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Caswell County Genealogy
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 1893 - 1976 (82 years)
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| Name |
Moorefield, Arthur William |
| Birth |
11 Aug 1893 |
Person County, North Carolina  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Reference Number |
55 |
| Social Security Number |
225-50-7311 |
| Death |
29 May 1976 |
Danville, Virginia |
| Burial |
First Baptist Church of Yanceyville, Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina |
| Person ID |
I55 |
Caswell County |
| Last Modified |
23 Sep 2023 |
| Father |
Moorefield, Elijah Johnson, b. 17 Oct 1868, Bedford County, Virginia d. 16 Dec 1937, Danville, Virginia (Age 69 years) |
| Relationship |
natural |
| Mother |
James, Ada Belle, b. 20 Dec 1870, Orange County, North Carolina d. 18 Sep 1955, Caswell County, North Carolina (Age 84 years) |
| Relationship |
natural |
| Marriage |
18 Feb 1891 |
Person County, North Carolina [1] |
| Reference Number |
2200 |
| Family ID |
F49 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Smith, Pearl Virginia, b. 5 Apr 1895 d. 23 Jun 1969, Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina (Age 74 years) |
| Marriage |
14 Dec 1916 |
Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina |
| Reference Number |
2187 |
| Children |
| + | 1. Moorefield, Arthur William Jr., b. 25 Oct 1917, Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina d. 11 Jun 1975, Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina (Age 57 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| + | 2. Moorefield, Jesse James, b. 10 Apr 1920, Caswell County, North Carolina d. 30 Aug 1973, Caswell County, North Carolina (Age 53 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| + | 3. Moorefield, Sallie Womack, b. 9 Oct 1921, Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina d. 24 Sep 1971, Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina (Age 49 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 4. Moorefield, Jack Wiggins, b. 24 Sep 1923, Caswell County, North Carolina d. 29 Sep 1923, Caswell County, North Carolina (Age 0 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| + | 5. Moorefield, Frank James, b. 22 Jun 1930, Caswell County, North Carolina d. 30 Sep 2016, Danville, Virginia (Age 86 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
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| Family ID |
F19 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
23 Sep 2023 |
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| Notes |
- Arthur William Moorefield (1893-1976)
(for larger image, click on photograph)
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Third Photograph: The Elijah Johnson Moorefield Family at Purley, Caswell County, North Carolina (c.1940). Left-to-Right:
Back Row: Alice Velma Moorefield, Lula May Moorefield, Elijah Johnson Moorefield (father), Ada Belle James Moorefield (mother), Minnie B. Moorefield, Leona Moorefield, Verna Brent Moorefield.
Front Row: Violet Bye Moorefield, Arthur William Moorefield, Virginia Inez Moorefield, Naomi Ethel Moorefield, Esther True Moorefield.
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Group Christmas Photograph (generally left-to-right)
Arthur William Moorefield (with glasses behind children)
Deborah White Moorefield
Richmond Stanfield (Ricky) Frederick, Jr.
Mary Jane Moorefield
Frank James Moorefield
Sallie Womack Moorefield Frederick (with arms around Frank)
Frances Mozelle White Moorefield
Richmond Stanfield Frederick
Back-of-Head Child: Probably Frank James Moorefield, Jr.
Christmas "dinner" at the Moorefield Homeplace 1957
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Death Article: The Danville Register (Danville, Virginia), 30 May 1976.
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Moorefield family Bible records and census entries show that Arthur William Moorefield was born in Person County, North Carolina, 11 August 1893. It is possible that he was born in Virginia, but that is undocumented. By around 1911 his parents had moved the family to the Purley community in Caswell County, North Carolina (on the Yanceyville-Danville Road, now called Old 86). This farm was typical for Caswell County, raising various food crops (both for human and livestock consumption), but emphasizing tobacco.
On 14 December 1916, Arthur William Moorefield married Pearl Virginia Smith (1895-1969) of Caswell County, North Carolina. The Smith farm adjoined the Moorefield farm in Purley. They had established a separate household in the Purley area by 1920 and over the years raised one daughter and four sons. In the 1920's he relocated his family to a farm (including a substantial ante-bellum mansion house) located south of Yanceyville on Highway 62 (towards Burlington) and bordered by Country Line Creek to the south. The property had been owned by Captain Jack W. Wiggins, Jr.1 "Mr. Arthur" was known as a good "tobacco man". He also was a U.S. Postal Service rural mail carrier and owned West End Service Station at the intersection of Highways 86 and 158 in west Yanceyville. During World War I he served as a corporal in Company Fifty-One, North Carolina Reserve Militia. Caswell County in the World War, 1917-1918: Service Records of Caswell County Men, George A. Anderson, Compiler (1921) at 23.
Note that Arthur William Moorefield outlived all but one of his children.
