Louisiana AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Hon. William F. Moreland
Hon. William F. Moreland, planter, Homer, Louisiana No name is justly entitled to a more enviable place in the history of Claiborne Parish than one that heads this sketch for it is borne by a gentleman who has been usefully and honorably identified with the interests of this parish and with its advancement in every worthy particular.
He was born in Putnam County, Georgia, September 26, 1816, and although past the age usually allotted to man, he is in possession of a competency fully sufficient to warrant, him in passing the remainder of his days in peace and comfort. He was the seventh in a family of eleven children, who are named as follows: Joseph (died in Claiborne Parish in 1852), Ann (married Samuel Reed, of Troup County, Georgia, where she died), Elizabeth T. (became the wife of Thomas Hightower, of Claiborne Parish, and is now deceased), Martha (became the wife of Charnold Hightower, of Monroe County, Georgia, and died about 1828), Sarah (became the wife of Henry West and died in Troup County, Georgia), Susan (married Thomas Bustin and died in Troup County, Georgia), Isaac (died in Houston, Tex.), Jane B. (married Sebum Seaborn J. J. Thompson and died in Mississippi), Mary B. (married John C. Henderson, of Putnam County, Georgia, and died in Macon County, Louisiana), and Amelia (married Thomas C. Miller and died in La Grange, Georgia).
The father of these children, Isaac Moreland, was born and
reared in Dinwiddie County, Virginia., and was a son of Thomas
Moreland, who owned the land where a portion of Petersburg now
stands. The Moreland family were originally from England. The
mother of the above mentioned children, Nancy (Turner) Moreland,
was born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, and was a classmate of
Gen. Winfield Scott's in his early educational career.
Experience has been Mr. Moreland's school, and that he has made
the most of it, cannot be questioned. He was thrown upon his own
resources practically, taking care of his own affairs at the age
of fourteen, and came to Claiborne Parish in 1853, locating
where he now lives. He was first married in 1839 to Miss Susan
L. Perrell, daughter of Bennett Ferrell, of Jackson County,
Louisiana She died in Macon County, Louisiana, in 1849.
In January, 1852, Mr. Moreland was married to Miss Elizabeth
White, daughter of James White, of Sumter County, Georgia, and
unto this union were born six children: Sidney T. (now a
resident of Lexington, Virginia, and professor of physics in
Washington and Lee University of that place), Isaac N. (a
resident of Claiborne Parish). William W. (married and residing
on the old home place), F. Kate (at home), Ida S. (also at home)
and Lelia M. (now Mrs. James G. Meadows, of Tennessee). Mr.
Moreland has been a conspicuous man in the interests of his
parish, and was elected to the Legislature in 1859, serving four
years. After the war he was re-elected to the House and served
until the reconstruction. He was again elected to that position
in 1874 and served one term. In 1879 he was a member of the
Constitutional Convention and since that, time he has declined
office of any kind. He was for many years an active member of
the Masonic fraternity, and has been a worthy member of the
Methodist, Episcopal Church South since 1840. He is progressive
in his ideas and tendencies, and has been a representative man
in the community.
Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, Southern Publishing Company, 1890
