Bruce Moody was born November 3, 1823 in Union Township in the county of Licking, Ohio. He was the eldest son (of eight children) born to Thomas M. Moody and Elizabeth E. Strother. Although records relating to Bruce show his name only as Bruce Moody, his daughter, Annie Lizzie Moody, states in her book "From Oxcarts to Airplanes", that he was born Hannibal Bruce. The author has been unable to verify the Hannibal part of Bruce's name. Only Annie Lizzie and her son Howard Gill seem to have thought that to be his name. The death certificate of another daughter shows his name as Bruce Addison Moody. A large number of documents related to Bruce in the possession of the author (including Bruce's own death certificate, civil war pension materials, and the will of his father, Thomas) make no mention of the name Hannibal. However, there is a relative of sorts with that name - Hannibal Bruce Leonard - brother of Mary Leonard who married Israel Moody (son of John, oldest brother of Bruce's father Thomas). A bit convoluted! Problem is that the two Bruces were probably born about the same time so neither explains the other's name. They lived in adjacent counties for a time anyway.

In the fall of 1851, Bruce and his brother, Thomas Mortimer, left Union and went to Illinois, stopping about 4 miles northeast of present day Oblong.Rachel Arbelia stayed in Ohio. Robinson library notes show her as "living on the old home place in Ohio" after Bruce's departure. 1860 census records show a Rachel A. Moody living with the family of Paten B. Smith in Union County, Paris Township, Ohio. Although the census shows her age as 21 rather than 11, this may be a clerical error. The name and location indicate that this is likely Bruce's daughter. Rachel married David Emerson Eagle in Licking county Oct 30, 1877. She and David had 5 children, all born in Licking county. There is no evidence that Bruce and Rachel had any contact after Bruce left Ohio.

On December 23, 1852, Bruce married Sally (or Sarah) Ann Glaze (b. May 23, 1833 in Licking county) in Oblong. Sally was the daughter of Reverend John Glaze, an itinerant Methodist preacher, and Sally Brown. Sally Ann moved to Crawford county with her parents in 1848. John Glaze performed the marriage ceremony for Bruce and Sally Ann. At that time, Oblong was called Henpeck, later changed to Oblong because of the shape of Crawford county. The family lived about 3 miles from Oblong and 2 miles from Dogwood, Illinois. Annie Lizzie tells us in her book that "At the time of his marriage to Sally Ann Glaze, she weighed about a hundred and thirty pounds and Bruce weighed possibly ninety. Sally's reply to why she had married so small a man was, "Precious articles often come in small packages.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Bruce tried to enlist. However, he had one front tooth missing, and at that time, the heavy military rifles were "cap and ball". The operation of the rifles required the soldier to bite the end off the paper ammo cartridge to expose the powder. Without all his front teeth, Bruce couldn't bite the end off the cartridges, so he was rejected. Later, in 1865, when they were drafting men, he tried again and was accepted.

Bruce began his service in the Civil War as a private in Company K, 43rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Bruce enlisted on February 11, 1865 at Olney, Illinois, for a one-year term. He was 41 years of age at enlistment. He was discharged on November 30, 1865, at Little Rock, Arkansas. On July 1, 1865, he was promoted from private to corporal. He received a pension from that service as apparently his only source of income for much of his later years. An account of his service can be pieced together from various records as follows.

When Bruce enlisted in 1865, he was healthy and stout. He was taken to Olney, Illinois, and barracked in an old courthouse for two days. Bruce suffered from the exposure of the open courthouse and fell ill. Lizzie Glaze Songer (sister of Bruce's wife Sally Ann Glaze and wife of Aaron Songer) saw Bruce (she lived in Olney at that time) and took him to her home there. Lizzie had to work hard to get the officers in charge to let her take Bruce to her home to recuperate. He became worse that night at Lizzies and she reported to the officers at the courthouse the next day that he was unable to report. The doctor said Bruce had pneumonia. Bruce's company left that day but Bruce stayed with Lizzie a week longer.

Bruce then left to join the company at Camp Butler near Springfield, Illinois. Lizzie Songer said that she doubted that he would live to get to the camp. However, Bruce recovered sufficiently enough to continue his service. According to Bruce's daughter, Annie Lizzie, Bruce, during his service time, "slogged through Tennessee, washing the other men's shirts at rest periods so as to earn money to send back to Sally Ann."

