PRELIMINARY STUDY OF OUR MOODY LINE
by Donna Moody

The beginning generations:

  1. Thomas Moody of Ireland and Guilford County, North Carolina
  2. Thomas L. Moody of Guilford County, North Carolina
  3. Isaac Newton Moody of Guilford County, NC, and Henry County, Tennessee, and Elijah W. Moody, brother of Isaac Newton Moody, also of Guilford County, NC, and Henry Co., TN

Our Moody line is Scotch-Irish descent from Derry, Northern Ireland. The area was a sparsely settled wilderness when Thomas Moody was first in Rowan County, NC, by 1756. This part of Rowan was cut off and Guilford County created from it and part of Orange County. He was most likely Presbyterian in religion. Although likely too old to serve in the militia in the War of Revolution, he would have been a Whig patriot like the McCuistons with whom he was so closely connected. Thomas Moody died before February 1784. Married at least twice, he left a widow Mary. Daughter Ann Moody McCuiston was also alive at that time. Alexander Moody, who lived with Ann and could have been a son of Thomas, preceded Thomas Moody in death.

Thomas Moody had a son, Thomas L. Moody, born about 1778 or 1780, based on census records. Sometime after his father's death, he was apprenticed to a blacksmith to learn that trade. He went to nearby Stokes County for a time, but most of his life was spent in Guilford County. He married Thankful McCuiston in 1803 and raised a family.

Although Leona McCuiston used the assumption in her book on the McCuiston families that Thankful McCuiston was a daughter of Moses and Elizabeth McCuiston, there is no proof that this is so. This assumption was accepted by Roy Moody's researcher, Ms. Wade, but there is ample evidence that she was not their daughter. Athough the daughters of Moses were not named in his will, they werre included in the division of his personal estate, and the known records of the sale of some of the personal estate of Moses do not include Thomas Moody or Thankful. While husbands legally signed for their wives in bills of sale of personal property, Elizabeth Mcuiston, the widow of Moses, was still alive and signed for herself. Other signers for daughters or themselves were: Joseph Davis (for an unidentified daughter of Moses), Levin Caulk (for wife Hannah), Thomas Rankin (for wife Martha), and Elizabeth Bruce (for herself as she was divorced). But there is no record of Thomas Moody or Thankful signing, and both Thomas L. and Thankful Moody were certainly living in Guilford County at this time.

Yet, it is known that Thankful Moody was a McCuiston. This leaves the possibility that she was a daughter of John and Dorcas McCuiston; however, there are no records to prove such. Leona McCuiston had very little on John and Dorcas after their marriage other than some hearsay on two possible children.

I don't know if Thomas served in the War of 1812, but closely associated McCuistons did, and they served at Norfolk, Virginia. After that time, Thomas becamed involved in land purchases and sales and was the one depended on by Thankful's people to help settle their estate matters. At least one son, Isaac Newton Moody, was in Henry County, Tennessee, by 1830. Thomas L. Moody was not on the 1830 census for Guilford County, NC, and he might have been on the move somewhere. Thankful McCuiston Moody died in 1830. Thomas was in Guilford County in 1841 when he witnessed Isabel McCuiston's will, but he died before 1844 when the will was probated.

The portion of the Moody-McCuiston story that follows covers the Ireland to Pennsylvania to North Carolina period.

This is the only Moody family in Guilford County, NC, in the earliest days.

MOODY AND McCUISTON
Northern Ireland to America
ca 6 August 1735

The Moodys and McCuistons migrated to America about 6 August 1735, as a note found in the back of an old McCuiston book states "landed in America 6 Aug. 1735 at New Castle written September ye 14 1735 Robert mcCuiston." This was at Newcastle, Pennsylvania, which became Newcastle, Delaware when Delaware was formed. Until more is known, we would assume that Thomas Moody and his family came on or about the same time.

Roy Moody said that "a veritable host of McCuistion Families are interrelated with the Moodys going back several generations in Ireland."

Roy also said that, when England and Scotland conquered Ireland, they encouraged a great number of Scots and English to re-settle in Ireland, taking lands formerly Irish and even forcing many Irish to change surnames. It was probably during this era that our ancestors moved to Ireland.

It must be assumed that our Moody and McCuiston families in America settled in about the same location in Pennsylvania. The old Nottingham Presbyterian Church at Rising Sun, Maryland, was in Lancaster County, PA, when our ancestors left there and until the line between Maryland Pennsylvania changed in 1767. The McCuiston and possibly Moody families were in the Lancaster, PA, and/or Baltimore, MD, areas for up to about 20 years. They then started moving to the land grants in North Carolina.

The McCuistons and other families received original land grants from the Earl Granville, who owned many thousands of acres in North Carolinna.

THOMAS MOODY
Ireland and America

Thomas Moody, who was born at an unknown date, came from Newton..., County Aghadovey, Derry, in northern Ireland. Roy Moody believed that by the preponderance of the name Newton handed down for generations in our Moody family one may deduce they were named for the town of their ancestors. The last syllable of Newton... is undecipeherable.

Thomas Moody was married to his first wife, Jean, in Newton... of Aghadovey, County of Derry in Ireland. It is believed that Jean was the daughter of Benjamin McCuiston of the county of Derry. Thomas and Jean Moody had several children; the daughters were Ann (born 17 May 1732), Jean, Sarah, Elinor, and Mary Moody. Information from Thrift's Wills, Volume V, for Derry, gives Benjamin McCusten, Yoeman, Knockan, will proved 1766.

