MOORE FAMILY HISTORY
Joseph Mitchell Moore was born about 1807 in Tennessee. He married Sarah Shaw Johnston around 1831. Sarah was born in October of 1810, the daughter of Francis and Catherine (Bell) Johnston. Five children were born to them in Tennessee: Francis Johnston; David Woods; Catherine Jane; John Spencer and Joseph Madison.
The 19 December 1831 minutes of the Session of the Pistol Creek and *Big Springs Seceder (Associate Presbyterian) Church, Blount County, Tennessee reads: "Joseph M. Moore who had been in communion with the Gen. Assembly Church, Sarah S. Dunlap and Lucinda Gillesby, a woman of colour having been privately conversed with by the Modr. presented themselves as applicants for admission to the Lord's Supper. After the usual examination before Session, the vote was taken on each separately and unanimously carried - admit. After a renewed declaration to them of the obligations they were coming under and their profession of consent to them were formally admitted and reminded of their duty in a short exhortation by the Moderator."
*Pistol Creek was a branch of the Big Springs Seceder Presbyterian Church. Sarah Shaw Johnston Moore's parents are buried in the Big Springs Church Cemetery. The Big Springs Church & Cemetery is located nine miles west of Maryville, Tennessee, on the Friendsville Road. The Associate Presbyterian Church was a descendent of the first secession from the Established Church of Scotland--therefor "Seceder". These were a Psalm singing people.
Joseph M. More appears in the 1840 United States Federal Census for Monroe County, Tennessee. In the home is 1 male 30-40; 1 female 20-30; 2 males 5-10; 1 female under 5 and 2 males under 5. The number, sex, and ages of the children correspond with the children we know he had at that time. They were living in the Fork Creek area of Monroe County.
The institution of slavery was an issue during this period and the Moore's opposed it. The family were members of the Associate Presbyterian Church and their pastor, Rev Thomas Kendall, (who was living with the Moore's) encouraged them to help him get a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. In August of 1842 Mitchell Moore (as he was known) left Tennessee for the Territory of Iowa. The following is a letter written by his son, David Woods Moore describing the trip:
"August 29, 1842 a company of eight families, about fifty people, started to Iowa Territory to find homes and to get away from slavery and into a free state, though it didn't become a state until four years later, in 1846.
The pastor of our congregation of the Associate church went over to South Carolina to preach a few days to some of our people there. He wanted to make an anti-slavery speech. The session told him he could not do it for some of the slave holders would mob him, but he was a large, strong, resolute man and announced he would speak on the evil of slavery Tuesday at 10 o'clock. Everybody came, but when he spoke for about 20 minutes, 20 men rose up and walked up to the pulpit and told him to come down, but he did not come until they pulled him down the aisle and out-doors. When he saw a bucket of warm tar and a pillow of feathers he knew what it meant, and you can imagine the rest. He was the maddest preacher on earth. Thomas Kendall was his name. He was living at Father's at the time, as his wife had died 18 months before, and he was left with two little girls, six and four years old - Maranda, my age, and Julian, sister Jane's age.
He commenced at Father and Mother to help him get up a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. They got eight families and set the date to start, the 22nd of August, when another family said they would go if they would wait a week. Father told them to get ready; but Mr. Kendall started on the day set and went all the 700 miles with a one horse carriage and crossed the Mississippi River just one week ahead of us at the same place, Fort Madison, the boatman told us. I was eight and a half years old then. Mr. Kendall went up to Van Buren County to Burmingham and didn't come to see us for two years. He then organized our congregation at Columbus City and held our first Sacrament, as it was called then, in a little barn in old town, one half mile east of Colonel Garner's house. A lot more came before that time, a big company came just then, and I am not sure if it was not three years for Father and Uncle John Duncan and Uncle Andy were the session, same as in Tennessee.
Most all had oxen and big wagons and there were a few on horse back. My mother took cold going home in the rain and died from it. I was ten years old, past.
We all met at Uncle Kennedy Duncan's and camped the 28th of August. Everybody came to see us off. We had supper and breakfast at Uncle's and started the morning of the 29th of August. Uncle Joe Johnston with a yoke of cattle and two horses, pulled out first and Father next, with one yoke of oxen and a horse at the end of the tongue. Uncle George with two yoke of oxen. No one had four horses but John Cunningham and John Orr had a one horse carriage and also old Uncle Frank Johnston. We had fine weather, all but two rains. Sister Jane fell out of the wagon and the wheel of the wagon ran over one leg and broke it above the ankle, was all the mishap we had. Uncle Joe Johnston shot the first prairie chicken we saw just after we got into Illinois. He and George Washington were spokesmen for the company. We crossed the Mississippi River October 1, just a week after Mr. Kendall did, at Fort Madison and was a week getting up to Louisa County. We passed Mount Pleasant in the afternoon and they told us to camp at Big Creek, fill up all the jugs, churns, and vessels, we had with water, for it was 20 miles across the big prairie and to start as soon as the cattle got filled with grass and dew. We got over an hour before sun down. The cattle had no water all day. As soon as we stopped - Father was in the lead - and he went to the cabin and pulled the latchstring and the door opened and he said, "I am going to winter here." All agreed and began to unhitch with plenty of noise and the Indians camped just one-fourth mile down in the timber by the creek and 100 came up one after another, to see what the noise was about. Uncle Joe and George came forward but not much good. I went up to one and he said "Big Pappoose" and he had a little fellow and I said "Little Pappoose" and they all laughed. They gave us no trouble. We felt like going on when Uncle George got a cabin a mile up the creek and John Orr one near him and the rest went over around Crawfordsville. This was on the south of a Crooked Creek near where Winfield now is. We had hard times. Uncle Joe and Grandmother and Adeline and us seven all wintered in that cold cabin, 16 x 18. Had it not been for the chickens I believe we would have starved but we got awful hungry for something else and we couldn't get wheat and had to go 30 miles to the mill with corn and the 7th of November it snowed a foot and snowed every few days until over three feet deep in the timber. We have never had as cold and stormy a winter since. It turned warm the first of January for ten days and the snow settled and about half went off. It snowed on till the first of March and was as deep as ever. About the twentieth of March it turned warm and we moved to the Bine Williams place now where Barstow Williams has been living for fifty years. The first day of April and Uncle Joe moved to the John Stoddard place just south a mile across Buffington Creek. The creek couldn't be crossed again until the first of May and about four feet of snow had to melt and froze so hard and ice it took so long to get off. There was snow and ice around a little straw stack in the field till the 20th of June.
We got in 5 acres of wheat and 10 of corn. That was all the ground we could get. We got a two year old heifer and calf, paid $6 for her and some hens and we lived better. We raised some potatoes. What we had in winter was froze but most all not dug was not hurt for it was under three feet of snow all winter.
Didn't have a death for a year, when old Uncle Frank and Aunt Jenie both died the next winter. I think Mrs. Cunningham was next but the hardest time was when Father got his leg mashed all to pieces. Wagon upset and he and Frank were riding the hounds standard stuck up above the wheel and struck leg and wheel stock broke off and wheel fell on ankle and mashed all the bones for a foot or 14 inches in the leg. He lay a year and a half in bed and the doctor took 100 pieces of bones out. I was 12 and Frank 14, then us boys had to take it all and no money, not even a wagon and twenty acres broke and we made and hauled rails that winter to fence it enough.
I could do this better if I did it over.
D. W. Moore
Names of All Who Came on The Trip
Joseph Mitchell Moore and his wife Sarah C. Johnston Moore and Frank J., David Woods, C. Jane, John S. and Joe M.
Grandmother and Joe Johnston, her son, and Adeline Shaw - girl they took to raise, later, F.A. Duncan's first wife
Uncle George B. Johnston, and his wife, Aunt Betsy, a sister of John Orr and Easter and Frank, children.
John Orr and his wife and Margaret, Martha and William, children.
Yes, Sam Orr, John Cunningham and wife, a sister of John Orr. Children: Robert, Esther, Elizabeth and Theresa.
