MOATS
Submitted by Janet Waite jwaite@weir.net

About 1819, George Moats and Eve Stone Moats, along with their family, came from Pendleton County
and took up residence in Ritchie County. Mrs. Moats was a native of North Carolina and both are
of German descent. Being the parents of twelve children, they are the ancestors of most Moats
families in this area. They also gave the grounds for the first Baptist church in the Harrisville
vicinity. Near the sight of this church, George met a tragic death in 1844. He sought shelter from
a storm under a tree, and the tree fell on him. He was buried almost at the exact site where he died,
but his ashes were movedlater to a cemetery on the hill south of town. (Harisville I.O.O.F. Cemetery).
Mrs. Moats is buried at the Indian Creek Baptist Churchyard.

Their children were:

Peter, the edest son, born in Pendleton County in 1797. There he was married to Rachel Grogg at
the age of nineteen. He and Rachel traveled to Ritchie County with his parents. He was one of the
earliest blacksmiths of the vicinity. Children of Peter and Rachel were: Joseph, Jesse, Catherine,
William P., Lucinda, Flora, Elizabeth, and Susana.

Jacob, the second son, born in 1799 and married to Miss Mary Starr in 1823. Children of Jacob and
Mary were: Anne, Susana, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret, Jane, India, Andrew, Benjamin, and Jacob, Jr.

Henry, and his wife, Effie Starr Moats settled on the head of Addis' run. Henry was also a blacksmith
and was the first one in this section. Children of Henry and Effie were: John, George, James, Henry,
William, Katherine, Hannah, and a daughter who married Hiram Norman of Calhoun County.

William, who married Phebe Drake and settled on the old parental homestead. He lived and died here and
rests at Harrisville. Children of William and Phebe were: James, Sinnett, Cornelius, and others who died
in childbirth. James and Sinnett were soldiers of the Union Army.

Christiana , the eldest child born in 1793 who married John Shrader ans settled on Husher's run.

Barbara, who became Mrs. Solomon Dick and resided in Ritchie county and in the state of Ohio.

Magdalena who married William Kibby of Cornwallis, and their only heir is Hezekiah Kibby.

Katherine, who married Absolem Harpold and went to Indiana.

Susan married Solomon Mullenax of Missouri.

Elizabeth married John Layfield, Senior.

Frances married Harmon Sinnett.

Julia Anne married Ephriam Culp.