Featured Family Friday: William Spencer Moore and Emily Tarrant

These are my great-great grandparents and the next family in order as I go back through the Moores. In upcoming articles I will cover the families of each of the children except for Preston E. Moore, who apparently died in the Civil War; Spencer Moore’s will, dated 25 July 1865, lists Preston among those to share in his estate “should he be living.” I have information on Preston’s Civil War service, but that will be covered in an article at a later date.

William Spencer Moore
b. 1813, South Carolina
d. 31 Oct 1871, Anderson Co., South Carolina
& Emily Tarrant
b. 1813, South Carolina
d. bef 1880
|--Preston E. Moore
|----b. 1843, South Carolina
|----d. between 1863 and 1865
|--Harlston Perrin Moore
|----b. 4 Dec 1845, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|----d. 12 Dec 1921, Lancaster, Dallas Co., TX
|---& Martha E. “Mattie” Lewis
|----b. 8 Nov 1848, Franklin Co., Georgia
|----d. 22 Sep 1930, Plano, Collin Co., Texas
|----m. 3 Dec 1865, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|--Commodore Worth “Commie” Moore*
|----b. 17 Feb 1848, South Carolina
|----d. 22 Dec 1923, Newberry Co., SC
|---& Nora Roberts
|----b. 1855
|----d. bef 1900
|--Commodore Worth “Commie” Moore*
|----b. 17 Feb 1848, South Carolina
|-----d. 22 Dec 1923, Newberry Co., SC
|---& Martha E. Black
|----b. 14 Aug 1838, South Carolina
|----d. 8 Nov 1927, South Carolina
|--William Brewster “Bruce” Moore
|----b. 9 May 1851, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|----d. 27 Jul 1924, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|---& Mary Elizora Elizabeth Shirley
|----b. 18 Feb 1849, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|----d. 31 Aug 1926, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|----m. 1880
|--Anna Jerusha Moore
|----b. 12 Jan 1854, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|----d. 17 Sep 1889
|---& William Riley Cartee
|----b. 18 Sep 1850, Anderson Co., South Carolina
|----d. 28 Sep 1918, Anderson Co., South Carolina

William Spencer Moore was born around 1813 in Greenville County, South Carolina and first appears on the Anderson County census in 1840; land documents indicate that he may have moved there in 1836. Three females are shown living with him on the 1840 census; I believe these are his sisters and his wife Emily Tarrant Moore (also born around 1813).

Spencer and Emily Moore lived in the Hopewell area of Anderson County, just south of Twenty-Six Mile Creek. They were members of Big Creek Baptist Church, where Spencer was elected deacon in 1845 but turned the office down, and later of Williamston Baptist Church, which Spencer helped to organize, and finally of Hopewell Baptist Church. Spencer was a postmaster in Williamston in 1851, headed the list of signatories on the first petition to incorporate the Village of Williamston in 1850, and in the 1860s served as a County Registrar and was nominated for County Commissioner as detailed in the 27 May 1868 Anderson Intelligencer: "In nominating County Commissioners, we have selected disabled men, who deserve the support and confidence of their fellow citizens. Mr. Moore has been unfortunate in having both arms broken recently, but will be able to discharge the duties of his office, if elected. He is a farmer, and a Christian gentleman, loved and respected by his neighbors."

The November 1871 minutes for Hopewell Baptist Church indicate that Spencer Moore died on 31 October 1871. I have not been able to find Emily Moore on the 1880 census and believe that she had died by that time.

If you are reading this and believe that you are related to this family I would really like to hear from you (you can find my e-mail if you click on View my complete profile under the section at the left entitled “About Me”).