Old Uncle Sam Bell and wife, children: Jane, William, Little John and ______
also two sisters, Aunt Sally Bell and Aunt Polly Bell - sisters of Old Sam
George Washington Johnston, Emeline Duncan, his young wife and brother Joseph and his father and mother, those we waited a week for and Rev. Thomas Kendall and two little girls and a black man-forgotten his name. ________________________________________________________________________
Copy of a letter from Melissa Moore, daughter of Frank Moore and granddaughter of Joseph Mitchell Moore written from her home at Kent, Washington, RFD 2
To Miss Mary Moore, Columbus City, Iowa
August 29, 1842 a company of 50 people, 49 white and one colored girl (Black Mary Ann) consisting of eight families, met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy Duncun in Monroe County, Tennessee with their ox teams and wagons and a few horses, with tents, bedding and cooking utensils, for the purpose of emigrating to the Territory of Iowa. The families were: George B. Johnston, wife Betsy (Orr) Johnston (your grandmother's sister) and two children, Esther and Katherine; Joseph Johnston and mother (my great grandmother - her name was Shaw, I think) and Adaline Shaw; Joseph Mitchell Moore and wife; Sallie (Johnston) Moore and five children; Francis Johnston, David Woods, Katherine Jane, John Spencer, and Joseph Madison Moore (William E. was born after they came to Iowa); John Cunningham and wife with four children, Robert, Esther, Elizabeth, Tressie; George Washington Johnston, wife and father and mother, and brother Josiah Johnston; John Orr, wife and four children, Jane, Martha, Caroline and William; also his mother, Esther Orr (your great grandmother) and his sister Margaret Orr (your grandmother); Grandfather Moore's second wife; Samuel Bell, wife and seven children, George, Margaret, Sallie, William, Jane, John and Huston, and two sisters, Polly and Sally; Robert Fineley, wife and two children, Nancy Ann and Margaret Jane; George Findley and wife. ________________________________________________________________________
They settled in Columbus City Township, Louisa County where Joseph Mitchell entered 200 acres of land and engaged in farming the rest of his life.
Their fifth son, William Ebenezer, was born there. Less than two years later, on 8 September 1844, Sarah Shaw (Johnston) Moore died from complications after getting cold going home in the rain. She was 33 years, 11 months old when she died. Sarah is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. Four and a half months later Joseph Mitchell (37) went over to the Orr's home and asked Margaret Orr (33) if she would be willing to come over and help him raise the children. She was, and they were married on 30 January 1845. Margaret Orr was born in 1812, a daughter of Robert and Esther (Ferguson) Orr. Francis (Frank) Johnston Moore, speaking of her in later years, said, "she was as good a step mother as they made".
Death claimed little William Ebenezer in August of 1845 at age three. Three months later Esther Ann was born. Two other children were born to Joseph Mitchell and Margaret Moore: Robert Mitchell and Margaret.
In 1846 the wagon in which Mitchell and his son, Frank, were riding in overturned and the wheel crushed Mitchell's leg and ankle. The doctor took out 100 pieces of bone and he was in bed for a year and a half recuperating. This was a hard time for the family. Frank was 14 and David Woods was 12 when this happened and the responsibility of the farm fell on their shoulders.
Michael More, (49 Tennessee) is found in the 1856 Iowa State Census (07 July 1856) for Columbus City Township, Louisa County, Iowa (dwelling 179) along with his wife, Margaret More (44 Tennessee) and children: K. J. More (F-20 Tennessee), J. M. More (M-16 Tennessee), Esther More (10 Iowa), R. M. More (M-8 Iowa) and M. E. More (F-5 Iowa). They have been residents in the state, 13 years. Joseph M. Moore was farming land he owned. He had 25 acres of improved land and 75 acres of unimproved land. He also had 7 acres in meadow and cut 7 tons of hay. Joseph Moore planted 17 acres of spring wheat and harvested 150 bushels; planted 8 acres of oats, and harvested 290 bushels; planted 90 acres of corn and harvested 2000 bushels; planted 1/4 acres of potatoes and harvested 40 bushels. He sold 30 hogs, valued at $312; 2 cows valued at $125. They manufactured 100 pounds of butter, got 20 pounds of wool and had $26 worth of domestic manufacture. His son's, Francis More (24 Tennessee), David W. More (22 Tennessee) and their families live nearby (dwellings 185 & 186).
When President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers for the Civil War in 1861, both John Spencer and Joseph Madison responded. John joined Company "C" of the 5th Infantry Regiment of Iowa Volunteers and Joseph, Company "C" of the 11th Infantry Regiment. The war divided many families and this was true of the Moore family as well as Joseph Mitchell had brothers who stayed in Tennessee. One of his nephews came to Iowa during the war but it seems that his coming was not much appreciated by the community. There was some talk of him being a spy.
Tragedy struck the Moore home twice in 1864 when Margaret (Orr) Moore died of the flu on May 26th in an epidemic which hit the whole community and the family received word that Joseph Madison died, 23 July 1864, two days after being wounded in the battle for Atlanta.
By the 1870 United States Federal Census (15 June 1870) for Columbus City Township, Louisa, Iowa (page 16, dwelling # 113), widower, Joseph M. Moore (62 Tennessee) is "confined to house". His children, Esther A. Moore (24 Iowa), Robert M. Moore (21 Iowa) and Mattie C. Moore (18 Iowa) are still in the home. The two girls are "Keeping house" and Robert is "Decking". Joseph's real estate is valued at $3240 and personal estate at $2575. His sons, Francis Moore (38 Tennessee), David W. Moore (36 Tennessee) & John S. Moore (32 Tennessee) and their families are living next door (dwellings 114, 115, & 116).
According to Schedule 3 - Productions of Agriculture (page 03 & 04, line 25), his farm, valued at $3240, consisted of 54 improved and 10 unimproved weed-based acres. His farming implements & machinery were worth $180. On 11 June of 1870 he owned 2 milch cows and 5 swine, valued at $115. During the preceding year he had harvested 95 bushels of spring wheat, 200 bushels of Indian corn and 89 bushels of oats. His farm produced 15 bushels of Irish potatoes, $100 worth of orchard products, and they had made 365 pounds of butter. He had cut 30 tons of hay. Joseph Mitchell Moore had slaughtered (or sold for slaughter) $370 worth of animals and the estimated value of all their farm produce was $991.
Joseph Mitchell Moore died 25 August 1876 and is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. ________________________________________________________________________
Will of Joseph M. Moore #373
In the Name of God. Amen.
I, Joseph M. Moore of the County of Louisa and state of Iowa, aged ___ years, being of sound mind, memory and Understanding thanks be to Almighty and for the same considering the Uncertainty of life, the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time there of, do therefore make, ordain, publish and declare, this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and making null and void all former Wills. That is to say after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged and the cost of this commission be _______ of my estate, real and personal. I give, bequeath and dispense of as follows.
To wit, I give and bequeath to my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore, all the bed and bedding on the premises and the looking glasses, the Same to be divided equal between them, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son, John S. Moore I give and bequeath a Silver Watch that belonged to my Son Joseph M. Moore who died while in the Service of the United States, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son Robert M. Moore I give and bequeath One Mare Saddle and Bridle , that he now has in possession and value the Same at One hundred and twenty five dollars.
I direct that all of the personal property of every description shall remain on the premises in the care and use of my son Robert M. Moore and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter, that portion not disposed of by this will to be sold by my Executor as the Law directs.
I further direct that my Real Estate shall remain in possession of my son, Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter the same may be sold by a Majority of the heirs directing the Executor to sell the same.
After the Sale of the remaining portion of my personal property and the Real Estate, my debts and the cost of this commission being first paid, in consideration of Francis J. Moore and David W. Moore, having already received from me each the sum of two hundred (200) dollars in property, and my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger, the sum of one hundred (100) dollars in property, and Robert M. Moore, the sum of one hundred and twenty five (125) in property, I direct my executor to pay as follows: To my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger the Sum of one hundred dollars, to my Son John S. Moore, the sum of two hundred dollars (200), to my daughter Esther A. Moore the sum of two hundred (200) dollars, to my son Robert M. Moore the sum of seventy-five (75) dollars, to my daughter Margaret E. Moore two hundred (200) dollars, and after the payment of those legacies, I direct my executor to divide the remainder of the Money equal between the following persons, or their legal representatives. To wit, my Son Francis J. Moore, David W, Moore, John S. Moore, and Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Catherine J. Rossenberger, Esther A. Moore, and Margaret E. Moore.
And lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my Son Francis J. Moore my executor of this my last Will and Testament.
In testimony thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this the15th day of May, Anno Domini 1869.
Joseph M. Moore, Seal
The foregoing Instrument of Writing consisting of One Sheet of paper as the last Will and testament of Joseph M. Moore of Louisa County, State of Iowa, was Signed and declared by the said Joseph M. Moore to be his voluntary act and deed, in our presence and who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
A. J. Duncan
resident of Columbus City Township, Louisa Co. Iowa
Wesley W. __arrer
resident of Columbus City, Louisa County, Iowa.
Joseph Mitchell Moore was born about 1807 in Tennessee. He married Sarah Shaw Johnston around 1831. Sarah was born in October of 1810, the daughter of Francis and Catherine (Bell) Johnston. Five children were born to them in Tennessee: Francis Johnston; David Woods; Catherine Jane; John Spencer and Joseph Madison.
