MOORE, Hon. Amos B.

MOORE, HEAD, ELVIE, TAYLOR, YOUNG, HAWES, GILLEN, REESE, DAVIS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/12/2014 at 18:37:22

Biography ~ Hon. Amos B. Moore

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), Pp. 701-02.

HON. AMOS B. MOORE was born at Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio, December 13, 1829, a son of Andrew and Rebecca Moore, his father a native of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and his mother of Wheeling, West Virginia. When our subject was sevenyears of age his parents moved to Independence, Missouri, his father going there in the interest of the church of the Latter-Day Saints, of which he was an elder. He followed the fortunes of this people to Nauvoo and later to Salt Lake City. Leaving the "church faction" at Salt Lake, he returned to Andrew County, Missouri, and joining the Reorganized Church, continued an elder until his death, which occurred September 21, 1870, at the age of seventy-nine years, his wife preceeding him one month. Seven children were born to them, all of whom lived to marry and have families, but only two of whom beside our subject are living - John H., proprietor of the Union Hotel, at Payson City, Utah; and Andrew, of Oregon. Robert C. died at Sweet Home, Missouri; Mrs. Sarah Head, at Payson City; Mrs. Amanda Elvie, at Fountain Green, Utah; and Mrs. Mary Taylor, on the plains in 1851 when en route to Salt Lake. Amos B. Moore commenced at an early age to earn money and care for himself. When eleven years of age he went on the steamer Lucy Bertram, on the Mississippi Rever, as a cabin boy, and was on the same boat three seasons. After the exodus from Nauvoo, he engaged in farm labor in Van Buren County, Iowa, and from there went to Council Bluffs in 1848. He was employed in the Government service six months as teamster, going to Fort Leavenworth, and in the fall of 1848 returned to Council Bluffs. In 1852 he crossed the plains to Salt Lake and lived at Provo two years. From there he went to California and engaged in farming in Alameda County until 1865 when, in October of that year, he returned to Salt Lake City, and in the spring of 1866 went to Idaho, where he lived four years, being employed by an overland stage company as wood and hay contractor. In 1870 he went to Montana and lived in that Territory two years, engaged in stock-raising. He represented Gallatin County one term in the Territorial Legislature, being elected in 1874 and 1875. In 1880 he came to Iowa and settled on section 19, Fayette Township, Decatur County, where he has since lived. At the time of his settlement the land was a tract of unbroken prairie, but he has brought it under a good state of cultivation and to his first purchase of eighty acres has added 120 acres. Mr. Moore was married July 5, 1849, to Celia, daughter of D.P. and Martha Young. They have had a family of twelve children - Mrs. Martha Rebecca Hawes, of Fayette Township; Mrs. Nancy Gillen, of Lamoni; Louisa, died in infancy; Amos; John, of Lamoni; Daniel; Mrs. Melinda Reese; Frank and Alburn of Hyde County, Dakota; Mrs. Ida Davis, of Fayette Township; Ada Dora and Eben, at home. Mr. Moore has been an ardent Republican since the first nomination of Abraham Lincoln. The family are members of the Reorganized Church of Latter-Day Saints. Mrs. Moore is a registered physician and has an extensive practice, being very successful, especially in the diseases of women and children.

Transcription and notes by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014