John Moody was a substantial local farmer in the mid-1800s. On the 1831 Acton Estate map, John and others of the Moody family are shown as tenants of most of the townland of Lisraw! He was frequently a judge for the D&AFS as well as neighbouring farming societies. At various dates between 1845 and 1863 (perhaps continuously) he served as one of Poyntzpass’s two elected Guardians on the board of the Newry Union. Elections were annual. Others who served with him included Crozier Christy and Alexander Kinmonth.
In February 1851, The Banner of Ulster reported him as being on the platform at a Tenant Right League meeting in Banbridge, attended by some 3,000 people, including most of the clerics from the PP area who, like most protestant ministers of religion at the time, were also tenant farmers. The League was strongly supported by many radical Presbyterian ministers.
John was frequent show winner, especially Green Crops, as late as 1864.
In both 1855 and 1856, James Moody “provided” the dinner for the D&AFS annual meeting.