The 19 December 1831 minutes of the Session of the Pistol Creek and *Big Springs Seceder (Associate Presbyterian) Church, Blount County, Tennessee reads: "Joseph M. Moore who had been in communion with the Gen. Assembly Church, Sarah S. Dunlap and Lucinda Gillesby, a woman of colour having been privately conversed with by the Modr. presented themselves as applicants for admission to the Lord's Supper. After the usual examination before Session, the vote was taken on each separately and unanimously carried - admit. After a renewed declaration to them of the obligations they were coming under and their profession of consent to them were formally admitted and reminded of their duty in a short exhortation by the Moderator."
*Pistol Creek was a branch of the Big Springs Seceder Presbyterian Church. Sarah Shaw Johnston Moore's parents are buried in the Big Springs Church Cemetery. The Big Springs Church & Cemetery is located nine miles west of Maryville, Tennessee, on the Friendsville Road. The Associate Presbyterian Church was a descendent of the first secession from the Established Church of Scotland--therefor "Seceder". These were a Psalm singing people.
Joseph M. More appears in the 1840 United States Federal Census for Monroe County, Tennessee. In the home is 1 male 30-40; 1 female 20-30; 2 males 5-10; 1 female under 5 and 2 males under 5. The number, sex, and ages of the children correspond with the children we know he had at that time. They were living in the Fork Creek area of Monroe County.
The institution of slavery was an issue during this period and the Moore's opposed it. The family were members of the Associate Presbyterian Church and their pastor, Rev Thomas Kendall, (who was living with the Moore's) encouraged them to help him get a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. In August of 1842 Mitchell Moore (as he was known) left Tennessee for the Territory of Iowa. The following is a letter written by his son, David Woods Moore describing the trip:
"August 29, 1842 a company of eight families, about fifty people, started to Iowa Territory to find homes and to get away from slavery and into a free state, though it didn't become a state until four years later, in 1846.
The pastor of our congregation of the Associate church went over to South Carolina to preach a few days to some of our people there. He wanted to make an anti-slavery speech. The session told him he could not do it for some of the slave holders would mob him, but he was a large, strong, resolute man and announced he would speak on the evil of slavery Tuesday at 10 o'clock. Everybody came, but when he spoke for about 20 minutes, 20 men rose up and walked up to the pulpit and told him to come down, but he did not come until they pulled him down the aisle and out-doors. When he saw a bucket of warm tar and a pillow of feathers he knew what it meant, and you can imagine the rest. He was the maddest preacher on earth. Thomas Kendall was his name. He was living at Father's at the time, as his wife had died 18 months before, and he was left with two little girls, six and four years old - Maranda, my age, and Julian, sister Jane's age.
He commenced at Father and Mother to help him get up a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. They got eight families and set the date to start, the 22nd of August, when another family said they would go if they would wait a week. Father told them to get ready; but Mr. Kendall started on the day set and went all the 700 miles with a one horse carriage and crossed the Mississippi River just one week ahead of us at the same place, Fort Madison, the boatman told us. I was eight and a half years old then. Mr. Kendall went up to Van Buren County to Burmingham and didn't come to see us for two years. He then organized our congregation at Columbus City and held our first Sacrament, as it was called then, in a little barn in old town, one half mile east of Colonel Garner's house. A lot more came before that time, a big company came just then, and I am not sure if it was not three years for Father and Uncle John Duncan and Uncle Andy were the session, same as in Tennessee.
Most all had oxen and big wagons and there were a few on horse back. My mother took cold going home in the rain and died from it. I was ten years old, past.
We all met at Uncle Kennedy Duncan's and camped the 28th of August. Everybody came to see us off. We had supper and breakfast at Uncle's and started the morning of the 29th of August. Uncle Joe Johnston with a yoke of cattle and two horses, pulled out first and Father next, with one yoke of oxen and a horse at the end of the tongue. Uncle George with two yoke of oxen. No one had four horses but John Cunningham and John Orr had a one horse carriage and also old Uncle Frank Johnston. We had fine weather, all but two rains. Sister Jane fell out of the wagon and the wheel of the wagon ran over one leg and broke it above the ankle, was all the mishap we had. Uncle Joe Johnston shot the first prairie chicken we saw just after we got into Illinois. He and George Washington were spokesmen for the company. We crossed the Mississippi River October 1, just a week after Mr. Kendall did, at Fort Madison and was a week getting up to Louisa County. We passed Mount Pleasant in the afternoon and they told us to camp at Big Creek, fill up all the jugs, churns, and vessels, we had with water, for it was 20 miles across the big prairie and to start as soon as the cattle got filled with grass and dew. We got over an hour before sun down. The cattle had no water all day. As soon as we stopped - Father was in the lead - and he went to the cabin and pulled the latchstring and the door opened and he said, "I am going to winter here." All agreed and began to unhitch with plenty of noise and the Indians camped just one-fourth mile down in the timber by the creek and 100 came up one after another, to see what the noise was about. Uncle Joe and George came forward but not much good. I went up to one and he said "Big Pappoose" and he had a little fellow and I said "Little Pappoose" and they all laughed. They gave us no trouble. We felt like going on when Uncle George got a cabin a mile up the creek and John Orr one near him and the rest went over around Crawfordsville. This was on the south of a Crooked Creek near where Winfield now is. We had hard times. Uncle Joe and Grandmother and Adeline and us seven all wintered in that cold cabin, 16 x 18. Had it not been for the chickens I believe we would have starved but we got awful hungry for something else and we couldn't get wheat and had to go 30 miles to the mill with corn and the 7th of November it snowed a foot and snowed every few days until over three feet deep in the timber. We have never had as cold and stormy a winter since. It turned warm the first of January for ten days and the snow settled and about half went off. It snowed on till the first of March and was as deep as ever. About the twentieth of March it turned warm and we moved to the Bine Williams place now where Barstow Williams has been living for fifty years. The first day of April and Uncle Joe moved to the John Stoddard place just south a mile across Buffington Creek. The creek couldn't be crossed again until the first of May and about four feet of snow had to melt and froze so hard and ice it took so long to get off. There was snow and ice around a little straw stack in the field till the 20th of June.
We got in 5 acres of wheat and 10 of corn. That was all the ground we could get. We got a two year old heifer and calf, paid $6 for her and some hens and we lived better. We raised some potatoes. What we had in winter was froze but most all not dug was not hurt for it was under three feet of snow all winter.
Didn't have a death for a year, when old Uncle Frank and Aunt Jenie both died the next winter. I think Mrs. Cunningham was next but the hardest time was when Father got his leg mashed all to pieces. Wagon upset and he and Frank were riding the hounds standard stuck up above the wheel and struck leg and wheel stock broke off and wheel fell on ankle and mashed all the bones for a foot or 14 inches in the leg. He lay a year and a half in bed and the doctor took 100 pieces of bones out. I was 12 and Frank 14, then us boys had to take it all and no money, not even a wagon and twenty acres broke and we made and hauled rails that winter to fence it enough.
I could do this better if I did it over.
D. W. Moore
Names of All Who Came on The Trip
Joseph Mitchell Moore and his wife Sarah C. Johnston Moore and Frank J., David Woods, C. Jane, John S. and Joe M.
Grandmother and Joe Johnston, her son, and Adeline Shaw - girl they took to raise, later, F.A. Duncan's first wife
Uncle George B. Johnston, and his wife, Aunt Betsy, a sister of John Orr and Easter and Frank, children.
John Orr and his wife and Margaret, Martha and William, children.
Yes, Sam Orr, John Cunningham and wife, a sister of John Orr. Children: Robert, Esther, Elizabeth and Theresa.
