Biographies of Elliott Residents

Elliott Centennial History, 1879 - 1979

Elliott Centennial Committee

Page 145 - 146

 

JOHN L. MOORE


 

    The John L. Moore family originated near Tarrytown, New York. He made the decision at the early age of 23, to migrate to the west. He left New York State in the spring of 1868 and had St. Joseph, Missouri as his destination.

    Coming across the country, in a covered wagon, he met Dr. DeWitt, who was headed for Montgomery County. A friendship developed, and in a short time he had convinced John Moore to stop off in Montgomery County also.

    John Moore settled on an 80 acre farm, S.E. of Elliott and became a farmer. In 1880 he married Clara Thomas, daughter of John Thomas , who had migrated here from England. To this marriage, there were eight children born. Lettie, died at three months. LeRoy married Cora Hinman. Clyde married Ethel Lowman. Howard married Emma Berner. Criss married George DeWitt. Tess, my mother, married Ora (Mike) Ploghoft. Guy married Ada Werner. Winifred married Dene Reynolds.

    John Moore died in 1912. Clara Moore had a farm sale, and moved to Elliott where she lived in the same house alone until 1959, when she passed away at the age of 98 years, 2 months, 20 days. John and Clara Moore were buried at the Lowman Cemetery. The family farm home was destroyed by a cyclone in 1928.

   Mike Ploghoft and Tess Moore were married July 1, 1914. Mike had learned the butcher trade and Tess was a school teacher. She had graduated from Elliott High School in 1911, the first class to be graduated from a four year high school.

    After their marriage they moved to Macedonia for a short time, then to Lewis, Iowa. Mike worked in a butcher shop for Davis and Palmer of Griswold. Cecil was born in Lewis, in 1915, and Dick in 1917.  In 1919 Mike decided to farm and moved to Grant for a year. Then to the Hal Ploghoft farm, 1 1/2 miles north of Elliott, and now owned by Paul Ploghoft. Harry Ploghoft was born here in 1921. In 1924 they moved to Waveland Center and farmed for four years. Mike bought a butcher shop in Griswold in 1928, and on July 5th he died of a stroke and enlarged heart. Tess moved to Elliott in September 1928, bought a home and the three boys entered school.

    Harry Ploghoft married Alice Mills, from Graettenger, Iowa in 1941. He served with Company M throughout World War II. They moved to Oregon in 1946. They have three children: Sharon, has two girls, Jennifer and Debra; Vickie is married to Scott Sherwood, and lives in Kirkland, Washington; Mike, lives and works in Portland. All attended Oregon Colleges.

    In 1940 Dick married Rita Nelson, of Red Oak. He served with the Seabee's during World War II. They have three children: Susan has two girls, Ericka and Margaret; Connie has one boy, Justin; and Richard (Ricky). They all attended college and live in Iowa.

    Cecil married Rosemary Hagglund of Red Oak in 1942. They moved to Portland, Oregon, where their daughter Marsha, was born in 1943. She attended school and college in Oregon. She married Bert Pollitt in 1964 and they have three children, Christopher, Leslie and Jeffery. They now reside in Lansing Michigan. Cecil and Rosemary moved to California in 1961 and presently reside in Hemet, California, where they are now retired.

    In 1975, Tess Ploghoft, who had lived in Red Oak many years, married Glendon Streepy and moved to Mesa, Arizona. She enjoyed 2 1/2 years with Glendon before passing away on June 13, 1977. She was buried at Lowman Cemetery.    

 

 

 

~  Cecil Ploghoft