Notes |
- [Addressed to: Miss Electa Moor, Juliet, Will County, Ill, probably late February, 1841 or 1842.]
Dear children, I now write to let you know that we are well. Owing to the cold weather we did not arrive at Andover till the eighth day. We met with no accident, but suffered severely with the cold, but did not quite freeze. We found Morrison and Mary living in the company house. They had been expecting us a long time. Our house was not done so we had to move in with them; not very convenient. Mary was invited and accordingly went to a splendid party at xxx Thompson's for the purpose of celebrating Gen. Washington's birthday. Morrison has bought a quarter section of land at Red Oak Grove with a small house on it to which they will move the first of April, so he will not go to Missouri this year, but says he shall before a great while. After paying for his land he will have his mare, six oxen, one cow and calf, twelve hens left. The distance from us is eight miles. Morrison and Mary, your father and I have been to Rock Island, found the market very poor. English goods high and had hard work to get a shilling per pound for butter, brought our cheese back, bought nothing worth mentioning. When the boats come with goods will be cheaper and more plentyful. If Eliza has money she had better buy all her little articles at Juliet [Joliet] for there's not much of a store kept here. She had better fetch her coverlet yarn too and get it woven at Richland Grove. Your father and Reubin work like niggers at splitting rails and have got almost done. They have neither of them spent an hour of needless time since we came here, and I am making shirts for the boys. We feel a great deal of anxiety about you and especially at night all the rest are asleep. The boys must take good care of everything or Dan will not get that black lamb. Electa, your father says you must take care of the pork and if the brine gets out put in more water and salt. I wish you would twist all the stocking yarn for there is not a wheel within ten miles of this xxx. Mary wrote us a letter long ago, which she expected we had received before we left home. If it's in the post office now let it stay there. I want you should write as soon as you get this. Write everything about everybody, about the calves, lambs, and everything else. I want to see you all and especially that poor little thing. Give my love to Mrs. Waldrum [?] and family, to William, Mrs. Hartshorn [?], Pruggs Billings, and all that enquire. I expect your father will be out as soon as the grass will do. Write. Tell Dan that the fellow who draws off this sheet wants to see him and John. I think Mary was thankful for the present that you sent her especially the two yards. Your father wants John to tell Mr. Davison he should always doctor all the calves, lambs, pigs in season, except that one that runs. You must correct the mistakes and straighten the lines yourselves for I cannot spend time. Adieu for the present. Signed John & D. [Deborah] Moore [A list of names of family members that presumably should read the letter is on the left margin.- Mr. & Mrs. Davison, Electa and Eliza Moore, John & Dan Moore.]
[October 2008, revised notes, by Bill Pixley. regarding letter written by Deborah Sherman Moor.]
Capt. John and Deborah Sherman Moor(e) arrived in IL in 1836 from NH. They stayed at New Lenox Twp., near Joliet several years before settling in Andover, Henry, IL. By that time, Priscilla and Mary, the oldest daughters were married. Priscilla and John Davison would remain in New Lenox because of the huge acreage they owned. Mary C. and Morrison Francis would have to acquire their own land and went to Henry Co., IL, apparently with a land company or firm whose mission was to settle easterners in Henry Co. According to Morrison Francis' obituary, "within a year or two of his marriage"--23 Apr 1840--"Mr. Francis opened a farm on the prairie south of here"--Andover--"near Red Oak Grove". Since the letter states that Morrison was about to move to Red Oak Grove, it would likely have been in 1841 or 1842. A search of land records should establish a more exact date. The party, celebrating "General Washington's birthday" (22 Feb), indicates the Moores and Reuben S. Sherman traveled from Joliet to Andover about February. So we have a date of February or March 1841 or 1842, when the letter was written. The "Reubin" in the letter working with John, must have been the son of Deborah's brother, Reubin, Jr. This boy, Reubin S. Sherman, was born in 1823, of Reubin, Jr., and Ruth Smith Sherman. He did not remain in IL, but returned to NH and married, 16 Sep 1847, Adeline Little and fathered four children. He died in Lisbon, NH, 14 Feb 1896, age 72.
Henry County, IL, biographical sketch (pg. 227) for Morrison Francis who was no longer living (d. 1873), so information was given totally by his wife, Mary Crary Francis:
"Mrs. Mary C. Moore Francis was born Sept. 13, 1820, in Lisbon, NH. She is of Irish extraction, and her grandfather, John Moore, was a native of NH. He also married a lady of NH birth and they raised seven (sic) children. John J. (sic) Moore, the father of Mrs. Francis, was born in Bedford, Merrimac Co, NH. He was a farmer and married Deborah, daughter of Reuben Sherman. She was born in New Hampshire and came with her husband in the Spring of 1836 to Hickory Creek, Will Co., Ill. In 1840 they came to Henry County and located in the township of Andover, where they died."
Encyclopedia of Biography, Walter Goodman Cowles sketch, pg. 29.
Giving a descendancy of Moor(e)......"their son Capt. John Moor (1790) and his wife, Deborah (Sherman) Moor, the latter named daughter of Reuben Sherman, and they were the parents of Mary C. Moor, aforementioned."
Baral Cache-- Capt John Moore, Jr b. Bedford, Merrimack Co, N.H.. on 29th Oct, 1790; d. 1849-50
John Moore and Deborah Sherman, b. June 3, 1787
Deborah Sherman (dau. Ruben Sherman & Priscilla Welch (or Webb) Concord, Grafton Co, State of New Hampshire on the 3rd day of June 1787 John Moore and Deborah Sherman, m. Nov 24, 1814
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=azgnilrets02&id=I38005
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