| by Joyce Woods Cox
The reunion started as
a get together in the 70's of the immediate descendants of James Wiley
and Lillie Elkin Moody, and Lillie's siblings along with their
families. As the older generations have died, and through the use of
the Internet, many distant cousins have been contacted and invited to
attend.
The gathering was held at Mother Neff State Park
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/mother/mother.htm
near Moody, Saturday, June 30, 2001. Approximately 60 descendants were
present from, Idaho, Michigan, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, the
Rio Grande Valley and all over Texas.Traveling the furthest, was Peggy
and James Gray of Boise, Idaho. The oldest present was Sam Hooten, 88,
of Waco. Alexandra (Allie), 14 month old daughter of Joe and Blake
Moody Garvelli was the youngest present.
James (Jim) Moody came to
Stampede Valley http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/SS/hns76.html
area of Texas with his older brother, Albert, and two
younger half brothers, John and Buck Moody, in the early 1880s. They
came from Jackson County Alabama where their father, David H. Moody,
after being severely wounded in the battle of Chickamauga, had served
as jailer and bailiff. After the death of David's third wife, mother
of the younger boys, the siblings came to Stampede Community near
Moody, where their aunt, Mattie Moody Taylor, lived.
"The younger Moody boys eventually returned to
Alabama and resided there the rest of their lives. Albert, later returned
to Alabama to take a wife, Georgia Hamil, and spent his later years in the
Rio Grand Valley. James married Lillie Elkin, a daughter of Thomas Jasper
& Margaret Wilson Elkin in Falls County about 1898, and farmed in the
Chilton, Moody, and Robinsonville area most of his life. The family had
moved to the northern McLennan County community of Rogers Hill shortly
before Mr. Moodys death in 1926. Lillie lived with children and family in
the West and Waco area until her death in 1941. James and Lillie Moody's
children were, James D., Myrtle, Joe, Ivy, Winnie, Irene, Louis and
Mildred; only one of the eight offspring now survives, Mildred Hooten, of
Waco," Hayden H. Moody, son of James D. said.
Family genealogist,
Hayden Moody, said he would like to find the graves of his great-great
grandparents, Abraham and Nancy Moody. They were last documented to be
residing in Scottsboro, Alabama in 1870 census. Oral family history leads
him to believe that Abraham and Nancy came to Texas and settled in
Moody/Stampede Valley area. That was in the early 1880s. They are both
supposed to be buried in Old Perry Cemetery http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/PP/hrptc.html. Abraham died about 1883 and
Nancy before that, so they didn't reside in the area very long. Their son
Bartley M. Moody died in 1893, and was buried at Old Perry Cemetery, north
east of Moody. "My purpose in documenting the burial place of Abraham
Moody is to eventually mark his grave with a stone provided by the
Veterans Administration due him because of his service to the Confederacy.
He was a 3rd Cpl. and three of his sons, James, William and David were
Privates in Co. K, 19th AL Inf. Reg. James and William were killed and
David wounded at Chickamauga.
Moody said, he feels Col. William Lewis
Moody http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/fmo21.html
is connected to their line, as Gov. Dan Moody http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/fmo19.html. There is too much
family resemblance even down to the 'Moody frown.' However he has not been
able to trace the connections so far.
In 1881 when the Gulf, Colorado and
Santa Fe Railway built a section of track between Temple and Fort Worth,
plans were laid out for a city overlooking Stampede Valley. This city was
named Moody in honor of Colonel William Lewis Moody. Moody is located in
Central Texas at the intersection of State Highway 317 and Farm Road 107
in McLennan County. The community also includes parts of Bell and, Coryell
Counties.
In 1863, during the Civil War, Lt. Colonel Moody, of
the 7th Texas Infantry was forced to retire from active duty after being
wounded. He moved to Galveston in 1866, prospered and became a rich
entrepreneur. He became a director of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe
Railroad.
Elkin/Moody 2002 Reunion will be held at Mother Neff State
Park.
Date to be announced later. For more information, contact Hayden H. Moody
at: hmoody@juno.com Otis or Arlene
Elkin nolaae@swbell.net
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