An Alexander McCuiston in Ireland died and left no lawful issue. "He left his estate to the children of Thomas Moody, at present in North Carolina, and the children of Hugh Fleming in Ireland. John Hutchison at the three Mariners at Wapping old stairs and Thomas Allen, linen draper in Lombard Street supposed to be left to be Executors to said McCuistion." The date of this old paper is not known but it was found among Mr. Lyon's (colonial governor) papers after his death and was supposed to have been taken by said Lyon from some of the British soldiers. How did the soldiers get hold of it?

There is no indication that Jean McCuiston Moody died in Ireland. It is as likely that she too came to America, but she might not have lived to come to North Carolina.

For the Lord Granville grants to our McCuiston kin, please refer to our McCuiston portion of this story or to copies of the McCuiston book.

Thomas Moody moved to the Guilford County area of North Carolina before 1756, when it was still Rowan County.

He may be the father of Alexander Moody as well as the daughters previously mentioned. It is not known yet where the children were born, Ireland or America. Ann Moody, his daughter, was born 17 May 1732, probably in Ireland, and married 15 September 1756 in Rowan County, NC, to Thomas McCuiston (son of James McCuiston Sr). The other daughters were supposed to be living in North Carolina, but who they married or where they lived is not now known. Alexander Moody I died in 1781, preceding Thomas Moody in death.End Note

Thomas Moody married a second time, although the marriage record has not been found. Many believed her to be Mary McCuiston, daughter of James McCuiston Sr, and Roy Moody (and I originally) assumed that she might be, based solely on the few known facts. First a McCuiston posted the bond or was named legally to handle matters in all transactions involving Thomas Moody's estate or his minor child, Thomas Moody (later identified as Thomas L. Moody). Second, nothing was known of a marriage of Mary, daughter of James McCuiston Sr. It is known that a Mary Moody was the widow of Thomas Moody, but was she a McCuiston? The answer is that we don't know, and it is wrong to state positively that she was a McCuiston. Perhaps someone will someday find proof of her identity.

Thomas Moody had a son Thomas Moody, who was perhaps also the son of Mary Moody.

Thomas Moody died in early 1784 or perhaps December 1783, for, on the third Monday, February 1784, Mary Moody, widow and relict, was appointed administrator of his estate with security bond paid by James McCuiston of __ pounds. Mary McCuiston, who is sometimes named as this widow, would have been age 44 when Thomas Moody died.

A Mary Moody married 22 November 1803 to Robert Rankin in Guilford County, and Thomas McCuiston was bondsman. If this Mary was the widow of Thomas Moody, then this was her second marriage. Were there children by her marriage to Rankin? I don't have any information on this yet.End Note

ALEXANDER MOODY, a possible son of Thomas Moody.

Alexander Moody's place and date of birth are not known. He might have been born in Ireland or America. The 1768 Rowan County, NC, tax list shows Alxr Moody just under Thos McCuston. (So I think he might have been 21 years old. -- DM)

August 1, 1774, in Guilford County, NC, Alexd Moody is surety on the marriage bond of Joseph Summars and Mary Jackson. (I don't have any indication that they were related in any way. -- DM)

In an October 25, 1774, will, probated November 1774, Alexander Moody and Thomas Close are executors to the will of Timothy McCall. (Guilford County Will Abstract A:0255)

May 26, 1778: Entered a 448 acre land grant from state of North Carolina. Surveyed 2 December 1778 by Joshua Smith, with Thomas McCuistion & Moses McClean, Certified Chain Carriers. Issued November 13, 1779, No. 152, Guilford County. Entry No 95, Book No. 33, page 154, Location on the waters of North Buffalo. The land grant boundaries were David Alison's (Wilson's) corner, Thomas McCuiston's line, William Dent's line, Thomas Close's line, Alexander Caldwell's line. He had Thomas McCuiston on the east and Thomas Close on the west.

We have copies of the recorded grant of 13 November 1779. The abstract of this grant is as follows:
"A Grant from the State of North Carolina to Alexander Moody, No. 154. . . . In consideration of the sum of fifty shillings for every hundred acres hereby granted paid into our Treasury by Alex. Moody . . . grant unto the said Alex. Moody a tract of land containing four hundred and forty eight acres . . . in our County of Guilford on the waters of North Buffalow. Mentions David Wilson's corner, Thomas McCuistion's line, William Dent's line, Alexander Caldwell's line . . . paying to us such sums yearly or otherwise as our general assembly may from time to time direct . . . we have made these our letters to be made patent . . . our great seal to be hereunto fixed, witness Richard Caswell, Esq. Our governor, captain, general and commander in chief at Kingston, the tenth day of Nov. in the fourth year of our independence, in the year of our Lord 1779. Recorded in the Secretary's office by His Excellency's Command. William Sheppard, D. Tres..?, R. J. Caswell, Jno. Franch, Treasurer."

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was 17 March 1781 between General Greene for the Americans and General Cornwallis for the British. Many of the local militia were involved. The McCuiston book story states that Thomas McCuiston was there, and it would be reasonable to assume that Alexander Moody was in the fighting. (I believe that Alexander Moody died in the battle or soon after. -- DM)End Note

August 1781 Term of Court, Guilford Co., N. C., Alexander Moody, deceased, and he died within 3 months before, as the court convened every 3 months. See detail below.

August 1781 Term of Court, Cuilford Co. N. C., Thomas Flere (Flack) will proved in open court. His widow was Jean McCuiston Flack. (So he could have been in the battle, also. – DM)

Alexander Moody was married, wife's name not known. He had at least one child, a son, Nathaniel Moody.

Alexander Moody, deceased . . . August 1781 Term of Court, Guilford County, N. C. . . . Administrators of estate are Jonas Touchstone and James MacMurray. Bond paid by Thomas McCuistion and Francis McNairy, 500 pounds species.

18 Feb 1782, James McCuistion appointed guardian for Nathaniel Moody, orphan of Alexander Moody deceased. (Note his mother could still have been alive.)

