My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography from the book,  The History of Franklin County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Henry Moomaw, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Ross County, Ohio, April 21, 1825, and is of German descent, his grandfather Moomaw having immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in an early day. His father, Henry, was born and reared in Virginia, and when a young man went to Ohio, where he married Annie Gray. She was born in Pennsylvania, and her father, John Gray, was a native of Scotland. After his marriage Mr. Moomaw farmed in Ross County, Ohio, until his death, October 25, 1869. Our subject lived with his father until nineteen years of age, and then learned the blacksmith’s trade at Greenfield, Highland Co., Ohio. After serving three years’ apprenticeship he remained there several years, and then worked about eight years in London, Madison Co., Ohio, after which he farmed upon the home place in Ross County four years subsequent to his father’s death. In 1877 he immigrated to Arkansas, buying his present place. He owns 200 acres of land, about seventy of which are under cultivation and well improved, with good buildings and a nice fruit orchard of two acres. On 120 acres of his land is a coal vein of from twenty-two to twenty-seven inches in thickness, and the coal is pronounced by judges to be of fine quality. Some iron ore has also been discovered upon the place. In 1884 Mr. Moomaw was elected justice of the peace, and as such served one term. While in Ross County, Ohio, he was married, July 18, 1850, to Susan A. Clavenger, daughter of Enos Clavenger, of Virginia, who served in the War of 1812. Mrs. Moomaw’s mother was a Miss Martin, and she was reared in Kentucky. Mrs. Moomaw was reared in Clinton County, Ohio, and is now the mother of six children: Ellen (wife of Edward Huey), Cynthia E. (wife of William Mann), Augustus A. (of Logan County), Mary E. (a widow), Ann (wife of Henry Huddleston) and Henry E. (who is married and resides on the home place). Mr. and Mrs. Moomaw belong to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and the former is a Royal Arch Mason.

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This family biography is one of 163 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Franklin County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Franklin County, Arkansas family biographies here: Franklin County, Arkansas

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