Moses Sheets

Moses Sheets, son of Michael (II) and grandson of Michael (I), was born 1813-1817, probably in Wood County, (West) Virginia and died after 1880, probably in Van Buren County, Iowa. He married Nancy Ann Sheets October 15, 1840 in Wood County, (West) Virginia. She was born January 2, 1820, and died February 8, 1874. Nancy is buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Johnson Twp., Scotland County, Missouri. Moses married (2) Elizabeth Parks August 3, 1879 in Van Buren County, Iowa (Source: Van Buren County, Iowa Marriage Book F, Page 355, recorded October 3, 1879 by the minister, Rev. C.W. Akline. License issued August 1, 1879.). The birthdate of Moses Sheets is unknown. According to assorted records, Moses might have been born in 1817, however his age in the 1880 Van Buren County, Iowa census indicates he was born in 1813. Depending on his birth date, he might have been a twin to Michael Sheets III since some census records show them as the same age and Moses and Michael were both married the same day by the same minister. Moses and family moved west to Scotland County, Missouri probably with his parents about 1853 or soon after.

Mount Moriah Cemetery

When Moses' father died in 1855, the coffin cost $9. As administrator of his father's estate, Moses took care of his mother, Barbara, until she died in September 1863. Moses claimed $75 per year (1855-1863) from his fatrher's estate for caring for Barbara. He paid $9 from the estate to Israel Frederick "for medical attendance on Barbara Sheets during her last illness." Moses paid Lewis B. Dobbins(?) $5 "in full" for making Barbara's coffin and $8.10 for the goods for her coffin and her burying clothes. The final settlement for Michael's estate was $980.66. This information was found in the probate packet of Moses' father, Michael Sheets, at the Scotland County Courthouse. At various times, Moses' mother is called Barbary.

We have not located Moses on any 1860 census, however, on June 5, 1862, Moses paid Basil and Harriet Marquis $45 for ten acres of land in Scotland County, Missouri. His family is No. 197 in Johnson Township, Scotland County in the 1870 census. In 1871, he bought land for $366.77 in Clark County, Missouri. On Apirl 16, 1872, he and Nancy executed a promissory note for $800 on 10 acres of land in Scotland County. Nancy died in 1874 and was buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Moses later defaulted on the note and the land was sold in 1877. These records are found in the courthouse at Memphis, Scotland County, Missouri.

In 1880, Moses was living in Van Buren County, Iowa and married to Elizabeth Park(s). Moses' age in the 1880 census was listed as 67. Son, William, 15, was in the home and May Park, 16, listed as a step-daughter, was in the home. Elizabeth was listed as 53.

We have found no death record or grave stone for Moses Sheets nor any further information on Elizabeth Park(s) Sheets.

Children of Moses Sheets and Nancy Sheets are:

i. Benjamin Franklin Sheets, born January 5, 1842 in Wood County, (West) Virginia; died December 31, 1912 in Memphis, Scotland County, Missouri.
	B.F. Sheets

ii. Catherine Sheets, born 1844. Nothing more is known about her.

iii. Samuel Sheets, born 1845 probably in Wood County, (West) Virignia. He married Alva "Josephine" Unknown. The 1880 Census for Westport, Pope County, Minnesota lists Samuel D. Sheets as 34, a farmer, with wife, Alva J. Sheets, 29, and the following children: Odel F., 11; Thomas E., 9; Nimrod S., 7, George H., 1. John Knowls, 30, was also listed in the household as a laborer. Samuel Sheets and Josephine are believed to have had a daughter born after 1880 who married Charles Angel in Minnesota. (My mother rememberd a visit from the Angels with a child.)

iv. Henry E. Sheets, born about 1847. He married Mary A. Holmes. She was born about 1856. Henry was a farmer in Folker Twp., Clark County, Missouri. Henry and Mary had a daughter, Margaret D. "Maggie" Sheets, born 1875 who married Frank Schuers. In 1880, they were living next door to William Holmes, 18, and five sisters ages 5-22, possibly Mary's siblings. The E.A. Parke family (below) also lived nearby.

