Spartanburg County, South Carolina - Chapter 13: The Moore Family, 1900

Chapter 13: The Moore Family

They emigrated from the north of Ireland to Pennsylvania, from which State they came to Spartanburg county, S. C, between the years 1760 and 1764, being amongst the very first settlers. They belonged to the Scotch-Irish race, and, from the best information now possible to obtain, it is thought that the ancestors of Charles Moore went down into Ireland from Scotland with the Duke of Hamilton, to wlrom large landed possessions were given by the English sovereign from the confiscated estates of Irish noblemen. Foote, in his *' Sketches of North Carolina," says that "along with Hamilton went the Moores, Maxwells, Rosses and Baileys, whose names hold good to this day." It is supposed that the Moores were related to the Hamiltons, and that either Charles Moore's mother, or his wife's mother, was a Hamilton.

Charles Moore took up a grant of land in 1763 on Tyger River, ten miles south of the city of Spartanburg, upon which he lived and died, together with his wife, and upon which both lie buried, having nice marble tombstones to their memories. He is described in a deed of land on file in North Carolina as a school-teacher, and the tradition is that he was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, or of Oxford, England. What important part he took in the war of the Revolution is not now known, further than that his son Thomas and the husbands of his daughters all acted prominent parts on the side of the colonies, as will appear later on.

First Child - Margaret, who married Captain Andrew Barry, a sketch of whom see in another place, was born in 1752, and died in 1823, aged 71 years. She lies buried in the Moore cemetery on Tyger River, where her father originally settled. It was she who planted the seed chat gave rise to the name of the place, viz.. Walnut Grove. She outlived her husband, and left a will which is on file in the Spartanburg court-house. She .was an important character during the Revolution, and tradition says was the "Kate Barry" of history, "The Heroine of Cowpens. " She was noted as a scout, and was once flogged by the Tories to make her tell the whereabouts of her husband and his company. Her children will be named under the head of Andrew Barry.

Second Child - Whose name is not known, but who married John Lawson, left no descendants in Spartanburg. She is supposed to have been the wife of Colonel John Lawson, who died in Twiggs comity, Georgia in 1 816, after a long life, spent as a soldier in the Revolution and in public capacities afterwards. (See histories of Georgia by White, McCall and others.)

a sketch will be given in another place. She outlived her husband, and went west with some of her children, where she died. She was noted for her piety, and tradition records that she was a ministering angel in the sick chamber and by the dying bedside. Her prayers in the hours of trial and bereavement made indelible impressions. The children are named under the head of Richard Barry.

Fourth Child - Married Robert Hanna, who lived and died in York county, S. C, having many descendants, Robert Hanna* was a noted soldier, and it is said acted as scout for General Thos. Sumter before the battle of Blackstocks, and that, concealed in a tree, he counted the enemy as they marched against Sumter, and reported the number before the battle.

Fifth and Sixth Children - Married Mathew Patton, a noted continental soldier. If these two daughters had any children it is not now known positively, though Mathew Patton had one son named William, who is supposed to have been by one of his Moore wives, and who married Sally Means, a sister of the late Jas. K. Means, with whom he moved to Crab Orchard, Tenn. Mathew Patton married a third wife, of Tory blood, who mistreated him in his old age.

Seventh Child - General Thomas Moore, who died July nth, 1822, in his 63d year. He was quite a young man in the Revolution, but played a conspicuous part. He lies buried in the Moore burial ground. He served several years in Congress, and was a major-general in the war ofi8i2toi8i5. He was twice married, the first time to Patsey Price, the second time to Mary Reagan.

John, died in the Sonth Carolina College. Hamilton, went West. Polly (Mary S.), married Dr. Eber Smith, born 1788, died 1813. Betsey, married Colonel S. N. Evins. Violet, married J. H. Barry of York, S. C. Peggy, married Roddy. Rachel, married Means of Memphis, Tenn. Patsey, married Benson of Alabama.

