As a matter of general interest, the following news articles were gleaned from the newspapers, THE TANEY COUNTY TIMES (11/17/1881-12/30/1891) and THE TANEY COUNTY NEWS (2/17/1887-8/27/1891) . I have extracted those articles that mention the Wright, Moseley, and Pierce families.
Those articles from the TANEY COUNTY NEWS are marked with an "*". The Uncle John Moseley mentioned frequently in the newspapers was the brother of Easton Moseley.
*March 17, 1887
Uncle John Moseley claims to have the largest ear of corn in the county, and says that he will pay $1.00 to any one leaving a larger ear at this (the newspaper) office.
June 9, 1887
Land Office Notice, Springfield , MO , June 3, 1887 to make final proof, July 23, 1887 , George Washington Wright, H.A. No 10,154 for E 1/2, SE 1/4, Sec 2 & W 1/2, SW 1/4, Sec 10, Township 24, Range 17. Witness: Anderson Floyd, Saml Adams, Jesse Adams, J.C. Floyd, all of Brown Branch, Taney Co., Missouri.
June 9, 1887
Crops are looking well in Taney County except the oats, which will be a complete failure.
*June 16, 1887
Mr. John Moseley brought to town today some of the finest peaches that we have seen this year, and he did not forget the editors. Accept our thanks Uncle John.
August 18, 1887
The cases against Cannon White, Marion Oliver & Jack Ellison before Esq. Cox for stealing a bee gun from E.B. Wright, were dismissed, there being no evidence against them.
September 22, 1887
Mr. Wm Wright, of Eglinton, received a subpoena, the first of this week to appear in New York City to testify in a case of the U.S. vs H.E. Sharpe.
(Note: Eglinton was a town established in September 1880 in Taney County when Mr. Henry E. Sharpe purchased 522 acres of land and established a colony based on the socialistic concept. Mr. Sharpe had been accused of stealing community funds. The colony only survived about five years)
*October 13, 1887
That enterprising old genius, John Mosely has again favored this office with an agricultural production in the form of a mammoth sweet potato.
*November 3, 1887
Nathan Wright, living near Bradleyville, died Sunday evening, October 23rd of pneumonia.
November 17, 1887
John Moseley is preparing to put up a grist mill on Beaver, above the mouth of Caney. A new cotton gin is also talked about in the same connection.
November 17, 1887
A somewhat serious altercation between two citizens of Eglinton took place at Forsyth on Wednesday, the 9th inst. Mr. William R. Wright [brother of Nathan Wright] and young Harry Sharpe, aged about 17, had some words, and a few blows were interchanged, when Mr. Henry E. Sharpe, the father of Harry, ran up and struck Wright on the forehead with a cane, inflicting an injury from which the blood flowed freely. Wright fell to the ground, and upon arising was knocked down two or three times by Sharpe. The County Court was in session, and both Sharpe and Wright found their way into court shortly after the foregoing events transpired and there renewed their dispute. Both soon got outside the court room, and Sharpe is said to have knocked Wright off the platform. Both parties were at first fined $10 a piece for this contempt of court, subsequently reduced to $5 each. The case then got into Squire Jones' court upon information laid by Wright and after a wonderful display of legal acuteness was finally adjourned. Such are the facts as furnished THE TIMES by an eyewitness, and are published with an honest intention to report the affair without prejudice.
November 24, 1887
As a sequel to troubles already reported in THE TIMES, a trial was held in Forsyth on Saturday last, before Esquire Jones and a jury of six in which Mr. Henry E. Sharpe and Harry Sharpe appeared as defendants upon a peace warrant sworn out by Mrs. W.R. Wright. The parties are all of Eglinton and Mrs. Wright testified that her husband was at home there, sick, confined to bed, unable to attend trial and that she was afraid of sustaining injury to life and property at the hands of the defendants. Dr. Taylor prosecuted and George L. Taylor and Wm. Wood Defended. The Doctor got in all his evidence, except the location of the occurrences which he undertook to prove but that defect was material and the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty and the prisoners were released.
December 1, 1887
Dr. Taylor, the attending physician of Mr. Wright, of Eglinton, reports his patient convalescing, and thinks he will be in town on Saturday. The doctor says Mr. Wright's skull was fractured, but that the injury to his knee was the most troublesome.
December 8, 1887
The trial in the case of the State vs H.E. and Harry Sharpe, wherein the defendants were charged with assault and battery upon the person of Wm. R. Wright, of Eglinton, was tried on Saturday. The State was represented by Col. H.E. Havens, Prosecuting Attorney and the defense by Geo. L. Taylor. The case was tried by a jury resulting in the conviction of H.E. Sharpe, the jury assessing his fine at $50, from which judgment the defendant appealed. The case grew out of bad feeling between these parties which have existed for some time. We learn that several warrants were issued for the arrest of Mr. Wright, charging him with minor offenses, and now that the ball has been started to roll, the query is, where will it stop?