18 Feb 1782, Alexander Moody deceased. . . . perishable estate. (That is, something had to be done with the part of his estate which might depreciate between the time the will is probated and the final settlement, such as standing or unharvested crops, livestock raised for sale, etc.)

Nathaniel inherited the land named in the NC grant to Alexander Moody (1). He sold it to Josiah Beall of Hancock County, Georgia, 24 November 1796 for the sum of one hundred pounds covenant money of the aforesaid state to him in hand paid before the ensealing and delivering of the indenture. It was recorded in August Court, 1805, Guilford County, NC.

Nathaniel left Guilford County and removed to Stokes County, where he remained the rest of his life. He was on the 1800 census for Stokes County and lived near Germanton. There are two Thomas Moody men in Stokes County, NC, in 1800, and Nathaniel Moody was there. Nathaniel Moody, son of Alexander, and one Thomas Moody lived fairly close to one another. The other Thomas Moody lived farther away.

Nathaniel Moody married in Stokes County and remained there. Skip to his son, Nathaniel Moody, who was apparently a wealthy man in 1850 in Stokes County. An iron ? Master with $10,000 property. This was way more than most people had on the census records I saw; so perhaps the enumerator made a mistake in writing it down. But I thought it interesting that he was so involved with an iron works.

I did not find any more connections between Nathaniel Moody's family and that of Thomas Moody.

Back to Guilford County, North Carolina

ELIZABETH MOODY:
Aug Term 1794, p 267 -- Elizabeth Moody, orphan, aged thirteen years, be bound to Ann McCuiston, widow, until full age, to give her one feather bed, cow and spinning.

NANCY MOODY:
Guilford County Marriage Bond, 28 Jan 1801, Nancy Moody to Thomas McMichell, Aaron Jones, surety. Jonas Touchstone's will was probated 23 May 1815. Thos. Michael (same as Thomas McMichell?) was a witness to the will. Thomas McCuiston of Buffalo, executor. Samuel Hunter, excutor.

THOMAS L. MOODY (although referred to only as Thomas in the will):
Guilford County, NC, Will Abstract A:0337 Robert Scott, 24 Apr 1791, probated May 1791. Wife, Mary -- house and lot whereon I live in Martinsville, negro girl Patience also providing she doesn't re-marry within two years. Brother Thomas 150 acres in Rockingham County where he lives . . . Thomas Moody, 10 pounds, my saddle and bridle. (No information on Thomas Moody's relationship to Robert or Mary Scott is given.)End Note

Nov Term 1794, p. 279 -- Thomas Moody, son of Thomas Moody, be bound to John _____ (blot across the name) for a term of five years, to teach him the trade of blacksmith, to read write, and cypher as far as the rule of three, ten pounds and freedom dues.
Note: John McCuiston, son of Robert 1, was a blacksmith. John died before 1800.
Note: the "rule of three" was often specified in such apprenticeship cases. It meant "the method of finding the fourth term in a proportion when three terms are given". In 1800, a Thomas Moody is living in Stokes County, NC, (Census)

Guilford County Marriage Bond, 3 Nov 1802
Thomas Moody to Thankful McCuistion. Joseph McCuistion is surety. Thomas and Thankful Moody apparently remained in Guilford County.

1810 Census, Guilford County
Moody, Thomams 2 males under 10, 1 male 26-45; 1 female under 10, 1 female 26-45.

1815 Tax List
Thomas Moody, Center Grove Township, "one white poll", by Z. D. Brashear, Enumerator.

Thomas Moody was administrator for the estate of Robert McCuiston, deceased by November 1817. Administrator in 19 November 1821 -- Final settlement in April 1824. Heirs were William, Moses and Elizabeth McCuiston.

The last found on Thomas Moody was that he was a witness to the will of Isabelle McCuiston 8 September 1840, which was probated at the May term of Court, 1846, & Robert A. Moody proved that the witness, Thomas Moody, was deceased. So, Thomas Moody died 1841-1846 in North Carolina. (County Clerk wrote Robert F. Moody.)

CHILDREN OF THOMAS L. MOODY & THANKFUL McCUISTON

Below is a list of the known & probable children of Thomas L. Moody, son of Thomas Moody.

Some observations:

NOTES, SECTION 1

Note 1: The McCuiston, McQuiston, and McQuesten Families, 1620-1937 by Leona Bean McCuiston, Standard Press, 1937, Louisville, KY

Note 2: Roy Moody was a descendant of Elijah W. Moody, son of Thomas, and, through his own efforts and the help of a professional researcher, made a study of the family of Elijah's ancestors and kin. I believe he and Donna consulted with each other during their studies. -- JFA

Note 3: Donna's research did not reveal the ultimate source for this note. -- JFA

Note 4: Since Donna's compostion of this study, YDNA tests done by Family Tree DNA have shown that Alexander Moody was indeed closely related to Thomas Moody. Based on all available evidence, the most probable relationship is father-son. -- JFA

Note 5: Research by me, John Alexander, done while preparing the Alexander history, explored some of the NC Rankins of Anson, Mecklenberg, Lincoln, and Guilford Counties. Although the aim was to determine whether they were related to the Alexanders, the research also revealed that the Mary Moody who married Robert Rankin in Guilford Co., NC, was 71 in 1850. She was a widow living with her son Thomas Rankin, 34. She was about the same age as Thomas L. Moody and was most likely his sister, daughter of Thomas from Ireland and Mary. It is possible, but much less likely, that she was the daughter of Alexander Moody. -- JFA

    Citations:
  1. Marriage: Robert Rankin to Mary Modey, 22 Nov 1803, Bondsman Thos McCuistion, Witness J. Hamilton
  2. 1850 Fed Census, McNairy Co., TN, p. 6B

