Elam and sons Daniel and Robert

Elam Moe was born in 1807 in Saratoga County, New York, the son of John Moe Sr. (1770-1855) and Mary (Tyler, 1774-1841).

Elam’s parents were born in Connecticut or in New York and were married in about 1791 possibly in Saratoga, New York. They eventually left New York sometime after 1814 and eventually settled in Washtenaw County, Michigan, where Mary died in about 1841 in Webster. John Sr. died in 1855 also in Webster.

Elam was married to Jane A. (1808-1855), presumably in New York where they both had been born, and they had at least 13 children: Eugene, Charlotte (b. 1828), Mary M. (b. 1830), William (b. 1832), Dennis (b. 1834), Sarah J. (b. 1835), Daniel (b. 1835), Lovina or Louisa (b. 1839), Robert (b. 1840), Irving Washington (b. 1844) and Matilda (b. 1846) and Adell Anna (b. 1851).

In any case, they left New York and moved westward, possibly with Elam’s father John Sr., settling in Michigan by 1828, the year their daughter Charlotte was born. In fact Elam was probably living in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County in 1830 (his father John was living in Ann Arbor in 1827, and by 1835 they had settled in Washtenaw County, where John Sr. died in the mid-1850s and in 1837 were reportedly residing in East Saginaw or in Livingston County. By 1843 they had moved to Otisco, Ionia County and by 1850 Elam and his family were living on a farm in Keene, Ionia County next door to his brother Alvin and his family.

In 1855 Jane died and Elam remarried New York native Catharine Wiggins (1815-1894) on October 1, 1859, in Otisco. They reportedly had one child, a daughter Rosetta (b. 1861). In 1860 Elam was living with his wife and family on a large farm in Otisco.

Elam stood 6’0” with gray eyes, dark hair and a dark complexion and was a 55-year-old farmer living in Ionia County when he enlisted in Company C on February 22, 1862, at Saranac, Ionia County for 3 years, listing Ionia County as his place of residence, and was mustered the same day. (His son Daniel enlisted in Company C on February 24, while Elam’s youngest son Robert had joined Company E the previous year.) Elam was discharged for disability on June 17, 1862.

After he was discharged from the army Elam eventually returned to Michigan, and by 1870 he was working as a farmer (he owned some $4500 worth of real estate and more than $3000 worth of personal effects) and living with his wife and several children in Otisco, Ionia County. (Also living with them was one Russell Wiggins, probably Catharine’s father.) By 1880 Elam was working as a farmer and living with his wife in Otisco.

In 1877 he applied for a pension (no. 316168), but the certificate was never granted.

Elam died on December 2, 1886, in Ionia County and was buried in Smyrna cemetery, Ionia County; see photo G-268.

In September of 1890 his widow Catharine applied for a pension (no. 474197) but the certificate was never granted.

Daniel S. Moe was born on May 15, 1835 in Washtenaw County, Michigan, the son of Elam (1806-1886) and Jane Ann (1808-1855).

Elam and Jane were both born in New York and were presumably married there sometime before 1828. In any case, they left New York and moved westward, possibly with Elam’s father John Sr., settling in Michigan by 1828, the year their daughter Charlotte was born. By 1835 they had settled in Washtenaw County, where John Sr. died in the mid-1850s and in 1837 were reportedly residing in East Saginaw or in Livingston County. By 1843 they had moved to Otisco, Ionia County and by 1850 Daniel was living with his father and family in Keene, Ionia County, where Elam worked as a farmer.

In 1855 Jane died and Elam remarried one Catharine Wiggins (b. 1815 in New York) on October 1, 1859, in Otisco. They reportedly had one child, a daughter Rosetta (b. 1861).

In 1860 Daniel was working as a farm laborer and living at the Spencer boarding house in Otisco.

Daniel stood 5’10” with blue eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was 26 years old and probably still living in Ionia County when he enlisted in Company C on February 24, 1862, at Saranac, Ionia County for 3 years, and was mustered the same day (his brother Robert enlisted in Company E in 1861, while his father Elam enlisted in Company C on February 22, 1864). Daniel was shot in the left arm on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run, and reported AWOL in September of 1862. He was subsequently reported hospitalized from June of 1863 until he was discharged on July 23, 1863, at Detroit, for asthma and general debility.

Daniel returned to Michigan and settled back into Ionia County.

He was married to Michigan native Mary J. (b. 1847) and they had at least four children: Freddie L. (b. 1867), Clara (b. 1869), Nora (b. 1872) and Lester (b. 1874).

By 1870 he was working as a farm laborer and lviing with his wife and two children in Saranac, Boston Township. Ionia County. Daniel eventually moved to Otsego County and by 1880 he was working as a farmer and living with his wife and children in Livingston, Otsego County. He was living in Vanderbilt in 1886 and 1888, and in Cornwith, Otsego County in 1890 and 1894.

He applied for and received a pension (no. 356112). He was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association.

Daniel died on March 4, 1915, in Vanderbilt and was buried in Evergreen Hills (also called Corwith or Cornwith) cemetery in Vanderbilt.

Robert B. Moe was born in 1840 in Ionia County, probably Otisco, Ionia County, Michigan, the son of Elam (1806-1886) and Jane Ann (1808-1855).

Elam and Jane were both born in New York and were presumably married there sometime before 1828. In any case, they left New York and moved westward, possibly with Elam’s father John Sr., settling in Michigan by 1828, the year their daughter Charlotte was born. By 1835 they had settled in Washtenaw County, where John Sr. died in the mid-1850s and in 1837 were reportedly residing in East Saginaw or in Livingston County. By 1843 they had moved to Otisco, Ionia County and by 1850 Robert was living with his father and family in Keene, Ionia County, where Elam worked as a farmer.

In 1855 Jane died and Elam remarried one Catharine Wiggins (b. 1815 in New York) on October 1, 1859, in Otisco. Robert was still living with his family in 1860.

Robert stood 5’9” with blue eyes, dark hair and a light complexion and was a 21-year-old farmer living in Ionia County when he enlisted in Company E on May 13, 1861 -- Company E was composed in large part by men from Clinton and Ingham counties, as well as parts of Ionia County. (His father Elam and brother Daniel would both join Company C in late February of 1862). He was discharged for consumption on July 29, 1861, at Arlington Heights, Virginia.

After he left the army Robert returned to western Michigan and was living in Lowell, Kent County, when he married Michigan native Clara M. Fairchild (1846-1916), on October 10, 1866, in Lowell, and they had at least one child, a son Guy (b. 1870). Oscar Robinson and his wife Lucinda were witnesses; Oscar served in Company D, Third Michigan infantry.

By 1870 Robert was working as a harness-maker and living with his wife and child in Lowell. And by 1880 he was working as a harness maker and living with his wife and son in Portland, Ionia County.

Robert eventually settled in Portland, Ionia County where he was living in 1888, 1890 and 1894.

In 1890 he applied for and received a pension (no. 777148).

Robert died on October 6, 1910, probably in Portland, and was buried in Portland cemetery: section W lot 577; see photo G-268.

In 1910 his widow applied for and received a pension (no. 730574).