The Moores gathered at Cedar Grove Church Family Life Center on Sunday, June 24, 2001.  Dan and Chuck and families hosted the reunion for the John Moore Family.  Our total attendance of 85 consisted of 82 family members and 3 guests.  Families were represented as follows:

Frank            5

Harry           4

Alvin             19

Bob   

Helen            6

Roger           9

John              7 and two guests (Lauren with Andy Paul & Aaron with Jessica)

Edith

Bill                 9

Clyde            11

Mary Ellen 1

Don               11

Rachel

Pauline Martin Arnett was the other guest.  She stopped in before lunch to say hello to all but in particular she wanted to visit with Aunt Helen.

 

After a wonderful meal, Dan called the business meeting to order.  Aunt Helen had been too ill to attend in 2000 but promised she would be there in 2001. And, were we ever glad to see her!  She said,  ÒI am just glad to be here.  It is so good to see everyone!

 

She was also happy to officially introduce her new daughter-in-law, Ruby.  Neil and Ruby were married December 31, 2000.  Ruby's son, Matt, graduated from high school in May and spent his last day of freedom with the Moores as he was to begin his tour of duty with the Army the following day. 

 

Aunt Alice was chuckling about how she and Uncle Bill were adjusting to becoming 80 years of age. 

 

Chuck shared that his older son, Lee and his wife Hilary are still stationed in Japan.  They called a short time before the reunion and said something about having BIG news.  Of course Chuck's mind chases ahead and can almost hear the kids telling him that he is going to be a grandpa.  In actuality, Lee and Hillary just got a blonde, Labrador puppy!!   

 

We had health updates on several family members:

Suzie was to have gall bladder surgery a couple of days after the reunion.

Barb Moore (Joe's wife) had been diagnosed with a blood clot in her leg.

Uncle Ken had several surgeries behind him and facing more.  He was so sorry to miss the reunion.

Mary Lou Moore recently discovered recurring health challenges

Uncle Bill was having problems with balancing his sugar

Aunt Helen was much improved since last year

So, we put these folks made on our prayer list for continued health and healing.

 

Gina announced that she and Mark have completed the addition to their home and her mother, Agnes Stebner, has moved into the annex.  Mrs. Stebner does not like crowds so did not come to the dinner but wanted each of us to know that we are welcome to stop to see her and visit whenever we find time. and, if we are lucky to time our visit correctly we'll have a chance to sample some excellent German cooking.

 

Judy read the minutes from the 2000 reunion and Joyce delivered the treasurer's report. The clock fund was closed with the purchase of the 50th wedding anniversary clock for Uncle Bill and Aunt Miriam.  All of the Arthur and Sadie Moore Children who celebrated 50 years of marriage received clocks.  The flower fund/general fund were $50 in arrears.  We had a lot of expense in the past year.

 

Flowers were sent for the funeral of Ethelene Harshman in September.  She is the lady who lived in and cared for Grandpa Moore and also Grandpa White. 

 

A donation was made to a friend of Edie's who was the primary caregiver for Ben Tomb.  She was at a transition point in her life and was very appreciative of memorial gift after Ben's death.  Joyce read a note received from her.

 

A donation was made to the Methodist Home in Warren, Indiana in memory of Aunt Mary Morrison Pendleton.  (Grandma Sarah Moore's sister)

 

A donation was made to the Diabetes Foundation in memory of Mr. Bryson, Judy Tomb's father.

 

A donation was made in memory of Jayne Moore Beckner to the American Cancer Society.

 

A donation was made to Cedar Grove Church in memory of Treva Timmons.

 

We had a moment of silence for these special people who went home before us during the previous year.

 

There was some discussion about how we determine if a memorial should be sent from the Moore Family.  There were no decisions reached.

 

Special celebrations in addition to the ones already mentioned are:

 

Jessica Moore graduated from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill the day before the reunion.  Then Chuck and his crew piled in two cars and drove all night in order to attend the reunion.

