John Moore
Few, if any, of the residents of Xenia have been citizens thereof for a longer period of time than he of whom we give this brief biographical sketch. For many years he has lived here, an interested witness of the advancement and growth of the city and county, which have been so transformed by the energetic pioneers and their descendants as to bear not the slightest resemblance to the original dreary and unoccupied tract of land. Mr. Moore has aided in this development, and feels a pardonable pride in the results of his efforts.
Mr. Moore was born in the northern part of Ireland, County Tyrone, September 15, 1811. His parents were Thomas and Margaret (Wallace) Moore, and they had a family of four sons, all of whom are deceased except our subject. The parents died when John was but a lad, and in company with his uncle and aunts he emigrated to the United States in 1822. His grandmother, who was also of the party, died at sea. The Ship anchored at Quebec, Canada, and thence our Subject removed, still in company with his relatives, to Franklin County, Pa., in 1825. He remained there about five years, and learned the tailor's trade.
After a residence of a year in Columbus, Ohio, our subject came to Xenia, in 1831. He has thus lived here for almost sixty years. Here he continued to work at his trade until l876. He was united in marriage July 16,1840, with Miss Mary A. Monroe, a native of Xenia, and the daughter of David and Barbara Monroe, natives of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Moore became the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters, namely: Thomas M., George M.; Robert Wallace, now in Dayton; David, deceased; Anna, Mrs. Hibben; and Margaret L., Mrs. Jobe. Mr. Moore lost his wife, who had been to him a faithful companion for many years, December 19, 1884.
In his political affiliations Mr. Moore was originally a Democrat, later a Free-Soiler. He is a strong temperance advocate, but never held office, attending strictly to his own business. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. Two of his sons, George and Thomas, were soldiers in the Civil War. George enlisted in his sixteenth year, and served until the close of the war. Thomas served a few months in the latter part of the war. Mr. Moore is highly esteemed, and his name will be held in fond memory long after he has passed to his rest.
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Clark and Greene Counties, Chapman Bros., Chicago, published 1890