MOSES JOSIAH WESTBERRY, CSA

(JOSIAH2, MOSES1) was born November 29, 1839 in Appling Co, Georgia, and died June 03, 1903 in Jesup, Georgia. He married MARY ANN WELCH December 08, 1865 in Wayne County, Georgia. She was born July 06, 1847 in Georgia, and died April 17, 1931 in Wayne Co, Georgia.

Notes for MOSES JOSIAH WESTBERRY, CSA, #:
1870 Census, Appling Co, Georgia.
Moses J. Westberry, 33; Mary, 20; Susannah, 2; John, 3/12- (Josiah, Joe S.); Milton J. 1.
1880 Census, Wayne Co, Georgia.
Moses Westberry, 40; Mary Ann, 32; Rachael S., 12; Milton J., 10; Nancy Ann, 7; Mary L., 3; George, 1.
1900 Census, Wayne Co, Georgia.
Moses J. Westberry, Nov. 1839; Mary, Mar. 1855; Nancy, May 1882; George, Oct. 1884; Randal, Apr. 1886; Andrew J., May 1887; Alonzo, Jun. 1888; Daniel, May 1890.
1910 Census, Wayne Co, Georgia.
Mollie J. Westberry, ?; George, 25; Randall, 21; Lonnie, 19; Daniel, 18.

Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia.
Moses Josiah Westberry was born on November 29, 1839 in Wayne County, Georgia, the son of Josiah and Rachel (West) Westberry and a grandson of Reverend Moses Westberry. M. J. married Mary “Mollie” Welch. She was born on May 10, 1847 and was living with her widowed mother, Sarah Welch, in the 1880 census of Wayne County.
Moses Josiah Westberry enlisted in the Confederate Army, Company K, 54th Georgia Infantry about April 15, 1862 and served until June 15, 1865 surrendering at Savannah, Georgia. The subject applied for a Confederate Veteran’s pension on September 12, 1902. According to the information obtained from the said application, M. J. was a farmer in Wayne County, Jesup, Georgia. At the time, he stated that his personal worth was $50.00 and that he owned one horse. During the years 1894-1901, he owned 500 acres of land, four head of cattle, and seven head of hogs, At the time of the pension application, he stated that he had sold his land and his cattle. For the years 1899-1901 he states that his sole means of support were his sons and that he was able to do very little work because of his physical condition, Dr. Drawdy and Dr. Tuten stated on the application that M. J.’s physical condition included “indigestion, paralysis and general disability”,

Moses Josiah’s captain in the Confederate Army was his brother-in-law, Isham Bennett, the husband of his sister, Mary Ann (Westberry) Bennett. This relationship may have cost Moses Josiah his Confederate soldier’s pension. Acccording to an affidavit sworn to by Moses Josiah Westberry and witnessed by J. D. Crawford, Wayne County Ordinary an May 14, 1903: About February of 1865 Captain Isham Bennett “had a furlough home and brought Mr. Westberry home with him. They came home for thirty days and before they could return and before their furlough had expired the road was torn up and while returning the surrender took place.” Since Isham Bennett was deceased whenever this statement was taken, Moses Josiah Westberry had no one to support his above statement; he was denied a Confederate pension. Previously on 10/3/1902, J. W. Lindsey, Commander of Pensions stated that “Captain Bennett had no authority to give furloughs at any time to any soldier and therefore the applicant, M. J. Westberry, was absent without leave for two months before the surrender, therefore he is not entitled to a pension.”
Moses Josiah Westberry died on June 3, 1903 and is buried in the Flint Branch Church Cemetery in Jesup, Georgia. M. J.’s wife, Mary “Mollie” (Welch) Westberry died on April 16, 1921. She is buried beside her husband in an unmarked grave. (Now marked)

Notes for MARY ANN WELCH:
Her birth date on the headstone shows July 6, 1847, but her DC and several census show that she was probably born earlier than that. She was always several years younger than her husband in the census until after he died. ( Maybe she was vain and didn’t want anyone to really know her age.)