 

Don and Sylvia Moore's son, Tyler, graduated from high School.

 

Don and Sylvia are also happy about the arrival of their first grandchild in the fall.

 

Kathy & Alex Warner had two celebrations.  Lauren graduated from Greenville High school and Alison graduated from Miami University.

 

Mark and Gina were proud to announce that Lucas graduated from Tri-Village.

 

Max & Joyce's granddaughters, Amy & Amanda, graduated from high school.  Max and Joyce have a new great-grandson, Isaac Xavier Hamm born August 1, 2000.  He was born to Stacey Empsom Hamm and her husband Ben.  Stacey is PamÕs daughter.

 

Jerry Moore announced that he and Wanda Redkey would be traveling to Gatlinburg, TN the following week to be married.

 

Dan Moore announced that Kay's mother, Mrs. Mac, celebrated her 100th birthday and is still going like the Energizer Bunny.  She lives near Dan and Kay in Raleigh.  Dan was also happy to announce the arrival of their second grandson.  Tarquin Moore was born to Todd and Yvette in November of 2000.

 

There was a sign-up sheet for any family members wanting to participate in the Moore Family Shoot Out, I mean golf outing on August 4.

 

Nelson and Jan Moore have a new grandson.  Cameron James was born in February to the Neil Moore family.

 

Regan's daughter Darby and her husband Mike Doyle are expecting.

 

John Moore's (Harry's son) daughter Erin and her husband Jerry Socha adopted a Vietnamese son about 3 years ago.  His name is John.  Erin and Jerry adopted a second Vietnamese son in 2001.  His name is Paul.

 

Aunt Alice is looking forward to the arrival of her 2nd great grandchild.  Jodi and Tim are expecting in the fall.

 

Don & Georgia announced that David's son Jerrod will be getting married this summer.

 

Aunt Helen told about Uncle Frank's horse named Snip.  Snip didn't like Aunt Helen.  Every time she would go to the barn, Snip would chase her back to the house. 

 

Apparently Uncle Don has had custody of the breadbox from Grandpa's place.  Instead of being the place where bread was stored, this box contained records that unravel a big part of our family history.  Uncle Don had some spare time before the reunion and began reading all of the papers in the breadbox.  I was so wrapped up in hearing the tale that my notes were very sketchy.  So, Uncle Don was gracious enough to provide me with his notes.  Additionally, I have asked Daddy (Roger) to fill in some details about the earlier years.  This is rather long and more details have been added, but I think it is worth recording. The story goes as follows:

In 1916, the Arthur Moore Family moved to the Aukerman Farm which is located north west of Whitewater, Indiana on the Morine Road.  In 1918 Grandpa purchased a grain binder and hay mower on a two-year note.  In 1920, he planned to clear the debt with the sale of his hogs.  Just as the large healthy herd of hogs was ready for market an epidemic of hog cholera erupted and caused him to lose the entire herd.  The surrounding area was under quarantine.  There was no indemnity or insurance to cover such a loss at that time like there would be today.  This was a devastating financial blow to Grandpa and Grandma.  There are collection letters from Mrs. Aukerman wanting her back rent that followed for many years and testify to the difficult financial struggle during the remainder of the 1920's and through the 1930's.  John, Bill and Clyde were born on the Aukerman farm. 

 

The lane at the Aukerman place was very muddy.  They hauled gravel every year.  They lived there for seven years and until that last two years, they had to leave the car at the end of the lane because the lane was too muddy to drive without burying the car.  Grandpa and Frank worked in the railroad yard in Richmond during this time in addition to farming.  There were two dug wells on the farm.  Together they did not provide enough water for the house, barn and livestock.  They routinely carried water from the neighbors or sometimes dipped water from the creek for the livestock.