He owned a wooden, diesel-powered fishing boat with a few friends. The "Barbara L." was berthed in Morehead City, North Carolina. Family tradition tells that the hull was laid in Massachusetts, but the superstructure was completed in North Carolina. She would sleep four and had a full galley. Clyde Vernon McKinney, Sr., was one of the co-owners.
He, along with the two Pleasant brothers of Purley, owned and operated West End Service Station in West Yanceyville.
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C. W. Pointer of Semora, C. O. Matlock, Arthur Moorefield and Claude Hodges of Yanceyville, and Henry Warren of Prospect Hill, spent several days in Eastern North Carolina on a fishing trip.
The Herald-Sun (Durham, North Carolina), 27 May 1947, Tuesday, Page 7.
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1This structure has been called by those who know the history of Caswell County well the "Long-Yancey-Womack-Wiggins-Moorefield" house. Source: Caswell County Historical Association Newsletter, Sallie P. Anderson, Editor (June 2005). Here is a description from An Inventory of Historic Architecture: Caswell County, North Carolina, Ruth Little-Stokes (1979) at 109:
Photo 124. Long-Wiggins House. 1807. Interesting both architecturally and historically, for the large sophisticated 2-story frame Federal style house was the residence of William Long, a tobacco farmer who helped educate Piedmont farmers in methods of tobacco cultivation and new strains of plants which greatly increased yield and market value during the 19th century. The Flemish bond, exterior end chimney has glazed headers forming a diamond within which are the initials "M T M" and the date 1807. The interior was remodelled in the late 19th century, but retains much early federal trim.
That the above describes the Moorefield Home Place seems likely, but has not been corroborated. For the remainder of the ownership chain to make sense the Yancey family would have purchased the property from William Long. The Moorefields inherited the property from Sallie Womack Wiggins. She apparently already owned the farm when she married Jack W. Wiggins, Jr.. This takes care of the Womack-Wiggnis ownership era. And, Sallie Henry Womack probably inherited the property from her mother, Anne Elizabeth Yancey (daughter of Bartlett Yancey, Jr.), thus supplying the Yancey connection.
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A. W. Moorefield Dies at Age 82
Yanceyville, N.C. -- Arthur William Moorefield, 82, of Yanceyville, died yesterday afternoon in Danville, Va., Memorial Hospital. He was born in Person County, a son of the late E. J. Moorefield and Ada James Moorefield. Mr. Moorefield lived in Caswell County most of his life. He was a retired farmer and merchant. Mr. Moorefield also was a sales representative for Smith-Douglas Co., for 35 years until his retirement in 1974. He was a member of First Baptist Church. His wife, Mrs. Pearl Smith Moorefield, died in 1969.
He is survived by a son, Frank J. Moorefield, Yanceyville; eight sisters, Mrs. Minnie Joyce, Madison, Mrs. Lula Mosley, Lynchburg, Va., Mrs. Charles Owen, Hollywood, Calif., Mrs. Violet Smith, Portsmouth, Va., Mrs. Fred Showfety, Greensboro, Mrs. Ralph Isenhower, Salisbury, Md., Mrs. Ginny Pruitt, Lexington, Ky., and Mrs. Earl S. Lea, Yanceyville; 12 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
A funeral will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church by the Rev. Carroll Spivey. Burial will be at the church cemetery. The body is at Hooper Funeral Home. The family is at the residence of Frank Moorefield.
Source: The Danville Register (Danville, Virginia), 30 May 1976, Sunday, Page 18.
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Find A Grave Memorial
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I remember "Mr. Arthur" from his store at the intersection of old 86 and hwy 158. As a child I loved to stop there with daddy. He would buy me a half pint of milk and little bag of peanuts. Mr. Arthur was such a gentle presence. I also remember going to see him when he was sick and Daddy taking him a carton of cigarettes. Source: Rebecca Page 11 November 2019 Post to the Caswell County Historical Association Facebook Page.
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Caswell County History: World War I
Leading up to the United States entry into World War I, Caswell County had a militia. It was Company 51, North Carolina Reserve Militia (70 men).
Robert Thomas Wilson (1883-1952) was Captain, and the group actually held drills on the Square in Yanceyville. My grandfather, Arthur William Moorefield (1893-1976) was 2nd Corporal.
