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This is a letter from Judge Charles A. Moore (1852-1923) to Mrs. N. Walton Jackson of Louisiana. Charles A. Moore (1852) s/o Robert P. Moore (c1832) s/o Captain Charles Moore (1791-1873), s/o Captain William H. Moore (1726-1812). Mrs. Jackson was apparently a descendant of Charles Moore (no dates), brother of Captain William H. Moore (1726-1812). This letter is most informative about the family, and seems to be fairly reliable as far as I've been able to confirm. A copy of this letter was given to me by Mrs. Betty Hayes in 1999. I have transcribed it verbatim, except in terms of formatting since some of that does not translate well for web pages. However, everything else is verbatim except that I've highlighted all names mentioned for quick reference. This letter was neatly typed on Charles A. Moore's letterhead (from his law office).
This letter is the only document I've seen proving William H. Moore's children. It can't be considered primary evidence, but it can be considered reliable secondary evidence. Judge Moore didn't know his Great Grandfather William H. Moore personally, but his life span overlapped several of William's children, so it is reasonable to assume that Judge Moore's knowledge of the family would be reliable and based upon personal knowledge as well as information shared with him by some of those children, as well as his own parents, uncles, aunts and cousins.
Asheville, N. C., Sept. 7, 1903
My dear madam:
Your letter of the 5th ult., was received at my office during my absence on the sea coast with my family for the summer vacation and was forwarded to me. I did not answer it as I could not do so intelligently or correctly until I could consult some memoranda at home.
I send you herewith a copy of a statement made by Mr. T. J. Moore of Moore, S. C., which I think, in connection with a letter from him to me of May 17th, 1898 and a supplemental statement, made by him, copies of both of which I send you, will give you the information you desire concerning your family.
My great grandfather Wm. Moore and his brother, Charles Moore, your ancestor, came to America from the north of Ireland with a number of Scotch-Irish people, probably settling first in Pennsylvania and afterwards coming South. One of the brothers, Charles Moore, settled on Tiger River in upper South Carolina, now Spartanburg County. My great grandfather, Wm. Moore, settled for a while in Mecklenburg County, N. C., on what is known as Muddy Creek now in Burke County. Wm. Moore removed from Muddy Creek, in Burke County, to Hominy Creek, in the same county, (now in Buncombe County, North Carolina, west of the City of Asheville about seven miles). He was an officer, to-wit: a captain in the militia of this colony and as such was in charge of several expeditions against the Indians in the Western part of the State and finally drove them from this end of the State. He brought with him to the Hominy section, a large number of his Scotch-Irish friends, as well as all of his immediate family. He built a block house at the old homestead as a protection of his family and neighbors against the Indians; raised a large family there, acquired considerable wealth and died and was buried at the old home place. He was married twice, his first wife was a Cathey. He married a second time a Patton. He had several daughters; Rachael, who married Geo. Penland, Polly, who married Robt. Penland, Alice, who married John Penland, Charity, who married Jesse Ballew, Peggy1, who married James Rutherford, Sally, who married John Montgomery, Nancy, who married Jonathan McPeters and Elizabeth2, who married Ben Tutt. He also had three sons; Thomas, William and Charles. Thomas Moore went to Georgia, married there and raised a large family; several of whom became quite prominent politically and otherwise in that State. William Moore went to the State of Mo., and married there, also raising a large family. I get letters frequently from members of this family. Charles Moore, the younger son, my grandfather, lived on the home place, was married twice, raised a large family of children and died at the age of 82 years in the old homestead and was buried in the family grave-yard, where a great many of the relatives and members of the family are also buried. He was married twice; his first wife was a Penland, a sister of the numerous brothers who had married sisters of his. By his first wife he had, William Hamilton Moore who is now dead. William Hamilton married Mary Gudger, by whom he had several children. Hon. Walter E. Moore, his oldest and only son, was speaker of the House of Representatives of 1901. His daughter Evelyn, also by his first wife, married Geo. W. Candler, one of the most prominent lawyers in this end of the State in his day, who also raised a large family of children, who with their descendants are scattered over this country. By his second wife, who was Lucinda Killian, Charles Moore had several children. The eldest, Robt. Moore, my father, married Sophronia Wells, by whom he had four children. I am the oldest child and the only son of that marriage. My sister, Medora Josephine, first married Robt. O. Patterson, a lawyer and politician, residing in this place, by whom she had two children. The eldest, Robt. O. Patterson, is a Lieutenant in the Regular Army of the United States. Her daughter, Katherine, married James A. Logan, who resides at this place. She afterwards married Mr. F. M. Kilpatrick who resides in this place. My second sister, Elizabeth, married Alfred Ottinger and lives at Statesville in this State. My third and last sister, Ella, married W. M. Worley, who also resides in this city. My grandfather, Charles Moore, had several other sons, some of whom died without ever having married. His son, Daniel K. Moore married Caroline Dickey, by whom he had several children: his eldest and only son, Frederick Moore, was for several years my law partner and is now a Judge of the Superior Court in this State. Another son of Charles Moore, Samuel F. Moore, removed, when a young man, to the State of Arkansas, married there, raised a considerable family of children, died and was buried near Little Rock in that State. My grandfather, Charles Moore, only raised one daughter, Margaret. She married W. J. Alexander, by whom she had a large number of children and now resides in Asheville.
I will be glad if you can at some convenient time give me information concerning your immediate family. I have been trying to collect together such data as may be interesting to our children. In connection with Thomas J. Moore who lives at Moore in Spartanburg Co., S. C., I hope ultimately to acquire accurate information concerning the descendants of Charles Moore, your ancestor and Wm. Moore, my ancestor. I should add, probably, that I was born on December 25th, 1852 and have been married twice. My first wife was Alice Harkins of Rome GA. We had only one son, Charles, who is living in Chicago. I married a second time to Lucia Eloise Thayer of New Orleans, by whom we have one child only, a daughter, Lula Thayer. I have lived in Buncombe County always and since my early manhood, in Asheville, N. C.
I suggest that you write to Col. Thomas J. Moore of Moore, S. C., for any further information which you may want concerning your family.
I had never heard that Charles Moore, your ancestor, held any position or office under the English Government. Col. Moore in writing to me tells me of nothing of this kind. My grandfather, Wm. Moore was a Captain of Militia in the colony of North Carolina and afterwards resisted the English. During the war of the Revolution he was a soldier, (I believe, also a Captain) in the Continental Army during the Revolution. Much interesting matter connected with his military service is found in his original correspondence now on file in the State Library at Raleigh and in the University library at Chapel Hill, N. C.. This correspondence, some of it, has been printed in colonial records, recently published in this State.
Yours very sincerely,
Charles A. Moore
M./B.
Enclosures.
Notes: (By Marty Grant).
1. Someone wrote in "(Ann)" above the name Peggy in this letter. It was obviously not part of the original letter, but added later. It was in a different pen, and in different handwriting from Charles Moore's signature. I don't think "Ann" is Peggy's middle name, though it is possible, but there was already a daughter in this family named "Nancy", which is often used interchangeably with "Ann".
2. Someone wrote in "(Margaret)" above the name Elizabeth in this letter. It was obviously not part of the original letter, but added later. It was in a different pen, and in different handwriting from Charles Moore's signature. This added name has caused many researchers to list Elizabeth as "Margaret Elizabeth" or "Elizabeth Margaret", and I believe that is wrong. I don't know who added "Margaret" above her name, but there was already a daughter in this family named "Peggy" which is a nickname for "Margaret", so it seems highly unlikely that Elizabeth also had the name "Margaret".
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