Obituary: Alfred Moats

Ross County OH Obituaries

Alfred MOATS

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ALFRED MOATS

 

Alfred Moats was born May 22, 1854, at Cline's Chapel, Pike county, Ohio, and departed this life , July 20, 1940, at the age of 86 years, 1 month and 28 days. Mr. Moats had enjoyed unusual health for one of his years, until a few days before he was suddenly stricken with a heart attack at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Omer Leach of Chillicothe, Ohio, with whom he had resided for the greater part of eight years, since the death of his wife in 1932.

He was the son of the late Allen Moats and Esther Burke Moats, early pioneers in the Ohio Valley, who came to Pike county when it just been formed from other surrounding counties in 1830 [sic; Pike was created in 1815; the family arrived in 1830]. They settled in the wilderness clearing the land and building their little cabin with their own hands.

To this union was born three sons and two daughters of whom Alfred, the deceased was the third eldest. All the hardships and trials of the early settlers were endured by these brave frontier parents, and their dreams of rearing their family in the home on the land they had struggled to maintain was suddenly brought to an end when the father Allen Moats was called to defend his country in the Civil War. He fell in battle May 4, 1865 , leaving his widow and the helpless children of whom Alfred was eleven years of age. The family remained on the farm. Later in 1871 the mother was married to the late Mr. Thomas Goodin. She passed away in May 1919 at the age of 92.

Alfred Moats was united in marriage to the late Mary Jane Ridgeway, daughter of Alfred and Monica B. Ridgeway of Cline's Chapel on June 18, 1874, at St. Mary's church in Chillicothe, Ohio. To this union were born eight children, seven of whom are living. Louis Joseph Moats of Bloomingburg, Ohio, Mrs. Elmer Brown of Cline's Chapel, Floyd Adams Moats of Chillicothe, Mrs . Omer Leach and Mrs J. W. Drummond of Chillicothe; Miss Lucille Moats of Washington, D. C. and Mrs. Everett Manghmer of Washington C. H.. Mrs. Moats passed away November 22, 1932, and the oldest son, George Alfred Moats preceded his mother in death in early manhood.

Besides the seven surviving children are 46 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

Mr. Moats' early and midlife was spent in farming near Cline's Chapel. Later he and his wife moved to Waverly where they established a home on Walnut Street, when he became any employe for the late Mr. William B. Lee. After the death of his wife, he sold his property in Waverly, and lived in Chillicothe.

Mr. Moats was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, where he and his wife had worshiped during their married life, their religious conviction being of the deepest type.

He was a man, possessed of the qualities of a gentleman of the old school--always courteous and kind, honest, and industrious, with unfailing love and devotion to his family and his home.

His problems in life were borne heroically and uncomplainingly, never losing sight of the high value of living and working.

He believed that "all things work together for good to those who love the Lord." With faith in God and the companionship of Jesus, he found peace and contentment.