Winfield Scott Moore
An experience of twenty years at the bar has demonstrated the ability of Winfield Scott Moore, of Manilla, as an attorney of more than ordinary penetration and judgment and also as a man of unsullied character whose aim is to be guided by truth and justice.
He is a native of Springfield, Missouri, born February 4, 1866, and traces his ancestry back to John Moore, a native of Ireland, who came to the new world in colonial days and settled in Virginia. He was in General Washington's regiment at Fort Duquesne and engaged in battIe with the French and Indians when General Braddock was killed.
His son, William Moore, was born in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1735, and became a member of the Virginia Militia, being with General Forbes in his campaign in 1758. He was a member of Colonel William Campbell's regiment in the Revolutionary war and engaged in the battle of King's Mountain.
His son, William Moore, Jr., was born in Berkeley county, West Virginia, in 1759, and also participated in the Revolutionary war under Colonel John Sevier, commanding a Tennessee regiment. He also took part in the battle of King's Mountain.
Nathaniel Davis Moore, a son of William Moore, jr., and the grandfather of our subject, was born in Greenville, Tennessee, October 10, 1790, and as a soldier served in Captain Dyke's company of Tennessee men under General Jackson at the battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812 and also at the noted engagement of Horseshoe Bend in Alabama. By occupation he was a farmer. He was one of a family of eight children, having three brothers and four sisters. He married Margaret Dyke, a native of Virginia, and they lived to the ages of seventy-seven and eighty-four years, respectively. In their family were also eight children, namely: Henry D., Nathaniel B., William, Christina, Penelope, Catharine, Louisa and Margaret.
William Moore, the father of our subject, was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, in 1830, and also made farming his life occupation. In 1851 he removed to Missouri and located near Springfield, but is now a resident of that city, having reached the ripe old age of eighty-one years. He was twice married, his first wife being Susan Christian, by whom he had three children: James I., now a resident of Pinehurst, Idaho; Lucinda J., the wife of W. W. Wheeler, of Springfield, Missouri; and Simeon C., also of Springfield.
For his second wife the father married Mrs. Ruth Ann (Graham) Price, also a native of Tennessee, and the widow of John Price, by whom she had one son, Martin L. She departed this life January 7, 1897, at the age of fifty-eight years, ten months and three days. She was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church, as is also Mr. Moore. He was a stanch Union man during the Civil war and served for fifteen months in the Federal army, being a member of Company H, Missouri State Militia Cavalry.
By his second marriage he had four children, namely: Winfield Scott, of this review.; Nathaniel D., of Springfield, Missouri; Susie M., wife of Rankin C. Stokes, of Carson, Iowa; and Rev. William G., pastor of the First Presbyterian church, of Le Mars, Iowa.
James Graham, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a farmer of Tennessee and died at the ripe old age of eighty-four years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lucinda Wilson, died at the age of sixty-eight years. Their children were: Ruth Ann, Margaret L., William R., Sarah L., Caroline, Helen, James H., Richard and Josephine. James Graham was a son of Richard Graham, who came to this country from Scotland and settled in North Carolina, where he followed farming. He married Elizabeth Massey.
Winfield Scott Moore was reared at Springfield, Missouri, and educated in the common schools, receiving his college training in a southern Methodist school at Morrisville, Polk county, Missouri. He early became acquainted with farm work, laboring for one man for two years. Subsequently he taught school and at the same time studied law, having determined to devote his attention to that profession. He was admitted to the bar in Kansas in 1891, being then twentyfive years of age and began practice at Springfield, Missouri. Previously he had served as deputy county recorder of Polk county for three years, from 1887 to 1890, and from 1895 to 1897 he was clerk of the probate court at Springfield. In April, 1899, he removed to Oklahoma City and practiced law there for one year, then returning to Springfield.
In March, 1902, he took up his residence at Salix, Iowa, where he practiced for two years, then settling at Manilla and engaging in his profession with such success that he soon became recognized as one of the prominent members of the Crawford county bar. In addition to his legal business he has devoted considerable attention to farming and is the owner of three hundred and forty acres of land in Meagher county, Montana.
On the 12th of October, 1898, Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Fanny Bigelow, who was born in Woodbury county, Iowa, November 16, 1876, a daughter of Ariel T. and Sarah (Beers) Bigelow. The father is a native of Maine and is now living near Salix, having arrived at the age of seventy-one years, his wife being sixty-six years of age.
There were nine children in their family, namely: Mrs. Rosa L. Gibbs; Charles H.; Warren T.; Belle, wife of R. D. Markell; George F.; Fannie, now Mrs. Winfield Scott Moore; Laura K., wife of J. E. O'Meara; Madge E., wife of M. L. Duggan; and Nettie O., wife of Thayer Vincent. One daughter, Ruth, has blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Moore.
Politically Mr. Moore gives his support to the republican party, and fraternally is identified with Golden Leaf Lodge, No. 595, A. F. & A. M., being one of the charter members of the lodge. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America, Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Sons of Veterans, of Denison. He and his wife are connected with the Presbyterian church and active workers in its behalf. He may be designated as a self-made man, having won his way through many obstacles to a position of honor which few men in any community can rightfully claim.
Possessing capable discernment and clear and convincing powers of expression, he is a masterful advocate and a good counselor. He is a close and constant student of law as well as of the progress of events and few men are better informed as to the great movements which are influencing the world. His fidelity to his clients is one of his strong characteristics and he possesses a force of character that gives weight to his opinions which command respect wherever he is known.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.