Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Volume III

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

MOOR This surname, identical with More, Moore, Muir, Mure and Moir in Scotland, is credited with various derivations, the most obvious being the taking of the name from the race of Moors, in the same way that we find such names as Scott, English, French, etc. The Scotch family of this name was established before 1263, in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire. When King James planted the English Presbyterians in the north of Ireland, the history of the Scotch-Irish there began. In the precinct of Orier, county Armagh, one thousand acres were granted to Sir Gerald Moore, knight, privy councilor. In the precinct of Tullagharvy, county Cavan, fifteen hundred acres were granted to Brent Moore, and Archibald (Arthur) Moore. In the precinct of Portlough, county Donegal, Hugh and William Moore were settlers as early as 1613. In 1629, in the precinct of Lurg and Coolemakernan, county Fermanagh, among the lessees of John Archdale, occur the names of Thomas and William Edward Moore. Sir Gerald Moore built a stone "bawn" (sic) and a small house "inhabited by an Irishman," on his thousand acres. Before 1630 Archibald Moor had a grant in Clonmahone, county Cavan, and there erected a strong sod "bawn" and an Irish house. From 1610 to the present time the Moor family of the north of Ireland have been practically all of pure Scotch ancestry, and Presbyterian in religion. In the three counties of Antrim, Londonderry and Tyrone one hundred and eighty-five of this surname were born in 1890, indicating a population in those counties alone of upward of eight thousand by the name of Moore or Moor. (I) Deacon James Moor, immigrant ancestor of the family in America, was born in 1702, in county Tyrone, Ulster province, Ireland, descended doubtless from one of the Scotch pioneers mentioned above. He died in Pembroke, formerly Suncook, New Hampshire, March 11, 1773. He came to America in 1725, and was one of the first settlers of New Hampshire at what was called Suncook by the Indians. He went to Londonderry on a tour of inspection, and secured the refusal of the rights of Joseph Farrar, June 5, 1729, bought the property by deed dated November 24, 1729, and used to say that his family was the second to settle in the township, where he built the first frame dwelling, which, altered from time to time, is yet standing on the old farm, and was lately occupied by Samuel Emery, grandson of the pioneer. Moor was deacon of the Presbyterian church, and a man of prominence. He married, in Ireland, Agnes Colbreth (family name also Colbath, Colbreath, and Galbraith). Vice-Presidence Henry Wilson was a Colbath by birth, having had his name changed after he was an adult. His ancestors came from the same section of Ireland as Agnes Colbreth-Londonderry or Tyrone. Children of James Moor: 1. James. 2. William, married Hannah _____. 3. Hannah, born August 5, 1732. 4. Ephraim, married (first) Hannah Rogers; (second) February 27, 1783, Jennie Moore. 5. John, had seven children at Pembroke. 6. Daniel, mentioned below. 7. Robert, born May 1, 1741, married Ruhamah Mitchell. 8. Daughter, married Robert Kelsea. 9. Daughter, married Ephraim Foster. 10. Eunice, married September 24, 1781, James Merrill, of Chichester. (II) Captain Daniel, son of Deacon James Moor, was born in Pembroke, New Hampshire, June 21, 1735. He settled in Deerfield, adjacent to Pembroke, and became a prominent citizen and soldier. He was friendly with the Indians until the French and Indian war, when the Indians left the vicinity of Pembroke, and went to Canada, committing outrages and taking prisoners on the way. Moor was in service against them. When the revolution broke out he was one of the first on his way to Lexington at the head of a company and fought under Colonel John Stark at Bunker Hill, and stood at the side of Major McClary when he was struck with a cannon ball, and was one of those who opened a grave and buried him on the spot. He was also in service in 1776-77, and at the battle of Saratoga. Later in life he was a pensioner on account of his revolutionary service. He kept the first tavern in Pembroke. Some of his children spelled their name Moor, others Moore, and their descendants are similarly divided. Captain Moor married (first) Margaret White; (second) Elizabeth White, not a sister of his first wife, born March, 1738, died November 29, 1828, daughter of William White. Some of the children were born at Deerfield, others at Pembroke. By first wife: 2. Isaac, drummer boy at Bunker Hill, in his father's company. 3. James, married, June 21, 1787, Elizabeth Forrest, of Pembroke; was in his father's company as waiter or servant at battle of Bunker Hill. 4. Agnes, married David Robinson, of Deerfield. 