Hugh Moore : Short Biography

I was lucky enough to have a distant relative find and share some very old family letters from the mid 1800’s that contained the following information. 

GGG Grandfather Alexander Moore b1797 Ballyblack, Newtownards, Down, Ireland.  Alexander moved to the United States around 1825-1830 to New York.  He later died in Michigan around 1872.  He was a weaver in Ireland and a shoemaker and farmer in the US. Alexander Married Emma Bailey in Catlin, Chemung, New York.  They had 7 children in that same area until Emma died.   

I have Alexanders father confirmed as Hugh Moore born in Scotland about 1780, died abt 1864, in Newtownards, Co Down area. Hugh’s wifes last name as Bowden.  I have identified Hugh Moore had at least 2 brothers James and William.  Hugh and his brothers were born in Scotland and the family moved to Bally Black, Newtownards, Down, Ireland at a point when Hugh was a child.  Hugh was reared in Bally Black and that family farm was sold around 1820 by “old Snaffy Moore” (that will be fun to research).  I have reasons to believe that Hughs fathers name MAY have been Hugh or Alexander, but unconfirmed.

Hugh had sons Alexander, Chandler, Hugh, James, John,  Henry and a daughter Ann.   The boys were all weavers except John who was in the Militia.  

Alexander's Father, Hugh was a Tavern Keeper 1823-1845 in Conway Square, Newtownards, Ireland, with the help of his brother -James and one of Hughs sons John.  (John Moore stayed in Ireland as a member of the Militia). Hugh died in 1865 in Newtownards. He may have had a daughter Jane (a spinster) living with him at that time, unconfirmed but some records show a Hugh Moore’s will in the next town with Jane in it.  Hugh's Brothers James and William “moved away” after 1945 with the Great Potato Famine in Ireland.  Unk where they went.  William may have died before the move as there is a William fitting his records in the Moville Cemetery.

Mrs Hugh Moore (Bowden) died at the home of the widow of her son John Moore in 1771.  The letter implies that John Moore was dead at that time.  One letter Suggest that Hugh “was married in 24” meaning 1824, which would have been after his children were adults.  He May have been a widow and remarried.

Alexander, Hugh and John belonged to the FreeMasons #985 in BallyBlack and dissolved that lodge to create a new one in Newtownards as #198. The new Lodge met in Conway Square when they made the 5 mile move north from Bally Black, Newtownards.  Records show Alexander joined in 1818 and Hugh in 1820.  The Grand Lodge in Ireland confirmed that the age to join back then (as now) was still 21 years old. Thus it helps to place Alexanders date of birth to prior to 1798.  Alexander stated on this Naturalization papers that he arrived in the US before the age of 18, and that is not true according to the records.

Notes state that the Mason’s meetings were held at Hugh’s residence from 1823 to 1845.  They might have been held in the Tavern as it would have been common for Hugh to have lived in the building in the back or upper level.  I can’t wait to research the tavern location and history. I have confirmed with Irelands Grand Lodge the Membership of Hugh, his son John, and Hughs brother William.  Also a few possible next generations of William and John.

Hugh had at least one daughter Ann Moore who married William Barr and moved to New York.  I think that he had another daughter that stayed in Ireland.

I am looking for burial sites for the family and that is so difficult because of the amount of Moore families that used the traditional naming patters.