Old Uncle Sam Bell and wife, children: Jane, William, Little John and ______
also two sisters, Aunt Sally Bell and Aunt Polly Bell - sisters of Old Sam
George Washington Johnston, Emeline Duncan, his young wife and brother Joseph and his father and mother, those we waited a week for and Rev. Thomas Kendall and two little girls and a black man-forgotten his name. ________________________________________________________________________
Copy of a letter from Melissa Moore, daughter of Frank Moore and granddaughter of Joseph Mitchell Moore written from her home at Kent, Washington, RFD 2
To Miss Mary Moore, Columbus City, Iowa
August 29, 1842 a company of 50 people, 49 white and one colored girl (Black Mary Ann) consisting of eight families, met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy Duncun in Monroe County, Tennessee with their ox teams and wagons and a few horses, with tents, bedding and cooking utensils, for the purpose of emigrating to the Territory of Iowa. The families were: George B. Johnston, wife Betsy (Orr) Johnston (your grandmother's sister) and two children, Esther and Katherine; Joseph Johnston and mother (my great grandmother - her name was Shaw, I think) and Adaline Shaw; Joseph Mitchell Moore and wife; Sallie (Johnston) Moore and five children; Francis Johnston, David Woods, Katherine Jane, John Spencer, and Joseph Madison Moore (William E. was born after they came to Iowa); John Cunningham and wife with four children, Robert, Esther, Elizabeth, Tressie; George Washington Johnston, wife and father and mother, and brother Josiah Johnston; John Orr, wife and four children, Jane, Martha, Caroline and William; also his mother, Esther Orr (your great grandmother) and his sister Margaret Orr (your grandmother); Grandfather Moore's second wife; Samuel Bell, wife and seven children, George, Margaret, Sallie, William, Jane, John and Huston, and two sisters, Polly and Sally; Robert Fineley, wife and two children, Nancy Ann and Margaret Jane; George Findley and wife. ________________________________________________________________________
They settled in Columbus City Township, Louisa County where Joseph Mitchell entered 200 acres of land and engaged in farming the rest of his life.
Their fifth son, William Ebenezer, was born there. Less than two years later, on 8 September 1844, Sarah Shaw (Johnston) Moore died from complications after getting cold going home in the rain. She was 33 years, 11 months old when she died. Sarah is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. Four and a half months later Joseph Mitchell (37) went over to the Orr's home and asked Margaret Orr (33) if she would be willing to come over and help him raise the children. She was, and they were married on 30 January 1845. Margaret Orr was born in 1812, a daughter of Robert and Esther (Ferguson) Orr. Francis (Frank) Johnston Moore, speaking of her in later years, said, "she was as good a step mother as they made".
Death claimed little William Ebenezer in August of 1845 at age three. Three months later Esther Ann was born. Two other children were born to Joseph Mitchell and Margaret Moore: Robert Mitchell and Margaret.
In 1846 the wagon in which Mitchell and his son, Frank, were riding in overturned and the wheel crushed Mitchell's leg and ankle. The doctor took out 100 pieces of bone and he was in bed for a year and a half recuperating. This was a hard time for the family. Frank was 14 and David Woods was 12 when this happened and the responsibility of the farm fell on their shoulders.
Michael More, (49 Tennessee) is found in the 1856 Iowa State Census (07 July 1856) for Columbus City Township, Louisa County, Iowa (dwelling 179) along with his wife, Margaret More (44 Tennessee) and children: K. J. More (F-20 Tennessee), J. M. More (M-16 Tennessee), Esther More (10 Iowa), R. M. More (M-8 Iowa) and M. E. More (F-5 Iowa). They have been residents in the state, 13 years. Joseph M. Moore was farming land he owned. He had 25 acres of improved land and 75 acres of unimproved land. He also had 7 acres in meadow and cut 7 tons of hay. Joseph Moore planted 17 acres of spring wheat and harvested 150 bushels; planted 8 acres of oats, and harvested 290 bushels; planted 90 acres of corn and harvested 2000 bushels; planted 1/4 acres of potatoes and harvested 40 bushels. He sold 30 hogs, valued at $312; 2 cows valued at $125. They manufactured 100 pounds of butter, got 20 pounds of wool and had $26 worth of domestic manufacture. His son's, Francis More (24 Tennessee), David W. More (22 Tennessee) and their families live nearby (dwellings 185 & 186).
When President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers for the Civil War in 1861, both John Spencer and Joseph Madison responded. John joined Company "C" of the 5th Infantry Regiment of Iowa Volunteers and Joseph, Company "C" of the 11th Infantry Regiment. The war divided many families and this was true of the Moore family as well as Joseph Mitchell had brothers who stayed in Tennessee. One of his nephews came to Iowa during the war but it seems that his coming was not much appreciated by the community. There was some talk of him being a spy.
Tragedy struck the Moore home twice in 1864 when Margaret (Orr) Moore died of the flu on May 26th in an epidemic which hit the whole community and the family received word that Joseph Madison died, 23 July 1864, two days after being wounded in the battle for Atlanta.
By the 1870 United States Federal Census (15 June 1870) for Columbus City Township, Louisa, Iowa (page 16, dwelling # 113), widower, Joseph M. Moore (62 Tennessee) is "confined to house". His children, Esther A. Moore (24 Iowa), Robert M. Moore (21 Iowa) and Mattie C. Moore (18 Iowa) are still in the home. The two girls are "Keeping house" and Robert is "Decking". Joseph's real estate is valued at $3240 and personal estate at $2575. His sons, Francis Moore (38 Tennessee), David W. Moore (36 Tennessee) & John S. Moore (32 Tennessee) and their families are living next door (dwellings 114, 115, & 116).
According to Schedule 3 - Productions of Agriculture (page 03 & 04, line 25), his farm, valued at $3240, consisted of 54 improved and 10 unimproved weed-based acres. His farming implements & machinery were worth $180. On 11 June of 1870 he owned 2 milch cows and 5 swine, valued at $115. During the preceding year he had harvested 95 bushels of spring wheat, 200 bushels of Indian corn and 89 bushels of oats. His farm produced 15 bushels of Irish potatoes, $100 worth of orchard products, and they had made 365 pounds of butter. He had cut 30 tons of hay. Joseph Mitchell Moore had slaughtered (or sold for slaughter) $370 worth of animals and the estimated value of all their farm produce was $991.
Joseph Mitchell Moore died 25 August 1876 and is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. ________________________________________________________________________
Will of Joseph M. Moore #373
In the Name of God. Amen.
I, Joseph M. Moore of the County of Louisa and state of Iowa, aged ___ years, being of sound mind, memory and Understanding thanks be to Almighty and for the same considering the Uncertainty of life, the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time there of, do therefore make, ordain, publish and declare, this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and making null and void all former Wills. That is to say after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged and the cost of this commission be _______ of my estate, real and personal. I give, bequeath and dispense of as follows.
To wit, I give and bequeath to my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore, all the bed and bedding on the premises and the looking glasses, the Same to be divided equal between them, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son, John S. Moore I give and bequeath a Silver Watch that belonged to my Son Joseph M. Moore who died while in the Service of the United States, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son Robert M. Moore I give and bequeath One Mare Saddle and Bridle , that he now has in possession and value the Same at One hundred and twenty five dollars.
I direct that all of the personal property of every description shall remain on the premises in the care and use of my son Robert M. Moore and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter, that portion not disposed of by this will to be sold by my Executor as the Law directs.
I further direct that my Real Estate shall remain in possession of my son, Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter the same may be sold by a Majority of the heirs directing the Executor to sell the same.
After the Sale of the remaining portion of my personal property and the Real Estate, my debts and the cost of this commission being first paid, in consideration of Francis J. Moore and David W. Moore, having already received from me each the sum of two hundred (200) dollars in property, and my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger, the sum of one hundred (100) dollars in property, and Robert M. Moore, the sum of one hundred and twenty five (125) in property, I direct my executor to pay as follows: To my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger the Sum of one hundred dollars, to my Son John S. Moore, the sum of two hundred dollars (200), to my daughter Esther A. Moore the sum of two hundred (200) dollars, to my son Robert M. Moore the sum of seventy-five (75) dollars, to my daughter Margaret E. Moore two hundred (200) dollars, and after the payment of those legacies, I direct my executor to divide the remainder of the Money equal between the following persons, or their legal representatives. To wit, my Son Francis J. Moore, David W, Moore, John S. Moore, and Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Catherine J. Rossenberger, Esther A. Moore, and Margaret E. Moore.
And lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my Son Francis J. Moore my executor of this my last Will and Testament.
In testimony thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this the15th day of May, Anno Domini 1869.
Joseph M. Moore, Seal
The foregoing Instrument of Writing consisting of One Sheet of paper as the last Will and testament of Joseph M. Moore of Louisa County, State of Iowa, was Signed and declared by the said Joseph M. Moore to be his voluntary act and deed, in our presence and who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
A. J. Duncan
resident of Columbus City Township, Louisa Co. Iowa
Wesley W. __arrer
resident of Columbus City, Louisa County, Iowa.
MOORE FAMILY HISTORY
Joseph Mitchell Moore was born about 1807 in Tennessee. He married Sarah Shaw Johnston around 1831. Sarah was born in October of 1810, the daughter of Francis and Catherine (Bell) Johnston. Five children were born to them in Tennessee: Francis Johnston; David Woods; Catherine Jane; John Spencer and Joseph Madison.
