William Erastus Moore
Pioneer Texas Cattleman

William E. Moore (1837-1902), always known as "Will" Moore, was born in Rahway, New Jersey on October 26, 1837, the son of Robert Baxter Moore (b. Elisabeth, Union Co., N.J. 11 April 1807; d. Indianola, Calhoun Co. Tex., 16 Sept. 1875) and Mary Crowell Layton ( b. Woodbridge N.J. 10 Jan. 1812; d. Ashby, Matagorda Co. Tex., 12 April 1896). His father was of Scotch-Irish decent while his mother was French on her father's side and English on her mother's side. His Great-grandfather on his mother's side was Christopher Marsh, who served in the American Revolution as a Lieutenant in Captain Blanchard's Troop of Lighthorse, Essex County New Jersey. He was later commissioned a Captain of the same Troop.(1)

The Moore family moved from New Jersey to Mobile, Alabama and lived there from Jan. 1, 1840 until 1845. In 1845, the family moved to the Republic of Texas and Will's father bought 85 acres in Victoria Co. Texas on the 18th of Nov. 1845 from a Mr. Hiram Warren. The land was located 3 miles below the present town of Victoria, Texas, on the east side of the Guadalupe River. He paid the sum of $500. The transaction was recorded in the Victoria Co. Clerk's office, Republic of Texas, on Nov. 24th, 1845, in Book #2, folio 847. Mr. R. B. Moore later sold this land and moved to Indianola, Texas. (2)

In this family seven children were born:

1. Joseph Layton M.--b. New York City 11 April 1833.
2. William E. M., above
3. Eudora Inez M.,--b. Victoria Co. Texas, 17 Nov. 1847.
4. Spencer C. M.,--b. Indianola, Te. 3 Feb. 1850.
5. Adolph P. M., --b. Indianola, Tex. 6 Oct. 1852.
6. Robert B. M. Jr.,--b. Indianola, Tex. 23 July 1854
7. Henry Edgar M.,--b. Indianola, Tex. 21 Dec. 1857. (3)

Will Moore started his education in Mobile, Ala. at 5 years of age, in the public schools of that city, and continued there until the family moved to the Republic of Texas. He was about 13 years of age when the family moved to Indianola and he attended school in "Old Town", as the upper part of Indianola was called. The school was 3 miles away and across the bayou from his home and when the tide was high, Will would paddle across in a small skiff that he had. His teachers of those years were Dr. Lewis, Professor Glass and Mrs. McFarlane. (4)

When Will was about 16 years of age, he went hunting with some of his friends on Powderhorn Lake. They crossed in his skiff and as they were crossing, one of the boys tried to take his gun out from under one of the seats. The trigger caught on something and the weapon discharged, striking Will in the left side, just under his arm. He was badly powder-burned and filled with bird shot. It was a very close call, since the wound was so very close to his heart. Dr. David Lewis dressed the wound and Will survived the ordeal. (5)

Will's father, R. B. Moore, had moved from Victoria as stated, and had purchased a sizable tract of land from the Howerton Brothers that was situated on the western part of the Island. This purchase was made on the 3rd of Oct. 1848. The land was partially bounded on the north by the lake, on the west and south by a bayou flowing from the lake and connecting with Powderhorn Lake on the east. His father built their home on a slight ridge fronting on the lake shore. There was a great deal of brush growing on this land which had to be cleared away to make room for a garden. The brush was used for fencing. When the family first moved to Indianola, there were only 3 or 4 houses. A Mr. Swartz, who had moved there from Galveston in 1844, built the first house. An old man by the name of Carrol built another house on the bayou, but he only lived there a short time when he died. Mr. Swartz and a man by the name of John Henry Brown buried him. Soon afterwards, Prince Carles de Solms arrived from Germany and also built a house there in anticipation of his emigrant friends arriving from Germany. The Prince always tried to make as much display as possible and he would ride about town with long feathers in his hat. (6)

The land that Will's father bought was on the west side of Matagorda Bay, in Calhoun Co., near a place called "Carles Haven". The senior Mr. Moore was a mechanic (builder) and contractor. He built and owned many rent houses in town until the great storm of 1875 when all was lost and Mr. Moore was killed. Since he was a trained mechanic and builder, he had a great part in building much of the original town of Indianola. That was his primary reason for moving from Victoria in the first place. (7)