By the second wife, Mary Reagan, he had the follow^- ing children, viz. : Barry Moore, Thomas J. Moore, Ann and Amanda. Barry Moore went West. Thomas J. graduated at Athens College, Ga., studied law, married Miss Irwin of Charlotte, N. C. , but soon died, leaving a posthumous son, the late Dr. T. J. Moore, of Richmond, Va. He was one of the most brilliant men Spartanburg county ever produced. Ann Moore married at 13 years of age a man named Crump, afterwards to Dr. Harrison, and again to Mr. Martin, of Mississippi. Amanda Moore married first Henderson, and second Dr. Effinger, of Portland, Oregon. She had only one child, Emma.

The only representatives of the family of General Thomas Moore now in this county are the families of Dr. Alfred Moore, who married Martha, the daughter of Colonel S. N. Evins, and his wife Betsey, and of Colonel John H. Evins, son of Colonel S. N. Evins.

Eighth Child - Elizabeth, after marrying Dr. R. M. Cunningham, soon died, leaving no issue. For a sketch of Dr. C. see " Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit."

Ninth Child - was Dr. Andrew Barry Moore, born February nth, 1771, and died January 23d, 1848, aged 76 years, 11 months and 12 days. He lies buried in the Moore burial ground on Tyger River. He graduated in 1795 at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Penn., and afterwards studied medicine, in which he attained eminence. It was not uncommon for him to have in his home several young men studying medicine at the same time.

He was twice married. First to Anna A. Maxwell, of Pendleton, S. C, who died February gtli, 1831, in her 43d year. By her he had no children to live. His second wife was Nancy Miller Montgomery, who was born November 13th, 1804, and died March 14th, 1862. She married a second time Colonel S. N. Evins, December 20th, i860, leaving no children by this last marriage. Her children by Dr. A. B. Moore are : ist. Margaret Anna, born December 17th, 1834, who was married to Captain Samuel C. Means, December 20th, 1856, and died May i8th, 1879, leaving no issue, having had an only son, Andrew James, who was accidentally killed, March ist, 1875, in his i6th year.

3d. Andrew Charles, born March nth, 1838, and was killed in the second battle of Manassas, August 30th, 1862. He married Mary J. Foster, of Alabama, on December nth, i860, but left no children. He graduated in the South Carolina College in 1858, and in law at the University of Virginia in i860, in both instances with distinguished honor. He was noted for his beauty of person, strength of mind, and noble qualities of heart. He died universally lamented. '' Whom the gods love die young," was applied to him. His remains were brought home from Virginia and deposited in Nazareth church cemetery, over which has been erected a beautiful and costly monument, commemorative of his life as a soldier of the Southern Confederacy.

This Thomas J. Moore is the sole representative of the Charles Moore family by the name of Moore in South Carolina. He was educated at the South Carolina Col- lege, leaving there in April, 1S62, permanently (having twice in 1861 been called ont at Fort Snmter, when the first gun was fired, and when Port Royal fell), in his senior year, to enter the Confederate army, in which he served as a private for the balance of the war, excepting he was made color ensign of the regiment, and carried the colors in the last battles. He joined first Co. E, i8th S. C. Regt., but afterwards was a member of Co. A, Holcombe Legion. He was captured at the Five Forks battle, after passing the winter in the trenches at Petersburg, Va., April ist, 1865, and was carried to prison on Johnson's Island, in Lake Erie, from which he was released June 1 6th, 1865, the war being over. He was never wounded or sick in a hospital.

Since then he has been engaged in planting operations, living at and owning the original ancestral home. Not long after the close of the civil war, he was appointed a colonel in the State militia, from which he obtained his title. He has always been progressive as a farmer, and during the year 1899 he planted rice extensively on his low grounds, and has demonstrated the fact beyond a question of doubt that this article of product can be successfully grown in the up-country of South 'Carolina. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1872 to 1874, and State senator from 1880 to 1884. He served seventeen years as chairman of the State Board of Commissioners of the State Institution for the education of the deaf and dumb and the blind, and has been again elected by the legislature a member of said board. He was also for a number of years a member of the State Board of Agriculture, and in 1894 and '95 was president of the State Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and for many years a member of the executive committee thereof.

