The Resurrection of Moores Blog?

Hi Moore Family Member, this has got to be a record for silence! My sister Marye has suggested we try working  some communications on this bog. I'm for it!  I just got back from the 2013 Moore Memorial, and it was,  as always, inspirational for me.  As you may know, Connie and I are interested in genealogy. I'm becoming somewhat disenchanted with the Genealogical/Social Societies out there whose meetings we attend. We like genealogy for the historical aspects. One of our friends, a Jesuit who had taught Pacific School of Religion at Berkeley , and a smart guy, asked me why we liked genealogy and I told him  because of history. He suggested that the bad thing is when one uses theior heritage to lord it over those with less illustrious ancestors. In the case of my Jesuit friend, he was a black Jamaican with a Chinese father , and no idea of his slave ancestry.

Our Native American Ancestor (?)

People may know that within the Clark family for many years it has been said that we had a native American ancestor. I have heard it was Mama's mother, then I heard it was Papa's father. I have never found any real evidence of it though, and put that question on a back burner.

Last week I was contacted by a man (Michael Moody) from Wichita Falls, Texas. Mike was responding to a bulletin board note I had posted a long time ago trying to find info about Henry Clark, Papa Clarks paternal grandfather.

Mike and I quickly identified we were talking about the same Clark. Mike sent me a terrific piece of work he had done defining all of Henry Clark's descendents and on our branch down to William Richard Clark (Papa's father).

I noticed that Henry's wife, Elizabeth Peak, had a comment alongside her name: "said to be Cherokee".

I traced through his 12 pages and six generations to find there is a living female ggggrandaughter of Elizabeth Peak living in Garland Texas. her name is Lisa Wier. I contacted her and she agreed to a mitochondrial dna test. I heard from Lisa last night and she has submitted the kit. When her mtdna is evaluated and her haplogroup known, we will know if Elizabeth Peak was Native American. We would expect to see Q3 as a haplogroup for Native American. Western European Ancestry, which Connie and I are, would be R1B.

I have since found these other clues:

1. The 1835 Alabama Rolls of Cherokees East of Mississippi has an "Elizabeth Peck". ( She is listed on the same page as "Man Killer","Mink Widow","Money Cryer", "Nick Skin", "Sour Mush". "Stinking Fish", but also with more common names (to us) like John Pelone, John Riley, Andrew Ross, and Rising Fawn (Rising Fawn?). There are also some cool Tsalagi names such as Ooh la neah tah, and Naw ea luke.

2. Per the 1850 Federal Census, she could neither read nor write. I find this unusual as her neighbors could read and write. Is it because she grew up speaking Tsalagi?

3. I already had the name "Elizabeth" from somewhere else.

4. In the early 1800's, it was common for white men to marry Cherokees in North Georgia because there were lots of single men who came to mine gold. Northern Alabama was a part of North Georgia immediately before 1819.


5. When the Trail of Tears migration commenced in 1835, Cherokees who were married to white men could remain legally with their families. In 1835, 31 year old Elizabeth would have had a 6 year old (Josiah) and a 4 year old (William Richard Clark, my great greatgrandfather)

6. I now have her daughter Martha's Texas Death Certificate and see Martha's Mother (Elizabeth) was referred to as "Betsey".

I find this very exciting!

Mike

2007 Moore Memorial

Connie, John W. Moore, Mary Moore and I flew back to the MM this year and had a great time. Connie and I had some genealogy work to do at the Phillips Freewill Cemetery near Sumiton looking for papa's grandparents. Maeola and Jerry picked us up at our hotel and we spent the day at that cemetery and in Dora with them.

That night Annette had us all over for dinner.

Thursday afternoon we picked up John and Mary at BHM. Friday we went back to Dora with John and Billy Waters as John is still trying to find Yerkwood where he and my dad lived as a child. (Some may know that I almost got run out of Dora last year when I scared a lady who was living in the house Patricia was born in and Dad and John grew up in, and I thought was vacant!)
Friday night we had a dinner party at Becky's and JCs. Saturday was quieter. Connie and I spent the morning taking some photos for Ken Jones (a Texas historian who is trying to identify as many CSA burials as he can), and also for two new Turner family friends I met; one is Ft. Worth Texas

(Rhonda) and one in Virginia (Tami Ramsey). We are cousins as we all descend from Cynthia Turner, James Bonaparte Moore's wife.
We also met a cousin Jason Moore, descended from Peyton Moore, from the George Washington Moore branch. He will be out here next week or so. We have volunteered to jointly take over the Moore Web Page Charles Johnston had built.

Saturday night there was a barbecue at the cabin. Some of us went to the Tannehill Opry House down near Bucksville. This is something I look forward to every year.