Soldiers from the United States being sent inland to the frontier were landed in Indianola and emigrants from Europe arrived by the scores. Large quantities of merchandise for the interior towns and goods for the army posts were also landed there and shipped out by wagon to their respective destinations. Silver bullion brought up from Mexico in wagons and ox carts was shipped out of the new port built there destined for the U.S. Mint in New Orleans. Passengers came and went daily by stagecoach and in 1859, the "Western & Pacific Railway" built a line from Indianola to Victoria. It was later extended to Cuero, Texas. (8)

Mr. Dick Riener was the first photographer in town. His first pictures were daguerreotypes. He photographed the entire Moore family, but all the pictures were lost in the storm of 1875. (9)

Yellow fever and cholera was always a problem and in 1852 they both broke out and hundreds died from the dreadful epidemic. No words are adequate to describe the horrors of the time. There was no means for sanitation, few doctors, no trained nurses and little or no medicine. Will's brother Joe was stricken with the disease but somehow survived. (10)

Will's younger sister, Eudora Inez, known as "Dora" or "Aunt Doaty", wrote all the stories noted above. These are contained in her diaries and her "Recollections of Indianola" later printed in the "Wharton Spectator" and the "Bay City Tribune". These and other of her writings were printed in the "Indianola Scrapbook" by the Victoria Advocate in 1936 as a Centennial project. Some of her stories were later used in a book titled, "Texas Tears & Texas Sunshine" that was published in 1985 by Jo Ella Powell Exley of Katy, Texas. (11)

Will Moore left school at the age of 17 and was employed by the Hatch Bros. of Calhoun Co., as a cowboy and he started his career gathering and shipping cattle at that time. In the fall of 1857, he was employed by Mr. James M. Foster, one of the pioneer cattlemen of that time. One must remember that before the Civil War and before the great trail drives started, most cattle that were gathered on the coastal plain at that time were trailed into Indianola to be shipped out to sea on sailing ships. Indianola was the greatest port in Texas until the great storm of "75". Jim Foster was well known in the cowmen circles of south Texas and for years he had a monopoly on all cattle shipped by the "Morgan Line" out of Indianola. Will Moore was known as one of his able lieutenants. Will worked at gathering cattle and his wages for his first three months of employment was $15.00 per month. Many a young man got his start in the cattle business on the prairies around Indianola in those days, as did Will's friend Charles A. Siringo. On the first day of Jan. 1858, Will's wages were raised to $1.00 per day and he was furnished horses out of the company remuda to ride. He was then sent with a nephew of Mr. Foster, Joe Collins, to assist in driving cattle from the western part of the state. On this trip, they were scheduled to gather 500 head of picked steers from the famous ranch of Mr. Thomas O'Connor of Victoria, and it was then that Will experienced his first lavish hospitality from one of the early Cattle Kings of Texas. Upon arriving at the ranch, they found Mr. O'Connor just getting over an attack of fever, and they were compelled to wait several days until he recovered sufficiently to attend to their transaction. It may be thought that those days of waiting were boring, but Will stated that his entertainment there surpassed anything that it ever was his good fortune to participate in. He said that he had never forgotten the big "dun" calf Mr. O'Connor had killed, cooked and fed them at "Foxes Ranch" on Mellon Creek. He stated that it was the sweetest meat he ever ate. (12)

In the summer of 1859, Will was again with Collins up along the Brazos River, buying and shipping cattle from Harrisburg. He referred to one of the trips taken to that area as especially worthy of note. Among the herds purchased at that time, was one herd acquired from a man named "Can Greer". Will tells the story: "We were to have pick of the herd, which Collins considered the choicest of the area. Greer was dissatisfied and said we were leaving better steers than we were taking. Collins was an excellent judge of cattle and he replied that we had selected some "cows" that would out-weigh any steers that were left in the heard. Mr. Greer was a man of "sporting proclivities" and at once offered to wager his best horse, a famous race horse named "Bay Dick", which many stockmen of south Texas remember, against the horse Collins was riding, if his best steer didn't out-weigh the cow that Collins had cut out. The bet was promptly accepted, and when the cow and steer were dressed out, the cow netted 619 lbs and the steer netted only 573 lbs". (Unquote) The cow sold for $10 and the two boys went on their way laughing, and taking with them, the famous race horse. After this, Will remained in the Harrisburg area for some time and shipped many herds from that place. (13)

