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THE HORTONS OF MOSELEYThis interesting family, and their predecessors the Moseleys, were lords of that manor from mediaeval times, but seem to have been rather overshadowed by their neighbours the Whitgreaves. The pedigree given by Stebbing Shaw (Volume II page 184) appears to be incorrect in some detail. Thomas Moseley married Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac Sadler of Castle Bromwich. Their eldest daughter Ann, (baptised at Bushbury on May 29th 1713) died on May 10th 1749 and was buried at Bushbury four days later. Her mother was named as sole executrix (Indenture at Birmingham Library, Norton M.S.1278, 985 in Index), and it was in fact the second daughter Elizabeth who married William Horton, not Ann as Shaw's pedigree shows. William and Elizabeth Horton had three sons, James, Thomas who died in infancy, William and a daughter Elizabeth. James inherited the estate on the death of his father in January 1775. James and his wife Katherine, (youngest daughter of John and Mary Carver of Worcester) had three sons William Moseley, James and John, and three daughters Katherine, Mary and Elizabeth. The girls all died and were buried at Bushbury in April 1779. James (senior) was elected Clerk to the Commissioners of Wolverhampton on June 1777, but had to retire owing to ill health in February 1788 and died early in March of that year. Their second son James had died in 1785 aged 5, so the widowed Katherine was left with two sons. William Moseley, the heir, was commissioned in the Staffordshire Militia in 1799, and appointed Captain in the 2nd Battalion in 1803 before it moved to Newcastle on Tyne. From there in the Spring of 1805 they moved to Hull, and in August joined the 1st Battalion at Portsmouth. Presumably he went with his battalion, but subsequent muster rolls of the Militia mark him "Dead". He did not die however, until December 12th 1850, at the Hopton and Coton Lunatic Asylum near Stafford, certified "Mania, 40 years". His death went unrecorded in the local press. He was not brought back to Bushbury to be buried with his forebears but was buried, on the 17th December 1850, in St. Chad's, Stafford. His mother had retired to the Tything at Worcester and died in 1824. The youngest son John, a bachelor, had purchased a commission in the Second Dragoon Guards in December 1812, and lived until December 1856. His grave can be seen on the south side of Bushbury Church. His obituary in the Worcester Herald sums up the man: December 13 1856. "Death of Captain Horton". "We have to record, with much regret, the death of the above named gentleman, which took place yesterday, (Thursday). As the deceased was well known in this city, having resided here about fifteen years, and having been somewhat noticeable for some little peculiarities, a brief allusion to his history may be allowed. His father was a gentleman of independent means living near Wolverhampton and educated his son at Brewood School near that town. At an early period in the young man's life his inclinations were bent towards the military profession from his being present at the review of a cavalry regiment which greatly attracted his admiration, and subsequently he purchased a commission in the Queen's Bays, and went on the continent under the Duke of Wellington. He was not present at the Battle of Waterloo, but was in the army of reserve, not far from the scene of action. After the battle he went to Paris with the Duke and the Allies, and remained some time in the capital; then he proceeded to Picardy, where he remained about three years, and when the army returned to England he accompanied it and sold out in the year 1827. During his residence in this city he was personally noticeable from the well-worn appearance of his wardrobe, it being an ascertained fact that ever since he left the army - a period of twenty nine years - he continued to wear, and had not worn out when he died, his stock of regimental waistcoats and trousers, and as to his coat, even that vestment could boast of almost as venerable age. This partiality for an old acquaintance, added to a few other little whims publicly indulged in, led to the supposition that he was a man of miserly habits; but in Captain Horton the old gaw of 'not judging from appearances' was completely verified: although he was penurious in regard to his own personal expenditure, considering the very ample means which he possessed, yet he was very far from devoid of feeling for real distress, and often relieved such cases without calling the world to witness the deed. As a landlord he was known to be liberal, indulgent, and even fanatically averse to employ the law for the recovery of his rights. Those who knew him best - for he was very shy of acquaintances whose motives he suspected to be selfish - are fully aware of his kindhearted disposition. He was seized with paralysis on Friday last, and never spoke afterwards. For forty eight hours before his death he was in a state of stupor. Dr. Sir C. Hastings and Mr. Budd were in attendance. The deceased gentleman was aged 76, was never married, and is supposed to have left a fortune of £60,000 to his cousin and heir at law, Colonel Horton, who resides near Stafford." Lieutenant Colonel James Horton, was the youngest son of James senior's brother William, (who was for many years Quartermaster of the Staffordshire Militia) and his wife Elizabeth. James the younger had entered the army in 1796 as a cornet of the 7th Queen's Own Light Dragoons, but transferred to the 61st Foot (South Gloucestershire Regiment) in May 1803. In July 1811 he returned on leave from Newry in Northern Ireland to marry Ann Crutchley at St. Peter's Wolverhampton, but by 1813 he was serving in Portugal where he was severely wounded at the Battle of Nivelle on November 13th. Three daughters were born of the marriage - Elizabeth, who did not marry, Anne who married John Henson Webb, a Stafford banker, and Caroline, who married W. Fleeming Fryer, the Wolverhampton banker. James served afterwards in the West Indies and finally retired from the army in 1819 as a major on half pay. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1830. James and Anne moved their home several times. (Their first daughter was born at Horsham in Sussex). They also lived for a time with their married daughter Anne at "The Hough", Stafford, and later at Tettenhall. After his wife's death there in 1853, James retired to "Moseley Lodge" at Leamington, where he died in July 1860. He is buried at Tettenhall with his wife. Their daughter Anne and her husband, John Henson Webb, did not live at Moseley, (the house had been let to the Tarratt family and others for many years). They retired to a new house at Scarborough, "Moseley Lodge" (now "Moseley House", 5 Westbourne Grove) where they died. Their grave is in Scarborough Cemetery. Their only child, Mary Ann Webb, was still regarded as lady of the manor of Moseley in 1892. ( Note. The grave of Mrs .Katherine Horton who died at her house in the
Tything, Worcester in 1824 can still be seen in St. Oswald's burial ground on the
other side of the street:-
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