John Moore

Born: 13 Oct 1781

Married:

 1st     03 Sep 1814 to Anna Gillman 

 2nd    14 Dec 1820 to Deborah Stogden 

Died: 1850 Hamburg, Erie, New York

FATHER

Samuel Moore 

MOTHER

Rachel Stone 

WIFE

1. Anna Gillman

2. Deborah Stogden

Notes on John Moore
by Susan Brooke
Dec 2012

"Residence: Sparta, Ontario.  John Moore's house in 1824 in Sparta, ON, directly beside the Friends Meeting House property, still stands as a fine example of pioneer architecture and is noted as an historical site in the town."

The Moore house was built by an important settler belonging to a significant family, and, in my opinion, for this alone the house deserves to be maintained. John was the son of Quaker and Loyalist Samuel Moore. In the words of the St. Thomas businessman, Adam Hope, Samuel “lost a beautiful estate in New Jersey for his adherence to British interests during the Revolutionary War.” John and his brothers, Elias and Enoch, settled in Upper Canada before the War of 1812, and moved to Yarmouth and area a few years later. John built his fine house in the mid-20s. He cultivated a large farm and won the respect of his local community. Despite a Quaker background which led many adherents to eschew ephemeral worldly issues and controversies and persuaded that the wrongs of the province needed righting, he aligned himself with the local reformers, taking an active role in the agitation leading up to the rebellion of 1837. Though he did not shoulder arms himself in 1837 (he was in his mid-60s), he was tried and found guilty of treason for, in the eyes of the authorities, helping lead others astray. Though sentenced to death, he did not pay the ultimate penalty, though his son Joseph did, dying in prison from an illness contracted there. The government of the day, perhaps influenced by members of the Quaker community who interceded on his behalf, ultimately decided that John’s sins, such as they were, could be forgiven. He was granted bail in August 1838 and pardoned that October.

John’s brothers, M.P.P. Elias and Enoch, a former deputy sheriff, were equally implicated in the rebellion. Both were jailed, though Elias was freed without being tried. Enoch found himself before the court, however, and, like John, having been found guilty, was subsequently pardoned.....

.....They devoted their energies and assets to the public good. Ironically, their father, Samuel had lost his “beautiful” property to the American rebels. It would be a singular tragedy if we were now to lose John’s beautiful house over two hundred years later to those who cannot appreciate the past.

The above is an extract from a letter from Colin Read, a former president of the Ontario Historical Society, and resident of the area, urging the Mayor and Council to preserve the John Moore House.  (9)

The newspaper clipping at right is from the New Yorker , Saturday, June 2, 1838.  John, Elias and Enoch's brother, Lindley Murray Moore had just been to Canada to request a pardon for his brothers.  Anne Mott, the mother-in-law of Lindley Murray Moore, wrote to her grandson, Edward Mott Moore on June 5, 1838. "probably thou hast heard the additional trial thy father has had to sustain on account of his brothers John & Enoch situation, they having been tried for treason & condemned to death - L’y went to Toronto & had an interview with the Governor; who received him favorably but as he has not the power to pardon, he has respited them & presented the matter the government in England - probably the punishment may be commuted to banishment." (1)

Mackenzie's  British, Irish, and Canadian Gazette - June 23, 1838
"More oppression!  The (U. C.) London Gazette of the 16th inst. gives the following names of prisoners who left that place on inst Saturday morning under an escort for Toronto.  It is likely they are to be transported: - 'Nathaniel Deo, Horatio Fowler, Finlay Malcolm, Joseph Hartis, James Bell, John Arthur Tidey, John Kelly, Paul Bedford, Harvey Briant, John Moore, Enoch Moore, and Edward Carman."  The Editor adds that Alviro Ladd, Ebenezer Willcox and Robert Cook still remain in Goal."  (8)

In July of 1838, John was apparently being held at the Hamilton Jail in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  Abigail Mott Moore, sister-in-law to John Moore, wrote to her son Edward Mott Moore saying, "Uncle S Moore's son William who has lived in Canada for two or three years was here a few days since on his way to his fathers, he says things have got to such a pap in Canada that he is not willing to remain there any longer, he intends taking his wife and children and going to the west - but with not - without seeing his father first -  he was not enjoying good health, looks thin & miserable. He stopped on his way at Hamilton and requested to see his uncle John, but was not permitted to do so. The latest accounts from that country through the papers are more favorable, I hope peace and quiet will yet be restored without blood shed.  No returns from England yet with regard to those who have received their sentence." (2) 