 

Clyde Nicholson was a young man who was renting a farm near the Moores.  He had run into some financial difficulties and had not paid his threshing bill for the previous year.  When the threshers came, they told him they would not thresh his wheat until he had cleared his old bill and prepaid for that year.  Nicholson had nowhere to turn and would have lost everything.  Even though Grandpa and Grandma were in real financial trouble because of losing all of the hogs, Grandpa sold a cow and gave the money to Mr. Nicholson so that he could get his wheat threshed.  Later, Mr. Nicholson gave Grandpa a harness in payment.

 

Grandpa asked Mr. Aukerman to drill a well but he wouldn't do it.  So in 1923, the Moore Family moved to the Frank Jones Farm that was also north west of Whitewater, Indiana on the Cart Road.  (The new renter on the Aukerman place got a drilled well because Mr. Aukerman began drilling before the Moores were moved.)  Mary Ellen and Don were born on the Jones place.  Frank, Ross, Harry and Alvin graduated from Whitewater High School.  Harry and Alvin were awarded scholarships to Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.  Harry graduated from Wittenberg.  Alvin attended two years, was in an auto accident, was newly married and expecting Max, so he began working full time.  He returned to college nights and weekends in the late 50's.  He attended Ball State in Muncie for some credits but finished his degree at Wittenberg using vacation time for class time and often spending the night with Aunt Helen and Uncle Fos.  He graduated in 1968 at age 58.

 

The Moores had lived at the Jones place three years when Frank and Ross went to a lodge meeting in Whitewater one evening.  They talked with Don Muchener and learned that his farm was about to be rented.  Grandpa checked on the farm right away, thought it was a better farm and made arrangements to rent it.  So, in 1927 the Moores moved from the Jones Farm to the Muchener Farm in Ohio.  This is the place back the long lane south of Cedar Grove Church.  When they moved here, it was summer time.  Daddy had the brooder house on his wagon.  He stopped to check on the chickens and found at least one dead from the heat.  He propped the door open as far as possible to allow better circulation, but by the time he got back the lane several other chickens had died.  There were several neighbors there to welcome the family and help.  They decided the chickens were OK so they canned them right there in Grandma's kitchen.

 

Now think about it from Grandma's perspective for just a minute.  Moving is an unbelievable chore even today.  But, just picture a hot steamy summer day with more than  a dozen kids running, animals being moved, loaded wagons lumbering down the lane making clouds of dust, open windows, neighbors and extra people everywhere, no running water, no electricity and people are cleaning and canning chickens in your kitchen in the middle of all the out of place furniture and mayhem!   Daddy said that they very much resembled a gypsy wagon train.  Wagons were loaded with hay, grain and straw, chicken and hog houses, furniture and clothes.  The animals were herded between the wagons with kids walking along beside to keep them in tow. 

 

Rachel was born at the Muchener Farm.  There were eight Moore kids boarding the school bus at the end of the lane.  Bob and Helen graduated from Hollansburg High School in 1931.  The following fall, Don started to attend school.  Both Harry and Frank got married while the family lived at the Muchener Farm.

 

In 1928 when Daddy was 13 years old, he took his team threshing for the first time.  He was excited and had his team decked out with bells and housing and leather fly nets.  Just as Daddy just pulled in, one of the threshers announced to all around that someone else would take Daddy's fancy equipment home.  The man said those bells and housing and fly nets would go home with the man who had the team that could out pull Daddy's team.  At 13 years of age, that had to have been a pretty scary confrontation.  But, Daddy thought about it a bit and surveyed the other teams that were gathered there.  Daddy told the man that his stuff was going home to his house that night 'cause the only team there that could possibly out-pull his was Uncle Ross' team, and only because they were about 250 pounds each heavier than Daddy's horses. 

 

That same threshing season, Daddy and one of the other young guys came to the house a bit early for lunch.  As they crossed the yard they noticed a whole row of fresh baked pies smiling at them from the kitchen windowsill.  They ran to the window, sneaked away with a custard pie, took it out in the shade, divided it and polished it off before lunch.  Nothing was said but when the dessert was being served after lunch and a piece of pie got to Daddy, Grandma Moore reached around him, took the piece of pie, passed it to the next person and said,  "I believe you've had yours."  The only problem in Daddy's mind was that Grandma didn't stop the other kid from have pie after lunch.

