William Moses Pettyjohn

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Series

Prompt: Favorite Name

Moses about 1900

My maternal grandfather was William Moses Pettyjohn. He was referred to by his middle name Moses and most times “Mose.” Mose was born 29 June 1882 in Marysville, Iowa. He was the first born of ten children to James and Elizabeth Pettyjohn. I know nothing of his life growing up in Iowa other than he had eight brothers and one sister. He would tell people there were nine boys in the family and each one had a sister.  

Moses and Sarah Wedding picture

February 19, 1902, Mose married Sarah Melissa Donaldson, and they started their family together.  I do not have any land records at this time, but he did place a for rent ad in the Chariton Herald for a small house and six lots in the East Chariton district. While living in Iowa, Mose and Sarah had four children: Mary Violetta, Vienna Mae, James Preston, and Joseph Lee. Mose and his family are in the 1910 US Federal Census living in Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa. In 1911 they showed up in the Canadian Census in the Regina district in the Province of Saskatchewan.

Canada's appeal for settlers in the West

They lived in Riceton before taking up the Canadian government’s offer of cheap land in Southwestern Saskatchewan where they settled in the community of Merryflat. Mose farmed there for many years raising cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens and turkeys. Another five children were born into the family, William Ernest, Austin Barnett, Glenn Chester, Eva Irene, and Lorne Hayes. Around the year 1925 he rented out his land to his oldest sons and moved into Maple Creek. I do not know what Mose did those years, but four or five years later he moved back to the farm. He did work at the Bible school in Robsart purchasing food and doing maintenance while Sarah cooked.

William Moses Pettyjohn 1953

Eventually, he retired and moved into Maple Creek. Mose died December 6, 1958, two years after I was born so I do not remember him, even though my mother told me that I would ride on his wheel chair. I was taught at a young age the story of Moses in the Bible so I was always impressed that my grandfather had the same name. It was not until I was older that I would know his full name as William Moses Pettyjohn.

Thank you for joining my search!
Dennis

Credit for this series to Amy Johnson Crow, Certified Genealogist