James Paris Mosley &
daughter Jeanie

Photo courtesy of Jeanie Mosley Hall

Grace Simmons

Photo courtesy of Jeanie Mosley Hall

James Paris MOSLEY --Paris became deaf at the age of six months as the aftermath of scarlet fever. At the age of nine he attended the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Mt. Airy, Pennsylvania where he learned the trade of shoemaker. After graduation he went to work for Tony D'Armi on No. Governors Avenue, Dover, in shoe repair. After working there for quite a few years, he built his own shoe repair shop called Mosley's Shoe Hospital. Meanwhile, he married Grace Hellen Simmons from Dover in 1949. He had met Grace Simmons, also deaf, in Pennsylvania. They divorced after a child was born to them, a daughter, Clara Jean Hall, now of State College, Pennsylvania.

Because both her parents were deaf, daughter Jean learned American Sign Language even before she could talk. Jean said in an interview published in the Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 31 Oct 1997, "My father was my whole life. We were very close. He made sure I had whatever I wanted." Her father also was colorblind, she said. "When a woman would bring her shoes in to be dyed, he couldn't distinguish between black, blue or brown, so he would ask me what color to use.

"Dover was a small town, and everybody knew him in the town. I can remember helping him in the shop when I was only 5 years old, because it was right next to our home.... He would use pencil and paper or I would communicate for him."

Later he moved to Wilmington and was employed by Walsh Shoe Repair. Upon returning to Dover he then worked with George Handges at the Delaware Shoe Repair until he retired in 1979. Even though Paris was handicapped he reared and educated Jeanie to whom he was devoted and loved dearly. Paris was a very quiet and unassuming person. He was respected by all.

At his death in 1984 he was survived by a daughter, Jeanie; a son-in-law, Howard; a granddaughter, Ilea; three sisters, Elizabeth Durham, Jeannette Flemming, and Grace Kemp; nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

James Paris4 MOSLEY (Wingate Burton3, Purnell P.2, Wingate1), born 9 Jun 1914/15 in Dover, Kent, De; died 14 May 1984 in Kent General Hospital, Dover, Kent, Delaware; interred 19 May 1984 in Sharon Hills Cem, Dover, Kent, De. He married on 29 Jun 1949 in Dover, Kent, Delaware, Grace Helen SIMMONS, born 4 Jan 1928 in Dover, Kent, De, daughter of Benjamin Preston SIMMONS (Sr.) and Agnes (---).

Children of James Paris MOSLEY and Grace Helen SIMMONS were as follows:

1. Clara Jean MOSLEY in Dover, Kent, De. She married Howard Ralph HALL (III).