Moore, Nathaniel

ATLAS MAP
OF
SCOTT COUNTY, ILLINOIS
1873

Andreas, Lyter & Co., Davenport, Iowa



Transcribed by: Becky Jenkins

Page 25

JUDGE JOHN MOSES was born at Niagara Falls, Canada, on the 18th of September, 1825. He emigrated to Illinois in June, 1837, with his father, ERASTUS MOSES, Esq., who settled in Naples, where he resided until his death; he died September, 1838. Judge MOSES went to Perry, Pike county, Illinois where he engaged in the store of JOSHUA MOORE, and in 1842, taught school, which he continued until 1844, in Perry and vicinity. ; and in the winter if 1845 and 1846 read law in the office of Judge JOHN MINSHALL and R. S. BLACKWELL, at Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois, where he remained until the spring of 1847, when he was admitted to the bar of Schuyler county. Before entering upon the practice of law, he was solicited by his old friends, JOSHUA and ROYAL MOORE, to take charge of their extensive business at Naples, where the above firm were then doing a large and extensive business. Here he continued in business and the practice of his profession until 1849, when under the constitution just then adopted, he was elected to the office of county judge, of Scott county, being the first county judge elected in the county. He was elected by the old whig party, receiving every vote except six cast in his own precinct, irrespective of polity politics. He then moved to Winchester in the spring of 1850, entering upon the duties he performed, and at the expiration of his clerkship engaged in the banking business, with E. G. MINER> In 1858, he took an active part in the senatorial campaign, between Messrs. DOUGLAS and LINCOLN, in favor of the latter; he was also at that time the nominee of the republican party of the senatorial district, which was largely democratic, and running against one of the ablest men in the state, Hon. C. L. HIGBEE, of Pittsfield, Pike county. He succeeded in reducing the majority several hundred in the district. In September, 1861, the judge was appointed major of the 10th Illinois cavalry, by Gov. YATES, and ordered to report to Springfield, where he was assigned to the position of temporary private secretary of Gov. YATES, vice Col. WILSON resigned; soon after which the governor appointed him as private secretary and confidential advisor, which position he held until 1863, when he resigned and returned home. He was tendered by President LINCOLN the position of assessor of internal revenue, of the 10th district of Illinois; and, although he tendered his resignation, the governor persistently refused to accept it, but finally did so. He entered upon the arduous duties of the office of assessor, and was among the first to organize under the law.

While acting as private secretary to Gov. YATES he was detailed to repair to the front for the purpose of taking charge of and sending home the sick and wounded soldiers, and placing them in the various hospitals of our state. The judge made three trips south to the various battlefields, and was the means of preserving the lives of hundreds of our brave boys, who were wounded and sick. The judge assisted the governor in organizing some sixty regiments of soldiers, and had the entire charge of all of the governor's correspondence. He held the office of assessor of internal revenue until 1866, when he was removed by ANDY JOHNSON, on account of his political principles. In addition to the various offices of public trust and responsibility, he was elected president of the Rockford, Rock Island, & St. Louis Railroad, which position he held three years, and was successful in securing, with their gentlemen, a contract for the completion of said road. He is at present one of the directors of the Rockford, Rock Island, & St. Louis road. While he was county judge and circuit clerk, he was appointed by Judge WOODSON, in 1851, master in chancery of Scott county, which position he held for a number of years. He was married to Miss SARAH LOUISA KEENER, on the 15th of April, 1849, daughter of Col. CHARLES F. KEENER. They had five children, four sons and one daughter, four of whom are living. Mrs. MOSES died March, 1857. He was again married to Miss SALLIE M. WOOD, daughter of Col. JOHN R. WOOD, of Alton, Illinois. They have a family of five children, three daughters and two sons, all of whom are living. The Judge has been an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and which he has been a member of for many years, and an active Sabbath school worker.

He is at present the cashier of the People's National Bank, which was organized in 1871.


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