Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 205 - 206

ALEXANDER J. MORELAND.  The subject of this notice is certainly entitled to be considered not only one of the enterprising farmers of Sedgwick county, but one of its respected and honored citizens, and a man of more than ordinary ability.  His residence is situated on section 19, in Eagle Township, where he has been since 1884, he purchasing at that time eighty acres of land on which he has made most of the improvements.  He is extensively engaged in raising cattle and hogs, the stock business affording more scope for his energy and ability than any other branch of farming.

      Mr. Moreland was born in the town of West Alexander, Washington Co., Pa., Oct. 22, 1831, and is the son of Moses and Mary M. (Jordon) Moreland, natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia respectively.  His father learned the blacksmith's trade when a young man, at Wheeling, W. Va., and followed that business for his natural life.  He died in 1840, at Brownstown, Jackson Co., Ind., where he was then living.  He was a Covenanter in his religious belief, and a stern and strict Christian gentleman.  The mother of our subject is still living, and makes her home at New Albany, Ind., with her son-in-law, W. H. Keach, who is engaged in the livery business in that city, and is also agent for a fertilizer company.  In spite of her eighty years she is still a hearty and active old lady, and is a sincere and Christian member of the Presbyterian Church.  The subject of our sketch, whose father died when he was about nine years of age, remained with his mother, taking care of her, until he was thirty years of age, and in early manhood learned the carpentering trade, which business he has followed, off and on, for a period of twenty years, both in Indiana and Kansas.  He had received the elements of a good education in his boyhood days, and, having been studiously inclined, has added considerable to his store of knowledge in later years.

     Christmas Day, 1862, was solemnized the marriage ceremony which united the subject of our sketch with Miss Missouri Ross.  The lady of his choice was a native of Clark County, Ind., born Oct. 8, 1836, and is the daughter of John and Martha (Kidd) Ross.  Her father, who was a native of Virginia, was a farmer by occupation, and died when Mrs. Moreland was a young child, and her mother's decease took place July 31, 1850.  Both of her parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, sincere and earnest Christians, and most estimable people.  They were the parents of three children--Lewis, Daniel and Missouri.  The subject of this memoir remained in Indiana, following his trade until 1869; he then moved to this State and settled in Baldwin City, Douglas County.  The tide of emigration about 1870 flowing Kansasward, in the year 1871 he came west to the Sunflower State and settled on section 22, Greeley Township, in this county, where he arrived on the 5th of June.  He made that locality his home until 1884, when he made the removal to his present place of abode. 

     Mr. Moreland is a stanch and reliable member of the Republican party, and while a resident of Greeley Township was elected to the Clerkship of the Town Board, succeeding Frank Dale, the present Register of the land-office, at Wichita.  He held the office for the term of two years, and also that of Clerk of the School District in which he resided.  Since his residence in this township, he has filled the position of Director of School District No. 77, for one year.  He is the parent of five children, viz:  M. Wayne, Ornah, Howard R., Iva D. and Ada B., all of whom are living at home.  They had also one other child, Ethel C., who at the age of fifteen months was called to the other world.

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