 

Apparently most people only put bells on their horses in the winter, but Daddy liked his team to have bells on all year around.  When the Brown family lived at the church parsonage beside the Muchener place, Daddy came down Love Road with his team ringing out a song in the middle of the summer.  Helen Brown came running out to ask why Daddy put bells on his horses in the summer when no one else did.  DaddyÕs reply,  "To scare hell out of the flies!"

 

In 1932, Don Muchener told Grandpa that he may be selling out.  Grandpa learned about the Oscar McClure Farm, the one most of us think of as Grandpa's house.   Mr. McClure was the same age as Grandpa Moore.  Up to that point, each time Grandpa had rented a farm, he had signed a contract.  The McClure place was thought to be one of the best farms in the community.  Grandpa told Mr. McClure to get his contract ready for Grandpa to sign.  Instead he extended his hand to Grandpa and said he was sure that their handshake would seal the agreement as well as a signature.  Mr. McClure also owned a farm between Hollansburg and Glen Karn where he lived with his family.  He had a severe alcohol problem. 

 

Roger and Edith graduated from Hollansburg while the family lived on the McClure place on Payne Road.  Helen worked and saved money until she had enough to attend beauty school.  Zeddie White was a friend of the family and kind of a hired hand.  He was a bachelor and worked on all of the Darke County Moore farms over the years.  Apparently Helen needed $25 to finish school.  Zeddie dug into his tobacco money and loaned her the $25.

 

I would like to insert here that Zeddie always liked for us kids to think he was grumpy and cantankerous, but he had a pretty funny sense of humor.  He ate peas by lining them up on his knife.  And, he could load a paintbrush with paint and carry it across a room without dropping a drop.  He drove an old black Plymouth with running boards and suicide doors.

 

After graduation, Edith attended the University of Cincinnati Nursing School.  She covered her expenses by working at the university hospital while she was in training.  She graduated from Nursing School in 1938 or 1939.

 

Mr. McClure lost the farm between Hollansburg and Glen Karn because of his alcohol addiction so he and his family needed the farm the Moores were living in to live in themselves.  So, Ross purchased a 50-acre farm near Yankeetown Church, southeast of New Madison.  The Moores moved to Yankeetown but continued to farm the McClure farm on Payne Road. While the family lived at Yankeetown, both John and Bill graduated from New Madison High School.  John became acquainted with A. B. Woods who was the Ag teacher at New Madison.  Bill, and some stories indicated that Clyde also developed a very special relationship with Mr. Woods and his dog.

 

The story goes that Bill and possibly Clyde were involved in a group of boys who decided to trim Mr. WoodsÕ Irish Setter.  They pretty much shaved the dog except for a plume on the end of itÕs tail and a mane around itÕs neck so it looked like a lion.  Then when Mr. Woods was in a meeting in the Ag room, the boys opened the door and pushed the dog into the room in the middle of the meeting.  Apparently Mr. Woods had a very good idea who was involved in the stunt and thought a one-dollar fine was in order.  Now we don't know if Clyde was involved and had a dollar, or if Bill was the only real suspect at the Moore household, but Bill did not have a dollar.  He only had 50 cents and borrowed the remainder from Clyde.  Neither the boys nor Mr. Woods told Grandpa or Grandma about the incident.  At the end of the school year, Mr. Woods came to the farm and gave the dollar to Grandpa.  Grandpa invited Mr. Woods to wait there and give the money to Bill in person but he didn't have the time to wait.  So, Grandpa gave the buck to Bill when he got home and asked Bill why nothing had ever been said about the dog incident.  Bills replied,  "Some stories should just never be told."

 

Walter Alston was the coach at New Madison when John and Bill were playing ball there.  Mr. Alston later became the manager of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball team.