February 16, 1888
Wm. Miles Jr., filed a complaint against W.R. Wright on Tuesday for assaulting him the day previous.
February 16, 1888
Estate of Nathan Wright, deceased...the follow accounts were allowed: E.T. McPherson, $30.30; S.W. Bunch, $23.73; Dr. J. Taylor, $21; T.L. Fitch, $10.37.
August 16, 1888
Uncle John Moseley, will give a brand new dollar, for the best five ears of corn of this years crop. The corn is to be bought to this office on or before Nov 1 to remain until Nov 15; when the prize will be adjudged to the heaviest ears; without shuck. The weighing to be done and prize awarded by the TIMES force; all corn brought for competition, to become the property of Mr. Mosely; after the prize is awarded.
Mr. Moseley also has brought to this office some fine specimens of apples of delicious aroma and flavor. He calls them "Horse Apples". Why they are named horse apples we cannot imagine; but Uncle John shows good horse sense in setting out such a good variety. He also brought a mammoth ear of corn, which now hangs in our office on exhibition. Mr. Moseley says these are democratic apples and corn - no tariff about them. It is true he made a free trade with us; but both the apples and corn look as if they had been well protected. Mr. Moseley is doing what every other farmer in Taney might & should be doing; setting out an orchard of the finest varieties of fruit; and improving his seed corn. In our genial climate and friendly soil, flowers and fruits flourish with abandon. If our people loved them sufficiently, to cultivate them, Taney might bloom as a "gardens of gul (sic) in their prime;" and become "a thing of beauty and a joy forever".
August 30, 1888
Mr. James Whited & William Wright are now the proprietors of the Holiday mill and have fitted it up in good shape. They are now both grinding & sawing.
September 20, 1888
Marriages licenses were issued to:
W.B. Pierce to Zet Floyd and to James Curtis Wright to Dalilah Davis, all of Bradleyville, this county.
*October 4, 1888
Quite a lively battle was witnessed near the [Forsyth] square Wednesday evening in which Easton Moseley & William Morgan were the belligerent. A perfect shower of stones were thrown by both parties but neither were seriously hurt. A woman was said to have been at the bottom of the fracas.
October 11, 1888
Easton Moseley got a divorce [from Susan Orr], and the late Mrs. Moseley became Mrs. Wm. Morgan forthwith. (after this divorce Charles & James Wright went to Texas to live with their Uncle Roland Moseley)
January 24, 1889
Tuesday morning the Elder Hawkins continues services until the 13th and constituted a Missionary Baptist Church, to hold regular meetings on the first Sunday in each month. On Sunday the 13th, while it was raining, Eld. Hawkins carried down into Brushy and baptized, Curtis Merriman, Abigal Merriman, Jabez Pierce, Frankie Pierce, Sarah Miller, Elizabeth Wright, Theresa Wright and Wm. Lee. Others yet to be baptized. Elder Hawkins started for his home late Monday, but got water bound at Old Uncle Johnny Moseley's place.
February 7, 1889
Nathan M. Pierce has found him a wife after a long time. He is married to a woman living in Barton County. They were married at his old home, but will in a few days, return to her home in Barton County. W.M. and John Pierce will run the farm in his absence. (see additional information regarding this marriage in this document)
*February 14, 1889
The prize of one dollar offered for the best five acres of corn, by Uncle John Moseley is awarded to Fayette Cook. Uncle John says the dollar is ready for him.
*March 21, 1889
From the criminal docket..
State vs Wm Wright & James Whited, unlawful mill-dam building.
*August 1, 1889
J.C. Pierce, administrator of the estate of Nathan Pierce, dec'd, will have a public sale on the premises lately occupied by the deceased, one & one-half miles northeast of Bradleyville, on Big Beaver on the 17th day of August 1889, the personal goods & chattels belonging to the estate of the dec'd, consisting of horses, cattle, hogs, etc.
*August 8, 1889
Uncle John Moseley, after taking a thorough course of medicine, has gone to the country to enjoy loblollys & fresh air.
*August 22, 1889
From Brown Branch
The sale of Nathan Pierce's property, deceased, came off last Saturday, and everything went for a good price. Horses went for twenty to sixty dollars per head, cattle very low, hogs a good price.
*March 20, 1890
Mrs. Wm. Morgan [Susan Orr, the second wife of Easton Moseley], who lived on Beaver Creek, died last Sunday of la grippe [flu]. Dr. Johnson was called to see her but she was in a dying condition when he reached her & beyond the aid of a physician.
March 27, 1890
An inquest was held last week over the body of Mrs. Morgan, the wife of William Morgan, who lived 4 miles north of this place [Taneyville]. The lady died some 2 weeks ago and the physician who was called in a short time before her death pronounced her poisoned and the coroner summoned a jury and the body was disinterred and her stomach examined by Drs. Johnson of Forsyth and Williams of Cedar Creek who found evidence of poison in the shape of holes etc.