v. Lucinda Jane Sheets, born 1849 in Virginia married Elisha Alman Parke January 10, 1869 in Scotland County, Missouri. He was born 1848 probably in Ohio. The 1880 census for Folker Township, Clark County, Missouri shows Elisha Alman Parke, 32, and Lucinda, 31, with the following children: Lewis E. (Ed), 10; Debby A., 8, Salmon (Solomon) A., 6, and Samuel J. In 1881, Meda was born.

vi. Mary E. Sheets, born 1853 in Virginia. She married William Taylor Craig. The 1880 Census for Johnson Township, Scotland County, Missouri shows William T. Craig, 30 with wife, Mary E., 27, and child: Clarence E. (Emmett), 3.

Left to right: Emmett Craig, his great-grandson, Emmett's daughter, Anna Craig and her son.

vii. Fred Sheets, born about 1859.

viii. Julie Etta Sheets (or Juliaetta), born October 2, 1859 in Scotland County, Missouri; died June 13, 1946 in Clarkston, Washington. She married John Andrew Hewitt June 13, 1880 in Clark County, Missouri, son of David Hewitt and Mary Black. He was born April 30, 1858 in Clark County, Missouri, and died February 8, 1947 in Clarkston, Washington. John Andrew Hewitt's brother William Hewitt married Julie's niece Henrietta Sheets. Both couples went west and settled in Idaho/Washington. Children of Julia Sheets and John Hewitt are Charles Glenwood Hewitt, born May 11, 1881 in Clark County, Missouri; died 1886 in Southwick, Idaho; Clarence Edgar Hewitt, born February 17, 1886 in Southwick, Idaho; died October 19, 1959, married Emma Phillips 1909; Walter William Hewitt, born May 29, 1893 in Southwick, Idaho; died April 30, 1953; Luda Bell Hewitt, born December 5, 1895; died July 8, 1949, married Roy Blankenship; Harlan Lewis Hewitt, born January 29, 1898, married Bertha Heinrich April 4, 1918; Edith Mary Hewitt, born February 14, 1904 in Southwick, Idaho, married Raymond Blankenship July 28, 1920.

ix. Amanda Frances Sheets, born 1860, married Martin "Fleming" Sparks August 1, 1875 in Scotland County, Missouri. In 1880, they were living in Clark County, Missouri with daughter Viola, 5. Children of Amanda Sheets and Martin Sparks are Viola Sparks, William Sparks, Isabell Sparks and Rosa Sparks. Amanda and Fleming later lived in Van Buren County, Iowa  near Mount Sterling. They were  visiting a niece in Barry County, Missouri when Fleming died in 1924. Amanda died in 1925.

Amanda Sheets Sparks

x. John J. Sheets, born April 2, 1855, married (1) Amanda Hackard about 1876. She was born March 24, 1853, died Nov. 30, 1904. Amanda is buried at Blackledge Cemetery near Mount Sterling, Van Buren County, Iowa. John married (2) Carrie Harbin Thompson April 15, 1911 in Cantril, Van Buren County, Iowa. In 1880, the family was living in Wyaconda, Clark County, Missouri. In 1900, the family was living in Mount Sterling, Van Buren County, Iowa where John was running a restaurant. Known children of John and Amanda are: Laurie E. Sheets born 1877 is not listed in the 1900 census, probably either married or deceased; Estella J. Sheets born 1879 married William Hilliard April 15, 1901 in Keosauqua, Van Buren County, Iowa; Lesley L. Sheets, born 1883, married Myrtle Wiley September 27, 1901. Omega Sheets, born 1887, married Frank C. Blackledge June 21, 1906 in Keosauqua, Van Buren County, Iowa. In 1920, Omega and Frank were in California with sons Lawrence and Leroy and in 1930, the Blackledge family was in Portland, Oregon.

John Sheets

xi. E. Huldah Sheets, born about 1867.

xii. William L. "Billy" Sheets, born about 1869. He married Sarah Boals September 25, 1887; he died 1891 in Bend, Oregon.