In the fall of 1860, Foster & Co. were dissolved and the Collins Bros. started buying and shipping on their own and they employed Will to work for them. He remained with them until April of 1861, when all the gulf ports were blockaded by the "Yankee Squadrons" and a stop was put to shipping any more cattle by sea. (14)

When the Civil War broke out, Wills' sympathies were with the South's cause, notwithstanding the fact that he had been born in the north. He and several others went to Matamoros, Mexico for a 4-horse wagon load of black powder for use at Ft. Esperansa. On his return, when he had gotten as far as San Patricio (Aug. 1864), he found a letter waiting for him there from James Collins informing him that several of the "boys" were getting ready to start for the war in Virginia and asked Will to join them. Will left immediately and made the ride to Indianola in two days and found "the boys" ready to leave. (15)

Benjamin Franklin Terry and Thomas S. Lubbock had been at the "First Battle of Manassas" on the 21st of July 1861. After the battle, they hurried home to call for volunteers with the desire to form their own regiments. It was to this "call to fight" that the boys were responding. (16)

Those first men joining from Indianola were James and Joseph Collins, Hays Yarrington, John Coates, Dan Hoffman, and WILL E. MOORE. (17)

Will joined Company "K" of the 8th Texas Cavalry, better known as "Terry's Texas Rangers". The Company was composed of some 2000 men under Capt. S. P. Christian. The date Will joined was Sept. the 17th, 1861. (18)

Colonel Augustus Buchel of Indianola also raised a Regiment of Cavalry. Will's brother Joseph Layton was a member of that outfit as was Abel H. (Shanghai) Pierce, his brother John E. Pierce and Wylie M. Kuykendall. These men were from the Demings Bridge area of Matagorda County. (19)

When Will's regiment was first formed, the boys had expected to be sent to Virginia, but were sent instead to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where the regiment was fully formed and made operational. In the very first battle the regiment was involved in, they lost their famous leader and commander, Gen. Benjamin F. Terry. This was at Woodsboro, Ky. When General Zollicoffer was killed at "Fishing Creek", Will was with the party sent under a flag of truce to recover the body. (20)

Will had four horses killed out from under him during the war. One of them held his head up very high, a fact which saved Will's life when a bullet struck the horse between the eyes, the bullet having been meant for Will. (21)

Will was dangerously wounded at Murfreesboro, Tenn. in July of 1862, where he was shot completely through the body. He was taken to a nearby plantation and left for dead, however, an old Negro man took charge of him and he survived. He was later moved to a home in the area. While convalescing, the lady of the plantation sent him some of her husband's clothes to wear. He was so impatient to rejoin his unit, that he left before his wound had completely healed. It broke open again later, but he stayed with his company and refused a discharge on account of it. One of the records state that he was shot through the hip and that the ball was removed some years later before his death and that he had never been disabled because of it. (22)

Will had participated in the battles of Wootsonville, Shiloh, and Murfreesboro (where he was wounded) and he rejoined his company in November of 1862 in time to participate in the battle of Stone River. (23)

His old comrade, Hays Yarrington wrote: (Quote: )"We went out and served together until my capture at Nashville just three weeks before the end of the war. He (Will) was dangerously wounded near Murfreesboro on July, 13th, 1862. I got him to a place of safety. The tide of battle was against us and we moved from there to McMinnville via Woodbury. He was a brave and efficient soldier and very popular with the regiment." (Unquote) (24)

Will was promoted from private to Sgt. in Dec. of "63" and the records state he fought with the regiment through the 29th of Feb. 1864, where on the last "record roll" that is on file, dated above, he was reported "present".

The records reflect that he had joined for the duration of the war and was sworn in by then, Lt., later, Captain J. W. Sparks. His paymaster for those early periods was Major Davis and Capt. Botts. Later in 1863 & 64, his paymaster in Co. K was Capt. Bartholomew. Remarks shown on his file in the Texas State Archives are as follows:

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Name & Rank: Moore, W. E. Pvt.
Comm. Off: Walker, John G., Capt.
Organ: Co. K, Terry's Texas Rangers, 8th Cav.
Elist: Sept. -61
Disch Descrip:
Remarks: R&F 130; Wounded at Murfreesboro, A splended soldier. (25)