The Memorial service Sunday was a time to remember all our loved ones while picking up credit for going to churchon Sunday. It was run by the G Washington Moore's branch and was very nice. It was the first time I remember when the veterans were honored.

Sunday Evening, John and Mary treated us all to a special dinner at the Bright Star which was most enjoyable.

I met a gentleman (Mr. Nabors from Bessemer) on the plane from Dallas who gave me some names of contacts at the Birmingham Municipal Water District. He thinks I should be able to arrange a tour of the Cahaba Heights Pumping Station, where out ggrandfather James Trott worked. I plan on seeing if we can do that.

Graduation; Marriage

Hey everybody! Just wanted to shoot a quick post since I am finally catching my breath after the past few weeks. As many of you know, Shea and I were married in a small ceremony at Dad's house on Friday evening, May 4th. The following day, I graduated from Faulkner University with my BBA, which I didn't attend, BECAUSE the next day Jessica graduated from the University of South Florida - St. Petersburg with her education degree. I am so proud of her, not only because she was by far the most beautiful graduate in the building, but because I have seen first hand the hard work she put into it. In three days, our family gained a sister and two college degrees! Jessica and I are both already headstrong into our Master's programs and Shea is busy knocking out her elementary education degree at UAB.

As for married life, we moved in two weeks ago and things are great so far! We have both been busy with school, work, and getting settled, but finding time to spend with each other. There is still some adjustment, but I couldn't be happier and I am somewhat sure she feels the same :) I will send each of you wedding pictures as I get them from the CD. Look for them in the mail in the next few weeks!

<-----Shea and my lil bro, Perry!

We love you guys and hope to talk to everyone soon!

Marye Albritton Selected!

I am so proud of my little sister Marye!
Marye, as you know is an RN.
I recently found that she has been selected as a Crew Resource Manager for a program her hospital is instituting called "LifeWings." Here are the issues: recent studies show that going into a hospital is more dangerous than commercial aviation. 98,000 people each year die due to hospital errors. The United States rates right at the bottom of the western world in this type of error. The purpose of Life Wings is to reduce those errors. They do it by the same type of team training, cross checking, and awareness of circumstances used by astronauts, pilots etc. In fact, the company was founded (1999) by a US Navy Top Gun pilot and a commercial pilot for FedEx. A partner is Rhea Seddon, MD, who flew on three shuttle missions.
From what I can tell, Marye has her work cut out for her; I imagine the interpersonal skills involved in this must be challenging. I am sure Marye's patient, sweet , and non-judgemental approach to people will carry the day for her! Let's all wish her well.
I get more enthusiastic about this the more I read about it. (Our family doctor said everyone's objective should be to stay OUT of the hospital!)
A typical improvement I have read about is to cut surgery errors doen from 1 every 60 days to 1 every 619 days-a 90% reduction!
Just imagine this-if a doctor did a heroic measure on someone and they made a miraculous recovery, he/she would be a hero. But the lives, even if only one, which may be saved in Marye's hospital are every bit as important and she will have a direct connection to delivering that training. The difference is that no one will know about the accidents that never happened because of the LifeWings training. She has a big responsibility.
You can google "LifeWings" and find lots of good information about this fine program. I merrily plagiarized all that I've stated here from that resource.
Love to All,
Mike Moore

Our Ancestor Mary Janie Johnson Clark

MARY JANIE JOHNSON was born Sept 7 1888 to Alsey Johnson and Martha Ann Marilla Watson Johnson. Alsey was 62, Martha’s age is unknown. Martha died in 1890, Alsey died in 1898 at age 72. We think Alsey had remarried and she had also died before Alsey, but we don't that wife's name.

The 1900 Federal Census finds Mary J Johnson, 11, living in Zion, Walker County, Alabama, with William H. Norris, 53 and his wife, Nancy J Norris, 53. William is head of the household, Nancy is his wife; Mary J Johnson is listed as “boarder”. William’s occupation is listed as “miller”. She likely would have lived there ever since Alsey died in 1898. Mary’s is listed as a “servant”. (Maeola Smith recalls Mama saying that her father dropped her off there.)
Notes I found in Lettie Moore’s documents included a 5 page transcription of an interview with Mama Clark. Some of the things Mama Clark said now make more sense. “William” in her notes, was probably William Norris. “Aunt Nans” was probably William Norris’s wife, Nancy J. Norris.
In the spring of 1898, William Norris moved across Blackwater (Creek) and was engaged in farming with Alsey Johnson. Alsey became sick that spring, before the crop was in, and died by June of 1898. 10 year old Janie was left with the Norrises, her stepmother also having died.
She said that although she liked Aunt Nans, she says William was not good to her at all. At one point she said William had her go to Jasper to buy him wine. She alludes to worse treatment by William.
She eventually ran away, I surmise because of William. She left the Norrises with her clothes in a box and got a job with Lettie Bowers in Hassell, Tuscaloosa County. She was paid $2 for the first week, then $1.50 week.
Lettie Bowers husband, Edgar, was a Civil Engineer, and also owned a mill. I would guess that he was still an engineering student when his wife, Lettie, hired Janie who was probably between 12 and 15 years old. The Bowers family seemed to flourish as Edgar had an Engineering Consulting Company by 1910, and they had several more children.

