John Harvey Moffett1

b. 7 October 1842, d. 14 March 1920
John Harvey Moffett (cropped)
photo courtesy Mary Roundy
FatherWesley Moffett2,1 b. 15 Dec 1806, d. 28 Jan 1862
MotherCatharine Summers2,1 b. 13 Apr 1810, d. 14 Sep 1862
Birth7 Oct 1842 John Harvey Moffett was born on 7 Oct 1842 in Rushville, Rush County, Indiana.1,3,2 
Childhood John was the youngest child born to Wesley and Catherine Moffett. He spent the early years of his childhood in Rush County, Indiana and Hancock County, Indiana. 
Migration1857  In 1857 his family moved to Kansas, settling first in either Coffey or Woodson County. 
Milit-Beg20 Nov 1861 On November 20th, 1861 John joined Company F of the Ninth Kansas Cavalry as a private.4,5 
Description1861 He was described as 5' 9" tall, with blue eyes and brown hair.6 
IllnessSummer 1862 In the summer of 1862 John returned home from the army for several months, suffering from small pox and brain fever. His sister Isabelle nursed him.7,8 
Milit-End16 Jan 1865 Later he returned to duty and on 16 Jan 1865 was honorably discharged at Duvalls Bluffs, Arkansas.3,5 
ResidenceSpring 1865 Following the war, John settled in Burlington, Coffey County, Kansas, where he lived with Isabella and her family.3,9 
Marriage3 Mar 1870 He married first Mary Jane Snoddy on 3 Mar 1870 in Leroy, Coffey County, Kansas.10,11,12 
Cens-187010 Jul 1870  The 1870 census was enumerated a few months after John's marriage to Mary Snoddy. Also living with the couple was Elizabeth Snoddy (age 48), John Snoddy (age 20) and two younger Snoddy children.13 
Widowed5 Feb 1878  Mary died on February 5, 1878, approximately three weeks after the birth of their third child, who only lived a few months himself. 
Residence  After her death, John lived in Burlington with his sister, Isabella and worked "here and there."3 
 In the years that followed John appears to have been at odds with himself. His children went to live with another couple, who eventually moved them to Colorado. John does not appear to have been regularly employed and moved from place to place. He also embarked on a long running battle with the government to obtain an increase in the pension he received for his service during the Civil War. John's pension file is filled with depositions from numerous doctors and neighbors, chronicling his various places of residence. He made several trips to Colorado to visit his children, and also lived in Kansas and Nebraska.14 
Marriage10 Nov 1898 He married second Mrs. Rhoda Milner on 10 Nov 1898 in Burlington, Coffey County, Kansas.15 
 Rhoda Milner was a recent widow, her second husband having died the previous month. The marriage did not last long as John discovered that Rhoda's first husband was still alive and that they had never divorced. After Rhoda and John separated she attempted to obtain a pension based on John's Civil War service but her claim was denied as she could not prove that the marriage was legal.14 
Residence24 Feb 1902 By 1902 John was back in Colorado, living at 120 W. Costilla Street, Colorado Springs.16 
Residence1903 The following year found him back in Kansas, this time living with his sister Isabelle Holland and her son Ed about 8 miles from Winfield on RFD No 2.17 
Residencefrom 1906-1912 He returned to Burlington about 1906 and lived there until October 1912 when he moved to Kansas City.6 
Milit-Pens12 Aug 1903 John's correspondence with the government over his pension continued. He stated that he was suffering from disease of the chest as a result of smallpox, rheumatism, cattarrh, disease of the eyes, kidney disease or lumbago, heart disease and indigestion and loss of teeth and loss of gums.18 
Milit-PensOct 1912 Eventually, in Oct 1912 his pension was raised to $25.00 a month. In Oct. 1917 it was raised to $30.00 a month.14 
 At the time of his death in 1920 John was living at the home of his nephew, Ed Holland, 8 miles north of Burlington, Kansas.19 
Death14 Mar 1920 John died of heart trouble and old age 14 Mar 1920 at Coffey, Kansas. He was 77.19 
Burial16 Mar 1920 He was buried on 16 Mar 1920 at Graceland Cemetery in Coffey County. The funeral was held at the Paynedale schoolhouse.2 

Related Links and Images:

Referenced in father's Bible

Family

Mary Jane Snoddy b. Apr 1845, d. 5 Feb 1878
Children
ChartsDescendants of William Moffett and Mary Gardner
Last Edited2 May 2011

Citations

  1. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible.
  2. [S426] "John H. Moffett Buried At Glendale", The Burlington Republican, March 20, 1920, page 3.
  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. [S379] Military service and pension summary; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  5. [S379] Claimants Affidavit, dated 1913 at Kansas City, Kansas; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  6. [S379] Declaration for pension dated 15 Feb. 1913 at Kansas City, Kansas; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  7. [S379] Deposition of Isabelle Holland, dated 2 Feb. 1903 at Winfield, Cowley Co., Kansas; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  8. [S379] Letter from War Department, Adjutant General's Office to the Commissioner of Pensions, dated 6 Nov. 1884 at Washington; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA. This report records John's absence during May and June 1862 when he was sick in the hospital at Leavenworth City, and also his absence from July through Octover 1862 when he was sick at home.
  9. [S1996] Augustin Holland household, 1865 Kansas State census, Coffey County, population schedule, Burlington township, dwelling 33, family 36, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2008, image 5 of 13. Household includes: Augustin Holland, 43, farmer, b. VA, owns land valued at $7,000 and pers. prop of $1,615; Isabell, 24, wife, owns land valued at $200, b. IN; Bert [?] Holland, 9, b. KS; Wallace Holland, 6, b. KS; Gabe Holland, 1, b. KS; J.C. Stanley, 22, farmer, b. IA, served with Co. F, 9th KS Regiment; F.S. Stanley, 18, wife, b. OH; J.H. Moffett, 22, b. IN, served with Co. F, 9th KS Regiment; Alice Noell, 5, b. KS, Caleb Noell, 3, b. KS.
  10. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. The date of marriage for John H. Moffett and Mary J. Snoddy was recorded in John's handwriting.
  11. [S379] Questionaire, responses dated 19 Feb. 1898 at Monument, Colorado; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  12. [S430] Coffey Co., Kansas, Marriage Register A: 77. The date of the marriage was not recorded, but the license was issued on March 1, 1870 and returned on March 7th. John was living in Avon township and listed his age as 27; Mary was living in Burlington and listed her age as 24.
  13. [S428] John Moffet household, 1870 U.S. census, Coffey Co., KS, pop. sched., Avon Township, p. 244b (stamped), dwelling 24, family 26, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 6, 2002, image 4 of 161.
  14. [S379] John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  15. [S406] Coffey Co., Kansas, Marriage Register E: 295. record states that John H. Moffett, age 56, of Burlington and Roda Milner, age 48, of Burlington were married by a probate judge on Nov. 10, 1898 in Burlington.
  16. [S379] Examiner's summary report dated 24 Feb. 1902 at Monument, Colorado; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  17. [S379] Special Examiners Report to the Commissioner of Pensions, dated 10 Jan 1903 at Topeka, Kansas; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  18. [S379] Declaration for original invalid pension dated 12 Aug. 1903 at Winfield, Cowley Co., Kansas; John Harvey Moffett Civil War pension application file; RG 15; NARA.
  19. [S426] "John H. Moffett Dies Sunday Morning", The Burlington Republican, Monday, March 15, 1920. article states he died of old age and heart trouble at his nephew's home where he had lived for some time.
  20. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. John Harvey Moffett recorded the names of his children (in his script).