Drury A. and Rachel Moxley

Drew and Rachel Moxley are buried in a small cemetery in northeastern Itawamba County, their graves marked by homemade stones. Although the markers appear rather crude, I feel that they have a special character. Their uniqueness draws you to them in a cemetery filled with similar-looking grave markers, and I find them to be honest and straight-forward.

Drew and Rachel didn't have any children so there were no descendants to buy them a nice tombstone when they died between 1920 and 1930. Someone thought enough of them however to at least mark their burials in Martin Cemetery.

Drew was the son of Austin Smith and Emily C. Moxley. Austin, who was born in Virginia, is found in the 1850 census as a schoolteacher in Fayette County, Alabama. He died before the 1860 census, leaving a widow and five children. Drew was one of the children. Henry T. Moxley, the father of Alice Moxley and father-in-law of Thomas "Bunt" Dulaney, was another. Thus, my interest in the Moxleys. Other children were Joseph, Richard and Mary.

Rachel, who was born around 1852, was the daughter of Calvin Martin and Elizabeth Sample. A marriage record dated April 26, 1888 has been found in Itawamba County for Rachell Martin and D. A. Maxby.

1900 Census
Itawamba County, Mississippi
Bounds Crossroads
Drewey Moxley 46 AL VA AL, farmer, born Feb 1854, married 12 years, owns land
Rachel 48 MS TN blank, born Mar 1852

1910 Census
Itawamba County, Mississippi
Bounds Crossroads
Drew A. Moxley 53 AL VA AL farmer, married 21 years
Rachel E. 56 MS U.S. U.S., 0 children, 0 living

1920 Census
Itawamba County, Mississippi
Copelands precinct
Drue Moxley 63 AL AL AL, farmer, rents
Rachel 68 AL U.S. U.S.