indiana Probate Complete Order Book Vol. 5: 48.
  18. [S301] Clan Moffat in America Project, "Mary Moffett-Andrew Gilson family group sheet". This FGS is partially typed and partially completed in an unidentified script.