Adair County Pioneers Progress

Pioneer Sketches for those with ancestors in Adair County.

Rev. William Boaz Moss
Contributed by Gerald Moss

One of the early settlers in Adair County was William Boaz Moss, my 3rd great grandfather.  He was a son of David C. Moss, whose family settled in Mercer County and then moved westward.  The following information is taken from “Methodist History of Adair County Kentucky 1782-1969”, by Vista Royse Allison:

“Kentucky was formed into a county, as it was called, in 1776.  The same year, Rev. William Boaz Moss, Robert Handy and George Burke came to Kentucky County, now known as Adair County.  They staked out land located near the Metcalfe, Green, and Adair County Line.
These three men built the first Old Pleasant Ridge Methodist “Meetin House” in 1782. (thought to be the oldest Methodist Church in Adair County)  It stood about 30 feet from the Greensburg and Sulphur Well Road, to the east, on Rev. Moss’ land.  (now on the Keltner family land, in Adair County near the Green County line, in the Keltner community)
It was built around a tree stump which was tall enough to be used as a pulpit stand.  Rev. Moss preached in this church for ten years.  The seats were made of hewn logs with four legs and no backs.  They originally used limbs across the door to keep animals out.  Later a “batten” door was made for the “Meetin House”.  It stood on a high ridge and rightly gets its name, “Pleasant Ridge.”  From this high point, one can see for many miles over the beautiful countryside.  The land slopes down into deep gorges which were well-wooded at that time.  There was a spring down under the hill which provided water.  It was also near Adams Creek.
The little log church has over the years withstood the many hardships, the Indian depredations and the slavery question which split the membership in 1844.  When the Methodist church declared the ownership of slaves was a violation of God’s sacred vows, the slave holders moved out and started building a larger log church in 1845, about two miles from the 1782 church.
Rev. Moss was born in 1750 in Buckingham County, Virginia, died in 1837, and is buried in the “Old Moss Cemetery”, near the newer Pleasant Ridge Church Cemetery.  Others buried there include his wife, Sally, their son Francis Clark Moss and his wife Nancy Reed Moss, William B. Moss, Jr. and his wife, Diana Price Moss;  John Winston Moss and his wife Nancy Matney Moss.
Rev. Moss served his church and community well.  It appears he was a very useful man, dedicated to this church and the example he set has been followed on down through the years.  The frontier minister not only had to be a preacher, but he had to be an excellent frontiersman to exist in such a wilderness.  Many lost their lives trying to endure the many trials and hardships.”

Children of
 Boaz Moss

  1   William Boaz Moss b: Abt. 1770 in Buckingham Co., VA d: 1837 in Old Moss graveyard, Adair Co., Ky
..  +Sally Price
. 2   Rosy Doyle Moss
.....  +Robert Handy
. 2   Right Moss b: 1789 in Hart Co., Ky d: September 08, 1858 in Boyle Co., Ky  (perhaps Hart Co)
.....  +Annie Stults b: 1788 in Patrick Co., VA d: January 04, 1857 in Hart Co., Ky
. 2   William Price Moss b: 1794 in NC or VA d: September 16, 1863 in Hart Co., Ky
.....  +Elizabeth A. Price  d: Abt. 1840 in Hart Co., Ky
.  *2nd Wife of William Price Moss:
.....  +Louisa Willis b: April 1802 in VA d: June 14, 1896 in Hart Co., Ky
. 2   Elizabeth P. Betsey Moss b: 1795 d: 1818 in Adair Co., Ky
.....  +[1] James Hicks  d: Bef. 1842 in Adair Co., Ky
. 2   Sarah (Sally) O. Moss b: 1799
.....  +[1] James Hicks  d: Bef. 1842 in Adair Co., Ky
. 2   David T. Moss b: Abt. 1800 d: August 01, 1840 in Adair Co., Ky
.....  +Elizabeth Betsey Barton
. 2   William Moss, Jr. b: 1800
.....  +Dinah A. S. Price b: September 22, 1803 in Ky d: July 27, 1824 in Green Co., Ky
. 2   Francis Clark Moss b: March 10, 1800 in Adair Co, Ky d: 1855 in Moss Cemetery, Keltner, Ky
.....  +Nancy Reed b: 1803 d: 1889 in Ky

Thank you for reading about my ancestor.
Gerald Moss