The Jesup Sentinel, Jesup, Wayne County, Georgia, Thursday, April 23, 1931.
Mrs. Mollie Westberry – Mrs. Mollie Westberry died Friday afternoon, April 17th, at her home near Jesup. She had been in ill health for several years. She was a life long citizen of Wayne county, living to the venerable age of 90 years. Her husband succeeded her in death about 30 years ago. He was a soldier in the Confederate War. Mrs. Westberry was a member of the Flint Branch Baptist Church, having affiliated with the church when quite a young woman. She was a devoted Christian, always thoughtful of those around her. She has gone on to heaven and her race on earth is run. Our hearts are sad and lonely, yet we say, “God’s Will be done.” She has gone to that fair city, her eternal joys to share, and some day beyond the river let us hope to meet her there. The deceased is survived by one sister, Mrs. F. Long, Ludowici, Ga., five sons, J. S., and A. L. Westberry of Screven, Ga., G. W. and J. R., of Jesup, Ga., and A. J. Westberry, of Doctortown, Ga., two daughters, Mrs. E. Barber, of Jesup, Ga., and Mrs. W. M. Smith, of Folkston, Ga. Funeral services were held at the Flint Branch Baptist Church Saturday afternoon. Rev. Hodges, pastor of Flint Branch Church, conducted the services. Interment followed in the church cemetery in the midst of a large concourse of relatives and friends.

Children of MOSES WESTBERRY and MARY WELCH are:

i. RACHEL SUZANNE WESTBERRY, b. October 29, 1868, Georgia; d. January 13, 1942, Wayne Co, Georgia; m. EPHRAIM BARBER, June 22, 1893, Wayne Co, Georgia.

ii. MILTON J. WESTBERRY, b. 1869, Georgia.

iii. JOSEPH S. WESTBERRY, b. May 13, 1870, Wayne Co, Georgia; d. December 02, 1949, Wayne Co, Georgia; m. MARY ANN DOUGLAS, May 23, 1897, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. 1879, Georgia; d. 1906, Wayne Co, Georgia.

iv. NANCY ANN ELIZA WESTBERRY, b. May 1873, Georgia; m. J.M. MORELAND, August 11, 1920, Wayne Co, Georgia.

v. MARY LOUGENIA WESTBERRY, b. October 06, 1877, Georgia; d. March 05, 1960; m. WILLIAM SMITH; b. January 13, 1860; d. October 29, 1952.

vi. GEORGE WASHINGTON WESTBERRY, b. June 14, 1882, Georgia; d. March 21, 1957, Georgia; m. ANNIE MAY WESTBERRY, June 18, 1916, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. May 15, 1897, Georgia; d. 1987, Wayne Co, Georgia.

vii. ANDREW JACKSON WESTBERRY, b. April 10, 1884, Georgia; d. September 12, 1934, Wayne Co, Georgia; m. (1) CELIA ARNETT, September 04, 1904, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. Abt. 1893; m. (2) MILZINA WESTBERRY, March 25, 1917, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. December 02, 1902, Wayne Co, Georgia; d. 1990, Wayne Co, Georgia.

viii. JAMES RANDALL WESTBERRY, b. April 04, 1886, Wayne Co, Georgia; d. January 06, 1979, Evans Co, Georgia; m. MINNIE LEE WESTBERRY, September 17, 1917, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. September 10, 1898, Wayne Co, Georgia; d. July 19, 1978, Georgia.

ix. ARTHUR LONZO WESTBERRY, b. December 23, 1888, Georgia; d. July 15, 1972, Wayne Co, Georgia; m. MABEL ROBERSON, February 09, 1913, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. November 27, 1895, Wayne Co, Georgia; d. March 22, 1976, Wayne Co, Georgia.

x. DANIEL WEBSTER WESTBERRY, b. January 25, 1890, Georgia; d. July 03, 1926, Wayne Co, Georgia; m. ETHEL LOU ABBOTT, November 17, 1912, Wayne Co, Georgia; b. January 23, 1896; d. May 1958, California.