However, Bruce's health did not hold up. Bruce stated that he was first taken sick at Camp Butler during the winter of 1865 and received treatment at the Post Surgeon's Headquarters. He was also sick at Little Rock in July or August of 1865 and was treated at sick call, possibly for heat prostration. Other men in his detail at Little Rock stated that they were detailed with Bruce to do fatigue duty in very hot weather. Bruce began complaining of severe pains in his head and the other men helped get Bruce back to camp where he was ill for more than a week and complained of severe head pain up until his discharge. Apparently Bruce felt well over the winter after his discharge but became ill again the next summer and never felt completely well again.

Lizzie Songer was a neighbor for about six years after Bruce returned to Oblong. From 1866 to 1872, she said that Bruce was never well; suffering from great nervousness and constant headache. Bruce was unable to work more than a half a day at any time during that period according to Lizzie.

J. O. Byerly, a man who knew Bruce from the age of 10, related that Bruce was confined to his bed a great deal of the time from 1872 to 1890 and was unable to do any labor whatsoever. J. O.'s father, George, stated that Bruce came home from the service in the winter and did not try to do any work until the next spring. However, as soon as the warm weather came on, his nervous system broke down and he would get weak and trembling and could not work. Several neighbors of the Moodys have also verified that Bruce, from 1872, was virtually unable to work and had difficulty even getting about, using a cane to walk and spending a great deal of time bedridden. Sally Ann and Bruce's son John supported the family these years. Bruce was treated for more than 12 years from 1874 on by Dr. Hamilton C. Kibbie of Oblong./P>

Bruce and Sally Ann continued to live outside of Oblong, farming, until 1891. All of their children were born in Oblong. In 1880, nephew Frank Palmetier, a son of Sally Ann's sister Catherine, was also living with the family and working on the farm.

In 1891, Bruce and Sally Ann sold their land and home in Oblong and moved to Denver, Colorado, where they bought a house on South Pearl Street. Robert Newton Gill, who later married Annie Lizzie (her second husband) roomed with them. Albert and Maggie, the two youngest children, were still at home with Bruce and Sally. In addition, daughter Carrie (McLeod) and her daughter Mary A. McLeod were living with them.

In 1899 and 1900, Bruce and Sally Ann were living at 2743 W. 25th Avenue in Denver with Albert. In 1901, they all had moved to 2749 W. 25th Avenue. In 1902, they were all living at 2741 W. 28th Avenue. Albert, in 1902, married Hattie Inez Fry in Denver. It appears that Bruce and Sally Ann left Denver shortly after and they are in Long Beach, California, by 1904. Albert and Hattie, appear to be living alone in 1903 and, in 1904, they are living with Hattie's father, Charles, and Hattie's brother Leslie Earl.

Of Bruce and Sally Ann's children; Emma Jane, Sarah Catherine, Annie Lizzie, Mary Lucy, Carrie Belle, and Maggie Almeda eventually went to California. Sally Ann died in Long Beach on February 9, 1905. Sally Ann was very involved in Women's Relief Corp work in both Denver and Long Beach. Four of her brothers were Civil War veterans.

Bruce received a pension of $22.50 per month for his military service beginning in May 1912. In November 1920, his pension was increased to $72 per month. By 1920, Bruce was living with his daughter Maggie Almeda and her husband, James Albert Smith, and their sons, Jack and Phil, at 1083 Cherry Ave. in Long Beach. In August 1921, Bruce suffered a broken hip and did not recover from the associated complications. Bruce passed away on October 5, 1921, leaving no estate, and was buried at Sunnyside cemetery in Long Beach with Sally Ann.

Bruce and Sally Ann belonged to the Methodist church which was Bruce's religion at least since his move to Illinois. Bruce's family seems to have maintained more traditional Scottish beliefs with several of Bruce's father's siblings preaching in the Church of Disciples. The religious persuasion of Sally Ann's father probably had something to do with Bruce's choice of religions. Bruce belonged to G.A.R. and was, for several years, the oldest member of the First Methodist church of Long Beach. He was survived by 28 living grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild.

© 1999 Robert Moody