In religion he is a Presbyterian, the church of his fathers, being an elder therein, and for many years an active Sunday-school superintendent.

Andrew Charles Moore, Jr

Son of Colonel T. J. and Mary E. Moore - named in lionor of his uncle of the same name whom we have already noticed - was born at Fredonia, the old family homestead in Spartanburg county, December 27, 1866. He was graduated at the South Carolina College, with honors, in 1887.

He adopted teaching as his profession, and did his first work in filling the unexpired term (three months) of the superintendent of the graded school of Spartanburg. From this place he went to Camden, S. C, where he organized the graded school of that town. After three years there he was elected to a position in the graded schools of Birmingham, Alabama, as principal of the high school. After eight years' snccessfnl labor there, he resigned, to the regret of the trustees and pupils,- to pursue his studies in the University of Chicago, which he entered in 1898. After one year he was awarded a fellowship in that institution over many competitors. His chosen department is botany, along with which he is taking the French and G e r m a n 1 1 languages. His college course was the full classical, by which he became acquainted with Latin and Greek, and with which he became more conversant in the schoolroom. Besides his eminent abilities mentally, he is of J the highest Christian character and exceedingly popular, and loved and admired by all with whom he conies in contact. He will soon obtain his title of Ph.D. The high position which he has already attained not only affords pleasure to his family and friends, but reflects honor on his native county and State.

The tenth and last child of Charles Moore, Sr., was Charles Moore, Jr., who married Jane Barry of York county, S. C, and moved to Perry county, Ala., dying there in 1836, aged 62 years and 8 months.

His children are : i. William Moore. 2. Andrew Barry Moore, jndge and governor of Alabama in i860. 3. Charles Hamilton Moore. 4. Alfred. 5. Mary, married to James Evins. 6. Jnliet, married to Dr. Robert Foster. 7. Adaline, died yonng and unmarried, and, 8, Betsy, who also died yonng and unmarried.

All these were born in Spartanburg county, but went in early life to Alabama. The most of them live in the town of Marion, Perry county, or near there.

Charles Moore, Jr., lies buried in the graveyard of Fairview Church, Perry county, Alabama. "He was noted for hospitality and patriotism, and was revered for probity and punctuality, and highly esteemed for general knowledge and quick discrimination." His wife was born May 20th, 1783, and died 20th December, 1857.

1. His first son William had children, viz.: i. Charles Hamilton. 2. Andrew. 3. Rlioda Jane, married to Dr. Jas. A. Moore. 4. James A. 5. Samuel. 6. Mittie, married to Mr. Wyatt.

2. His second son, Andrew B., died April 5th, 1873. He was governor of x\labama in i860, when the State seceded, and had children by his wife, Mary Goree, viz. : Martha J., married to Powhattan Lockett ; x-lnnie, married Albert Lockett; Andrew Barry, married Mary Smith.

3. His third son, Charles Hamilton, married Mary Billingslea, and had children, viz. : Dr. James A., Andrew Barry, Cornelia Josephine, and Thomas.

1. His first daughter, Mary, married James Gilleland Evans, with children, viz. : Charles Alexander, Thad. A., Thomas J., James S., Julia (Graham), Robert Hamilton, Andrew, Lucius Septimus, and Jane Anna.

then to Dr. Wm. R. Barron, by whom she has two daughters, Julia and Bessie; Eliza, married Leonard H. Seawell ; ]\Iattie, married Caius F. Fennel ; Robena, married Lucius S. Evins; Lutie, married David W. Pitts ; and Robert, married to Emma Lavinia Barron.