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In 1948 and 1949, the owners of land inherited from Sallie Henry Womack Wiggins deeded two parcels for the Caswell County Training School. Below are excerpts describing how Sallie Henry Womack Wiggins obtained the land and how it was passed on to the children of Arthur William Moorefield:
" . . . and containing 3.15 acres and being a tract of land out of that certain tract or parcel of land conveyed by J. Archie Long to Sallie W. Wiggins by Warranty Deed dated December 24th, 1900, and duly recorded in Book 55, page 460 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Caswell County. The said Long Tract or parcel of land was devised to Arthur Moorefield, Jr. a one-half undivided interest; to Jesse James Moorefield a one-fourth undivided interest; to Sallie W. Moorefield a one-fourth undivided interest by the Last Will and Testament of Sallie W. Wiggins, said Will bearing date of December 13th, 1928, probated February 20th, 1929, and recorded in Will Book D, page 272, in the Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court for Caswell County. Also reference is made to a Warranty Deed from Arthur Moorefield, Jr., single to Arthur Moorefield, Sr., and Pearl Moorefield, his wife, dated December 12th, 1938, and recorded in Book 85, page 230 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Caswell County, conveying the same one-half undivided interest devised to the said Arthur Moorefield, Jr., by the Last Will and Testament of Sallie W. Wiggins. . . .
". . . containing 9.11 acres, more or less, in the Town of Yanceyville, on the East side of South Montgomery Street, and particularly described as Tract No. 2, according to a Survey and Plat of the campus of the Caswell Training School as made by J. Frank Moorefield, Surveyor, in June, 1949, of record in Plat Book No. 2, at page 389, Caswell County Registry, and being a part of the lands devised to Arthur Moorefield, Jr., et al by Sallie W. Wiggins, by Will dated December 13, 1928, of record in Will Book "D", at page 272, in the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of Caswell County, and as conveyed to Sallie W. Wiggins by J. Arch Long by deed of record in Book 55, page 460, Caswell County Registry, and described by metes and bounds according to the aforesaid Map and Survey of J. Frank Moorefield, as follows: . . . ."
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Caswell Co. Negress Left Big Estate: Will of Mrs. Sallie Wiggins Presented at Yanceyville for Probate (Special to The Bee)
Yanceyville, N.C., Feb 23. -- The last will and testament of Mrs. Sallie W. Wiggins, widely known Caswell county resident and a descendant of the Bartlett Yancey family who died recently in a Baltimore hospital was admitted to probate here yesterday. It disposes of an estate which is given a value of about $100,000 and reveals a striking instance in which a colored woman, the daughter of an ante-bellum slave, receives most of the estate for enjoyment during her life time.
There is unusual interest in the will in Caswell county for in the Wiggins home are antiques which are probably without their peer in this section of the country. They consist of old family furniture imported from abroad during the early pioneering days of Caswell county rich in quality, well preserved and in substantial quantity. All of these valuable antiques have been deeded to five cousins.
Mrs Wiggins also had fine jewelry, the will listing specific bequests of seven diamond rings and bracelets some of the rings being fine solitaires, which in the aggregate represent a large sum to say nothing of other precious stones. There is no appraisal of the estate but $100,000 is considered a fair figure.
Mrs. Wiggins also remembered a faithful tenant, Arthur Moorefield, whom she characterized as "sober and industrious." To him goes the farm "Inglewood" to enjoy as long as he lives. He can cultivate it and enjoy all the proceeds that come from it. When his son, Arthur Moorefield, Jr., becomes of age, he will step into a tidy competence for under the will he will get half the estate. One quarter of the estate will then go to Jesse James Moorefield, another son of the original beneficiary and the remaining quarter goes to his sister, Sallie Womack Moorefield who is still in her minority.
The rest and residue of her estate Mrs. Wiggins left to Sam M. Bason, of Yanceyville, to be held in trust for her colored servant. "For years there has lived with me," she wrote in the will dated December 13, 1928, "a colored woman named Sallie Fannie Graves. She has been a faithful servant and in gratitude for her faithful service I direct that the trustee shall keep this residue of my estate invested in safe, income-bearing securities and the entire income therefrom shall be paid to Sallie Fannie Graves as long as she shall live."
Mrs. Wiggins further provided that the payments should be made to the colored woman who had tended her through her long final illness in monthly installments. Provision also is made for the distribution of this part of the estate at the time of the colored woman's death. She ordered that the following sums be paid.
Yanceyville Presbyterian church, $2,500; Barium Springs orphanage, $100; Mrs. Mattie Allison, $2,500; May Mebane Donoho, $1,000; Caroline Mebane Parker, $1,000; Mrs. Nannie Mebane Donoho, $2,500; Mrs. S. E. Gwynn, $1,000; Glade Valley Mission school (Presbyterian), $1,000; S. M. Bason, $500; Arthur Moorefield, Sr., $100; Pearl Smith Moorefield, $100; Woman's auxiliary of the Yanceyville Presbyterian church, $100; the remainder to be divided between Nannie Donoho and Nannie Mebane Parker.
All of the family silver, understood to be of considerable value, was left to Mr. Bason, who is named executor of the estate. The diamond rings and jewelry, as well as the household effects including the valuable antiques, are to be divided between her following cousins: Nannie Donoho, Mary Parker, Mrs. Mattie Allison, Mrs. S. E. Gwynn and children, and Mrs. Mollie Turner and children. The whole estate is represented by land, securities and jewelry. The will was drawn by Harris, Harvey and Brown, in Danville, prior to Mrs. Wiggins' removal to a Baltimore hospital.
