KAY LASH COLLECTION, CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF STEUBEN 
COUNTY, ANGOLA, INDIANA

THOMAS ROLAND MOFFETT, 19 Jan 1834 - 22 Sep 1913

                 THOMAS ROLAND MOFFETT
   Third son and child of Thomas G. and Harriet Moffett, was 
born near the village of Lucas, in Richland county, Ohio, 
January 19, 1834.  When about 18 years of age he moved with 
his father and mother to Angola, Steuben county, Indiana, 
which place has always been his home until his death, which 
occurred Monday evening, September 22, 1913.
   The father, Thomas G. Moffett, was a man of unusual 
ability and attainments for the day in which he lived.  By 
trade he was a wagon maker, but devoted much of his time and 
energy after his arrival in this county to preaching, being 
regarded during his life as a leader in the ministry and one 
of the first men to advance the cause of the christian 
religion in this and surrounding counties.  It is said that 
he was one of the few men during the early days who was 
available to minister to the spiritual needs of the community 
and that he carried a message of good cheer and hope into 
many saddened homes.
   The son, Thomas Roland Moffett, chose for his business and 
calling in life, the wagon maker's trade, which he followed 
until a little more than a year ago when, feeling the 
approaching infirmities of old age, he retired from business.  
In his chosen occupation he was pre-eminently successful and 
for some time was interested as one of the owners in a 
factory in this city, in which the manufacture of buggies was 
carried on quite extensively.  This enterprise was 
successfully conducted for a number of years until the advent 
of the cheap and shoddy buggy, when, rather than endeavor to 
compete with that character of work, he retired from the 
manufacturing business and devoted his attention to repair 
work almost exclusively.
   On January 1st, 1860, he was united in marriage with Mary 
A. Milnes and to them was born a daughter, Linnie, who died 
when a little more than three years of age, and a son who 
died in infancy.  They later took into their home and adopted 
Mamie R., wife of Alphonso C. Wood, who, together with the 
widow survives him.
   In the struggle to preserve the Union, he was among the 
first to respond to the call for volunteers, and on August 
25, 1861, enlisted in Company A, 44th Regiment, Indiana 
Volunteer Infanty, and was mustered into service on November 
22, 1861.  He with that regiment took part in the battle of 
Fort Donaldson on February 15, 1862.  Owing to the condition 
of his health, he was assigned to hospital duty shortly after 
this engagement, and during the battle of Shiloh was on the 
field acting in that capacity.  His physical condition was 
such however, that he did hospital duty or was confined in 
the hospital most of the time until October, 1862, when he 
was discharged from the Evansville Marine hospital, 
transferred from there to Keokuk, Iowa, where he was 
honorably discharged from the service. For many yeas he was a 
member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
   On December 10, 1864, he was initiated into the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellowship in Angola lodge No. 180.  
On April 4, 1879, he was initiated into the Encampment; in 
April 1888, he was mustered into the Cantons, the military 
branch of the order.  He was a charter member of the local 
lodge Daughters of Rebekah, he, together with his wife and 
Mr. Lawrence Gates, of this city, being initiated into that 
branch of the order in November, 1860.
   His enthusiasm, love and attachment for the Order of Odd 
Fellowship, with its several branches, was seemingly never 
dampened or abated by his advancing years.  Measured in years 
of membership and service in the order, he was the oldest 
living Odd Fellow in the local lodge at the time of his 
death.
   In politics and religion he was always liberal in his 
views, entertaining respectful consideration for the opinions 
of others but never allowing himself to be controlled by the 
dictates of any.  He has been a member of the local 
Congregational church for some years.
   Thomas Roland Moffett's life viewed from any angle or 
tested by any measure would not be found wanting.  He was of 
a retiring disposition, never seeking notoriety, to him pomp 
and unnecessary display were very distasteful.  He possessed 
a remarkably happy, genial disposition, tempered with 
sympathy, kindness and toleration.  Being a constant reader, 
not only of present day events, but of other literature, 
books treating on religion, historical and political subjects 
being preferred, he was an interesting conversationalist.  
His heart was absolutely devoid of malice, bitterness or 
hatred.  On all moral questions he stood squarely and 
uncompromisingly for the right, never temporizing with impure 
thoughts or questionable motives.  Double standards of 
morality, hypocrisy and deceit were abhorred by him as the 
scourge of leprosy.
   In all business transactions, which were numerous, he was 
scrupulously and punctually honest.  No man can truthfully 
say that "Tom" Moffett ever knowingly or intentionally 
cheated or defrauded him out of one cent; and through such 
methods he was able to acquire a fair competency.
   Being blessed with the satisfaction of a life almost four 
score years in length thus spent, on Monday evening with the 
setting of the sun, surrounded by family and friends, with 
the final words, "I am going," he passed into the presence of 
his Creator, leaving a heritage to his posterity more 
precious than glittering gold.
   Funeral services were held from the late home on Thursday 
afternoon, Sept. 25, 1913, under the auspices of the Angola 
lodge of the Odd Fellowship ------the last three lines were 
too dark to read.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