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After April, 1865, Will transferred over to the "Shannon Scouts", and was with that unit until the end of the war on scouting duty. Alexander Shannon, his commander, was later to become the Postmaster at Galveston, Texas. (26)

In the early part of 1864, all available Texas troops had been ordered from Texas into Louisiana. At the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, many Texas boys lost their lives. Col. Augustus Buchel was mortally wounded while leading his regiment, the " Texas" in the charge at Pleasant Hill. (27)

Will's brother, Joseph, was badly wounded in the same battle and died shortly thereafter near Alexandria, La. (28)

In the early part of the war when it was evident that Indianola was to be captured by the Federals, Col. Van Dorn ordered all the wharfs and railroad bridges burned. The bridge over the bayou was spared because it led to the cemetery. While the Federals were in town, some rebel youths gathered up on the prairie west of town. A regiment of the Yankees with cannon went out and fired several rounds at them. This may have given rise to the statement about a battle having been fought in the streets of Indianola. (29)

Will returned home in August of 1865, in the company of friends that he had left with four years earlier. He came through New Orleans and had to pawn his gold pocket-watch in order to get the money to make passage to Galveston, and on to his home. He got home without a cent in his pocket. He found all his family well, but entirely destitute of money, horses or cattle, which had been killed by the Yankees or stolen by the "sneaks" as Will termed those who had stayed away from the war and preyed on those that had been left behind. He remained home only 15 days when he started back at his old active work of gathering cattle and in a short time had rounded up 450 head of cattle in Jackson and Matagorda Co's for Dillon & McChesney. He then drove them overland to New Orleans. He returned home in December of that same year and went back to work for his old employers, James Foster & Sam Allen. Mr. Foster owned a ranch at Chocolate, Texas about 5 miles from Port La Vaca. Will furnished his own horse and received $2.00 per day. He drove cattle all over western Texas for the next few years and experienced many ups and downs which was typical for those times. (30)

In those early days, they carried their money in leather belts filled with $20 gold pieces. It was dangerous business as Indians and outlaws were prevalent in the country and were always on the lookout for some new prey.

Will stayed with a lone rancher who was killed by the Indians the night after he had left him. The family heard that Will had been killed also and were greatly relived to see him ride up some time later, alive and well. (31)

Will's brother Joseph's family had a ranch on the prairie about 3 miles from Indianola and all the cattle that had been bought were penned and fed in these corrals until they could be shipped to New Orleans or Cuba. When the cattle were ready for shipping, they were driven into town along the bay shore, one man taking the lead and the others riding on the land side, until they reached their destination. Once, while driving the cattle along the shore, Will had a steer break out and swim into the bay. Will said the last time he saw him, he was half way to Cuba. (32)

In the spring of 1867, Will quit Foster and went to work for Shanghai Pierce, and was in his employ for something like a year, when Allen, Poole & Co., secured his services and upped his wages to $3.00 per day. They were large stock owners and shippers of their day. In May of 1870, he moved to Matagorda Co. and in the winter of 1870 was again in the employ of Joseph Collins & Wm. Bishop, driving cattle from Leon Co. to Indianola. In 1871, he was working again for Shanghai Pierce and in the winter of "72", he was buying cattle in the country west of San Antonio for W. B. Grimes. (33)

A few names of the men who shipped from and through the port of Indianola in those days were: Shanghai Pierce, Jack Elliot, John Adkins, Hays Yarington, Jim & Joe Collins, WILL E. MOORE, and Wylie M. Kuykendall. (34)

In 1872, Will quit the cattle business, bought a boat, and started hauling goods and freight in around the Indianola, Matagorda, and Tres Palacios area. He continued this operation until sometime in "86". In "82", Will had opened a store in partnership with his brother, H. E. Moore, at Demings Bridge and carried it on with success until 1891, when he moved to Ashby, Texas, just a few miles south of present day, Blessing, Texas. He had owned a 1500 acre ranch there for some time. It was there that he built and ran a store and was postmaster for many years. (35)

Will's first marriage occurred on the 24th of May 1866, when he married Miss Augusta (Gussie) Butterfield. Gussie was a native of Kentucky. The marriage was short lived however, because she died two years later. On the 15th of December 1869, Will married Mary C. Swift of Concrete, Texas. She was the daughter of the prominent merchant and one of the founders of the town of Seguin, Arthur Swift and Margaret Mackey Baker. Both of her parents had died of the fever before the war and she had been raised by her grandfather, Judge James McCulloch Baker of Gonzales County. Will probably met her at the college in Concrete, Texas. Four children were born to them, a son and three daughters:

1. St. Leges Moore. He was born 29 Sept. 1870, in Matagorda Co., and died the same day. He is buried at "The Oaks", near Ashby.
2. Margaret Martha (Maggie) Moore; she was born at Indianola on Oct. the 1st, 1871.
3. Mary Moore; she was born on May the 18th 1874, at "The Oaks".
4. Ella Moore; she was born at "The Oaks" on the 11th of June 1877. Little Ella died of consumption at Demings Bridge on the 27th of Oct. 1883, at the age of six.

Will's beloved wife, Mary, died at their home in Matagorda County on December the 17th 1878, in the 33rd year of her life and is buried in the little cemetery at Ashby, Matagorda Co., Texas, just a few miles south of present day Blessing, Texas.

Will's daughter, Maggie, later married R. G. "Gill" Kuykendall, the son of Will's old friend and fellow cowman, Wylie M. Kuykendall.

After Mary's death, Will married a third time to his brother's widow, Kate A. Seaman Moore, daughter of Charles Seaman, on the 5th of June 1881. Five children were born of this union:

1. Cecil Hamilton Moore, born at "The Oaks" on April the 7th, 1882.
2. Vera Moore, born on Dec. the 9th, 1884.
3. William Ashby Moore, born on May 28th, 1887.
4. Winfred Moore, born on Dec. 29th, 1890.
5. Gladys Moore, born on April 3rd, 1893.

Little Winfred died at Ashby on May the 25th, 1892. (36)

Will Moore and his wife, Mary, had settled on Wilson's Creek, a branch of the Tres Palacios not far from Ashby, just south of present day Blessing, Texas. (Note: Ashby, Texas, where Will's store and post office once stood, no longer exists, only the Ashby Cemetery exists today, where many of the Moores are buried.) Eudora (Aunt Doaty), Will's sister, was living with Will and Mary at the time of the great hurricane and storm of 1875 and tells the following story:

"The wind blew very hard the night of the 16th of September. A part of Will's house was blown from it's blocks. During a lull in the storm, Mr. Jack Elliott, who lived a half a mile away, came to see how his daughter and family were doing. They lived on the opposite side on the creek from Will's house. When Mr. Elliott reached his daughter's house, the wind was blowing from the different direction, (The eye of the storm had passed directly over this part of the area and that was one of the reasons that so much damage was done to the whole region) and as he attempted to unsaddle his horse, the saddle was blown from its back".

In the course of a few days, rumors of the terrible conditions reached Will's brother, Dolph. He was living on the east side of the Colorado River near where Bay City now stands. Dolph came and got Will and the two of them went by boat to see what was left of Indianola, where their parents still lived. Aunt Doaty finally heard the Shanghai Pierce had been down to the coast surveying the damage, so she saddled a horse and rode over to the "Rancho Grande" seven miles away to find out the news. Shanghai gave her the sad news that their father, Robert Baxter Moore, had been killed in the storm but that the elder Mrs. Moore had survived. (37)

After Will and Dolph had surveyed the terrible destruction, they located their mother and were able to bring her back to Will's house. Mrs. Moore told them that the wind had blown for two days until the water finally started coming into their home on the morning of the 16th, so they carried all their belongings upstairs. Before the night was over, the water was nearly up to the second story of the house. The senior Mr. Moore and a Miss Corrine Miller were in the back room on the north side of the house. In their fear that the house would collapse at any moment, they all tried to exit the structure thinking they could tie themselves to a chinaberry tree that was standing in the yard by means of a bed sheet. Will's mother Mary was the only one that made it. The house disintegrated just as the family made their dash for the tree and the family figured Robert Baxter was crushed as the building collapsed and was killed by the falling structure. Corrine was either standing on or near a large wardrobe when the house caved in and some way, no one knows how, she ended up inside the piece. The elder Mary Moore stated that the house gave way some time about 7 PM. She, of course, had tied herself to the tree in the yard, and as the water receded, she would lower herself in to it to keep warm. The branches of the tree had whipped her terribly and the family stated that many weeks passed before all the stripes on her frail body went away. At day-break on the morning of the 17th, she noticed a light on in a house not far away and as soon as the water had gone down enough to allow her to get loose from the tree, she was able to make her way there. She entered the house and found some Negroes there in an upper room crouched by a furnace of coals. She warmed herself there and later made her way over to another house owned by Mr. Albert Mylius, who took her in.