5. Betsey. 6. Daughter, died young. Children of second wife: 7. Daniel, mentioned below. 8. Peggy, married _____ Hunt; settled at Cayuga Lake, New York. 9. Polly, married Joseph Prescott, of Deerfield; died at Garland, Maine, March 26, 1841. 10. Joseph, lost at sea. 11. Abigail, married (first) Gilman Fellows; (second) John Philbrick; lived in Waterville, Maine; she died at Skowwhegan, Maine, ninety-eight years old, and is buried at Waterville. 12. Nancy, born November 19, 1781, married Captain James Moore, of Pembroke. (III) Daniel (2), son of Captain Daniel (1) Moor, was born in Pembroke, February 17, 1771, died at Waterville, Maine, August 30, 1851. He was a soldier in the revolution. He removed to Winslow, now Waterville, Maine, in 1798. He was a farmer. His three eldest sons were engaged in boating and lumbering, and kept a general store. They built river steamers by the score, sold five in California, two of their steam vessels were bought by Cornelius Vanderbilt Sr. for use in the South American trade, and several went to Nova Scotia. A large number plied the Kennebec, and it was a common sight to see half a dozen at a time at the wharf in Waterville, where the Lockwood mills now stand. In 1848 there were five steamboats plying daily between Waterville and Augusta. Daniel Moor married Rebecca Spring, born September 19, 1771, died August 14, 1831, daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Norcross) Spring. Children: 1. Joseph March, born 1798, married Caroline Barnerville. 2. Agnes, 1800. 3. Julia, 1803. 4. William, see forward. 6. Daniel, 1809, died February 14, 1890; married Mary Ann Moore. 7. Wyman Bradbury Sevey, 1811, died March 10, 1869; was a well-equipped lawyer; became prominent in politics; was for a time United States senator from Maine; afterward consul-general to Canada, residing in Montreal; held important government position in Washington City, where his death occurred from effects of impure water; married Clara Ann Cook. 8. Rebecca Elizabeth, 1814, died March 30, 1902; married Rev. Freeman Tilton; (second) Rev. Arthur Drinkwater. (IV) William, son of Daniel (2) Moor, was born March 1, 1805, died in Minneapolis, 1872. He was in partnership with his brothers in the ship-building business, as described above. In the forties he and his brother Daniel built a long four-story building in which they manufactured gang-saws, iron and steel shovels, and operated a plaster mill and grist mill. Part of the building was also used by the firm for storage for their extensive grain and feed business and merchandise. This building was lost by fire July 15, 1849, was rebuilt, and burned down again in 1859. After the Maine Central railroad came to Waterville from Portland, ship-building and trading on the river collapsed, and the vessels were sent to other ports. Mr. Moor married, September 10, 1832, Cornelia Ann Dunbar, born January 9, 1809, died October 13, 1883, daughter of Lemuel, born May 3, 1781, died August 16, 1865, and Cordana (Fobes) Dunbar, of Bridgewater, born October 1, 1783, died April 18, 1869. Her father was son of Peter and Alice (Alger) Dunbar, grandson of Samuel and Mary (Hayward) Dunbar, and great grandson of James and Jane (Harris) Dunbar. James Dunbar was a son of Robert and Rose Dunbar, who came from Dunbar, Scotland, and settled in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1650. (Hingham History.) Jane Dunbar was daughter of Isaac and Mercy (Latham) Harris, granddaughter of Robert and Susanna (Winslow) Latham, and great-granddaughter of John and Mary (Chilton) Winslow. Mary Chilton came to Plymouth in the "Mayflower" with her parents, and was the first woman to step ashore at the landing of the Pilgrims: she died in Boston, in 1679. Children of William Moor: 1. Daniel Webster, born June 27, 1833, killed in California by the explosion of a steamboat, 1853. 2. Ann Cornelia, February 16, 1835, married, October 24, 1855, Dr. Nathan G. H. Pulsifer (see sketch). 3. William Alonzo, born November 24, 1838, died in Minnesota; married (first) Clara Day; (second) Estell _____; had three children by first and one by second wife. 4. Edwin B., born June 28, 1842, died 1892; married Clara Watson; (second) Estella Parker. 5. Andrew J., born December 22, 1846, died in 1895. Children of Lemuel and Cordana (Fobes) Dunbar: Otis, married Mary Talbot. Cornelia Ann, married William Moor. Olivia S., born September 3, 1811, died April 30, 1836. Mary Haywood, born August 27, 1816 died February 27, 1885; married a Mr. Coffin. Peter, born May 12, 1821, died March 3, 1861; for a second wife married a Garcelon. Edwin, married Eliza Joy. Alice Alger, born October 3, 1818, died September 16, 1900. Armenia Fobes, born November 28, 1823, died November 17, 1887. Lemuel, born April 17, 1826, died March 3, 1908.