John Moore was released from prison some time later and in October of 1838 made a visit to his brother, Lindley Murray Moore, in Rochester, New York.  Lindley's wife, Abigail, wrote to their son, Edward Mott Moore at that time, "A few days after thou left us thy uncle J Moore came here, and has been with us since, he is thinking of going in Ohio and spending the winter with his brother Joseph; I think it is the best thing he can do for there he will be out of the way of hearing and seeing much of the difficulties of his country, by which he is now much excited.  I fear to his injury - he is much altered in appearance, he looks 20 years older than thy father, and his health is much impaired; but what I most regret is he is a politician! Uncle Enoch was not released at the time J was, but about two weeks since he was permitted to go home, and from some remarks which we have heard of his making since his release I have no doubt but he would take up arms should there be another out break." (3)  Edward had written to his mother in that same month, " P Collins says he saw you at R(Rochester) but says that Uncle John had better keep out of Canada if he talks as he did." (4)

Abby wrote further of John and Enoch in another letter dated December 12, 1838. " Father had a letter from Uncle John a few days since he is in Ohio at Uncle Josephs and expects to stay there all winter, we have heard nothing particular from Uncle Enoch since his release. There has been about twenty prisoners sent to Van Diemen's Land , amongst them is G S Packer, for whom there is much interest both in Canada and here, he formerly resided in this place, and is a man much respected and beloved, his wife and eight children are now here dependent upon the generosity of the artisans, his property having been all taken from him or rather them after his arrest. So it is probably the prisoners will stop at Liverpool and there wait until a ship may sail for Van Diemen's Land - it was thought best to make application to the Rome government on their behalf, accordingly Parker’s wife petitioned the queen and father enclosed it to William Allen giving him a statement of the case, he also wrote to Jonathan Backhouse telling him that the prisoners had been condemned without a trial & we hope they will not be suffered to go any further than England. Canada is still in a very trying unsettled state and the inhabitants are constantly leaving the country." - (5)  Further in that same letter, Abby wrote,  "Mary Wilson (wife of Davis) was buried two weeks ago this day her complaint was cancer in the breast, she will be very much missed in Farmington Meeting, for altho they number pretty strong there I fear there are but few pillars and indeed I think but few meetings can boast of such polished pillars as she was. Uncle John went to see her when he was at Farmington, but pronounced hers an incurable case."   This may indicate that John Moore was a practicing physician.

By 1839 the brothers were out of prison.  But the unrest still continued in Canada.  In June of 1839 Abigail Mott wrote to her daughter, Ann Moore, "J Allen told father yesterday that he has just seen a man from Canada who told him that the governor of C had sent for thy uncles J and E Moore to come see him, saying he had heard that the official who swore against them during their trial had sworn falsely." (6)

Life must have quieted down for the brothers after 1839.  John must have gone back to Canada to live.  Then in 1850 his brother Lindley Murray Moore was informed of John's death.  Lindley Murray Moore wrote to his son, Edward Mott Moore, "I had a letter from Henry Cull of Yarmouth. Thou mayst remember him. He & Lawton, thou knowest, argued with me against temperance very fiercely one day. He has been supping sorrow from his intemperate habits for years. He wrote me a letter to inform me of the decease of my brother John. His principal object seemed to be on behalf of his widow with a view of raising $800 to clear his estate of debt. I told him I could get no one to lend money on land in Canada, the distance being so great & in another government, & at 6 per cent while it commands 7 per cent in NY. I told him they must raise the money there & not suffer a farm worth $8,000 to be sacrificed for one tenth of that amount. With regard to my brother J’s death. He died at last a victim to that rashness for which he had been noted thro life. It appears he mounted a young horse to break him, but was thrown & injured. He did not think himself much hurt & set out, I believe, the next day for Hamburg near Buffalo. He got there & was almost immediately taken with event internal which terminated in his dissolution in the course of a day or two. The Dr alleged his fall to be the cause. I suppose he died, as near as I could collect from H Cull’s letter, just about the time I was in Buffalo, only a few miles from that place. He had a constitution, if taken care of, to have lasted him 100 years. (7)
 

Sources

(1) Letter of Anne Mott to her grandson, Edward Mott Moore, 6th mo 5th 1838.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.

(2) Letter from Ann Moore and Abigail Mott Moore to Edward Mott Moore, 7th Mo 4th 1838.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.

(3) Letter from Abigail Mott Moore to Edward Mott Moore, 10 mo 21 1838.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.

(4) Letter from Edward Mott Moore to his parents, 10th mo. 5th, 1838.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.

(5) Letter from Abigail Mott Moore to Edward Mott Moore, 12 mo 12, 1838.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.

(6) Letter from Abigail Mott Moore to her daughter, Ann Moore, 6 mo 1st 1839.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.

(7) Letter from Lindley Murray Moore to Edward Mott Moore, 6 mo 30, 1850.  Letter on file with the Edward Mott Moore Papers at the University of Rochester.