Source: The Bee (Danville, Virginia), 23 February 1929, Saturday, Page 1.
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My maternal grandfather Arthur William Moorefield (1893-1976) was an acknowledged "good biccah man." I vividly recall when around six years old going into a curing barn with him. The heat hit you like a freight train. The aroma was marvelous. It is a wonder I never smoked (other than playing around with a pipe in law school and a few cigars later in life). There was a thermometer hanging in the center of the barn. Grandfather (called Papa by the grandchildren) checked the temperature and walked around feeling the leaves. He then checked the fuel tank outside ( which I guess was kerosene), seemed pleased with the progress, and moved to the next barn. Three barns were used.
I also recall him having to plow up quite a bit of tobacco in the field one year when a survey (by Conway Moorefield) showed he had exceeded his allotment. I did not understand this at the time.
I never really worked in tobacco as my immediate family did not farm. However, I enjoyed playing around the edges of the serious work. This was very instructional and convinced me that a college education would be better than farming -- at least it would provide options not available to those who remained on family farms.
Source: Richmond S. Frederick, Jr. 11 November 2019 Post to his Facebook Page.
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The 1900 US Census shows February 1896 as the birth date for Arthur William Moorefield, which is incorrect. He was born 11 August 1893. Also, the 1920 US Census entry shows Arthur William Moorefield and Pearl Virginia Smith as being 21 years old. That would make them both born in 1899, which also is incorrect. Arthur William Moorefield was born in 1893, and Pearl Virginia Smith was born in 1895.
1900 US Census
Name: Arthur Mofield [Moorefield]
Home in 1900: Flat River, Person, North Carolina
Age: 6
Estimated birth year: abt 1894
Birthplace: North Carolina
Race: White
Relationship to head-of-house: Son
1910 US Census
Name: Arther W Moorefield
Age in 1910: 16
Estimated birth year: abt 1894
Birthplace: North Carolina
Home in 1910: Olive Hill, Person, North Carolina
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Son
Mother's Birth Place: North Carolina
Father's Birth Place: North Carolina
Household Members: Name Age
Eliza J Moorefield 43
Ada B Moorefield 40
Minnie B Moorefield 18
Arther W Moorefield 16
Leoner Moorefield 15
Lula M Moorefield 12
Jennie L Moorefield 8
Violet B Moorefield 6
Ester L Moorefield 4
Sadie Moorefield 2
1920 US Census
Name: Arthur Morefield
Age: 21 years
Estimated birth year: abt 1899
Birthplace: North Carolina
Race: White
Home in 1920: Dan River, Caswell, North Carolina
Home owned: Rent
Sex: Male
Marital status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Head
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Mother's Birth Place: North Carolina
Father's Birth Place: Virginia
1930 US Census
Name: Arthur W Morefield
Age: 36
Estimated birth year: abt 1894
Birthplace: North Carolina
Relation to head-of-house: Head
Spouse's Name: Pearl V Morefield
Race: White
Home in 1930: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
1940 United States Federal Census
Name: Arthur Marefield [Moorefield]
Respondent: Yes
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1894
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: North Carolina
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Head
Home in 1940: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Street: Bigelow Road
Farm: Yes
Inferred Residence in 1935: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Residence in 1935: Same House
Sheet Number: 6A
Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 70
Household Members: Name Age
Arthur Marefield 46
Pearl Marefield 45
Arthur Marefield 23
Jesse Marefield 20
Sallie Womack Marefield 16
Frank Marefield 9
Death Record
Name: Arthur William Moorefoeid, Sr.
Birth Date: 11 August 1893
Death Date Date: 29 May 1976
Gender: Male
Age: 82 Years
Place of Death: Virginia
Residence: Caswell, North Carolina
Marital Status: Widowed
Attendant: Physician
Mode of Burial: Burial out of state (Incorrect)
Hospital: General Hospital Out-of-State Institutions
Race: White
Source: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. North Carolina Death Records, 1976-1977. Orem, UT: Ancestry, Inc., 1998
Additional Death Record
Name: Arthur Moorefield
SSN: 225-50-7311
Last Residence: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina, US 27379
Born: 11 Aug 1893
Died: May 1976
State (Year) SSN Issued: Virginia (1956)
Source: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index
Family Bible Record
Arthur William Moorefield (Person County, North Carolina) married Pearl Smith Moorefield (Caswell County, North Carolina) Source: Moorefield Family Bible
For more information on the Moorefields of North America go to the Moorefield Home Place
For the history of the Moorefield family in North America go to Moorefield History (Courtesy William Frank Moorefield III)
Gravestone
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| Sources |
- [S40] Ancestry.com, North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741-2011, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2015;).
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