   Thomas Roland Moffett, 19 Jan 1834 - 22 Sep 1913, married 
Mary Ann (Milnes) Moffett, 01 Sep 1836 - 06 Dec 1919.  They 
are buried at Circle Hill Cemetery, Angola, Steuben County, 
Indiana.  Thomas was the son of Elder Thomas G. Moffett, 02 
Sep 1809 - 05 Jun 1862, and Harriet E. (____) Moffett, 21 Sep 
1804 - 03 Feb 1884.  They are buried at Old Angola Cemetery, 
Angola, Steuben County, Indiana.  Mary Ann was the daughter 
of George A. Milnes, 16 Dec 1813 - 30 Jan 1877, and Eve Ann 
(Blankley) Milnes, 02 Jan 1815 - 19 Nov 1891.  They are 
buried at Jamestown Cemetery, Steuben County, Indiana.

CHILDREN:
   Infant Moffett, died 19 Sep 1860, buried at Jamestown 
Cemetery.  Father Thomas's obit says they had a son and a 
daughter.  The cemetery book says daughter for the infant.
   Linnie Moffett, 12 Dec 1863 - 27 Mar 1867, buried at 
Jamestown Cemetery.
   "Cemeteries of Steuben County, Indiana, 1990," page 1291, 
states:  "Infant daughter of T. R. and M. A. M., Sept. 19, 
1860.  NOTE:  This infant and Linnie are both on the MILNES 
lot and probably are children of Thomas R. Moffett and Mary 
Ann (Milnes) Moffet.
   Adopted daughter, Mayme R. (Moffett) Wood, 1874 - 1963, on 
28 Jun 1899, married Alphonso Calvin Wood, 23 Jan 1874 - 20 
Feb 1968.  Alphonso was the son of Dr. Theodore Frelingheysen 
Wood, 02 Jun 1840 - 30 Aug 1925, and Elizabeth (Powers) Wood, 
18 Jan 1842 - 05 May 1908.  They are all buried at Circle 
Hill Cemetery.

Marriage Records, Steuben County, Indiana, 1837-1899"
"History of Steuben County, Indiana, 1885," pages 571, 572, 
biography of father-in-law, George A. Milnes.
Steuben Republican, 24 Aug 1892, "Old Settlers" death list, 
Eve Ann Milnes.
SCGS Quarterly, Fol. 7, No. 3, Fall 2001, Linnie Moffett.
"Cemeteries of Steuben County, Indiana, 1990," by Audree 
Seibel Lewis, Vol. 2, pages 1284, 1290, 1291, 1989, 1992.
www.familysearch.org:
   1880 United States Census, Thomas R. Moffett, Angola, 
Steuben County, Indiana, Family History Library Film 
#1254312, NA Film #T9-0312, page #329D.
   1880 United States Census, Theadore (their spelling) Wood, 
District 11, Richland, Steuben County, Indiana, Family 
History Library Film #1254312, NA Film #T9-0312, page #397D.
   Individual Record, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 
Alphonso Wood.
Submitted by Mona Hilden-Beckwith
e-mail:  hilbeck123@att.net