Our Story

Somerset County, Maryland, is where it all started. The first settlers of Somerset County, Maryland, came north out of Accomack and Northampton in Virginia. Many of our MOORE ancestors were dissenters, trying to escape the mandatory tithing to the Church of England.  The proprietors of Maryland wanted settlers and were much more tolerant of different religious beliefs.

At the time of the Revolution, the descendants of John MOORE, Sr., and related families extended over almost all the Little Creek Hundred (south of Broad Creek). Originally, the Little Creek Hundred was the Nanticoke Hundreds of Somerset County, Maryland.  The MOORES in the Nanticoke, Annamessex, and Little Creek Hundreds expanded at a very rapid rate, eventually causing an overpopulation that produced an exodus to new, unsettled territory. There was a large movement of Moore’s' to Georgia around 1790, and there was another movement to Missouri about 1840.

John MOORE, Sr., our 6th Great Grandfather, was born in 1665 in Kent, Queen Ann's, Maryland. John died on 31 December 1716, in Coventry, Somerset County, Maryland, at the age of 51. John married Anne Mitchell (Minshall) on 23 October 1685, in Stepney Parish, Somerset County, Maryland. Anne was born ca. 1666 in Morumsco, Somerset County, Maryland; died ca. 1719 in Somerset County, Maryland. Anne is the daughter of Jeffery Mitchell (Minshall) who was born 26 Mar 1620, in Wistaston, Cheshire, England and died 8 Apr 1675 in Morumsco, Somerset, Maryland. Anne's mother is Francis Carsley who was born 23 Mar 1624, in Northampton, Virginia and died 1678, Somerset, Maryland. John Moore, Sr. and Anne Mitchell possessed 150 acres on the west side of Morumsco Creek near the town of Kingston, Somerset County, Maryland.

John Moore Sr. and Anne Mitchell's 3rd child is our 5th Great Grandfather, William MOORE, Sr. William was born 30 August 1689, in Pocomico, Somerset, Maryland and died 1755, in Somerset, Maryland. William Moore married Elizabeth Shiles who was born 11 Apr 1692 in Manokin, Somerset, Maryland and died ca. 1766 in Manokin, Somerset, Maryland. Elizabeth Shiles is the daughter of Thomas Shiles, Jr., born 12 Nov 1668, in Wicomico, Somerset, Maryland and died 11 Oct 1737, in Somerset County, Maryland. Elizabeth's mother, Naomi Bozman was born 6 Feb 1672, in Manokin, Somerset, Maryland; Naomi died ca. 1716, in Somerset, Maryland.  William Moore and Elizabeth Shiles lived in Northern Somerset County their entire life.

William Moore's fifth child is our 4th Great Grandfather, Risdon MOORE, Sr. Risdon was born 1728 in Somerset County, Maryland; Risdon married Mary (Smyth) Smith of Dorchester County, Maryland ca. 1758 in Dorchester County.  Mary died in Guilford County, North Carolina ca. 1785. Risdon Moore sold his last piece of land in Dorchester County, Maryland and moved his family to Stokes County, North Carolina in March 1777 and subsequently, Surry and Guilford counties. Risdon was given land grants and purchased additional land on Deep River in Guilford County, North Carolina where he died in 1779 at age 51; Risdon was buried on a nearby hill. Risdon Moore Sr. commanded a company of North Carolina militiamen during the Revolutionary War. Risdon and his militia ranged the country searching for and suppressing Tories. Frequently, his raids resulted in house and barn burning, horse and cattle thievery, and crop destruction. Risdon was apt in mathematics and a skilled surveyor.  In 1778, Risdon was appointed deputy surveyor for Guilford County, North Carolina.

Risdon Moore and Mary's second child Smith (Smyth) MOORE is our 3rd Great Grandfather. Before his parents moved from Dorchester County, Maryland, Smith was a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Maryland, and served in that unit from 10 December 1776 through 10 May 1777. After moving with his parents to North Carolina, Smith MOORE served in the Revolution as Captain of Smith MOORE's Company of Colonel Samuel Isaac's North Carolina Regiment under General Nathaniel Greene. In 1792, Smith Moore became the postmaster at Guilford Courthouse (Martin Ville), in Guilford County, North Carolina. Smith MOORE married Mary (Mollie) DENT, widow of James Campbell and the daughter of Col. William Dent Sr. born 8 August 1730 in Prince Georges, Maryland and died 8 March 1805 in Wilkes, Hancock County, Georgia.  The Dents lived in Charles County, Maryland and achieved high military and political status in the Maryland Colony.  William Dent was elected to the North Carolina Assembly in 1775. After the war ended William Dent, as commissioner and county surveyor, planned the town of Martin Ville (Greensboro).  Smith and his family lived the remainder of their lives in Guilford County, North Carolina.

Smith Moore and Mary Dent's son is our 2nd Great Grandfather, Risdon Dent MOORE. Risdon Dent Moore was born 18 November 1791 in Guilford Court House, Guilford County, North Carolina, and died in 1886 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Risdon Dent MOORE married Mary Arseneth Mitchell on 14 January 1811 in Rockingham County, North Carolina. Arseneth Mitchell is the daughter of Leavin Mitchell and Nancy Polk of Rockingham County, North Carolina. Between 1812 to 1813, Risdon and Arseneth moved from Guilford County North Carolina to Sumner County, Tennessee. Risdon Dent Moore taught school at the Nolan School House and served as Sumner County Registrar and County Surveyor until his death in 1868 in Sumner County, Tennessee.  Risdon Dent MOORE and Arseneth MITCHELL were devoted members of the Christian Church.

Our Great Grandfather, Thomas Benton MOORE, Sr., the tenth and youngest child of Risdon Dent MOORE and Mary Arseneth Mitchell. Thomas Benton Moore, Sr. was born July 1834 in Portland, Sumner County, Tennessee and died 2 June 1906 in Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee. Thomas Benton and his wife Mary Ann Williams are buried in Maplecrest Cemetery, Portland, Sumner County, Tennessee. Thomas Benton was a farmer. Thomas married (1) wife Isabel Austin on 8 March 1856 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Isabel, the daughter of John and Rhoda Austin was born 12 February 1836 in Sumner County, Tennessee and died 17 July 1859 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Thomas and Isabel had one daughter, Laura Dent MOORE born 1857 in Richland Station (Portland) Tennessee.  On 7 January 1861, Thomas married (2) wife, Mary Ann WILLIAMS in Portland, Sumner County Tennessee. Mary Ann, the daughter of Josephus Williams and Emily Jane Robertson, was born January 1840 in Tennessee; Mary Ann died in 1921 in Mulloy, Robertson County, Tennessee.  Thomas Benton and Mary Ann were members of the McKendree Memorial Methodist Church in Portland, Tennessee. Thomas Benton and Mary Ann had eight children. Thomas Benton and Mary Ann's youngest son, John Gilford MOORE is our grandfather.

 

 

 

 

Source Material: The Descendants of John Moore of Somerset County, Maryland