Last Will and Testament of Philip Moore
of Blue River Township, which was signed
and sealed 26 Aug 1873 was admitted to
probate 1 Dec 1873. Philip was among
the largest land owners in the county,
and had property, real and personal,
which was estimated to be worth
$60,000-$70,000.

Philip Moore was born in Preble County,
Ohio, April 24, 1812, a son of William
and Catherine (Cotener) Moore, his father
a native of East Tennessee, and his
mother of Germany. When he was fourteen
years of age his parents moved to Indiana,
and settled on eighty-five acres of land
in Blue River Township, Henry County. He
remained with his father till twenty-one
years of age, helping him clear his land,
and walking each harvest season to Preble
County, where he worked for 60 cents a
day. When twenty-one years of age, in
1833, he was married to Julia Ann,
daughter of James and Elizabeth Willson.
In 1834 they entered forty acres of land
(the grain elevator at Mooreland is
located on a portion of it), and was
assisted in paying for it by his uncle,
Samuel Moore, of Wayne County. His wife
died in 1838, leaving four sons -
William A., born in 1833, now a farmer
of Howard County, Ind., married Mandy
Hensley, of Illinois; James H., born
in 1835, married Emily L. Lamb, and
is a farmer of White County, Ind.;
Miles M., born in 1836, married Nancy
Lamb, and lives on the old homestead;
Henry H., a farmer of Henry County,
was born in 1838, and married Lucinda
Clapper. After the death of his wife
his sons lived with their grandparents
till 1846, when he was married to
Elizabeth Terhune, of Missouri, and
settled on the land first entered by
him. To this second marriage were born
four children - B. F., born in 1846,
is a carpenter of New Castle, and
married Emma Kilmer, of Blountsville;
John W., born in 1848, married Bettie
Keisling, and is a physician of
Mechanicsburg; Charles P., a farmer
of Blue River Township, was born in
1850, and married Fannie White; Mary
Jane, born in 1852, was married in
1872 to Reason Davis, of Henry County.
Mr. Moore was an energetic, persevering
man, a good manager, combined with a
shrewdness which enabled him to accumulate
property. Having a desire to see his
children comfortably settled in life,
he did not wait for death to give them
their portion, but aided them when they
left the paternal roof to establish
homes of their own. In 1873 he became
afflicted with consumption, and for
seven months was a great sufferer, but
retained his right mind till death
relieved him, Nov. 27, 1873. He was
buried in the German Baptist cemetery,
Hagerstown, Ind. His wife, Elizabeth,
survived him seven years. A suffered
from rheumatism, she was unable to
attend to her house for a number of
years, and therefore made her home
with her son, Charles P. The last
year of her life she was almost
helpless, but was cheered by frequent
visits from all the children. March 11,
1880, she was stricken with paralysis
of the heart, and died very suddenly,
and was buried by the side of her
husband. We here append a copy of a
portion of the last will of Mr. Moore,
made while suffering from his last
sickness. It was signed and sealed
Aug. 23, 1873, and was admitted to
probate Dec. 1:

'Item I. - After my just debts and
funeral expenses shall be paid, I give
and bequeath to my beloved wife,
Elizabeth Moore, the sum of $8,000
for and during her natural life; and
the interest of said sum shall be
sufficient to afford her a good and
comfortable support and maintenance.
Then such portion of the principal
of the above sum shall be taken and
appropriated by her as may be necessary
to render her a comfortable and suitable
living during her said life.

"II. - I have heretofore made to my
children the following advancements,
to wit: To William A. Moore, $2,000;
to James H. Moore, $1,500; to Miles M.
Moore, $1,700; to Henry H. Moore,
$3,000; to Benjamin F. Moore, $3,000;
to John W. Moore, $1,500; to
Charles P. Moore, $3,000; to
Mary J. Davis, $1,500.

"III. - I give and bequeath to my
children above named, after deducting
and setting apart the above legacy to
my wife, all the rest and residue of
my estate, both real and personal, to
equally be divided among them, subject
to and taking into account the
above-named advancements.

"IV. - In case my wife should elect
to take her portion of the real estate,
as provided by law, instead of accepting
the provision made for her in this will,
then, and in that case, I deduct from
the shares of Benjamin F. Moore, John W.
Moore, Charles P. Moore and Mary J.
Davis an amount which would be equal
to any amount which they might invest
or get from their mother's estate, in
case my children by my first wife do
not get an equal portion with my
children by my second wife of said
estate.

"V. - In case my wife accepts the
provisions of this will, then I
give and bequeath to all of my
children whatever of my estate
shall be remaining and unconsumed
at her death, to be equally divided
among them, as specified in the third
item of this will.

"I hereby nominate and appoint Henry
H. Moore and Charles P. Moore as my
executors."

From the History of Henry County,
Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State
Publishing Co. 1884.
Blue River Township.
Page 554 through 556