Descendants of the Moseley Family of Georgia

Generation #3

Mary "Polly" (2Robert, 1Robert, 0Family) Moseley of Georgia

Family oral history states that Walden Lewis' second wife was Polly Moseley. Unfortunately, no record exists which would provide Polly's maiden name. However, the following story provides a plausible explanation of how Walden met and married Grandma Polly.

Mary "Polly" Moseley was born 1787, probably in Greene Co GA. Polly is first found in an 1805 record for New Hope Baptist Church. Polly would have been 16 years-old:

New Hope or Fork Baptist Church was established in Greshamville, Ga. It is located in Greene County about one mile to the right of highway 12 between Greensboro and Madison. This community was settled prior to 1793 and suffered from Indian raids. It was not incorporated but had a post office, two churches, several stores a good school, as well as gins, corn mill, brick stores and ten to 12 families, of about 100 people. The town of Greshamville was located in the forks of the Oconee and Appalachee rivers. . .1803 December 18th day. The door was opened for the reception of members. Rec. Sister Lucy Jones, Elizabeth Phillips, Polly Mosley [by  Letter], Susannah Jones, Sally Brooks and John Brooks by letter.

    Greene Co GA GenWeb Site, 2001, <http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?foster::ga/greene::150.html> 4 November 2007.

In about 1804, probably in Greene Co GA, Polly Moseley married a man named Foster. There is a 1799 land transfer for a George Foster in Greene Co GA. Was Polly's husband named George? Polly and Mr. Foster may have had children; as there is an unknown female child found in the 1816 and 1820 Greene Co MS censuses for Walden Lewis. And, sometime before 1811, Mr. Foster died. 

There is an 1809 Georgia State Militia record which shows that "Walden Lewis, Gentleman, [was commissioned] a Lieutenant in the 286th Dist. Company of the Militia of this state." Family history states that Walden's first wife died prior to the family migration to Mississippi. There is one published document which shows Walden Lewis of Greene Co GA married Mary Foster in 1811 in Putnam Co GA. Did Walden Lewis meet Polly Moseley Foster through his service with her father and uncle in the Georgia Militia? And, why were they married in Putnam Co GA? Were they married by Rev. Elijah Mosley, Polly's uncle, at Crooked Creek Primitive Baptist Church?

A letter dated 6/15/1814 from the Creek Indian Agency to Peter Early, the Governor of Georgia, describes the activities of Lt. Lewis who was "commanding a company of our spies and guides." At the same time, Robert Moseley and his brother Eli Moseley were fighting in the vanguard of the army:

Woodward's Reminiscences of the Creek, or Muscogee Indians by Thomas S. Woodward of Louisiana, formerly of Alabama, 1859.

Bob Moseley married the niece of Peter McQueen. In the war of 1812 Bob Moseley served as a guide. Bob Moseley and a man named John Ward seemed willing to risk any and everything to "forward the movement of the army, in order to reach the neighborhood of their families." There was a detachment of soldiers sent out to Uchee Creek, to throw up a breastworks. I [Woodward] was one of the party, and among the rest was a Baptist preacher by the name of Elijah Moseley, a very sensible man and a most excellent man at that, and as grave as men get to be, for he would pray all night and fight all day and fight all night, just as it came to his turn to do either; and this preacher was the brother of Robert Moseley the Indian Countryman.

While at his breastworks, one nigh, by a campfire, I listened to Elijah Moseley inquiring into his brother's motives for leaving a white family and making his home among a tribe of savages. Bob's reply was, as well as I recollect, there was no false swearing among the Indians.

    "Among the Creeks," RootsWeb Gen Web Page, No date <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cmamcrk4/crkst7.html#anchor1192487> 30 October 2004.

Imagine Lt. Walden Lewis sitting at the fire with his scouts. They talk about their families and life after the defeat of the Creeks. Did Walden sit around the fire with his father-in-law?

In 1816 Mary "Poly" and Walden migrated to Greene Co MS. Walden and Mary "Poly" eventually settled in Jasper Co MS. Walden died circa 1843. Mary "Polly's" date of death was found in a family Bible belonging to the family of Walden's son, Willis Lewis. Mary "Polly" died 1861 in Jasper Co MS.

New Hope Baptist Church, Greshamville, Georgia, organized in 1800
Church Minutes for January 15th day 1800
A church was constituted by Jos Baker, Thos Macus and other helps which was called New Hope containing the following members:
Alexander Walden, Nancy Walden, Sarah Walden, James Walton

1803 December 18th day. The door was opened for the reception of members. Rec. Sister Lucy Jones, Elizabeth Phillips, Polly Mosley (by  Letter), Susannah Jones, Sally Brooks and John Brooks by letter. Also family recantation. Brother Wm Walker is to furnish wind for use next meeting in Feb. 1804.

1804 Rebecca Walden

1805 A collection of names not conscribed in the preceding list which with the preceding list include all that has belonged to the church from the time of its constitution to the present date: Sally Mosely by Experience, Jesse Foster by Letter, Peggy [Robertson] Foster by Letter

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This site is provided for reference only. Except where specifically cited, information contained is conjecture and should not be considered as fact.
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