M. DeTALLYRAND MOODY has lived in this county as boy and man for more than half a century, and is well known and universally respected. He has bee a farmer all his life, and that has pursued his work to good advantage is shown by the farm that he has improved in Princeville Township, lying partly on section 4, and the remainder on section 5, which, in a locality noted for its fine farms, compares with the best in regard to cultivation , and the excellency and value of its appointments in general.

Ira Moody, the father of our subject, was a native of Massachusetts, and a son of one Ethan Moody, who was born in England. He was a sailor working his way up from a cabin boy and eventually died on the sea. He had, however, before that, made his home in Massachusetts for years, and there reared a family.

The father of our subject was reared in the old Bay State and followed farming there until his removal to Medina County, Ohio, of which he thus became a pioneer. He bought a tract of land in the primeval forest, cleared it, and became the possessor of a good farm of one hundred acres. In 1839, he brought his family to this State, traveling with a team and wagon, and after a journey of five weeks, arriving in Peoria County. He located on section 4, this township, on eighty acres of raw land, which he broke and improved. He subsequently bought one hundred and sixty acres adjoining and moved on to it and was engaged in farming here until his death. He took an active part in educational affairs here, holding some of the school offices, and as a pioneer of the township, his name will ever be held in remembrance. He was prominent in local affairs and was Township Trustee for some years. His wife, a native of New Jersey, whose maiden name was Ann M. Reaves, also died on the homestead. They were the parents of the following ten children: Oliver, a resident of Princeville; Henry, and Ira M., deceased; Julia, Mrs. Henry, of Princeville Township; M. DeTallyrand; Amy, Mrs. Davis and Reaves, deceased; Mary, Mrs. James, living in Oregon; and Nathan and Charlotte, deceased.

M. DeTallyrand Moody was born in Medina County, Ohio, May 9, 1835. He was four years old when he accompanied his parents on their eventful journey, from the place of his birth to their new pioneer home, and he can still remember the aspect of the country as it was in his early days. He developed into a manly, strong, self-reliant man, under the pioneer influences. He was set to work as a very youthful age, and plowed corn when only ten years of age, and when quite young he broke the prairie soil with five yoke of oxen and a wooden plow. He obtained his education under difficulties there being no schools in the vicinity and he had to walk to a distant schoolhouse through three miles of tall prairie grass. He can remember when wolves, deer and other wild game were plenty, and venison and prairie chickens formed a part of the fare of the early settlers. Market were away and his father had to haul his wheat to Chicago. He worked for his father until he was twenty-one and then operated the home farm on shares. In 1874 he took a trip with a team to Missouri for pleasure. He operated his father’s farm until the latter’s death. He bought sixty acres of it to start on before his father’s death, and he has since added to his original purchase until he owns two hundred and forty acres, one hundred and sixty; on section 5, and eight acres on section 5, all of which is very well improved. It is divided into convenient fields and is well fenced and there is an ample supply of water on it from three never-falling springs, and it is supplied with all the latest improved farming machinery. He has been engaged in raising graded cattle and hogs, and has some fine draft horses, ten head of Normans and Cleveland bays. For the last three years he has rented his land, and derives from that source an excellent income. As his land is nearly all in grass and pasture and is well watered, it is a fine stock farm.

Mr. Moody and Miss Harriet Barr were married in Princeville Township, in 1864, and their pleasant wedded life has been blessed to them by the birth of three children: Miranda, Anna, and Stella. Miranda was a school teacher until her marriage to K. V. Graves, of Duncan, who is in the grain business in that place. The wife of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of David Barr. She came here with her parents when thirteen years old, and her father was engaged as a shoemaker in Princeville.

Our subject is a man of many fine characteristics, is thoughtful, discriminating, and always considerate in his relations with others, and though quiet and unassuming, is a force for much good in his community, and is looked up to by all, as a sage counselor whose honesty and integrity of purpose hold him to his duty without regard to personal considerations. These traits, with his well-known interest in all that pertains to the well being of this township, and his energetic co-operation with his fellow-citizens in pushing forward any plans devised for the benefit of the community, make him very desirable as a factor in carrying on the public work of this part of the county, and he has filled various local offices very acceptably. He has been Commissioner of Highways three years, and was School Director from the age of twenty-one until six years ago, a long an honorable service in behalf of educational matters. He is a member of the Detective Their and mutual benefit Association at Princeville. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party and has been an delegate to county conventions. He has severe on the Grand and Petite Juries.

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