Note 6: Another at the battle was Thomas Moody. General Nathaniel Greene wrote a letter stating that Thomas Moody had participated in the battle of Guilford Courthouse as an elderly man. "Minutes of the North Carolina House of Commons, North Carolina General Assembly, April 19, 1784 - June 03, 1784, Volume 19, Pages 489-716
Minutes of May 1, 1784, appear on page 534. (Note: Donna approved adding this note, which we found on the internet after she did her original research. -- JFA)

Note 7: In a discussion with Donna, she and I agreed that it is likely that Robert Scott was the second husband of Thomas Moody's widow Mary. We have no proof. -- JFA

Note 8: Anna migrated to Hamilton Co., IN, and she also married Emsly Reynolds there after her first husband's death. Anna and Emsley were Quakers, and it is very probable that Thomas Clayton was a Quaker also. She had children with both men. -- JFA

Note 9: One of the daughters of Thomas and Mary was almost certainly the Mary Moody who who married Robert Rankin in Guilford Co. (See End Note 5 above.) -- JFA

Note 10: This is the designation used by Leona McCuiston in her genealogical history.

Note 11: Based on information I can find from digital records, with no visits to NC archives, Joseph H. Dennis and Daniel Dennis appear to be brothers. -- JFA

Our Moody Family in Tennessee

Our Moody family of Henry County, Tennessee, settled in the early days of the county, not many years after the Jackson Purchase from the Chickasaw Indians. The land they settled in was close to the Tennessee River and between what is now Paris Landing and the Kentucky state line. Although this area is now in the thirteenth civil district, it was also in the fifteenth and twentieth districts in times past, depending upon the redistricting of the county. Our Moodys are sometimes called the Cypress Creek Moodys or Buchanan area Moodys. Their land holdings spread north and west along State Line Road to Hazel, Kentucky, and across Cypress Creek and the Kentucky state line into Calloway County, Kentucky, but near the Tennessee River. Some moved near Big Sandy, Benton County, Tennessee, and are called the Big Sandy Moodys.

There was also a Jeremiah Moody family from VA who were very early settlers of Henry County. They were not related, and it is sometimes hard to keep their records apart from ours. They are often called the Manleyville Moodys.

A Thomas Moody settled in nearby Stewart County, Tennessee, by 1820, but I haven’t found any connection between this family group and ours. There were several different Moody families named on the 1830 census of Tennessee, and most are probably not related. There is no way to really tell.Note 1

Marriages took place between our Moody family and Alexander, Bucy, Chilcutt, McCuiston, Oliver, Ratterree, Smith, Steele, Weldon, Wilson, Wynn, and other well-known Henry and Calloway County families.

This is our family history with stories remembered by family members, as well as information found in records.

North Carolina to Tennessee

Once over a gap in the formidable Appalachian Mountains, the Tennessee River became the major highway for those making their way from North Carolina to make a new life for themselves. Not quite the wilderness it once was, the trip was no easy adventure.

Isaac Newton Moody and his brother, Elijah W. Moody, came from Guilford County, NC, to Henry County, Tennessee. They were born and raised in NC, the sons of Thomas Moody and Thankful McCuiston. Isaac Newton “Newt” was born between 1805 and 1807, based on later census records. Elijah W. was born in 1812 according to the family bible and census records. Perhaps we should put a (1) after their names, as many of our Moody men carried their names. Isaac Newton Moody (1) and his first wife, Jane McCuiston, were married in Guilford County 16 January 1827 (North Carolina marriage bond).

According to the family story, "Newt" Moody and his brother set out as part of a large family group. Bob's uncle, Will Moody, said that, when they left their homes in Guilford County, North Carolina, they had two teams and a big two-wheel cart (wagon) and all their belongings with them, including some livestock. When they reached the headwaters of the Tennessee River, the story goes on, they traded some of the livestock for lumber to build flatboats, which they built and then set off down the river. They landed at the mouth of the Sandy, near Paris Landing, and Bob remembers being told that some of the family group did not stop there to settle but were supposed to have gone on to Texas.

Isaac Newton Moody(1) was a blacksmith like his father before him, and he was in Henry County, Tennessee by 1830, for he is on the tax toll for that year and from then on. He settled between the mouth of Sandy and Cypress Creek. He was on the tax roll for five acres in 1836. Most of Jane McCuiston's family were reported to be in Kentucky near the Tennessee state line in 1832, and, in fact, they wrote home that they were in the Western District of Tennessee.

Elijah W. Moody(1}, the younger brother, bought his land in Henry County, in the same area as Isaac, and he became a farmer. He is on the tax roll in 1836 for poll tax only. (I have not checked the earlier tax rolls.) He married his first wife, Nancy Wynn, in Henry County on 10 January 1836, his second wife, Rebecca Chilcutt, on 4 November 1857.

The Moody brothers had sisters. The marriage records of Henry County show an Isabell Moody married Benjamin Moss on 28 March 1838, but she and her husband apparently moved on, for I didn't find their names again in the area. Isabell could be a possible sister.

A John H. Moody on the 1836 tax roll is a possible brother if he is not found to be part of the large Jeremiah Moody family group. [JFA note: the name on the census appears to be John H., but we have since learned that he was John R., almost certainly a brother. See Fredric Saunders's data and Note 1.]

Samuel Hiram Moody (died 23 December 1830) and Stacker Moody (died 20 June 1816) are listed in the E. W. Moody (1) family Bible. We all need to be watching for more information on them.

Also, the Bible says Thankful Moody, the mother, died 21 December 1830, but the record did not say where she was living at the time.

