My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Washington 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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Moses Mock, a retired farmer of Jefferson County, Ark., was born in Davidson County, N.C. on the 18th of September, 1826, and is a son of Moses and Jane (Williams) Mock, and grandson of Philip Mock, who was of Scotch-German descent, and who, during the Revolutionary War, assisted the colonists in their struggle for liberty. He subsequently made a settlement in North Carolina, at what is now known as Mocksville, where he spent the remainder of his days. The male members of the Mock family are of medium size, dark complexioned and black-eyed, and are noted for their courageous spirit, energy, honesty and intelligence. The maternal grandfather, Francis Williams, was also a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was of English descent, his people being members of the Presbyterian Church. Moses Mock was reared in his native State, his educational advantages being limited to a three months’ attendance at the common schools during the winter seasons, working at farm labor the remainder of the year. He also learned the mill-wright’s trade, and followed that occupation for a number of years, accumulating a handsome competency thereby. At the breaking out of the late Rebellion be enlisted in Churchill’s Arkansas regiment (having come here in 1849), and served until the close of the war. After the cessation of hostilities he returned to Arkansas, locating on a plantation in Jefferson County, where he began life anew, and eventually became the owner of 1,000 acres of fine farming land, 500 of which are in a fine state of cultivation, and well stocked. His farm is valuable for its position and for the richness of the soil, also for its residence, barns and out-buildings. In 1878 he came to Fayetteville on a visit, and, being pleased with the town, purchased property, and the following year he and family, which consists of a wife and one daughter, located permanently here. His wife, who was a Miss N. S. Dougherty, is a member of the Christian Church, and his daughter, S. Belle, was a student at the A. I. U. Mr. Mock has served in the city council four years, has been the architect of his own fortune, and is in every sense of the word a self-made man.

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This family biography is one of 300 biographies included in The History of Washington County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Washington County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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