Robert Franklin Mosley (abt. 1735 - abt. 1796)

Born about 14 Jan 1735 in Powhatan, Beaufort County, South Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Emma Penelope Talley — married 1777 in South Carolina, USA

Descendants

Died about 12 Mar 1796 at about age 61 in Edgefield, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Steve Nesbit [send private message] and Nancy Bamberg [send private message]

Biography

Robert's will was proven 3/1/1796 in Edgefield County Court. It names wife Penelope and the following children: Rachel Davis, Anna Mosely, John Mosely, Mary Stallings (Not sure she is a daughter as she signed her mark as witness. She could be daughter Martha Stallings mil as she isn't named daughter.) Lydia Mosley, Penelope Mosely, Thomas Mosley, Robert Mosely, Jese Mosely, Daniel Mosely, Elizabeth Vann, Sarah Hagood, Martha Stallings, Susannah Adams. and Mary Halsenback. Thomas and Penelope are named as the youngest children. Negros given in the will were: Silvy, Cloe, Amy, Patt, James, and Fortune.

There are some records showing he married a Susan Mason, but the will clearly says wife Penelope. :

Robert Moseley of Southampton County, VA" on April 27, 1760. This land was purchased for $25 being 198 acres land on both sides of Pea Hill Creek bounded by Thomas Moseley (Deed Book 6 - page 655).:

May 24, 1771, John Steed sold to Robert Moseley for 40 pounds VA money 290 acres granted to Steed June 10, 1760 (Book 10 - page 146).:

1782 Robert Mosely of Chatham County, North Carolina" he sold to Luke Matthews of Meherrin Parish, Brunswick County, VA for 90 pounds 296 acres in Brunswick County, VA on the branches of Rattlesnake adjoining John Steed patented by John Steed on June 10, 1760. He signed as Robert "R" Mosely (his mark) (Order Book 2 - page 286).

Find A Grave biography

There is confusion among the attributed information, and some researchers have his birth year as 1725, some as 1735. Confusion exists because there were other men named Robert Moseley living in this same era. If anyone has definitive information to add on this Robert Moseley line, please contact me.
Robert fought in the American Revolution, having enlisted in the Continental army on March 30, 1776, just a few months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. He is shown in the South Carolina Militia regiment of Colonel LeRoy Hammond, as a Private. During which time, in 1780 he took part in the resistance to the British invasion of Charleston, South Carolina. Note: The Roster of SC Patriots in the American Revolution by Bobby Gilmer Moss states on page 706 that he enlisted in the Fifth Regiment as a corporal. He was not on their rolls after 19 May 1776. So more validation is needed.

This Robert Moseley is found in the records of the Ninety-six District, SC in 1779, with his last name spelled 'Mosley.' In 1780 he is on a list of "Petit-Jury Men in Civil Causes" from "Between Turkey Creek & Savannah River." He is on the 1790 Federal Census in Edgefield, SC listed as "Robt Mosley Sr." with 13 whites and 7 slaves in his household^[1]. [Note: There is also an entry on the 1790 census Edgefield County, SC, simply listed as 'Robt Mosley' with 8 in his household, no slaves. This may be the household of his son, Robert; however, this could be a nephew or other kin, named for Robert, Senior.]

Some of his land is still recognizable today due to the legal description referring to the junction of two still existing streams that are noted in the deed for one piece of his property, now in southern Edgefield County, South Carolina. The cemetery that holds his memorial is nearby, but may not be the location of the nearest church in his era.

Robert Moseley had at least 1, possibly 2, previous wives prior to his last wife, Penelope Tally/Talley, and had a number of older children. Robert may have had 3 wives: Sarah Turpin, Mary Bransford and Penelope Talley. The names of the first 2 are not confirmed. If there was only one wife before Penelope, she may be Unknown. See notes under Mary Bransford-36.

His will distributes property or money to various older children, with the caveat that the rest of his estates are to remain in the possession of his wife till his two youngest (minor) children come of age. At which time his last wife, the former Penelope Tally/Talley and 6 of his children, including the 2 youngest children (minors) are to receive final distribution of the rest of his estate as instructed in his will (signed 6 Jan 1796). (These documents still exist, on file at the Courthouse Annex in Edgefield County, SC.) At his wife's death, his son Daniel Mosley receives the plantation and tract of land where they resided. Records of the probation of this will have not yet been discovered. His will spells his last name as "Mosley" but his signature is an X plus a seal. --- He died in 1796 and was buried in Antioch Baptist Church, Edgefield, Edgefield County, South Carolina^[2]

Research Note

Possible matches, not enough information to confirm.

Robt Mosely, United States Census, 1810

Middle names were rare in the 18th century. His name on his will was, simply, Robert Moseley. Deed records in Bute Co., NC, and Edgefield Co., SC, give his name as Robert Moseley, with no middle name nor initial.

Name: Robert Franklin Mosley. Given Name: Robert Franklin. Surname: Mosley. A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Name: Robert Franklin Mosley. Given Name: Robert Franklin. Surname: Mosley. A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Sources

1. ↑ Robt Mosley Sr, United States Census, 1790
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #139942048

• Robert Mosley will Edgefield County SC
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 14 July 2019), memorial page for Robert Moseley (unknown–1796), Find A Grave Memorial no. 139942048, citing Antioch Baptist Church, Edgefield, Edgefield County, South Carolina, USA; Maintained by Linda (contributor 47431032).
• United States Census, 1790, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKN-5KQ : accessed 14 July 2019), Robt Mosley Sr, Edgefield, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 512, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 11; FHL microfilm 568,151.
• Moseley, Mosly Etc. Families (Book 2 of 2): Genealogical Appendix: Apparently Non-Norfolk Lines & Raw Research Notes on Some Readily Available Records About Most Early N.American Moseley Families & A Few Medieval European Families, compiled by Leila Eldridge D'Aiutolo, et al, 2000, pp 116-121.

Moseley Genealogy, Book 2 of 2, Appendix to Book 1 -- but see also Warren Forsythe's MOSELEY database 2 on Rootsweb, which is a continuously updated version of Book 2 of the Moseley Genealogy from 2000 to 2017, when Forsythe died (see https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=moseley2&id=I16

• Source: S128 Ancestry Family Trees (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.) m. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. TID 0 Name: Footnote Ancestry Family Trees (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.) Name: ShortFootnote Ancestry Family Trees Name: Bibliography Ancestry Family Trees. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.Ancestry Family Tree 11 Name: Page Ancestry Family Tree Name: Ancestry Family Tree
• Source: S128 Ancestry Family Trees (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.) m. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. TID 0 Name: Footnote Ancestry Family Trees (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.) Name: ShortFootnote Ancestry Family Trees Name: Bibliography Ancestry Family Trees. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.Ancestry Family Tree 11 Name: Page Ancestry Family Tree Name: Ancestry Family Tree