JOHN DAVID MOSS AND MARTHA DOVE SWAN
of Prairie Co AR
John David MOSS was born in Limestone County Alabama 10
Dec 1841. His parents were John, born in South Carolina 26
Mar 1811, died 10 Nov 1884, and Nancy H. ROBERTSON, born 1816 in
Tennessee, died 6 Oct 1895. Both buried at McCUAN-MOSS
cemetery near Cairo, AL. On 17 Sept 1862, John David enlisted
into the 7th Regiment Alabama Cavalry, subsequently known as
the 9th cavalry. After the war, John David didn't return to
Alabama. He married Martha Dove SWAN (10 Feb 1845-22 Dec
1912), daughter of Wilson H. SWAN and Mary McDONALD, in
Jackson County Arkansas on 28 Jul 1867. Martha's father was a
millwright, and lived in several places in Arkansas and
Mississippi. It's believed he was living in Jackson County,
setting up a mill, when John David and Martha Dove met. It
was in Jackson County, on 11 May 1870, that their first
child, Luther William MOSS was born. On 11 Jan 1903, in
Prairie County Arkansas, Luther married Effie Lee FOREMAN (3
Nov 1887-24 Jan 1970), daughter of Bettie Jane CHAFFIN and
George W. FOREMAN. By 1876, John David and Martha Dove were
living in Benton County Mississippi, where six more children
were born. John Arthur (24 Mar 1876-26 Oct 1912), married
Mary DENWOOD, an orphan and recent immigrant from England, on
2 Aug 1899 in Prairie Co Arkansas. Miranda (5 Feb 1880-14 Jan
1962), married twice. Her first husband, Henry GERIES, the
second, Sam TAYLOR. Lola and Mamie, twins, born in 1881, died
in infancy in Benton County Mississippi. Hortie (8 Oct 1883-5
Mar 1937), on 17 Jan 1906 married Charles Clarence DAY, the
son of Edwin DAY and Ellen SKINNER. Hester Ophelia (31 Aug
1886-8 Jun 1980) married Leonard LAWMAN, son of George
Ellsworth LAWMAN and Susan Jane SHUMARD, on 11 Nov 1906 in
Devalls Bluff. Sometime between 1890 and 1900, several
members of John's family became sick, and the doctor advised
them to leave Mississippi and move to a climate more
beneficial to their health. John and family loaded some
belongings into a wagon, hitched up two oxen to it, and set
out for Arkansas. By the time they got to Memphis, Martha and
one of the children were too ill to go on. Martha's sister,
Narcissa (Mrs. Wilie D.) BROWN lived in Memphis. John
reluctantly left his wife and daughter with "Aunt Sis" to
regain their health. Traveling west, John came upon a man in
Prairie County, Arkansas who told him where he could get some
land. After a time, John was able to bring his wife and child
to Devalls Bluff, Arkansas. Thus Prairie county became the
final home to John David MOSS, and his family. He and his
sons worked in timber, made railroad ties, and farmed. Their
home also served as a boarding house at the turn of the
century. John David and Martha Dove MOSS are buried at
Oakland Cemetery, Devalls Bluff, Arkansas.
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