Grandfather - Daniel Moore, Civil War Veteran (Northern) Kentucky Cavalry Co. He died 1916 at Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma.
Grandmother - Nancy Taylor Moore, mother of seven boys and one daughter. She died 1921 in Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma. |
After discharge from the northern army, Daniel Moore and new wife Nancy, after raising their eight children, the youngest approximately five or six years old, moved to Oklahoma in early 1890's. They had operated a farm in Kentucky, also operated and collected fees at a toll gate on a Kentucky Turn-Pike.
The family came to Oklahoma by train. John, Harold's dad and a younger brother, Frank (age 16), came through in a box-car on a freight train with several of their domestic animals. They had to feed and take care of their animals during transit, which was probably a week or more. Dad had to hide Frank behind some hay or something as they allowed only one person to accommodate the animals. When the freight train would enter a town of any size, it had to stop and take on freight and also unload some, and there was always railroad detectives checking the cars for hobos and other violations. They made it through without too much trouble.
Grandfather, after farming on a farm east of Guthrie later sold his farm and bought some vacant building lots in Guthrie, which was a booming town at that time, State Capitol of Indian Territory, built two story houses, one to rent out and one for their own use. By that time most of the boys had gone out on their own at farming. Dad leased a farm near Shawnee on Kickapoo Indian land where he batched, did his own cooking and cleaning his small makeshift cabin. He said several times he would see Indians sneaking around, but they never did threaten to brother him. After some time living as a bachelor, he met a young girl, Willa Paris, about eight years younger than he. I presume he met her at some community literary party. They used to have these party's quite often, for people to meet, have dances, have pie suppers and play games, all clean fun. After courting for a time, they married January 2, 1901, in Guthrie. After they married, dad had enough saved up to buy a farm east of Guthrie on Bear Creek which was a pretty good bottom land farm. He had to build a house and barn and other buildings.
At this place the first three children were born. Dale on April 1, 1903, Harold on January 25, 1905 and Daisy on May 3, 1907.
About 1909 dad traded this farm for a farm near Coyle, about ten miles north East of Guthrie. This farm was across the road from mothers parents, J. B. & Sally Paris and their family. They still had five children at home, older ones had married and gone on their own. Their youngest son was about Dale's age, so we had a lot of good times together, flying kites, playing games and went to the same school, which was one mile from our house.
After living at this Coyle location about four years, Dad traded this farm for one seven miles West of Mulhall, which was about twenty five miles north and west of our Coyle farm. We moved to the Mulhall farm 1st of January 1912, one of the coldest winters ever. We had to build a bonfire out in the yard to get warm till we could get the kitchen wood stove set and stove pipe connected before getting a fire started in it. But it was really cozy when we did get settled in. It was a real nice house two story, 3 bedrooms up stairs and one bed room down.
A large living room and large kitchen and dining area and a pantry. A storm and storage cellar at the back door. It also had 1 large barn with several stables and granaries. Another good thing school was just across the pasture from our house, just about one half mile to the school.
When Harold and Dale were ready for high school John Moore sold the farm and moved the family to Guthrie. He had three or four rental houses which he maintained. He leased the pasture across the road from his house for his cows. He sold eggs, chickens and dairy products to neighbors within walking distance. Sometimes I would go with him to make a few deliveries. He also served as bailiff when court was in session. He also worked at Furrow's greenhouse at one time as did Harold and Dale when they were in high school. |