I wonder if Lettie Clark Moore was named to honor Lettie Bowers, who must have been a bright spot in young Janie Johnson’s life.

She married Vander Clark, 3 months before her 16th birthday. By the 1910 Census, Janie Clark was 21, mother of Lattise and Audry Clark (spelling per the census!) Her husband, JS Clark, 21, was a coal miner.

Their nearby neighbors were Oli Joe Clark and his family, the next house down was Vander’s father and mother, William Richard Clark, 69 and Elizabeth (Matilda Rice) Clark son Chalmer, 25 was living with them. Both William Richard and Chalmer were coal miners. William Richard Clark had formerly been a farmer.
On the other side of the parents house was papa’s brother, Marion, 42, and his wife Daisy, 38 and their children.

One of the mysteries I don’t understand: In the 1920 census, Lambert Rice 33, is head of a household. His wife is Viola, 29. Their next door neighbor is Marg Rice, 52 and her daughter Bertha (?) and son Henry. Marg is listed as head of the household. There is also a 72 year old female named Margret Clark who is listed as “mother”. Clearly she is mother of Marg Rice, 20. Margret Clark, 72 is William Richard Clark’s sister. She and her 14 year old daughter, Marg, show up in the Henry Clark household in the 1880 census as Margret Clark and her daughter Marg Clark, along with a 5 year old named Annie Roggers. What were the workings of that relationship? Were those Rice’s related to Papa’s mother Elizabeth Matilda Rice? I expect they were. If anyone can add to this, please do!

Mary Janie Johnson Clark died on 10 January, 1976, and is greatly missed.

Our Ancestor William Richard Clark (1841-1921)

We find William Richard Clark listed in the 1850 Federal Census, as an 11 year old living in Walker County, Alabama with his parents Henry Clark, 44 (b South Carolina.) and his mother Elizabeth Clark, 36,(b Georgia). Both of the parents’ birthdates pre-date Alabama’s statehood. State boundaries were wildly changing immediately before Alabama Statehood, so we don’t know how far the parents were from their birthplace. William Clark lived with brothers Josiah 18, James A 14, Jerrymiah 12, and sisters Mary 16, Margaret 9, Milly 7, Martha 3, Sarah 6 mos. All the children were born in Alabama. They had a 54 year old named Millie Williams living with them who is listed in 1850 as a “spinster”, but in 1860 is a “domestic”, Millie Williams can neither read nor write and was born in South Carolina. By the 1860 census, John, 8 had been added. Millie Williams is now listed as 75 years old. The father, Henry’s occupation was listed in 1850 and 1860 as a farmer. Henry Clark, William Richards’ father, appears in the 1880 census living with Elezbeth, 65, Margret A Clark, 38, and Marg S. Clark 14, Mary Clark 13 and Annie E Roggers, 5. (What happened to Margret’s husband? The war? Why is the youngest called Roggers and the other kids Clark?) In 1860, we find William Richard Clark, born in Dora near the Forks of the Sipsey and Mulberry Rivers, enlisted at Jasper as a Private in Company G, 26th Alabama Infantry under Captain B.M. Long. In March, 1865, he transferred to the Cavalry and was cut off at Milledgeville, Ga, while in the escort party to Jefferson Davis. He later escaped and made his way home. By the 1880 Census, 39 year old WR Clark was living with his wife, Elizabth M Clark 30,and Richard L. 14, Marion Y. 12, Elizabeth D. 10, Arrena 7, Robert RG 5, Joseph R 2. By 1900, the household included Richard 58, Elyzabeth 52, Nauder 18, Vander 15, Chalmer 13, and Mardie 10. In the 1920 census, William Richard Clark, 77, was living with his son 33 year old Chalmer in Dora. A next door neighbor is Marg Rice, 52, Her mother, 72, lives with them. Her name is Margaret Clark. My guess is that she may be William Richard Clarks sister. William Clark died the next year, on April 7 of 1921. He is buried in a Church of God cemetery on the opposite side of Highway 78 from Dora, but on the same road as I recall. Maeola Smith has found his grave one year for us. His wife, Elizabeth Matilda Rice Clark (per Mama's Bible) had earlier passed on 20 April 1919.