Moxley, William

William Moxley was a saddler in Leesburg. He was recorded as “sadler William Moxley” in 1784 when he purchased part of a lot on Kings Street in Leesburg to begin a business. He had established the Moxley Saddler Shop there by the time he purchased the remainder of the King Street lot in 1795. Moxley and his wife Sarah invested in other land in Leesburg, including the purchase and sale of lot seven, and the lease of 19.5 acres on the south side of Leesburg. Moxley served as a witnesses to other deed transactions throughout the 1780s and 1790s and also purchased 17.5 acres near Carolina Road in 1801, which they sold in 1804. By then, it seems likely that the Moxleys had moved to Prince William County, though they still owned property in Loudoun.

Moxley last appeared on a tax list for Loudoun County in 1810, and he likely died the following year. A will was recorded for William Moxley Senior on 11 February 1811 in Loudoun County but does not give a date of death. In the will, Moxley left three slaves, a house and lot in Leesburg, and acreage in western lands to be divided between a Joseph and a William Moxley, who were likely his sons. It is possible that William Moxley was a descendant of another William Moxley, who was born in England in 1640 and died in Westmoreland County in 1713. If so, the original William Moxley was the great, great grandfather, or great grandfather of the saddler William Moxley.

By Courtney Hudson