rosie ella wesley moncrief
1871-1950
Life Story
Laid to rest at Evans Cemetery, Newton County, Mississippi
Early Life and Family Background
Rosie Ella Wesley was born around 1871, likely in Newton County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Caroline Wesley (1859–1919), a woman who lived through Reconstruction and raised her family in the rural farming communities of Newton County. Little is documented about Rosie’s early childhood, but like most Black women of her generation, she grew up in a world shaped by sharecropping, seasonal labor, and strong extended family networks.
Marriage and Family
By the late 1890s, Rosie had married John Moncrief, Jr. (1870–?), and together they established a household in Newton County. Their family grew rapidly over the next two decades, and according to the 1910 census, Rosie reported that she had given birth to 11 children, with 7 still living at that time.
Across available records, the following children are associated with Rosie and John:
- Robert Moncrief (1895–1921)
- Matthew Moncrief (1896–?)
- John Moncrief (1900–?)
- Ethel Moncrief (1902–1999)
- Alice (Allice) Moncrief (1904–?)
- Lamar Moncrief (1906–?)
- Emily Moncrief (1909–2000)
- Elizabeth Moncrief (1910–2014)
- Lillie Moncrief (1917–2004)
- John A. Moncrief (1920–?)
This large family represents one of the foundational Black lineages in the Lawrence/Altare/Mt. Moriah region of Newton County.
Work and Daily Life
In 1910, Rosie reported that she worked as a farm laborer on the home farm, a common role for rural Black women who supported their households through both field work and domestic labor. Her life would have included:
- seasonal cotton work
- maintaining gardens
- caring for livestock
- supporting a large household
- participating in extended family networks
Women like Rosie held their families together under difficult economic and social conditions, often without recognition or documentation.
Later Years and Passing
Rosie lived into the mid-20th century, passing away in 1950. She was buried in the Evans Cemetery in Newton County, a resting place for many connected families from the Altare, Mt. Moriah, and Lawrence communities.
Her long life spanned Reconstruction, Jim Crow, two World Wars, and the Great Migration. Through hardship, labor, and family responsibility, she helped shape the generations that followed.
Legacy
Rosie Ella Wesley Moncrief is remembered today through her descendants—many of whom continued to live in Newton County—and through the historical record that reflects her perseverance, her labor, and her role as the matriarch of a significant local family.
Her story stands as a testament to the strength of Black women whose daily lives formed the backbone of rural communities in Mississippi.
Resting Place
Photos/Albums
1871-1950
Sources
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
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