It is supposed a warrant has been issued for Morgan's arrest. At least he and a girl, who it was said was very intimate with him, and who by the way, was the daughter of his wife by a former husband, skipped out on last Friday night, while it was raining.
(There is no further mention of this incident in future editions of the newspapers, which ceased publishing within a year of this issue and the court records in Taney County have nothing on this matter. The "daughter of his wife by a former husband" could not have been the daughter of Easton, for he and Susan were only married about five years. (The outcome shall remain a mystery))
*August 14, 1890
Messrs Wright, Ashley, Adkins, Pierce & Scott of Beaver Township, this county, with their families, passed through our town [Forsyth] yesterday morning on their way to LaFlare, Indian Nation. [Editor's note: The first names of these people is not known]
*September 11, 1890
The shooting of dogs on the public square should not be tolerated. If any one is obliged to kill a dog, let him take it outside of town.
October 3, 1889
Whited & James Curtis Wright have sold their mill near Bradleyville to Bird & Huff.
April 24, 1890
Notice is hereby given that the following named settler has filed notice of his intention to make final proof in support of his claim and that said proof will be made before the Judge or in his absence then before the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Taney Co., at Forsyth, Mo., on Thursday, May 15, 1890, viz; John Moseley, Homestead application No. 9971, for the N 1/2, SW 1/4 & SE 1/4, N.W. & S.E.S.W. 1/4, Sec 9, Twp 23, Range 18. He names the following witnesses to prove his continuous residence upon and cultivation of said land, viz; Andrew Sample, Samuel Burns, John A. Bryant and G.P. Lingenfelter, all of Haworth, MO.
May 8, 1890
The Service pension bill just passed by the House provides for the payment of a pension of $8 per month to every honorably discharged soldier of the late war who is now over 60 years of age; to every widow of an honorably discharged soldier who is 60 years old or is without other means of support than her daily labor; and to every honorably discharged soldier who is suffering from mental or physical disability. The bill involves an expense of about $45,000,000. The vote on it was 179 to 70.
The Republican Party has promised to take care of the soldiers who preserved the republic, and it will do so. Democratic opposition now will be no more effective than Democratic opposition was twenty-six years ago, when that party, in convention assembled, adopted a platform declaring the war a failure and advocating a "peaceful separation" of North and South.
The U.S. Mints coined during the month of April, 1890 was 66,000 $20 gold pieces, 3,600,000 silver dollars and $15,000 worth of dimes.
July 10, 1890
Moseley and Lingenfelter have got their mill running, sawing lumber and grinding corn.
October 9, 1890
Uncle John Moseley was in town Tuesday, merry and good-natured as usual.
*November 13, 1890
Uncle John Moseley is in town today. Mr. J.C. Pierce of Brown Branch was in town this week & while here called & subscribed for the news.
*November 27, 1890
A very, very serious danger threatens the usage of cigarettes. Leprosy has not a few victims among the whites. Especially it is revealing itself about the lips & tongue of boys who smoke cheap cigarettes made by Chinese lepers. I know of one hundred and seventy cases, the majority largely Chinese.
December 18, 1890
Mr. Louis Wright was married yesterday to Miss Malinda Robertson. Mr. Wright has rented a farm three miles below Bradleyville. He is a basket maker by trade and intends to make some this winter. [Louis is the son of Nathan Wright and his first wife. He will later move to Texas and Oklahoma. His wife died in Exeter, California]
*December 25, 1890
Rate of Ferriage at Forsyth to cross the White River .
Man & four horse wagon .75
Man & two horse wagon .50
Man & one horse buggy .35
Man on horseback .25
Footman .10
Horses & cattle, per head .10
Sheep & hogs, per head .05
*January 15, 1891
Boys stop running your horses on the streets and public highways.
June 4, 1891
Mr. (Uncle) John Moseley, of the Beaver Mills, is one of the most enterprising citizens in the county and conducts business on a large scale. He has about 700 acres of as fine farming land as there is in this country and a good portion of it is cultivated by himself, his sons and his renters. His sawmill on Beaver is always busy and cuts lumber for a section of country that extends ten miles in all directions from the mill. There is also a turning lathe in connection with the mill that finds plenty to do. Mr. Moseley's cotton gin ginned 71 bales of the crop in 1890 and the average weight of the bales was 526 lbs., an unusually large showing for weight. Next year the gin will do a much larger business if the season is a good one for cotton. And the cotton that is being raised on Mr. Moseley's place by Messrs. Bylier and Masters looks exceedingly well; so does the corn. As a matter of fact all the crops in the Moseley neighborhood are fine and, for wonder, nobody over there is anxious for any more rain just at present. They have had enough. Mr. Moseley has been in Taney county for more than forty years and he is satisfied that the prospects for this country were never as bright as at present. In his neighborhood there is plenty of good mineral and he has faith that the day of development is at hand. As a whole the Moseley property is very valuable but it keeps "Uncle Johnny" hustling to watch all the corners and attend to his many and varied interest.