William P. Moseley facts for kids

William P. Moseley (1819 – August 17, 1890) was an important businessman and politician in Virginia. He lived during the Reconstruction era, which was the time after the American Civil War. Moseley served as a state senator in the Virginia Senate from 1869 to 1871.

William P. Moseley's Early Life

Moseley was born enslaved in Virginia around 1819. He worked as a servant and on a freight boat. By 1857, before the start of the American Civil War, he became a free man. He married Martha Catherine Turpin, who was also a free person. Martha's brother, Henry Turpin, later served in the Virginia House of Delegates.

William Moseley taught himself to read and write and became "well educated." After the Civil War, he and Martha lived in Richmond, Virginia. He began to buy land in both Goochland and Fluvanna counties. By 1880, they had many children, including at least seven sons and six daughters.

In 1870, records show he owned land and other personal property. He later bought the plantation home of his former master, along with 500 acres of land. He was a very successful man. In 1867, a government agency called the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands listed him as one of the most important African Americans in his county.

William P. Moseley's Political Career

Starting in Politics

In 1865, William Moseley was a delegate, or representative, at a meeting for Black Virginians. He then represented Goochland County at the Virginia Constitutional Convention. This was a special meeting held from December 1867 to April 1868 to write new rules for the state. At the convention, he was part of committees that discussed voting rights and military matters.

Serving in the Senate

After Virginia's new constitution was approved, Moseley easily won an election. He defeated a white candidate to represent Fluvanna, Goochland, and Powhatan counties in the state Senate. He served in the Virginia Senate from 1869 to 1871. During his time there, he was part of the Committee on Banks. He voted to approve the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave African American men the right to vote. He also voted on a major law called the Funding Act of 1871.

Later Political Efforts

After serving one term, Moseley did not run for re-election to the Senate. However, he stayed active in politics. He tried to get the nomination to run for the Virginia House of Delegates for Goochland County. He lost this race to his brother-in-law, Henry Turpin. In 1873, he tried to run for the state Senate again as an independent Republican. He later decided to withdraw from the race to help the Republican Party.

The Republican Party in Goochland County supported him to run for Congress. At that time, he was described as "a colored man of respectable and reputable character" and "a fair and just man." There was some disagreement within the Republican Party, and Moseley was asked to step down to help the party work together. He did not get the nomination for Congress. He lost to the Readjuster Party candidate, John Paul, who later served in Congress.

William P. Moseley's Death

William P. Moseley passed away on August 17, 1890, at his home in Goochland County after a long illness. His wife, Martha, had died earlier that same year on January 24, 1890. He was survived by three of their sons and six of their daughters.

See also

• African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era