Joanna DeMoss was born on May 13, 1813 in Fleming County, Kentucky.  She is believed to be the daughter of William and Polly DeMoss.  She had several siblings including Lewis, Polly, William J, Elizabeth and Sarah.  Joanna was one of the youngest of the DeMoss children.

Joanna married John G Wilson around 1832 likely in Kentucky.  Since most single families did not relocate alone, but rather in a group, it is likely that the Wilsons migrated to Daviess County, Indiana at the same time as her brother William and her sister Polly, who was married to Thomas Harmon.  These families can all be found in Reeve Township living fairly close together in 1850.

Joanna and John are thought to have had seven children: Minerva (m. John Scales), Nancy (m. Frank Malray), James, Sarah Jane (m. Phillip Scales), Rebecca, Deborah (m. Joseph Armes), and Indiana (m. Charles Mattingly).  John died just days before his daughter Indiana was born in October 1852.  It is speculated that Rebecca perished in the mid-1850s since she was missing from the 1860 census.

Joanna continued to work the farm near Alfordsville until her death on March 10, 1867.  She was fifty-three.

Joanna DeMoss was my 5th great aunt on my dad’s side.

REFERENCES

• United States Census, 1850, 1860
• Find a Grave website