Mariah Moffett1

b. 28 January 1805, d. 28 March 1876
FatherThomas Moffett1 b. 22 Oct 1773, d. 26 Aug 1836
MotherMary Brown1 b. 16 Feb 1771, d. 17 Feb 1828
Birth28 Jan 1805 Mariah Moffett was born on 28 Jan 1805 in Virginia.2 
Migration1810 As a young girl, Mariah moved with her family and older siblings to Wayne (now Union) County, Indiana.3 
Marriage27 Nov 1823 She married Lewis Burk on 27 Nov 1823.4 
Children Lewis and Maria spent their married lives in Richmond (Wayne County) where they had five children together. Only one child, a daughter named Mary Jane, lived into adulthood.5 
  They also raised a foster daughter, Eliza.6 
  Mariah's brother William died in the late 1840s leaving 3 young sons. At one time or another all 3 boys lived with Lewis and Mariah.7,8 
  Mariah's husband was a self made man. He ran many businesses during his lifetime and rose to a position of influence in the community, serving in both the Indiana State House and Senate. As a young man he worked as a blacksmith and ran a livery business. The 1850 census listed his occupation as "Horse dealer" (Mariah was listed as "merchant"). Later he owned a bank. In 1865 he served as a pallbearer when President Lincoln's body was brought to the state capitol in Indianapolis.7,9 
Obituary  Mariah's obituary described her as a consistant Christian lady. She was no doubt a huge factor in her husband's donation of $7,000 towards the cost of building a church for the English Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in 1853. This was a very large gift for the time.10,11 
Death28 Mar 1876 Mariah died on 28 Mar 1876 at age 71. She suffered from a painful cancer and been an invalid for 6 years.10 
Burial She was buried at Earlham Cemetery in Richmond.12 

Family

Lewis Burk b. 23 Mar 1799, d. 23 Aug 1877
Children
ChartsDescendants of William Moffett and Mary Gardner
Last Edited24 Jun 2011

Citations

  1. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. The names and birth information for Thomas and Mary's children was recorded in the handwriting of their son, Wesley.
  2. [S26] Wesley Moffett Family Bible. Mariah's birth date is listed in the handwriting of her brother Wesley. Her location of birth is not stated, but is presumed to have been Viriginia based on her parent's place of residence at the time.
  3. [S434] Ruth Dorrel, Pioneer Ancestors of Members of the Society of Indiana Pioneers, p. 154.
  4. [S451] Moffett Richards, "Descendants of Thomas Moffett", 1944, Society of Indiana Pioneers, application of Louise Mae Vanneman.
  5. [S443] Andrew W. Young, History of Wayne County, Indiana, p. 413.
  6. [S451] Moffett Richards, "Descendants of Thomas Moffett", 1944, Society of Indiana Pioneers, application of Louise Mae Vanneman. Lewis and Mariah (Moffett) Burk were Moffett Richards grandparents.
  7. [S2037] Lewis Burk household, 1850 U.S. census, Wayne Co., IN, pop. sched., Wayne twp, p. 154 stamped, dwelling 334, family 336, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jun 2007, image 26 of 119. Household includes: Lewis Burk, 50, owns real estate val at $30,000, horse dealer, b. KY; Maria, 45, b. VA, merchant; Mary J., 9, teamster; George, 8, livery keeper; William, 5, pedlar; all b. VA [boys last name should have been Moffett].
  8. [S2038] Lewis Burk household, 1860 U.S. census, Wayne Co., IN, pop. sched., Richmond, p. 600 (added script), dwelling 513, family 524, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jun 2008, image 71 of 169. Household includes: Lewis Burk, 61, banker, owns real estate at $6,000 and pers. prop of $10,000, b. KY; Maria Burk, 56, b. VA; Mary J. Burk, 18, b. IN; William Moffett, 13; Maria Burk, 22, b. IN.
  9. [S2039] "Local Banker On Purdue's First Board of Directors", Palladium-Item (Richmond, Indiana), 21 Dec. 1971, page 10. Lewis Burk's biography was published by Purdue in 1940 and reprinted in the 1971 newspaper article.
  10. [S2040] Obituary of Maria Burk, Richmond Free Press (Indiana), 30 Mar 1876, page 5, col. 2-3.
  11. [S443] Andrew W. Young, History of Wayne County, Indiana, p. 408.
  12. [S2041] Beverley Yount, Tombstone Inscriptions of Wayne Co., Indiana, Vol. 1, p. 30.