ISAAC NEWTON MOODY (1)

Isaac Newton Moody (ca 1805-07 - 1891) was born in North Carolina, the son of Thomas and Thankful Moody. Thankful was a McCuiston, possibly the daughter of Moses McCuiston and Elizabeth Nelson, of Guilford County, NC. Isaac Newton Moody married Jane J. McCuiston in Guilford County, NC, the marriage bond dated 16 Jan 1827. Jane (1804 - ca 1861-1862) was the daughter of Thomas McCuiston and Nancy Johnson.

I. N. Moody married second Nancy E. Weldon the 22nd of August 1862 in Henry County, Tennessee. She was Nancy Eliza Perline Chilcutt (ca 1830 - ca 1903), the daughter of George W. and Sarah Chilcutt of Henry County. She had married William W. Weldon on 3 February 1846. He died on 13 May 1861, and she was left a widow with five children at home, two quite young.

Isaac Newton Moody, who was called Newt, was a blacksmith all his life. It was not until the 1880 census that he was listed as farmer-blacksmith, age 73. He made his will on 26 February 1884 in order to divide his property. It was filed after his death -- October Term, 6 October 1891, Henry County Court. So we learn from this document that I. N. Moody died in 1891. Aged about 84 and still active, he was thrown from his horse and struck his head, caught his foot in the stirrup and was dragged.

In Henry County, Tennessee

Isaac Newton Moody and his first wife, Jane, were young marrieds when they set out from Guilford County, North Carolina as part of a large family group. Her mother and father, most of her brothers and sisters, and a cousin came to Calloway County, Kentucky, beginning in 1832, but perhaps some of Jane's brothers could have come down the Tennessee River earlier with Isaac Newton Moody, but that's a guess, although they did live nearby. The McCuiston Cemetery, which is still in existence, is in Kentucky near Cypress Creek and only about five miles from the mouth of the Sandy River.

By 1830, the I. N. Moody family was in Henry County, Tennessee. Although not appearing on the Census reports, the Tax List for the County lists I. N. Moody as one free poll, thus not listing any acreage; the same listing exists for 1831, 1832, 1833 and 1834. In 1836, Issac N. Moody is paying tax on twenty-five acres in the 15th District. (Note spelling of name.)

In the 1840 Census in Henry County, the I. N. Moody household had: males, one under 5 years, females, two under 5 years, two 5 to 10 years, three 10 to 15 years, one 15 to 20 years, one male 30 to 40 years, and one female 30 to 40 years. One person was listed as deaf and dumb, and two were foreigners not naturalized. (I think they mistook the question.)

1. N. Moody and his wife Jane remained in the 15th District for many years. We don't know if they moved their dwelling place very much, but there were several land transactions, beginning in 1843 for twenty-five acres. On February 1845, he was appointed a juror to the next term of the circuit court of Henry County.

They raised a family of eleven children, the eldest born in either NC or Tennessee, the others all born in Tennessee. We learn their names from the 1850 census: Thomas, born about 1829, Nancy Jane, born about 1830, Mary, born about 1831, Timothy, born about 1834, James, born about 1835, Emily, born about 1838, Lavinia, born about 1839, Samuel, born about 1840, John, born about 1841, William A., born about 1843, and Isaac N., born about 1845.Note 2

The 1860 census enumerator had a certain way of listing occupations, and he made errors. He listed all women as “seamstresses,” much as we would use the word “housewife.” Isaac N., the son, is listed as age 10, but all other records indicate that 15 would be correct. Note that Lavinia and Emily are switched as to ages, but I don’t know which would be correct..Note 3

Jane died between this census of August 1860 and 22 August 1862, when Isaac Newton Moody was married to Nancy Chilcutt-Weldon. She had children.Note 4 In addition to raising Nancy’s young children, Newt and Nancy had two sons of their own. Charles Newton “Charley” Moody was born in 1864, and Elijah Wilford “Lige” Moody was born in 1867.

This was the time of the Civil War. Sons went off to war in 1861, and William died. The youngest son, Isaac Newton Jr. “Rock” was far too young to need to volunteer, but he did anyway. He was captured at Fort Donelson but later exchanged to fight on. James A. had to stand off raids by the night riders.

Newt Moody’s son Lige told his children that his pa had nine-hundred acres of good bottom land near the Tennessee River. In looking at the records, we can account for fifty-one-and-one-half acres at Cypress Creek and the Kentucky state line, one-hundred, forty acres at Little Eagle Creek and what is now Highway 79, and two-hundred, ninety-seven-and-three-quarter plus three-hundred, thirty acres located north of the Paris Landing Park Marina and Cypress Creek Road. Perhaps more information will become available.

I. N. Moody was well-to-do. The 1860 Census, 20th District of Henry County, lists for him: Property Value $3,000 and Personal Property Value $2,500.Note 5

I. N. Moody started giving his land in 1866 to the children of his first marriage. Although son James A. was supposed to pay $500 for his land after five years, there is no indication that this money was requested. In fact, a few months later I. N. Moody gave land for love and affection to his daughter, Mary Oliver. He gave land to his son, Isaac N. Jr. in 1868, and this is probably what was intended for the son, James A., as well.

So, when Isaac Newton Moody made his will in 1884, he left his land to his beloved wife, Nancy, but divided it between the two sons, C.N. and E. W. Moody, who would get title to it at her death. E. W. got the east side , C. N. the west. Testators to the will were John E. Alexander and John E. Ratterree.

Living nearby were the John E. Alexander and David Polk Steele families. C. N. “Charley” Moody had married Laura Evelyn Alexander in 1882, and E. W. "Lige Moody married Mary Frances Steele in 1888. From the will we learn that the land lay between that of I.N. Moody, Jr., to the south and that of D. P. Steele, Mary's father, to the north and west.

