John Mosley Behn, Sr., born June 13, 1854 in Savannah, Georgia, was the oldest son and the third child of six children born to George Washington Behn and Nancy Green. By 1856, the family had relocated to the state of Texas.

John married his first wife, Mary Barber, in 1872 in Robertson County, Texas. Four children were born to this marriage, George, Arthur F., J.N. and J.E. His wife Mary apparently died sometime after June of 1880, as she is enumerated on the 1880 U.S. Census.

He met and married his second wife, Nancy Hanks Bramlett, on November 7, 1881 in Hempstead, Waller County, Texas. Nancy raised his four children as her own. Twelve children were born to this union.

Two months short of his 47th birthday, John passed away. His wife Nancy, being pregnant with their youngest child (whom she gave birth to approximately one month later), was left to raise eight minor children. With the help of the older children, Nancy raised the remaining minor children to adulthood, always stressing to them the need for a higher education.

It is presumed that John's father, George W. Behn, preceded him in death, but this has not been verified. One son, Charlie, preceded him in death. It is uncertain whether he was preceded in death by his oldest sister, Laura. Other than her being on the boat passage from Georgia to Texas, there is no mention of Laura once the family reached the State of Texas.

It is also possible that his mother, Nancy, may have survived him. Other survivors include his wife; ten sons, George, Arthur, Henry James (J.N.?), J.E., Prince Albert, John Jr., Thomas W., Lurain, General Eckie, Samuel and his unborn son, Mosley Leonard; four daughters, Mattie, Addie, Julia Barbara, and Alverda; three brothers, Frederick, Edward and Prince Albert Behn; and one sister, Polly Behn White.

NOTE: The following email was received from Jennifer Robinson, City of Allen, Support Specialist, Parks & Recreation Department:

"I am writing to confirm that we do show a John Behn buried at the Allen Cemetery with a date of death of September 28, 1901. Unfortunately due to the fact that record keeping in the early 1900’s wasn’t as it is today, I’m unable to provide any further information."

As you can see, there is a discrepancy as to the date of death. The date of April 13, 1901 is the date my grandfather Mosley Leonard had recorded in a ledger of which I am in possession. Of course he would have had to have gotten the date from a family member because he was too young to have personal knowledge himself.