The 19 December 1831 minutes of the Session of the Pistol Creek and *Big Springs Seceder (Associate Presbyterian) Church, Blount County, Tennessee reads: "Joseph M. Moore who had been in communion with the Gen. Assembly Church, Sarah S. Dunlap and Lucinda Gillesby, a woman of colour having been privately conversed with by the Modr. presented themselves as applicants for admission to the Lord's Supper. After the usual examination before Session, the vote was taken on each separately and unanimously carried - admit. After a renewed declaration to them of the obligations they were coming under and their profession of consent to them were formally admitted and reminded of their duty in a short exhortation by the Moderator."
*Pistol Creek was a branch of the Big Springs Seceder Presbyterian Church. Sarah Shaw Johnston Moore's parents are buried in the Big Springs Church Cemetery. The Big Springs Church & Cemetery is located nine miles west of Maryville, Tennessee, on the Friendsville Road. The Associate Presbyterian Church was a descendent of the first secession from the Established Church of Scotland--therefor "Seceder". These were a Psalm singing people.
Joseph M. More appears in the 1840 United States Federal Census for Monroe County, Tennessee. In the home is 1 male 30-40; 1 female 20-30; 2 males 5-10; 1 female under 5 and 2 males under 5. The number, sex, and ages of the children correspond with the children we know he had at that time. They were living in the Fork Creek area of Monroe County.
The institution of slavery was an issue during this period and the Moore's opposed it. The family were members of the Associate Presbyterian Church and their pastor, Rev Thomas Kendall, (who was living with the Moore's) encouraged them to help him get a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. In August of 1842 Mitchell Moore (as he was known) left Tennessee for the Territory of Iowa. The following is a letter written by his son, David Woods Moore describing the trip:
"August 29, 1842 a company of eight families, about fifty people, started to Iowa Territory to find homes and to get away from slavery and into a free state, though it didn't become a state until four years later, in 1846.
The pastor of our congregation of the Associate church went over to South Carolina to preach a few days to some of our people there. He wanted to make an anti-slavery speech. The session told him he could not do it for some of the slave holders would mob him, but he was a large, strong, resolute man and announced he would speak on the evil of slavery Tuesday at 10 o'clock. Everybody came, but when he spoke for about 20 minutes, 20 men rose up and walked up to the pulpit and told him to come down, but he did not come until they pulled him down the aisle and out-doors. When he saw a bucket of warm tar and a pillow of feathers he knew what it meant, and you can imagine the rest. He was the maddest preacher on earth. Thomas Kendall was his name. He was living at Father's at the time, as his wife had died 18 months before, and he was left with two little girls, six and four years old - Maranda, my age, and Julian, sister Jane's age.
He commenced at Father and Mother to help him get up a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. They got eight families and set the date to start, the 22nd of August, when another family said they would go if they would wait a week. Father told them to get ready; but Mr. Kendall started on the day set and went all the 700 miles with a one horse carriage and crossed the Mississippi River just one week ahead of us at the same place, Fort Madison, the boatman told us. I was eight and a half years old then. Mr. Kendall went up to Van Buren County to Burmingham and didn't come to see us for two years. He then organized our congregation at Columbus City and held our first Sacrament, as it was called then, in a little barn in old town, one half mile east of Colonel Garner's house. A lot more came before that time, a big company came just then, and I am not sure if it was not three years for Father and Uncle John Duncan and Uncle Andy were the session, same as in Tennessee.
Most all had oxen and big wagons and there were a few on horse back. My mother took cold going home in the rain and died from it. I was ten years old, past.
We all met at Uncle Kennedy Duncan's and camped the 28th of August. Everybody came to see us off. We had supper and breakfast at Uncle's and started the morning of the 29th of August. Uncle Joe Johnston with a yoke of cattle and two horses, pulled out first and Father next, with one yoke of oxen and a horse at the end of the tongue. Uncle George with two yoke of oxen. No one had four horses but John Cunningham and John Orr had a one horse carriage and also old Uncle Frank Johnston. We had fine weather, all but two rains. Sister Jane fell out of the wagon and the wheel of the wagon ran over one leg and broke it above the ankle, was all the mishap we had. Uncle Joe Johnston shot the first prairie chicken we saw just after we got into Illinois. He and George Washington were spokesmen for the company. We crossed the Mississippi River October 1, just a week after Mr. Kendall did, at Fort Madison and was a week getting up to Louisa County. We passed Mount Pleasant in the afternoon and they told us to camp at Big Creek, fill up all the jugs, churns, and vessels, we had with water, for it was 20 miles across the big prairie and to start as soon as the cattle got filled with grass and dew. We got over an hour before sun down. The cattle had no water all day. As soon as we stopped - Father was in the lead - and he went to the cabin and pulled the latchstring and the door opened and he said, "I am going to winter here." All agreed and began to unhitch with plenty of noise and the Indians camped just one-fourth mile down in the timber by the creek and 100 came up one after another, to see what the noise was about. Uncle Joe and George came forward but not much good. I went up to one and he said "Big Pappoose" and he had a little fellow and I said "Little Pappoose" and they all laughed. They gave us no trouble. We felt like going on when Uncle George got a cabin a mile up the creek and John Orr one near him and the rest went over around Crawfordsville. This was on the south of a Crooked Creek near where Winfield now is. We had hard times. Uncle Joe and Grandmother and Adeline and us seven all wintered in that cold cabin, 16 x 18. Had it not been for the chickens I believe we would have starved but we got awful hungry for something else and we couldn't get wheat and had to go 30 miles to the mill with corn and the 7th of November it snowed a foot and snowed every few days until over three feet deep in the timber. We have never had as cold and stormy a winter since. It turned warm the first of January for ten days and the snow settled and about half went off. It snowed on till the first of March and was as deep as ever. About the twentieth of March it turned warm and we moved to the Bine Williams place now where Barstow Williams has been living for fifty years. The first day of April and Uncle Joe moved to the John Stoddard place just south a mile across Buffington Creek. The creek couldn't be crossed again until the first of May and about four feet of snow had to melt and froze so hard and ice it took so long to get off. There was snow and ice around a little straw stack in the field till the 20th of June.
We got in 5 acres of wheat and 10 of corn. That was all the ground we could get. We got a two year old heifer and calf, paid $6 for her and some hens and we lived better. We raised some potatoes. What we had in winter was froze but most all not dug was not hurt for it was under three feet of snow all winter.
Didn't have a death for a year, when old Uncle Frank and Aunt Jenie both died the next winter. I think Mrs. Cunningham was next but the hardest time was when Father got his leg mashed all to pieces. Wagon upset and he and Frank were riding the hounds standard stuck up above the wheel and struck leg and wheel stock broke off and wheel fell on ankle and mashed all the bones for a foot or 14 inches in the leg. He lay a year and a half in bed and the doctor took 100 pieces of bones out. I was 12 and Frank 14, then us boys had to take it all and no money, not even a wagon and twenty acres broke and we made and hauled rails that winter to fence it enough.
I could do this better if I did it over.
D. W. Moore
Names of All Who Came on The Trip
Joseph Mitchell Moore and his wife Sarah C. Johnston Moore and Frank J., David Woods, C. Jane, John S. and Joe M.
Grandmother and Joe Johnston, her son, and Adeline Shaw - girl they took to raise, later, F.A. Duncan's first wife
Uncle George B. Johnston, and his wife, Aunt Betsy, a sister of John Orr and Easter and Frank, children.
John Orr and his wife and Margaret, Martha and William, children.
Yes, Sam Orr, John Cunningham and wife, a sister of John Orr. Children: Robert, Esther, Elizabeth and Theresa.
Old Uncle Sam Bell and wife, children: Jane, William, Little John and ______
also two sisters, Aunt Sally Bell and Aunt Polly Bell - sisters of Old Sam
George Washington Johnston, Emeline Duncan, his young wife and brother Joseph and his father and mother, those we waited a week for and Rev. Thomas Kendall and two little girls and a black man-forgotten his name. ________________________________________________________________________
Copy of a letter from Melissa Moore, daughter of Frank Moore and granddaughter of Joseph Mitchell Moore written from her home at Kent, Washington, RFD 2
To Miss Mary Moore, Columbus City, Iowa
August 29, 1842 a company of 50 people, 49 white and one colored girl (Black Mary Ann) consisting of eight families, met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy Duncun in Monroe County, Tennessee with their ox teams and wagons and a few horses, with tents, bedding and cooking utensils, for the purpose of emigrating to the Territory of Iowa. The families were: George B. Johnston, wife Betsy (Orr) Johnston (your grandmother's sister) and two children, Esther and Katherine; Joseph Johnston and mother (my great grandmother - her name was Shaw, I think) and Adaline Shaw; Joseph Mitchell Moore and wife; Sallie (Johnston) Moore and five children; Francis Johnston, David Woods, Katherine Jane, John Spencer, and Joseph Madison Moore (William E. was born after they came to Iowa); John Cunningham and wife with four children, Robert, Esther, Elizabeth, Tressie; George Washington Johnston, wife and father and mother, and brother Josiah Johnston; John Orr, wife and four children, Jane, Martha, Caroline and William; also his mother, Esther Orr (your great grandmother) and his sister Margaret Orr (your grandmother); Grandfather Moore's second wife; Samuel Bell, wife and seven children, George, Margaret, Sallie, William, Jane, John and Huston, and two sisters, Polly and Sally; Robert Fineley, wife and two children, Nancy Ann and Margaret Jane; George Findley and wife. ________________________________________________________________________
They settled in Columbus City Township, Louisa County where Joseph Mitchell entered 200 acres of land and engaged in farming the rest of his life.
