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Stephenson County
JOHN J. MOORE, of Orangeville, a native of Lehigh County, Pa., has been a resident of Stephenson County, Ill., for a period of nearly forty years, coming here with his parents when a child four years of age. He was born Oct. 30, 1844, and is the youngest son of Charles and Josephine (Switzhoupt) Moore, natives respectively of Bucks and Northampton Counties, Pa. Charles Moore was born Sept. 27, 1806, and was the son of Thomas Moore, a native of Maryland. The great-grandfather of our subject, as have been most of his male descendants, was a farmer by occupation, and spent the last years of his life on a comfortable homestead six miles from Carlisle, Pa. His son Thomas, however, learned the trade of a miller, which he followed during his early manhood, but finally located on a farm in Northampton County, upon which was a mill, and operated both farm and mill until called from his earthly labors. His wife was formerly Miss Elizabeth Yeager, of Bucks County, Pa. She died in 1812, in Lehigh County.
Charles Moore, the father of our subject, availed himself of his opportunities for securing an education, although the facilities then provided would at this day and age appear extremely limited. There were no houses devoted to this purpose, but the school, conducted on the subscription plan, was carried on in any vacant room which could be secured. The buildings erected in those days were mostly of logs, and the desks and seats furnished the pupils were constructed of slabs. After his studies were completed young Moore commenced assisting his father in the mill, and remained under the home roof until twenty-two years of age; then, starting out for himself he worked first by the month and afterward rented a flouring-mill in Northampton County, until 1848. In the spring of that year he started with his family for this State, and locating in Cedarville took charge of a mill belonging to J. H. Addams, which he operated two years, and then removed to Freeport, running a mill there for two years. Thence he removed to Brookville, Ogle County, but after a year returned to Freeport, where he took charge of the Webster Mills for four years following, then purchased a flouring-mill at Rock Run, which he operated in connection with a farm until the spring of 1866. Soon afterward he took possession as proprietor of the Orangeville flouring-mills and sawmills, and has since operated these successfully and profitably. He rebuilt the sawmill in 1867, providing it with the more modern machinery, and has since enjoyed the patronage of the people throughout that section.
The mother of our subject was born Nov. 13, 1807, and became the wife of Charles Moore Oct. 26, 1828. Her parents, Joseph and Rosanna Switzhoupt, were natives of Pennsylvania. She became the mother of eleven children, five now living: Annie S. is the wife of Franklin Kaufman, a resident of Orangeville; Edward T. also lives there; Agnes, the wife of John Wade, is a resident of Polo; Ellen married Edward Tucker, and lives in LaFayette County, Wis.; John J., of our sketch, was the tenth child.
Our subject pursued his early studies in the district schools, and assisted his parents on the farm until his marriage, since which time they have resided with him. For some years past he has been associated with his brother Edward in the management of the mills and farm.
The marriage of John J. Moore and Miss Lucinda Woodring took place in LaFayette County, Wis., March 25, 1871. Mrs. M. was born in Northampton Co., Pa., in 1848, and is the daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Zeller) Woodring. By her marriage with our subject she has become the mother of two children – Maud M. and Ralph W. Mr. Moore is a member of Orangeville Lodge No. 687, A. F. & A. M., J. R. Scroggs Lodge No. 372, I. O. O. F., and Orangeville Camp No. 82, M. W. A.
Transcribed by Carol Parrish
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