The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960 Page: 469

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H. BAILEY CARROLL
ASHORT WHILE AGO I received an inquiry asking who was cur-
L rently the oldest member of the Association. In seeking
the answer it was actually a bit startling to come upon one
member's biographical sheet indicating a birth date of 186o. I had
had some acquaintance with the membership of Frank L. Moffett
at Chillicothe, but at the same time must admit that I had not
noticed how close he was to approaching a century of life, much
of which has been spent in Texas. Also it is of interest that Mr.
Moffett's membership dates from 1912. It only took me a few
minutes to determine that F. E. Moffett was the father of George
Moffett, distinguished State Senator for many years from District
23. I called on Senator Moffett at his chambers in the Senate and
asked him to supply an additional biographical sketch of his
father. This he promised to do as soon as he returned home to
Chillicothe where he would have an opportunity to talk with his
father. As might be reasonably expected, the near-century-old
patriarch does spent much of his time now in bed, but he is still
an avid reader and it can be entered for the record that one of
his favorite publications is still the Quarterly. There follows the
biographical sketch which Senator Moffett has graciously pre-
pared of his father, who must, as far as available information goes,
be considered the oldest member of the Association.
FRANK LEE MOFFETT
Frank Lee Moffett was born on October 31, 186o. This date is
exactly one week before Abraham Lincoln was elected President of
the United States. Frank L. Moffett was born in a pioneer two-room
house in the northern part of Ellis County, Texas, near the little village
of Red Oak, the oldest of seven children, and the only one still sur-
viving. His ancestry traces back to the time his grandfather migrated
from Ireland to South Carolina in 1774, where he was favored by a
grant of land from the King of England.
In the definitely pioneer community where F. L. Moffett spent his
boyhood, necessities of life were scarce and luxuries non-existent. The