My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Wright County, Missouri 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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Moses White is one of the prosperous farmers and stockmen of Wright County, Mo., and deserves much credit for the success which has attended his efforts, as he started in life a poor boy. He was born in Roane County, Tenn., in 1829, and was the first of the family to leave home and fight the battle of life for himself. In 1848 he came to Wright County, Mo., having walked the most of the way, and on his arrival here had just $1. He worked by the month as a farm hand for three years, then returned to Tennessee, and brought his mother, brothers and sisters back to Missouri with him. He then entered a good piece of land, but sold his claim soon after, and bought 160 acres at the head-waters of the Gasconade River. This land he also sold, and bought his present property, which proved a good investment, and on which he located in the fall of 1858. On the 8th of March, 1855, he wedded Miss Amanda Freeman, who was born in Roane County, Tenn., in 1846, and five of their ten children are living at the present time: Robert Jason, Samuel, Louella (wife of Ralph Simmons), Minnie and Eva. Those deceased are Joseph, Alonzo, Emma, Sadie (wife of M. G. Henslee) and Martha (wife of C. C. Hensley). When the Civil War broke out Mr. White joined the Home Guards, then the Enrolled Militia, serving six months in each. He was taken prisoner by Marmaduke’s men, but was afterward exchanged. Since the war he has been successfully engaged in farming. His farm consists of 230 acres, and is well adapted to raising the cereals or stock. He is a Republican, a member of the A. F. & A. M., and he and family worship in the Baptist Church. His father, Daniel White, was a native of North Carolina, and went to Tennessee with his parents when a boy, where he was reared, educated and married, the latter event being to Miss Jane Mattox. He was a farmer by occupation, and died in Tennessee. His wife died in Missouri in 1863. Five of their eight children are now alive. The paternal grandfather was probably born in North Carolina, and was married in Tennessee to a Miss Hawkins. She came with her children to Missouri, and died in Wright County at the age of seventy-two years.

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This family biography is one of 90 biographies included in The History of Wright County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Wright County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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