Joseph H. Moore, a prominent attorney of Commerce, and one of the most extensive stock farmers of Southeast Missouri, was born in Bullitt County, Ky., June 12, 1836. His great-grandfather, William Moore, was born in England August 6, 1712, and he and his brother Ralph, with a large number of others, were driven from England in 1733, because of their resisting religious and political oppressions. They came to America, where William married Rachel Fletcher, born in 1716, a native of Somerset County, Md. Ralph became a sea captain and died a bachelor at the age of fifty-five. William located in Maryland, and reared three sons. He died December 15, 1788, after having served as colonel in the Revolutionary War. One son settled in Delaware, another located in Ohio, and has descendants now living in Illinois, and the other, James, who was born May 1, 1742, settled in Maryland, and married Mary Rider, born in 1745. She died September 18, 1812. James Moore was a major in the Revolutionary War, and died February 27, 1798. They reared a large family, consisting of four sons and two daughters, viz: Joseph, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Charles, Anna and James. Joseph removed to Kentucky, and from thence, in 1833, to Southeast Missouri. Elizabeth was twice married, and one of her daughters was married to Noah Handy, ex-judge of Mississippi County, Mo., whose daughter, Ella, married Joseph C. Moore, an able attorney of Mississippi County, Mo., and now of Nashville, Tenn. Benjamin, Anna and James died in Maryland, each leaving children. One of Benjamin's grandsons, George M. Moore, is now superintendent of the schools of Scott County. Charles, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born April 28, 1788, in Maryland. He immigrated to Kentucky in 1818 and in 1821 married Elizabeth Chalfant, a daughter of Abner and Jane (Cox) Chalfant. They became parents of seven children named in order of their ages, as follows: Eliza J. (widow of A.P. Goddard), Benjamin J. (a physician of Mississippi County, and once member of the Legislature, deceased), Elizabeth (wife of James Smith, of Mississippi County), Nancy M. (widow of B. Parrott, of Charleston, Mo.), Charles C. (deceased), Susan A. (widow of Abram Swank, of Price's Landing, Mo.) and Joseph H. Charles Moore was an intelligent and enterprising man, and accumulated considerable property. His wife died October 11, 1837. Very soon after her death he moved to Scott County, Mo., and in 1839 married an excellent lady, Mrs. Martha (Strong) Broom, whom he survived only a few days, his death occurring August 16, 1857. Joseph H. Moore attended such subscription schools as were taught in his neighborhood, and in 1851 he entered Arcadia College, at Arcadia, Mo. In 1852, though only sixteen years of age, he taught a large subscription school, and soon afterward returned to college, where in 1855 he graduated in the A.B. course. He was employed as professor for the ensuing year at his alma mater, but Prof. B.S. Newland, a relative, having purchased an interest in the college property, with a view to teaching, took the professorship, and Mr. Moore returning home began the study of law, and having graduated at the Cumberland Law University of Tennessee, opened an office in Benton, Scott Co., Mo., in 1857, where to the present time he has attended every term of the courts of record of his county. He commands a good business, and has the only set of abstracts of land titles in the county. In the last ten years he has cleared over 1,200 acres of land, and now has 2,000 acres under cultivation, besides 3,000 acres of timbered land adjoining his farms. On December 8, 1857, he was united in marriage with Anna E. Hunter, daughter of Joseph Hunter. She died June 13, 1874, having borne seven children viz: Lizzie H. (wife of Charles I. Anderson, of Commerce), Charles A. (a graduate of Missouri Medical College, who died December 11, 1884), Susie M. (a graduate of the Wesleyan Institute, of Stanton, Va.), Joseph L. (now a student of the State University, at Columbia, Mo.), Anna E., Bertie N. and Bennie H., the last named deceased. On May 24, 1876, Mr. Moore was married to Mrs. Emma (Prince) Ross, who died January 21, 1879, leaving one child, Brumfield C. Moore, born January 10, 1879. With reference to the late war, Mr. Moore was with the Southern people, whom he admires for their hospitality, independence, and determination to stand up for their legal rights, and believes none were disunionist per se. And while he is a high tariff Democrat, he does not see how any Southern man can be a Republican. Mr. Moore has, with his family, traveled extensively in the United States and Canada, and says of all places visited by him Southeast Missouri, for the beginner, presents the best opportunities to industry, promptness and practical sense.
