Moses James Edmiston

THE EDMISTON’S OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS

BY ALLAN S. HUMPHREYS

MOSES JAMES EDMISTON, was born 2 March 1770, probably in North Carolina and died before 16 Aug. 1845, in Washington County, Ark. He married, probably in Tenn., on 21 November 1793, to Mary Ann Thompson, b. 16 June 1769, in N.C. She was still living in Washington Co., Ark., in 1850, aged 81 years.

Census and tombstone records show that the eldest grandson Moses J. EDMISTON was born 1822 in Arkansas, so it is probable that the family lived elsewhere in Arkansas for a few years before coming to Washington Co. M.J. Edmiston and P. L. Edmiston (this name does not show again) were listed in the Sheriff’s Census for Washington Co. in 1829.

The family Bible of Moses J. Edmiston was printed by I. Ashmead & Co, Printers, in 1829, in Philadelphia. On the fly leaf he has written his name and the cost - six dollars. This Bible gives the birth record for his entire family and some of the death dates with his own death date is not recorded although many dates for the family of his son, James W. were recorded.

Deed Book ”E”, for Washington County (p. 254), shows that on 16 Aug, 1845, Mary Ann Edmiston, wife of Moses James Edmiston, deceased, and James Marrs and Isabel Alexander - Marrs, his wife, and John Thompson Edmiston and Rebecca Edmiston, his wife, and Moses Ewen Edmiston and Sarah Ann Edmiston, his wife, and Samuel Neely Edmiston, all of the heirs of Moses James Edmiston, deceased, of the first part, sold to James Watson Edmiston, of' the second part, for $90, a tract of' 69 and 38/100 acres of land. The witnesses were: James S. Crawford and James R, Asher.

Mary Ann (Thompson) Edmiston was listed as being 81 years of age 'When the census was taken in 1840. No mention of her is found later. She was then living with her son, Samuel N. and living in the home was Malinda Irwin / Irvin, aged 30, born in Tenn, Where place of birth is mentioned tor the children, it is in Tennessee.