Isaac Newton Moody was on the tax roll in 1890, but he died before October, 1891, at age 85 or 86. He was survived by his widow, Nancy Moody, who lived on to be past 70 years of age, a daughter, Mary Oliver, sons James A., Isaac Newton Jr, Charles Newton, and Elijah Wilford Moody, and at least three stepchildren, Martha Patterson, Ann Ratterree, and Alice Wynn.

Nancy Moody lived past the 1900 Census. She apparently made her home with her children, and, in 1900, she is shown living with both her son, E.W. Moody, in Tennessee, and with her daughter, Martha Patterson, in Kentucky. Her death most likely occurred before September of 1903 when E. W. Moody sold his inherited land.

Both Isaac Newton Moody and his wife Nancy are buried in the Old Next Moody cemetery on this property, near Cypress Road. Mrs. Winnie Pflueger told us that Ann Ratterree and Alice Wynn met there for many years to clean the cemetery where their mother and father were buried. Since their own father lies buried about a mile to the west and has a stone monument marking his grave, the father in this case must be Isaac Newton Moody.

Children of Isaac Newton Moody, Sr and Jane McCuiston

Note from John Alexander: Donna's papers had most of the information about the offspring in outline form with observations and explanatory paragraphs interspersed. I have added verbs and articles to make sentences but have not changed facts.

Thomas Moody was the first of eleven children of Isaac Newton Moody and Jane J. McCuiston. On the 1850 census of Henry County, Tennessee, he was twenty-one years old, deaf and dumb, living with parents. He was not listed on the 1860 census, so most likely died before this time. He did not marry.

Nancy Jane Moody, born 11 December 1831 in Tennessee, was the second child of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane. On the 1850 census, she was age 20, living with her parents. She was married 15 August 1852 in Henry County to William Hadester Bucy, born in North Carolina. They lived in Calloway County, Kentucky, and had at least 3 children. Nancy died before 16 February 1866 when William H. Bucy married Mrs. Elizabeth Bucy, daughter of William McCuiston and Cynthia McCuiston and the widow of Bartlett "Doc" Bucy. The three children were: Martha Ann Bucy, born 4 March 1854, Thomas Liberty Bucy, born 24 June 1855, and Samuel Bucy, born 31 August 1859 and married 1 March 1885. Information comes from the Bucy Bible record, the McCuiston bookNote 5, and census records.

Mary Moody, the third child of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane was, on the 1850 census, age nineteen and living with her parents. She married James M. Oliver. [Henry County, Tennessee, marriage record 11 January 1855] (I still need to check the 1860 census.) Mary was given fifty-one and one-half acres on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line by her father July 1866. [JFA: see Note 9 for transfer from I. N.] [1870-1872, Henry County, Tennessee, J.M. and Mary Oliver Trust deed to James W. Weldon] [ 1873, Henry County, Tennessee, J. M. and Mary Oliver 51 1/2 acres to John M. Chilcutt]

Lottie Bucy, in 1990, remembers that her Aunt Mary Oliver lived in Hazel. “I was little when Aunt Mary gave me and my sister a little preserve stamp apiece. I remember the house. It had a door up in the attic to a little porch. She had a son still living about 2 years ago. Preston Oliver (note: the son) married a Kirkland girl. I went to the wedding. He was old and she was older than most girls when she married. The Miller boys came in a hearse and carried him off in the hearse for fun. The Miller boys had a great time at the wedding. Aunt Mary married J. M. Oliver."

Timothy Moody, fourth of the children of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane, was age sixteen on the 1850 census of Henry County, Tennessee, and living with his parents. I believe he was Timothy S. Moody, who died. 2 September 1857, married to Mary M. King. I haven't found him on the 1860 census of either Henry County or Calloway County. He had a cousin also named Timothy Moody who died in the Civil War.

James A. Moody, fifth child of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane, was age twenty-three on the 1860 census and a farmer living with his parents. He was married.21 July 1860 in Henry County, Tennessee, to Elizabeth "Lizzie McCuiston, daughter of William A. McCuiston and Elizabeth Ellison. Lottie Bucy, a granddaughter says in 1990, "He was called ‘Little Jim,’ a real small man. He was too small to go to the Civil War. But at the time of the Civil War, when the guerrillas would come and take meat from families, he took his broad-ax and stood in the smokehouse door and wouldn't let them have his family's food."

He and Lizzie had 10 children and perhaps another set of twins who died at birth. As recorded in 1866, he received one-hundred, forty acres from his father for $500 due in five years, but he apparently never needed to pay for it. [Land entries in 1868 – 1870: from John C. McChristian, 73 acres and to Wm. H. McCristin 70 acres. Entries in 1878 – 1880: to G. A. Taylor 2 acres] His death date is estimated as 1897 by the receipts Lottie's grandmother signed for the coffin and doctor. Before that he had signed everything. He was buried on his own farm near Little Eagle Creek. A daughter, Lou Moody Wilson, moved to the home place to take care of her mother, so Lizzie Moody left the place to her when she died. She wanted to be buried with the McCuiston's in a real cemetery, not on the farm.

Lottie can remember that, for her grandmother's burial, they “got a horse-drawn hearse out of Buchanan. We had to cross a little creek to go there and the road was rough. We came right behind them in a wagon. She is buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Calloway County, Kentucky, (McCuiston Cemetery). They haven't found her grave.”

Lottie's brother, Lou Wilson, sold the Bucy place to Houston Adams, and he put a large rock over James's grave. The graves in the James A. Moody family cemetery had to be moved in 1990 to make room for the widening of Highway 79. They were moved to the nearby Point Pleasant Cemetery where many of Lottie Bucy's people are buried.