 

John began at Ohio State in 1937.  This same year, Frank co-signed for Bob so he could buy a car.

 

There is a release on a note at the Greensfork, Indiana bank dated in 1939 that canceled the debt that resulted from the loss of the hogs.  Also in 1939, Mr. Jessie Timmons (father of Mary Timmons Moore/Frank's father-in-law) came to Ross and advised him that Mr. McClure was going to lose the farm on Payne Road.  Mr. Timmons said that he would buy the farm and hold it until Ross could obtain a Federal Landbank Loan for the farm.  The breadbox contains a copy of the transfer of the farm from Mr. McClure in 1939 to Mr. Timmons and in 1941 the transfer from Mr. Timmons to Ross Moore.

 

At the funeral of Mary Timmons Moore, Don told Frank Timmons (Mary's brother) about how Mr. Timmons helped Uncle Ross purchase the home place.  Frank Timmons had no idea that his dad had ever done such a thing.  Frank Timmons was the last of that generation of the Timmons family.  He died in the spring of 2002.

 

So, in 1939, the Moores moved back to the home farm.  Clyde, Mary Ellen, Don and Rachel graduated from Hollansburg.

 

In 1940 there were four marriages.  Helen married Foster Warren.  Bob married Virginia Patton.  Edith married Benjamin Tomb.  Roger married Cynthia White.

 

In 1941, John graduated from Ohio State and was later drafted in the U. S. Army.  He was the first draftee from Darke County.  On December 7, 1941 there were twenty or more boys known as The South End Gang playing touch football in the front pasture field.  It is reported that Bill and Gerald Bortner were duking it out over a disagreement about the line of scrimmage.  Bill says that actually Clyde was the one fighting with Gerald.  Ross came out and said,  "Pearl Harbor has just been bombed!  We have a much bigger fight than this to fight!"  All of the football players cleared the field and came inside and crowded around the radio in the living room to listen to the news.  Grandpa and Grandma had gone with Mother and Daddy to celebrate Grandpa's birthday at Bob and Pat's. 

 

In 1942 John married Charlotte White (Cynthia's sister) at an Army base in Florida.  Grandma Moore and Grandma White took the train together to attend the wedding.  Grandpa Moore took his Masonic pin from the lapel of his suit and pinned it on Grandma and told her to wear it all the time while they were traveling.  Grandma White later commented that they never had to worry about finding a seat or needing help.  The conductors and everyone who saw Grandpa's pin made sure they were taken care of.   Grandma White was certain that no one paid any attention to her!  She was just tagging along with the Mason's wife.

 

Bill enlisted in the Navy and was a Seabee (Construction Battalion).  Much of his time was spent in the Aleutian Islands on the island of Attu.  Clyde was drafted in the Army and later became a bombardier in a B-17 and served with the 15th Air Force in Italy.

 

In 1943, Don was told of a pilot program the Navy was offering.  He signed up and was accepted.  After graduation in 1944, he went on active duty, first in West Virginia.  The European war was over by then.  He was transferred to Peru, Indiana, then to the Chicago area, then to Iowa.  He got a total of eight flight hours before being given the option to come home in April 1946. 

 

Bob Williams was in the infantry and served in Europe.  He got his feet frozen during the winter of 1944 and spent the remainder of the war in an Army hospital.  His condition was called Trench Foot.

 

Ken McWhorter was a Navy pilot and flew a dive-bomber.  During the George Bush Sr. presidential race, they boasted that he was the youngest Navy pilot.  Ken remarked that if Bush was the youngest, Ken had to be next in line.  Ken's first battle was the battle of Midway at age 17. 

 

Dan Phillips served in the Marine Corps in the South Pacific and would have been in the first wave of Marines to invade Japan if the bomb had not been dropped. 

 

Daddy shared a poem about old age. 

 

Many stood around and talked and lingered over pictures and stories for a long time after the meeting.  The cocoon of history and family and faith and roots holding us together. 

 

 

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