Their fifth son, William Ebenezer, was born there. Less than two years later, on 8 September 1844, Sarah Shaw (Johnston) Moore died from complications after getting cold going home in the rain. She was 33 years, 11 months old when she died. Sarah is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. Four and a half months later Joseph Mitchell (37) went over to the Orr's home and asked Margaret Orr (33) if she would be willing to come over and help him raise the children. She was, and they were married on 30 January 1845. Margaret Orr was born in 1812, a daughter of Robert and Esther (Ferguson) Orr. Francis (Frank) Johnston Moore, speaking of her in later years, said, "she was as good a step mother as they made".
Death claimed little William Ebenezer in August of 1845 at age three. Three months later Esther Ann was born. Two other children were born to Joseph Mitchell and Margaret Moore: Robert Mitchell and Margaret.
In 1846 the wagon in which Mitchell and his son, Frank, were riding in overturned and the wheel crushed Mitchell's leg and ankle. The doctor took out 100 pieces of bone and he was in bed for a year and a half recuperating. This was a hard time for the family. Frank was 14 and David Woods was 12 when this happened and the responsibility of the farm fell on their shoulders.
Michael More, (49 Tennessee) is found in the 1856 Iowa State Census (07 July 1856) for Columbus City Township, Louisa County, Iowa (dwelling 179) along with his wife, Margaret More (44 Tennessee) and children: K. J. More (F-20 Tennessee), J. M. More (M-16 Tennessee), Esther More (10 Iowa), R. M. More (M-8 Iowa) and M. E. More (F-5 Iowa). They have been residents in the state, 13 years. Joseph M. Moore was farming land he owned. He had 25 acres of improved land and 75 acres of unimproved land. He also had 7 acres in meadow and cut 7 tons of hay. Joseph Moore planted 17 acres of spring wheat and harvested 150 bushels; planted 8 acres of oats, and harvested 290 bushels; planted 90 acres of corn and harvested 2000 bushels; planted 1/4 acres of potatoes and harvested 40 bushels. He sold 30 hogs, valued at $312; 2 cows valued at $125. They manufactured 100 pounds of butter, got 20 pounds of wool and had $26 worth of domestic manufacture. His son's, Francis More (24 Tennessee), David W. More (22 Tennessee) and their families live nearby (dwellings 185 & 186).
When President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers for the Civil War in 1861, both John Spencer and Joseph Madison responded. John joined Company "C" of the 5th Infantry Regiment of Iowa Volunteers and Joseph, Company "C" of the 11th Infantry Regiment. The war divided many families and this was true of the Moore family as well as Joseph Mitchell had brothers who stayed in Tennessee. One of his nephews came to Iowa during the war but it seems that his coming was not much appreciated by the community. There was some talk of him being a spy.
Tragedy struck the Moore home twice in 1864 when Margaret (Orr) Moore died of the flu on May 26th in an epidemic which hit the whole community and the family received word that Joseph Madison died, 23 July 1864, two days after being wounded in the battle for Atlanta.
By the 1870 United States Federal Census (15 June 1870) for Columbus City Township, Louisa, Iowa (page 16, dwelling # 113), widower, Joseph M. Moore (62 Tennessee) is "confined to house". His children, Esther A. Moore (24 Iowa), Robert M. Moore (21 Iowa) and Mattie C. Moore (18 Iowa) are still in the home. The two girls are "Keeping house" and Robert is "Decking". Joseph's real estate is valued at $3240 and personal estate at $2575. His sons, Francis Moore (38 Tennessee), David W. Moore (36 Tennessee) & John S. Moore (32 Tennessee) and their families are living next door (dwellings 114, 115, & 116).
According to Schedule 3 - Productions of Agriculture (page 03 & 04, line 25), his farm, valued at $3240, consisted of 54 improved and 10 unimproved weed-based acres. His farming implements & machinery were worth $180. On 11 June of 1870 he owned 2 milch cows and 5 swine, valued at $115. During the preceding year he had harvested 95 bushels of spring wheat, 200 bushels of Indian corn and 89 bushels of oats. His farm produced 15 bushels of Irish potatoes, $100 worth of orchard products, and they had made 365 pounds of butter. He had cut 30 tons of hay. Joseph Mitchell Moore had slaughtered (or sold for slaughter) $370 worth of animals and the estimated value of all their farm produce was $991.
Joseph Mitchell Moore died 25 August 1876 and is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. ________________________________________________________________________
Will of Joseph M. Moore #373
In the Name of God. Amen.
I, Joseph M. Moore of the County of Louisa and state of Iowa, aged ___ years, being of sound mind, memory and Understanding thanks be to Almighty and for the same considering the Uncertainty of life, the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time there of, do therefore make, ordain, publish and declare, this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and making null and void all former Wills. That is to say after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged and the cost of this commission be _______ of my estate, real and personal. I give, bequeath and dispense of as follows.
To wit, I give and bequeath to my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore, all the bed and bedding on the premises and the looking glasses, the Same to be divided equal between them, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son, John S. Moore I give and bequeath a Silver Watch that belonged to my Son Joseph M. Moore who died while in the Service of the United States, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son Robert M. Moore I give and bequeath One Mare Saddle and Bridle , that he now has in possession and value the Same at One hundred and twenty five dollars.
I direct that all of the personal property of every description shall remain on the premises in the care and use of my son Robert M. Moore and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter, that portion not disposed of by this will to be sold by my Executor as the Law directs.
I further direct that my Real Estate shall remain in possession of my son, Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter the same may be sold by a Majority of the heirs directing the Executor to sell the same.
After the Sale of the remaining portion of my personal property and the Real Estate, my debts and the cost of this commission being first paid, in consideration of Francis J. Moore and David W. Moore, having already received from me each the sum of two hundred (200) dollars in property, and my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger, the sum of one hundred (100) dollars in property, and Robert M. Moore, the sum of one hundred and twenty five (125) in property, I direct my executor to pay as follows: To my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger the Sum of one hundred dollars, to my Son John S. Moore, the sum of two hundred dollars (200), to my daughter Esther A. Moore the sum of two hundred (200) dollars, to my son Robert M. Moore the sum of seventy-five (75) dollars, to my daughter Margaret E. Moore two hundred (200) dollars, and after the payment of those legacies, I direct my executor to divide the remainder of the Money equal between the following persons, or their legal representatives. To wit, my Son Francis J. Moore, David W, Moore, John S. Moore, and Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Catherine J. Rossenberger, Esther A. Moore, and Margaret E. Moore.
And lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my Son Francis J. Moore my executor of this my last Will and Testament.
In testimony thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this the15th day of May, Anno Domini 1869.
Joseph M. Moore, Seal
The foregoing Instrument of Writing consisting of One Sheet of paper as the last Will and testament of Joseph M. Moore of Louisa County, State of Iowa, was Signed and declared by the said Joseph M. Moore to be his voluntary act and deed, in our presence and who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
A. J. Duncan
resident of Columbus City Township, Louisa Co. Iowa
Wesley W. __arrer
resident of Columbus City, Louisa County, Iowa.
Joseph Mitchell Moore was born about 1807 in Tennessee. He married Sarah Shaw Johnston around 1831. Sarah was born in October of 1810, the daughter of Francis and Catherine (Bell) Johnston. Five children were born to them in Tennessee: Francis Johnston; David Woods; Catherine Jane; John Spencer and Joseph Madison.
The 19 December 1831 minutes of the Session of the Pistol Creek and *Big Springs Seceder (Associate Presbyterian) Church, Blount County, Tennessee reads: "Joseph M. Moore who had been in communion with the Gen. Assembly Church, Sarah S. Dunlap and Lucinda Gillesby, a woman of colour having been privately conversed with by the Modr. presented themselves as applicants for admission to the Lord's Supper. After the usual examination before Session, the vote was taken on each separately and unanimously carried - admit. After a renewed declaration to them of the obligations they were coming under and their profession of consent to them were formally admitted and reminded of their duty in a short exhortation by the Moderator."
