MOFFETT, Daniel V. - Putnam

The Moffetts are a Kentucky product, the family having been founded in that state over a year ago and ramified from there to many parts of the west. Daniel Moffett was first to cross the Ohio river into Illinois and he found his way to the state when it was undeveloped and had little to offer to the first arrivals. Daniel, however, like all the early pioneers, was brave and not to be daunted by bayous, swamps or rank prairie sod. He located in Edgar County, which, though somewhat forbidding at that time, has since been made an agricultural paradise. Along with the old pioneer came his boy. Silas H. Moffett. who developed into a typical farm lad and helped on the farm until he reached his majority. In early manhood he became religious, joined church and gradually became one of the Primitive Baptist ministers, whose unselfish work so greatly benefited the moral status of the rude pioneers. Between farming and preaching he made a living and for years before his death his voice was familiar in the pulpits of his church in Edgar County. He passed away June 2. 1905, after he had completed his seventy-eighth year, and all agreed that his life had been both useful and blameless.

He married Eliza Barr, by whom he had three children. F. P. Moffett, the eldest of these, is President of the Bainbridge Bank, at Bainbridge, Putnam County. Indiana. M. B. Moffett, the second son, is a preacher and dealer in insurance at Paris. Illinois. Susan, the only daughter, married Mr. Brinkerhoff and resides at Kansas, Illinois. The mother of these children having died, the father married Nancy Davis, of Edgar County, Illinois. The eight children by this union are as follows: Eliza J., wife of N. R. Bennett, President of The Bank of Westfield, Clark County, Illinois: Lucinda, wife of G. W. Kirkpatrick. President of a bank at Oakland, Coles County, Illinois: Daniel V.; Thomas, who married Lou Grubb, of Oakland, Illinois, and died in 1887; Rector married Anna Zimmerly, of Paris, Illinois, and is engaged in the insurance business: May married W. Gill, cashier of the bank at Cloverdale, Indiana; Alinnie is the wife of W. H. Miller, in the real estate business at Terre Haute; John H., who married Jessie Cash, of Oakland, Illinois, is in the livestock commission business at the Union stock yards, in Chicago.

Daniel V. Moffett. third of the second set of children, was born west of Paris. Edgar County, Illinois, June 11, 1863. He lived on a farm in his native County until the completion of his twentieth year, when he began to feel the impulse that stirs all ambitious young men to find a home and career for himself. In 1883 he came to Putnam County and located in Jefferson township, near Mount Meridian, on a farm, where he lived until 1903, when he removed to Cloverdale and became President of a bank in that place, a position which he has since held. He was nominated as candidate for County auditor on the Democratic ticket and was elected and took office on January 1, 1908. He is making a popular official and discharging all his duties in a way to disarm criticism.

The Bank of Cloverdale. of which Mr. Moffett is President, has a capital stock of ten thousand dollars, of which he owns one-third. He also takes a deep interest in agriculture, owning two hundred and sixty acres of splendid land in Jefferson and Marion townships, this County, which is devoted to diversified farming.

On September 6, 1883. Mr. Moffett married Mary J., daughter of Jefferson Hurst, one of the well knowm men of the County. She is one of eight children, as follows: Morton C, Levi, William, Squire J., James H., George W., Dr. B. F. and Mary J. (Mrs. Moffett). The mother having died at about the age of forty. Mr. Hurst married again and by this union had two children. Joseph B. and Flossie M. Mr. and Mrs. Moffett have one child, D. Ora. born September 6, 1889, and who is now deputy auditor in his father's office. Mr. Moffett is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he and his wife belong to the Baptist church.