Littleberry Mosby (1729 - bef. 1809)

Born 1729 in Goochland, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 15 Mar 1809 before age 80 in Powhatan, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Col. Littleberry Mosby served with 5th Virginia Regiment (1777), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Littleberry Mosby was the son of Benjamin Mosby Sr. and Mary Poindexter.^[1] He was most likely born in Goochland County, which was formed from Henrico County in 1727.

Littleberry was the Captain of a company in the 5th Virginia Regiment during the American Revolutionary War.^[2]

He was married three times. He and his first wife, Elizabeth Netherland, had eight children:^[1]

1. "Benjamin drowned in James River at Mt. Pleasant in Powhatan, unmarried."
2. "John, died on his way to Kentucky at Red Stone, near Pitsburg, Pa: unmarried."
3. "Sally, married Col. Wm. CANNON of Mt. Ida, Buckingham Co."
4. "Mary, married Robert HUGHES of Hughes Creek, Powhatan." He was the son of Robert Hughes.
5. "Elizabeth Netherland MOSBY died at 18, unmarried."
6. "Littleberry Mosby Jr. married 1st Elizabeth, daughter of Gen. Charles Scott; 2nd Mary Page Haskins" 23 Nov 1789^[3]
7. "Wade Sr. married Susannah TRUEHEART of Meadow Bridges, Hanover"
8. Richard Mosby, married Mary "Polly" Vaughan 29 Aug 1796, Powhatan, VA^[4]

His second marriage was to Judith Michaux. Together, their children were:^[1]

1. "Betsy Ann, married Benjamin CARRINGTON"
2. "Patty married 1st Daniel SCOTT son of Gen. Charles SCOTT; 2nd (Robert NICHOLAS of Seven Islands, Buckingham Co"
3. "Judith, married Josiah SMITH of Mt. Rose, Powhatan."
4. "Benjamin Jr twin brother to Judith married 1st Mary CROUCH of Goochland; 2nd Maria TINSLEY (née BROWN) of Richmond."
5. "Narcissa, married Benjamin BINFORD of Buckingham"
6. "Jacob, married Judith CRUMP, daughter of Goodrich CRUMP of Powhatan"

Littleberry's third wife was Martha Thomas née Scott. They had no children together.^[1]

Littleberry died sometime between when his Will was signed 6 January 1809 and date it was proved 15 March 1809.

Last Will and Testament

Littleberry Mosby signed his Last Will and Testament 6 January 1809 and was proved 15 March 1809 in Powhatan County, Virginia. His executors were son Benjamin Mosby and son-in-law Josiah Smith.^[5]

Legatees:

• Children by his first wife viz, Sarah Cannon, John Mosby, Littleberry Mosby, Mary Hughes, Wade Mosby and Richard Mosby.
• Daughters, Betty Ann Carrington, Martha Nicholas, and Judith M. Smith
• Son Benjamin Mosby, bequeathed plantation "Font Hill" (which was purchased from Phillip Mayo) including slaves, stock, household & kitchen furniture and plantation utensils.
• Grandson Jacob G. Mosby (son of Jacob)
• Daughter Narcissa Binford

In his Will, he also includes information regarding the lawsuit against Littleberry and his son Benjamin, made by Joseph Michaux and his wife, Judith A. Michaux, who was the former wife of Jacob Mosby, deceased, for a tract of land including his plantation "Font Hill". Littleberry considered the law suit without any merit. See Will for details.

Section No. 197^{[citation needed]} This is Unsourced and clearly taken from Wade's pension application,^[6] but his father's given name misspelled. Definitely Littleberry not Littlebury.

MOSBY, WADE.--Powhatan, Sept. 19, 1832. Born in Powhatan in 1761. About 1777 Affiant joined a number of his fellow students at Hampden-Sidney Academy (later a college), in forming a volunteer company. Luke B. Smith, a professor, was captain. Subalterns were, Lt. Samuel Venable and En. Samuel Hackley. Served six weeks at Williamsburg. Was then sixteen years old. A year later the company again went out for six weeks under the same officers, serving at Petersburg. Affiant then quit college, and in fall of 1779 or spring of 1780, was Second Lieutenant under his brother, Capt. Littlebury Mosby (later a General). At Petersburg they joined the cavalry under Col. Banister, of Gen. Lawson's command. The call was because hostile vessels came near on the James. After the defeat of Gates there was a heavy call, and Affiant went out under his brother-in-law, Capt. Robert Hughes, serving as adjutant of the regiment. At Moore's Ordinary in Prince Edward, Capt. Cameron, of Buckingham took ill, and Affiant was appointed in his place. Was in battle of Guilford under Col. B. Randolph. Col. Carrington, quarter-master-general, laid off the battleground. A fifth tour quickly followed, because Gov. Jefferson wrote Littlebury Mosby to raise all the cavalry he could and go to the aid of Lafayette. L[ittlebury] Mosby called on his subalterns, Affiant raising a company and Horatio Turpin another, L[ittlebury] Mosby leading the battalion as major. It lay at Petersburg until the British, under Gen. Phillips arrived, and then the cavalry covered the retreat, taking up the bridge over the Appomattox after the army had crossed. Affiant was then much on vidette service under Col. Call, his own father, militia commandant of county, keeping him to watch Cornwallis while the latter was about Richmond, which was four or five weeks. Married Susanna ----, April 13, 1785. Died June 1, 1834. Widow made application, Oct. 1, 1838.

Research Notes

His given name was Littleberry as indicated in many documents.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Jesse Vaughan (sub.), "Mosby Family Bible Records, 1765-1896".
2. ↑ "United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL6T-BGT6 : 20 February 2021), Mosby, May 1778; citing May 1778, Virginia, United States, citing NARA microfilm publication M246. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Services, 1980. FHL microfilm 830,381.
3. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRWF-4X1 : 6 August 2020), Littleberry Mosby Jr., 1789.
4. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRWF-DMN : 6 August 2020), Richard Mosby, 1796.
5. ↑ Last Will and Testament of Littleberry Mosby, Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900, Powhatan County, Virginia Will Book 3, Pages 292 - 294 (image 567 - 568). Ancestry.com accessed 14 June 2022.
6. ↑ U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900, Wade Mosby, W3856; transcribed here.

See also:

• Goode, G. Brown. Virginia Cousins. Richmond, VA: Randolph and English, 1888. Page 221. FamilySearch books accessed 29 May 2022. Note, the Mosby chapter has many errors, so beware.

• Ancestry.com. Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997. Original data: McAllister, J.T.. Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War. Hot Springs, VA, USA: McAllister Publishing Co., 1913.