*Pistol Creek was a branch of the Big Springs Seceder Presbyterian Church. Sarah Shaw Johnston Moore's parents are buried in the Big Springs Church Cemetery. The Big Springs Church & Cemetery is located nine miles west of Maryville, Tennessee, on the Friendsville Road. The Associate Presbyterian Church was a descendent of the first secession from the Established Church of Scotland--therefor "Seceder". These were a Psalm singing people.
Joseph M. More appears in the 1840 United States Federal Census for Monroe County, Tennessee. In the home is 1 male 30-40; 1 female 20-30; 2 males 5-10; 1 female under 5 and 2 males under 5. The number, sex, and ages of the children correspond with the children we know he had at that time. They were living in the Fork Creek area of Monroe County.
The institution of slavery was an issue during this period and the Moore's opposed it. The family were members of the Associate Presbyterian Church and their pastor, Rev Thomas Kendall, (who was living with the Moore's) encouraged them to help him get a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. In August of 1842 Mitchell Moore (as he was known) left Tennessee for the Territory of Iowa. The following is a letter written by his son, David Woods Moore describing the trip:
"August 29, 1842 a company of eight families, about fifty people, started to Iowa Territory to find homes and to get away from slavery and into a free state, though it didn't become a state until four years later, in 1846.
The pastor of our congregation of the Associate church went over to South Carolina to preach a few days to some of our people there. He wanted to make an anti-slavery speech. The session told him he could not do it for some of the slave holders would mob him, but he was a large, strong, resolute man and announced he would speak on the evil of slavery Tuesday at 10 o'clock. Everybody came, but when he spoke for about 20 minutes, 20 men rose up and walked up to the pulpit and told him to come down, but he did not come until they pulled him down the aisle and out-doors. When he saw a bucket of warm tar and a pillow of feathers he knew what it meant, and you can imagine the rest. He was the maddest preacher on earth. Thomas Kendall was his name. He was living at Father's at the time, as his wife had died 18 months before, and he was left with two little girls, six and four years old - Maranda, my age, and Julian, sister Jane's age.
He commenced at Father and Mother to help him get up a company of ten or twelve families and move to Iowa. They got eight families and set the date to start, the 22nd of August, when another family said they would go if they would wait a week. Father told them to get ready; but Mr. Kendall started on the day set and went all the 700 miles with a one horse carriage and crossed the Mississippi River just one week ahead of us at the same place, Fort Madison, the boatman told us. I was eight and a half years old then. Mr. Kendall went up to Van Buren County to Burmingham and didn't come to see us for two years. He then organized our congregation at Columbus City and held our first Sacrament, as it was called then, in a little barn in old town, one half mile east of Colonel Garner's house. A lot more came before that time, a big company came just then, and I am not sure if it was not three years for Father and Uncle John Duncan and Uncle Andy were the session, same as in Tennessee.
Most all had oxen and big wagons and there were a few on horse back. My mother took cold going home in the rain and died from it. I was ten years old, past.
We all met at Uncle Kennedy Duncan's and camped the 28th of August. Everybody came to see us off. We had supper and breakfast at Uncle's and started the morning of the 29th of August. Uncle Joe Johnston with a yoke of cattle and two horses, pulled out first and Father next, with one yoke of oxen and a horse at the end of the tongue. Uncle George with two yoke of oxen. No one had four horses but John Cunningham and John Orr had a one horse carriage and also old Uncle Frank Johnston. We had fine weather, all but two rains. Sister Jane fell out of the wagon and the wheel of the wagon ran over one leg and broke it above the ankle, was all the mishap we had. Uncle Joe Johnston shot the first prairie chicken we saw just after we got into Illinois. He and George Washington were spokesmen for the company. We crossed the Mississippi River October 1, just a week after Mr. Kendall did, at Fort Madison and was a week getting up to Louisa County. We passed Mount Pleasant in the afternoon and they told us to camp at Big Creek, fill up all the jugs, churns, and vessels, we had with water, for it was 20 miles across the big prairie and to start as soon as the cattle got filled with grass and dew. We got over an hour before sun down. The cattle had no water all day. As soon as we stopped - Father was in the lead - and he went to the cabin and pulled the latchstring and the door opened and he said, "I am going to winter here." All agreed and began to unhitch with plenty of noise and the Indians camped just one-fourth mile down in the timber by the creek and 100 came up one after another, to see what the noise was about. Uncle Joe and George came forward but not much good. I went up to one and he said "Big Pappoose" and he had a little fellow and I said "Little Pappoose" and they all laughed. They gave us no trouble. We felt like going on when Uncle George got a cabin a mile up the creek and John Orr one near him and the rest went over around Crawfordsville. This was on the south of a Crooked Creek near where Winfield now is. We had hard times. Uncle Joe and Grandmother and Adeline and us seven all wintered in that cold cabin, 16 x 18. Had it not been for the chickens I believe we would have starved but we got awful hungry for something else and we couldn't get wheat and had to go 30 miles to the mill with corn and the 7th of November it snowed a foot and snowed every few days until over three feet deep in the timber. We have never had as cold and stormy a winter since. It turned warm the first of January for ten days and the snow settled and about half went off. It snowed on till the first of March and was as deep as ever. About the twentieth of March it turned warm and we moved to the Bine Williams place now where Barstow Williams has been living for fifty years. The first day of April and Uncle Joe moved to the John Stoddard place just south a mile across Buffington Creek. The creek couldn't be crossed again until the first of May and about four feet of snow had to melt and froze so hard and ice it took so long to get off. There was snow and ice around a little straw stack in the field till the 20th of June.
We got in 5 acres of wheat and 10 of corn. That was all the ground we could get. We got a two year old heifer and calf, paid $6 for her and some hens and we lived better. We raised some potatoes. What we had in winter was froze but most all not dug was not hurt for it was under three feet of snow all winter.
Didn't have a death for a year, when old Uncle Frank and Aunt Jenie both died the next winter. I think Mrs. Cunningham was next but the hardest time was when Father got his leg mashed all to pieces. Wagon upset and he and Frank were riding the hounds standard stuck up above the wheel and struck leg and wheel stock broke off and wheel fell on ankle and mashed all the bones for a foot or 14 inches in the leg. He lay a year and a half in bed and the doctor took 100 pieces of bones out. I was 12 and Frank 14, then us boys had to take it all and no money, not even a wagon and twenty acres broke and we made and hauled rails that winter to fence it enough.
I could do this better if I did it over.
D. W. Moore
Names of All Who Came on The Trip
Joseph Mitchell Moore and his wife Sarah C. Johnston Moore and Frank J., David Woods, C. Jane, John S. and Joe M.
Grandmother and Joe Johnston, her son, and Adeline Shaw - girl they took to raise, later, F.A. Duncan's first wife
Uncle George B. Johnston, and his wife, Aunt Betsy, a sister of John Orr and Easter and Frank, children.
John Orr and his wife and Margaret, Martha and William, children.
Yes, Sam Orr, John Cunningham and wife, a sister of John Orr. Children: Robert, Esther, Elizabeth and Theresa.
Old Uncle Sam Bell and wife, children: Jane, William, Little John and ______
also two sisters, Aunt Sally Bell and Aunt Polly Bell - sisters of Old Sam
George Washington Johnston, Emeline Duncan, his young wife and brother Joseph and his father and mother, those we waited a week for and Rev. Thomas Kendall and two little girls and a black man-forgotten his name. ________________________________________________________________________
Copy of a letter from Melissa Moore, daughter of Frank Moore and granddaughter of Joseph Mitchell Moore written from her home at Kent, Washington, RFD 2
To Miss Mary Moore, Columbus City, Iowa
August 29, 1842 a company of 50 people, 49 white and one colored girl (Black Mary Ann) consisting of eight families, met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy Duncun in Monroe County, Tennessee with their ox teams and wagons and a few horses, with tents, bedding and cooking utensils, for the purpose of emigrating to the Territory of Iowa. The families were: George B. Johnston, wife Betsy (Orr) Johnston (your grandmother's sister) and two children, Esther and Katherine; Joseph Johnston and mother (my great grandmother - her name was Shaw, I think) and Adaline Shaw; Joseph Mitchell Moore and wife; Sallie (Johnston) Moore and five children; Francis Johnston, David Woods, Katherine Jane, John Spencer, and Joseph Madison Moore (William E. was born after they came to Iowa); John Cunningham and wife with four children, Robert, Esther, Elizabeth, Tressie; George Washington Johnston, wife and father and mother, and brother Josiah Johnston; John Orr, wife and four children, Jane, Martha, Caroline and William; also his mother, Esther Orr (your great grandmother) and his sister Margaret Orr (your grandmother); Grandfather Moore's second wife; Samuel Bell, wife and seven children, George, Margaret, Sallie, William, Jane, John and Huston, and two sisters, Polly and Sally; Robert Fineley, wife and two children, Nancy Ann and Margaret Jane; George Findley and wife. ________________________________________________________________________
They settled in Columbus City Township, Louisa County where Joseph Mitchell entered 200 acres of land and engaged in farming the rest of his life.
