My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ouachita County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  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.

* * * *

John W. Moon, one of the best known farmers of Marion Township, was born in Madison County, Ala., May 25, 1836, a son of Jackson and Sarah (Moon) Moon, also natives of Madison County, the former born in 1814, a son of John and Mary (Lewis) Moon. John Moon was born in Pennsylvania in 1789, and was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was with Gen. Jackson, at the battle of New Orleans. He was a son of John and Mary (Horn) Moon, the former of whom was a son of a Quaker (to which sect all of his ancestors belonged), of English descent, who resided in Pennsylvania. He and six brothers enlisted in the Revolutionary War, contrary to the creed of the Quaker religion, for which they were ex-communicated. Mary Horn (the great-grandmother of our subject) was a daughter of John Hoof, of Pennsylvania. She died at the advanced age of one hundred and twelve, when the subject of this sketch was five years old. Jackson Moon was an old planter of Alabama, owning several hundred acres of land and a number of slaves. He was married to the mother of our subject in 1835. She was the daughter of Joshua and Sarah (Perkins) Moon, the latter lived to be ninety-seven years of age. The results of this union were two children, John W. and Nathaniel J., whose death was caused by falling from a wagon in 1858. The father died May 31, 1839, and his widow afterward married Mr. W. C. Renfroe, of Alabama, and lived until 1870, dying in Texas. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm in Alabama until 1849, when his mother and stepfather moved to Arkansas, locating in this county. When he was eighteen years of age he commenced working for himself at farm labor, and also by working in a grist and saw mill in Bridge Creek Township. He was married on September 15, 1866, to Elexa Frances Tyson, who was born in Henry County, Tenn., in 1846, a daughter of Uriah and Sarah M. (Lewis) Tyson, natives of Tennessee. The fruits of this union have been nine children, all living, viz.: William Uriah (teaching school and living at home), James N., John R., Sarah A., Samuel E., Mary F., Martha B., Van T., and Clara L. Mr. Moon owns 647 acres of land, of which 220 acres are under cultivation, and devotes his attention chiefly to the cultivation of cotton and corn. He is also engaged in raising horses and cattle. Mrs. Moon is a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Socially Mr. Moon is a member of the Masonic order, and politically, belongs to the Democratic party. He takes a great interest in politics, and is well known throughout the county, where he is highly respected. Mr. Moon enlisted in June, 1861, in the Third Arkansas Cavalry, in which he served until the close of the war, through which he was color-bearer, and held the rank of third lieutenant. The principal battles in which he participated were: Thompson’s Station, Corinth, Iuka, Knoxville, Chickamauga, Atlanta, and others, following Sherman to the sea, east battle of Johnson’s army at Smithville. He was wounded at Thompson’s Station in the back of the neck, and returned home November 10, 1865. He was in all of the battles of his brigade, with the exception of the skirmishes. He carried the colors of his regiment through the last three years of the war, and had two flags shot to pieces in his hands, and many narrow escapes.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 91 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ouachita County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Ouachita County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Ouachita County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.