MOBERLY, Elvin Lawrence 1870 - 1947

MOBERLY, WOOD, SPENCER, WICK, LEIGHTY

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 1/5/2013 at 15:23:47

Elvin Lawrence Moberly – November 11, 1870 – march 11, 1947

Elvin Moberly is the child of Charles Epperson and Nancy Wood Moberly. He came into this world with a companion, his twin sister Bertha. They arrived November 11, 1870, in Black Hawk County, Iowa. There must have been a great bond between brother and sister. Elvin and Bertha were greeted by two older siblings, Julias Austin and Charles Edward [Ed]. Their younger siblings were John Newton, Louis A. [Lou] and Augustus [Gus].

Elvin moved to Mahaska county, Iowa with his father and mother and siblings, Julias, Charles, Bertha, John and possibly Louis. Elvin attended school and worked alongside of his father as a farmer. After the birth of Augustus Oct. 1879, the family moved on to Lester, Iowa and again, Elvin worked in the fields with his father.

About 1893 Elvin met his sweetheart and life-long partner. Stella Mae Spencer and Elvin were married at the Spencer home in Lester, 01 March 1894, by Pastor F. L. Moore. Their witness' were Henry and Bertha Wick. Stella Mae Spencer is the daughter of Richard Harrison and Margery Leighty and was born 10th of April, 1877 in Page County, Iowa.

For the next few years Elvin farmed and he, like his father, was a "land seeker". During these years, two daughters were born. Carolyn Mae [Carrie], born 16th November 1896 and Edith Viola, born September 26, 1898.

1900 find Elvin and family in Salem, Camstock Twsp., South Dakota. Carrie is three and Edith is one year of age. Elvin is working for L.W. Cooke's Music Store. 1901 brings them back to Lester to make their home.

The girls attended school in Lester. There were many times that Carrie's name appeared in the paper in the school report with a perfect record of attendance, not absent or tardy.

Sometime before 1911 the family again moved and relocated in Watertown, South Dakota, living at 323 South Broadway, then moving to 415 South Broadway. Elvin worked for L.W. Cooke's Music House. He sold pianos, Organs and Sewing Machines. This is where Elvin gained his knowledge of sewing machines which would be beneficial to him later in his life. A daughter, Vivian Marie, was born the 24th of May 1911. The older girls worked at Woolworth's as a cashier and clerk.

January 18, 1920 Edith Viola was married to Scott Hamilton Miner and they moved to Claremont, Minnesota. Carrie was not far behind. She met and married Theodore Nathan, Sr., 8th of July 1920 in Claremont, Minnesota.

In 1921 Elvin and Stella Mae along with Vivian Marie moved to California followed soon after by their daughter Edith, her husband Scott and their daughter, Lorraine. Elvin opened up a shop selling and repairing sewing machines. Stella helped in the shop.

In November of that same year, their lovely daughter, Edith Viola died, leaving a husband and small child, Lorraine.

In the spring of 1922, Edith's husband, Scott left California with his wife's body, leaving his child with her grandparents. Elvin and Stella objected to Scott taking Lorraine with him as they believed he was not financially able to take care of her. Elvin and Stella now had a young child to rear along with their own daughter, Vivian. In 1928 Vivian met a dashing young man and was smitten by him. She was married the 7th of January 1928, to James Bryant Teague.

The Moberly's were loving parents and grandparents. They worked hard and were an asset to their community. They were members of the Methodist church, holding meetings in their home until a meeting place could be built.

Elvin and Stella celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1944. Many family, friends and neighbors attended.

Elvin Lawrence Moberly died March 11, 1947 in Los Angeles County, California and is buried in Inglewood cemetery, Los Angeles, California. Stella Mae died March 26, 1962 in South Gate, California. She is buried in Inglewood cemetery, Los Angeles, California.