Emily Moody, sixth child of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane, is shown as age twelve on the 1850 census of Henry County, Tennessee; and age 18 on the 1860 census, living with her parents. There is othing further.

Lavinia Moody was the seventh (or sixth) of the eleven children of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane. She married J. J. Guill on 7 December 1865. According to the book, Inscriptions in Stone: Henry County, TennesseeNote 6, she died in 1866 with newborn son, Albert S. Guill. She may be buried in the Moody cemetery on Velma Davis's land. 

Samuel Moody, the eighth of the children of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane McCuiston, was ten years old on the 1850 census and living with his parents. I found that Samuel Moody, age nineteen, died in August before the 1860 Census of the congestive chill. He is not the Rev. Samuel Washington Moody who served in the 5th TN Infantry in the Civil War and who married Susan Lowry in 1866.Note 7

John Moody was the ninth child of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane and was age nine on the 1850 census of Henry County. I found John Moody, age fourteen, died in August before the 1860 Census, of the congestive chill.Note 7

William A. Moody, the tenth child of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane, was sixteen years of age on the 1860 census of Henry County, when he was a farm laborer and going to school. He served in Company A, 5th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, in the Civil War and died 15 July 1862 in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a Confederate camp. (This was after the battle of Shiloh, so I don't know if he was wounded in that battle or not.)

Isaac Newton "Rock' Moody was last of the eleven children of Isaac Newton(1) and Jane, and was born 12 August 1844 in Henry County. He was age five on the 1850 census, and the 1860 census has him in school, living with his parents. The Civil War soon broke out and his wife told her grandchildren that he went to war when he was sixteen years old. He first joined a squad of men from Henry County, 15th and 20th civil districts, who went across the Tennessee River into Weakley County and joined Captain Joe Alexander's Company C, 4th Tennessee Infantry. [Note by John Alexander: I believe Donna meant Stewart County since it's across the river from Henry County.] This company was captured at Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River and later exchanged. He primarily served in Company F, 20th Cavalry, Tennessee, throughout the war until the end. They laid down their arms at Gainesville, Alabama. See Henry County Commands, Note 7 for a fuller history of this unit. His cousin, L. Polk Moody was also in this company.Note 8 Isaac Newton, Jr. was given two-hundred, ninety-seven, and three quarter acres of land by his father 12 October 1868.

Isaac Jr married 7 July 1885 Susan Elizabeth "Betty" Smith, and they had two children, Mrs. Lillie Johns and Stacker Taylor Moody. [Note by John Alexander: my mother probably gave Donna incomplete information. They had two other children, William Arlander "Lander" and Victoria. Taylor, Lander, and Victoria, as well as Taylor's wife and Victoria's husband died in their twenties as a result of the influenza epidemic, leaving very young children, but Lillie never had children.] Mrs. Betty Moody told that she was four years old at the time of the Civil War. Rock died 13 September 1896. His grave was moved because of the TVA waters, and the present location isn’t known to his granddaughter, Mrs. Louise Alexander.

Children by Second Marriage to Nancy (Chilcutt) Weldon

Charles Newton Moody, born 18 February 1864, the 12th child of Isaac Newton Moody, was the first of the children by Nancy E. P. Chilcutt Weldon. Charles married 27 December 1882 Laura Evelyn Alexander, the daughter of John E. Alexander of Henry County, and they had eight children: Linnie Ann, Margaret Adeline "Maggie," William Curtis, John Newton, Katherine, Alta, Mary Marie and Maurice. They lived on the old home place until they moved to Big Sandy in Benton County. I don't have the exact date of his move, but Linnie married in 1905 in Henry County. Maurice, who was probably born after the move, died when about two years old.

Laura E. Moody died 23 August 1926, and C. N. Moody married 10 April 1927 Jay Phifer, a spinster. C. N. Moody had the Moody Store in Big Sandy and did well. He was active and in business until the day he died. He came home from the store 5 Jan 1940 and fell over dead. C. N. and Laura E. Moody and many of their children and grandchildren are buried at McRae's Chapel Cemetery, Big Sandy.

Elijah Wilford Moody, born 18 August 1868, the thirteenth child of Isaac Newton Moody, was the second of the two children by Nancy. Elijah was married, about 1890, to Mary Frances Steele, daughter of David Polk Steele and Tennessee Elkins. They lived on the old Moody home place. By the 1900 Henry County census, Elijah Hoody and his wife, Mary had three young boys, Thomas Elwood, William Arthur, and Andrew Mitchell, and she had lost one child, a girl, who died very young and lies buried in the Old Newt Moody Cemetery. Lige's mother, Nancy, was living with them in 1900. Edward Curd Moody was born in 1905. Elijah moved his family to the Big Sandy area by 1909. Mary died 23 July 1909 at the birth of the baby son, Hunter. Hunter was taken to raise by the Cantrells of Big Sandy, but he died young, in 1915. Elijah W. Moody lived in Henry County from then on. On 31 Aug 1911, he married Della May Hancock, and they had 3 girls, Amanda Inez, Treva Lasater, and Thyra Dawson Moody. Della, who was the daughter of W. D. "Bill" Hancock and Amanda Lasater, died 18 March 1973. Elijah W. Moody died 11 October 1947 and is buried at McRae's Chapel Cemetery. Big Sandy, Benton County. [Note: Donna mentions the county since areas around Big Sandy can be in either Benton County or Henry County.]

JFA note: continue with my Moody history, starting with Thomas, the immigrant. My work was inspired by Donna's diligent research. I have provided URL links among the Moody family, the Chilcutts, the Olivers, and some other families mentioned by Donna.