About noon the same day, word was received that Corrine Miller had been found alive floating inside the wardrobe by some men who happened to be passing by. They heard sounds and groans coming from the cabinet and opened it up and found her inside. She was unable to walk and the passersby got her out and carried her over to the Mylius also. It seems that particular house was one of the only homes still standing in the area. (38)

Will's brother, Spencer, was living on the other side of Powderhorn Lake. It was he, who after much searching, located their father's body where it had been washed up upon the shore. All of the Moores' houses that were near the coast were blown away. Later, when Will went looking around his parents house site, he found the family bible. It was in a dilapidated condition, but he tore out the center section containing the family register and gave it to his sister Dora to copy. His parent's marriage certificate was also found in the bible in good enough condition to keep. It was dated July 2nd, 1832.

One of Will's friends, Mr. Jim Crain, saved many lives during the storm. He was riding a big black powerful horse and he would swim him out in the water to rescue people and carry them to high ground. The people would cling to his saddle, stirrups, and even the tail of the horse. Mr. Crain had been a comrade in arms with Will during the war and was also in "Terry's Texas Rangers". (39)

As soon as it was safe enough to do so, Spencer Moore moved his mother and Corrine by boat over to Will's house which was inland enough to be on higher ground. Food, which was very scarce, was brought in from the interior to feed the neighbors. All the barrels of flour were opened and dug into hoping that the centers would be dry enough to make bread. Hogs were plentiful and the men killed all they needed and fed everyone. Every conceivable tale persisted. From everyone drowning, to an old Negro woman who saved herself from drowning by floating completely across the Bay on a feather mattress. (40)

As stated earlier, after the death of Mary Swift Moore, Will re-married his brother's widow. Kate had married Spencer on May the 24th, 1871, in Port Lavaca. Spencer died in Texarkana while on a business trip from yellow fever. (1879) They had been married eight years and had four children:

1. Selkirk Seamon Moore
2. Oce Ann M.
3. David Lewis M.(d.at birth)
4. Addie May M.

Will Moore took all the children in as his own when he and Kate were married. As stated earlier, Kate Seaman was originally from Biloxi, Miss. (41)

Will and his wife, Mary Swift, had joined the Methodist Church on August the 11th, 1875, at a camp meeting at Elliott's Ferry on the Colorado River, under the ministry of the Rev. S. J. Phair.---Upon the organization of the "White Man's Union" after the Civil War, Will was elected its first president and was re-elected every year thereafter until failing health compelled him to decline further service. He had also been County Commissioner of Matagorda County for several years. Will was "Recording Steward" of the Methodist Church at Ashby. The church was built on land that he had donated. Will was a Mason and he had also been postmaster at Ashby since its founding in August of 1890. At the time of his death, he was director of the First National Bank of Port Lavaca. (42)

Will E. Moore died very suddenly at his home at Ashby, Matagorda County, Texas on the 5th of June 1902. The Rev. O. N. Morton conducted the funeral service at the Ashby Chapel. After the church service, Will was buried in the Ashby Cemetery nearby by the Masons according to their beautiful custom. Will had been in declining health for two years but he had never been bed-ridden. He had suffered from Brights disease for several years and this contributed to his heart failure and death.--His last Will and Testament is as follows:

State of Texas }
County of Matagorda} I, W. E. Moore of Ashby, Texas, being of sound mind and memory do make, publish & declare this to be my last Will and Testament, To Wit:

First--All my debts shall be fully paid.
Second--I give, devise and bequeath to my son Hamilton Moore eleven shares of stock in the First Natl. Bank of Port Lavaca, Texas
Third--I give and bequeath to my son William Ashby Moore ten shares of stock in the First Natl. Bank of Port Lavaca, Texas, they to hold said stock until Hamilton Moore is twenty-five years old.
Fourth--I give devise and bequeath to my daughter Maggie M. Kuykendall and Mary Inez Whaley all my rights and title into any lands now owned by me in the C. G. Cox League of land share and share alike.
Fifth--I give and bequeath all the residue and remainder of my Estate both real and personal to my beloved wife Kate A. Moore, she to make such disposition of the Estate for the benefit of our children as she deems best to have and to hold to her my said wife and to her heirs and assigns forever.
Sixth--I nominate and appoint my said wife Kate A. Moore to be the Executrix of this my last Will and Testament without bond.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day of June 12th 1901.

signed W. E. Moore (seal)

Signed sealed and delivered as and for his last Will and Testament by the above named testator in our presence who have at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other signed our names as witnesses thereof.

