1892 Biography - William F. Moreland

Hon. William F. Moreland, planter, was born in Putnam county, Ga., September 26, 1816, and, past the age usually allotted to man is in possession of a competency. He was the seventh in a family of eleven children. The father of these children, Isaac Moreland, was born and reared in Dinwiddie county, Va., 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, Va., and was a classmate of Gen. Winfield Scott in his early educational career.

Experience has been Mr. Moreland's school, and that he has made the most of it can not 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 1858, locating where he now lives. He was first married in 1839 to Miss Susan L. Ferrell, daughter of Bennett Farrell, of Jackson county, Fla. She died in Macon county, Ala., in 1849. In January, 1852, Mr. Moreland was married to Miss Elizabeth White, daughter of James White, of Sumter county, Ga., and unto them were born six children: Sidney T. (now a resident of Va., 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.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana, published in 1892, volume 2, page 491.