NOTES, SECTION 2

Note 1: Although this was true at the time Donna wrote this history, YDNA testing for genealogy can now often help verify or disprove relationships. For example, descendants of Isaac Newton, Elijah W., and John R. have tested and been shown to be closely related, and the three are almost certainly all brothers from these tests and other evidence.

Note 2: US Census, 15th Civil District, Henry Co., Tennessee, 31 August 1850; I. N. Moody, 45, M, Blacksmith, born NC, Jane, 45, F, Housekeeper, born NC, Thomas, 21, M, Deaf and Dumb, Nancy Jane, 20, F, Mary, 19, F, Timothy, 16, M, James, 15, M, Emily, 12, F, Lavinia, 11, F, Sammuel, 10, M, John, 9, M, William A., 7, M, Isaac N., 5, M

Note 3: US Census, 15th Civil District, Henry Co., Tennessee, 18 October 1860; Isaac N. Moody, 52 M, Blacksmith, NC, Jane J., 54, F, Seamstress, NC, James A., 23, M Farmer, Tennessee, Lavinia, 20, F, Spinster, Tennessee, Emily, 18, F, Spinster, Tennessee, William, M, 16, Farm Laborer, Tennessee, Isaac N., 10, M (Age should be 15.)

Note 4: US Census, 20th Civil District, Henry Co., Tennessee, 1860 W. W. Welden, 36, M, Farmer, NC, Nancy Welden, 29, F, Seamstress, Tennessee, Andrew J. Welden, 16, M, Tennessee, Anna Welden, 14, F, Tennessee, Martha Welden, 12, F, Tennessee, Henry Welden, 2, F, Tennessee, Alice Welden, F, 3 mo, Tennessee (Henry was a male as is shown by other records.)

Note 5: US Census, 20th Civil District, Henry Co., Tennessee, 1870 I. N. Moody, 25, Farmer, TN, Real Estate $400, Personal Estate $100

Note 6: Inscriptions in Stone: Henry County, Tennessee, Henry County Cemetery Committee, Paris Area Genealogical Society, Paris, Tenn., 1989

Note 7: 1860 Federal Mortality Schedule, Henry County, Tennessee, Persons who Died during the Year ending 1st June, 1860, page 8

Note 8: US Census, 20th Civil District, Henry Co., Tennessee, 1870; I. N. Moody, 25, Farmer, TN, Real Estate $400, Personal Estate $100

Note 9: Land Transaction Documents
No. Grantee Acreage Grantor Recorded date Amount
1. I. N. Moody 25 acres from Abraham Rudolph 17 January 1843 $_______
Boundaries: Begin W of the SW Corner of Entry 1975 die 2560 acre; N, E, S, W to the Beginning. A square 451/2 poles X 80 poles.
2. I. N. Moody 140 acres from John M. Williams 2 January 1854 $325
Boundaries: Begin John C. Parker’s NW Corner; N passing J. C. Pfluger’s line and to a stake; E to Alexander Scarboroughs line; S with meanders of creek to a stake in Creek; E a few poles (3 or ) to Alex Scarborough’s corner; S with his line to his corner; E with Scarborough’s line to Taylor’s corner; S with Taylor’s west boundary to a Stake in Eagle Creek, W with Parker’s to the Beginning.
3. I. N. Moody 261/2 acres from Asa Raterree 14 May 1854 $____
Boundaries: Begin KY State Line at the NW Corner of Entry No 1109; W with the KY line; the S; then E; then N to Beginning. A square 34 poles X 125 poles.
4. I. N. Moody 50 acres from J. S. Dawson 17 Jul 1860
1st parcel (25 acres) paid to C. D. Venable earlier $200
2nd parcel (25 acres) paid to J. S. Dawson $200
Boundaries, 1st tract: Begin NW corner of C. D. Venable bought from David Bradford; S, E, N to a stake in N boundary line of Bradford tract, W with said line to Beginning A square 25 poles X 114 poles
Boundaries, 2nd tract:Begin NW corner of 2560 acres survey on KY State line, S with east boundary line of I. N. Moody tract purchased from Asa Raterree to a stake in a field, E, N to the KY State line, with the state line to Beginning. Transaction 4 may contain transactions No. 1 and 3.
5. Jas A.. Moody 140 acres from I. N. Moody 4 Apr 1866 $500 due in 5 yr
Boundaries: Begin John C. Parker’s NW corner, N passing J. C. Pflugers’ line to Alexander Scarborough’s line, S with meanders in creek to stake in Creek, E a few poles to said Scarborough’s corner, E to Taylor’s corner, S with Taylor’s west boundary to a stake in Eagle Creek, W with J. C. Parker’s line to the Beginning.
6. Mary Oliver 511/2 acres from I. N. Moody 7 Aug 1866 For love
Boundaries: Begin KY State line at W. F. Spark's NE corner, S, E, N, E, N, W to Beginning. Land lies on Cypress Creek.
7. I. N. Moody Jr 2973/4 acres from I. N. Moody 12 Oct 1868 For love
Boundaries: Begin SW corner of Entry 1109 for 2560 acres, S, E, N, E, N, W to Beginning
8. A. J. Weldon (161/160 acres;
part of No. 7
which he gave
to I. N. Moody Jr)
[correct acreage?] 		25 May 1875 $130.03
9. 330 acres I. N. Moody 6 Oct 1891 Will
C. N. Moody
E. W. Moody 		division per will dated 26 Feb 1884 Bequest
(Might Nancy have inherited some land? dm)
Boundaries in 1884: Division of land at S on I. N. Moody Jr line,; N by NW to D. P. Steele's SW corner; other boundaries not mentioned.
Boundaries in 1894: Begin at NW corner Rock Moody's farm, N, W, N, W to D. P. Steel corner NE with D. C. Chillcutt to Beginning.