Their fifth son, William Ebenezer, was born there. Less than two years later, on 8 September 1844, Sarah Shaw (Johnston) Moore died from complications after getting cold going home in the rain. She was 33 years, 11 months old when she died. Sarah is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. Four and a half months later Joseph Mitchell (37) went over to the Orr's home and asked Margaret Orr (33) if she would be willing to come over and help him raise the children. She was, and they were married on 30 January 1845. Margaret Orr was born in 1812, a daughter of Robert and Esther (Ferguson) Orr. Francis (Frank) Johnston Moore, speaking of her in later years, said, "she was as good a step mother as they made".
Death claimed little William Ebenezer in August of 1845 at age three. Three months later Esther Ann was born. Two other children were born to Joseph Mitchell and Margaret Moore: Robert Mitchell and Margaret.
In 1846 the wagon in which Mitchell and his son, Frank, were riding in overturned and the wheel crushed Mitchell's leg and ankle. The doctor took out 100 pieces of bone and he was in bed for a year and a half recuperating. This was a hard time for the family. Frank was 14 and David Woods was 12 when this happened and the responsibility of the farm fell on their shoulders.
Michael More, (49 Tennessee) is found in the 1856 Iowa State Census (07 July 1856) for Columbus City Township, Louisa County, Iowa (dwelling 179) along with his wife, Margaret More (44 Tennessee) and children: K. J. More (F-20 Tennessee), J. M. More (M-16 Tennessee), Esther More (10 Iowa), R. M. More (M-8 Iowa) and M. E. More (F-5 Iowa). They have been residents in the state, 13 years. Joseph M. Moore was farming land he owned. He had 25 acres of improved land and 75 acres of unimproved land. He also had 7 acres in meadow and cut 7 tons of hay. Joseph Moore planted 17 acres of spring wheat and harvested 150 bushels; planted 8 acres of oats, and harvested 290 bushels; planted 90 acres of corn and harvested 2000 bushels; planted 1/4 acres of potatoes and harvested 40 bushels. He sold 30 hogs, valued at $312; 2 cows valued at $125. They manufactured 100 pounds of butter, got 20 pounds of wool and had $26 worth of domestic manufacture. His son's, Francis More (24 Tennessee), David W. More (22 Tennessee) and their families live nearby (dwellings 185 & 186).
When President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers for the Civil War in 1861, both John Spencer and Joseph Madison responded. John joined Company "C" of the 5th Infantry Regiment of Iowa Volunteers and Joseph, Company "C" of the 11th Infantry Regiment. The war divided many families and this was true of the Moore family as well as Joseph Mitchell had brothers who stayed in Tennessee. One of his nephews came to Iowa during the war but it seems that his coming was not much appreciated by the community. There was some talk of him being a spy.
Tragedy struck the Moore home twice in 1864 when Margaret (Orr) Moore died of the flu on May 26th in an epidemic which hit the whole community and the family received word that Joseph Madison died, 23 July 1864, two days after being wounded in the battle for Atlanta.
By the 1870 United States Federal Census (15 June 1870) for Columbus City Township, Louisa, Iowa (page 16, dwelling # 113), widower, Joseph M. Moore (62 Tennessee) is "confined to house". His children, Esther A. Moore (24 Iowa), Robert M. Moore (21 Iowa) and Mattie C. Moore (18 Iowa) are still in the home. The two girls are "Keeping house" and Robert is "Decking". Joseph's real estate is valued at $3240 and personal estate at $2575. His sons, Francis Moore (38 Tennessee), David W. Moore (36 Tennessee) & John S. Moore (32 Tennessee) and their families are living next door (dwellings 114, 115, & 116).
According to Schedule 3 - Productions of Agriculture (page 03 & 04, line 25), his farm, valued at $3240, consisted of 54 improved and 10 unimproved weed-based acres. His farming implements & machinery were worth $180. On 11 June of 1870 he owned 2 milch cows and 5 swine, valued at $115. During the preceding year he had harvested 95 bushels of spring wheat, 200 bushels of Indian corn and 89 bushels of oats. His farm produced 15 bushels of Irish potatoes, $100 worth of orchard products, and they had made 365 pounds of butter. He had cut 30 tons of hay. Joseph Mitchell Moore had slaughtered (or sold for slaughter) $370 worth of animals and the estimated value of all their farm produce was $991.
Joseph Mitchell Moore died 25 August 1876 and is buried in the Tennessee Cemetery, Louisa County, Iowa. ________________________________________________________________________
Will of Joseph M. Moore #373
In the Name of God. Amen.
I, Joseph M. Moore of the County of Louisa and state of Iowa, aged ___ years, being of sound mind, memory and Understanding thanks be to Almighty and for the same considering the Uncertainty of life, the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time there of, do therefore make, ordain, publish and declare, this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and making null and void all former Wills. That is to say after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged and the cost of this commission be _______ of my estate, real and personal. I give, bequeath and dispense of as follows.
To wit, I give and bequeath to my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore, all the bed and bedding on the premises and the looking glasses, the Same to be divided equal between them, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son, John S. Moore I give and bequeath a Silver Watch that belonged to my Son Joseph M. Moore who died while in the Service of the United States, the value not to be accounted for.
To my Son Robert M. Moore I give and bequeath One Mare Saddle and Bridle , that he now has in possession and value the Same at One hundred and twenty five dollars.
I direct that all of the personal property of every description shall remain on the premises in the care and use of my son Robert M. Moore and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter, that portion not disposed of by this will to be sold by my Executor as the Law directs.
I further direct that my Real Estate shall remain in possession of my son, Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Esther A. and Margaret E. Moore until September 10, 1869, and at any time thereafter the same may be sold by a Majority of the heirs directing the Executor to sell the same.
After the Sale of the remaining portion of my personal property and the Real Estate, my debts and the cost of this commission being first paid, in consideration of Francis J. Moore and David W. Moore, having already received from me each the sum of two hundred (200) dollars in property, and my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger, the sum of one hundred (100) dollars in property, and Robert M. Moore, the sum of one hundred and twenty five (125) in property, I direct my executor to pay as follows: To my daughter Catherine J. Rossenberger the Sum of one hundred dollars, to my Son John S. Moore, the sum of two hundred dollars (200), to my daughter Esther A. Moore the sum of two hundred (200) dollars, to my son Robert M. Moore the sum of seventy-five (75) dollars, to my daughter Margaret E. Moore two hundred (200) dollars, and after the payment of those legacies, I direct my executor to divide the remainder of the Money equal between the following persons, or their legal representatives. To wit, my Son Francis J. Moore, David W, Moore, John S. Moore, and Robert M. Moore, and my daughters Catherine J. Rossenberger, Esther A. Moore, and Margaret E. Moore.
And lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my Son Francis J. Moore my executor of this my last Will and Testament.
In testimony thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this the15th day of May, Anno Domini 1869.
Joseph M. Moore, Seal
The foregoing Instrument of Writing consisting of One Sheet of paper as the last Will and testament of Joseph M. Moore of Louisa County, State of Iowa, was Signed and declared by the said Joseph M. Moore to be his voluntary act and deed, in our presence and who at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
A. J. Duncan
resident of Columbus City Township, Louisa Co. Iowa
Wesley W. __arrer
resident of Columbus City, Louisa County, Iowa.
Family Members
Spouses
Children
-
![]()
Francis Johnston "Frank" Moore
1832–1904
-
![]()
David Woods Moore
1834–1914
-
![]()
Catherine Jane Moore Rausenberger
1836–1920
-
![]()
Pvt John Spencer Moore
1838–1908
-
![]()
Joseph Madison Moore
1840–1864
-
![]()
William Ebenezer Moore
1842–1845
-
![]()
Esther Ann Moore Richie
1845–1907
-
![]()
Robert Mitchell Moore
1848–1918
-
![]()
Margaret E. "Maggie" Moore Baird
1851–1882
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
