Five generations of this Moseley family of Bradley county are pictured above.
They are, seated, L to R, FRONT: Jesse Robertson Moseley of Parnell Springs, 86; his eldest son, James
Elijah Moseley of Warren, 66; BACK: his eldest grandchild, Mrs. W. W. Finch of Little Rock, 46, the former
Miss Mattie Ona Moseley of Warren; her daughter, Mrs. Oliver Brockman of Little Rock, 26; who was Miss Ruth
Stewart Finch; and Mrs. Brockman's eight month old daughter, Jane Finch Brockman. The, picture was taken
July 30 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Finch, 2319 West 12th Street. There is the difference of twenty years
between the ages of the first four generations.
Lovingly referred to as "Uncle Jesse" by all who know him, Jesse Robertson Moseley Is the oldest man
in the county bearing the name of Moseley. He was born February 3, 1858, the seventh of eleven children of
Elijah Baker Moseley and Harriett Robertson Moseley, who migrated from Alabama In 1848, settling nine miles
northwest of Warren on land now owned by a grandchild, E. T. Moseley. Here was the beginning of one of the
largest and best known families of south Arkansas.
"Uncle Jesse" has lived his entire life In the same community, now only a mile from his birthplace.
Of the ten other children, he has one living sister, Mrs. Jane Bryant of Warren, who Is in her eighty-first
year.
In the year 1871 and at the age of 19, the young boy Jesse married Sarah Jane Galloway, and they lived
together for over half a century. Eight children, six of whom are living, were born to this union.
Mrs. Moseley died a few years ago at the age'of 78. Besides his six children, "Uncle Jesse" has 25
grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.
In his large country home was the first cooking stove in the community, and he bought one of the first
buggies sold here. "Uncle Jesse" at one time owned Parnell Springs, which later became something of a
resort. He farmed progressively for 80 years, retiring six years ago. Since 1899 he has been a member of
the Primitive Baptist church, established about 90 years ago. He remains a loyal church-goer and spends
several hours each day reading the Bible.
Uncle Jesse's eldest son, James Elijah Moseley, merchant, born December 11, 1872, Is the father of
seven living children. As his father before him, he married at the age of 19, to Miss Cora Parkman, who died
in 1899. Eight years later, Mr. Moseley married Miss Blanch Cherry of Monticello, whose death occured
October 17, 1929.
His eldest child, Mrs. Finch, married In 1910 at the age of 17, and two years later her only daughter,
Ruth Stewart, was born. Mr. and Mrs. Finch later moved to Little Rock, where Mr. Finch is now secretary of
People's Building & Loan Association. There Miss Ruth Finch married Oliver Brockman. Little Jane Finch
Brockman, first in the fifth generation, will observe her first birthday November 28, this year.
These five generations of Moseleys are descendants of the first Elijah Moseley, who came from England
with his two brothers, Billy and Bob, 175 years ago.
|
This photograph and information appears courtesy of Mary Brent Wade Norman.