Clay Moore, M.D.
Frank Shoaker (43)

On the 19th of August, 1912, Kate Seaman Moore, received the "Cross of Honor" during the Confederate re-union of "Old Times" at Camp #1428 at Bay City, Texas. (44)

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Moore Family Members Buried In The Cemetery
At Ashby, Matagorda County Texas

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Mary Crowell Layton Moore
born Jan. 10, 1812
died April 12, 1896

Eudora Inez Moore
1847-1933

William E. Moore
born Oct. 26, 1837
died June 5, 1902

Mary C. Swift Moore
Wife of W.E. Moore
born July 3, 1846
died Dec. 17, 1878

Winifred Moore
infant dau. of W.E. & Kate Moore
born Dec. 29, 1890
died May 25, 1892

Ella Moore
youngest dau. of W. E. & Mary Moore
born June 14, 1877
died Oct. 27, 1880

Kate Seaman Moore
Wife of W.E.Moore
born May 9, 1853
died April 27, 1941

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Moore Family Members Buried In The Cemetery
At old Indianola, Calhoun Co., Texas

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Robert Baxter Moore
born April 11, 1807
died Sept. 16, 1875 age 68

Joseph Layton Moore
born April 11, 1833
died June 14, 1864 age 31

Robert Baxter Moore Jr
born July 23, 1854
died June 29, 1867 age 12

Spencer C. Moore
born Feb. 3, 1850
died Jan. 18, 1879 age 29

D. L. Moore
born May 10, 1877
died May 17, 1877 age 7 days (49)

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Birth and Death Records of the Moores as Recorded in the Moore and Kuykendale Family Bible

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BIRTHS

W. E. Moore was born in New Jersey on the 26th of Oct. 1837.
Mary C. Swift was born in Concrete, Texas on the 3rd of July 1846.
St. Legis Moore was born on the 29th of Sept. 1870 in Mata. Co. Tex.
Maggie M. Moore was born on Oct. 1, 1871 at Indianola, Tx
Mary Moore was born May 18th, 1874 at The Oaks, Mata. Co. Texas
Ella Moore was born at The Oaks June 11, 1877 in Mata. Co Tx

DEATHS

Died at Concrete,Tx. July 7th, 1871, Maggie V. Swift in the 21st yr. of her life.
Died at The Oaks Sept. 29 1870, St. Legis Moore, son of Wm. & Mary
Died of consumption, Dallas, Jan. 11,1874, Martha Swift, wife of W. O. Collins, in the 26th yr of her life.
Died of consumption at her home in Mat. Co. Tx Dec. 17,1878, Mary C. Swift, wife of W.E. Moore, in the 33rd year of her life.
Died at Demings Bridge, Mata. Co., Oct. 27th, 1883, Ella Moore, youngest child of Mary and W.E. Moore.
Winifred Moore died at Ashby, Tx May 25th, 1892.
William E. Moore died at his home in Ashby, Tx June 5th, 1902, in his 65th year.
Eudore Inez Moore departed this life on Nov. 8th, at 8 p.m. on the ranch near Buda, Tex. She would have been 86 on Nov. 11th. (50)

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GENEALOGY

1) Marshall Early Kuykendall (Oct. 13, 1932-Austin,Tx) m. Sept 20, 1959. Austin, Tx. to Mary Karen Koock (Nov. 19, 1937, Austin, Tx) Issue: Marshall E. Kuykendall Jr; Mary Alice K., & Sarita K.

2) Wylie Moore Kuykendall (b. Mar. 3, 1899, Ashby,Tx; d. Oct. 11, 1976, Aus.
Tx) m. July 16, 1926, San Marcos, Tx to Alice Hamlett (Oct. 27, 1910, Temple,
Tx.) Issue: R.G. Kuykendall & MEK

3) Margaret M.(Maggie) Moore (b.Oct. 1, 1871, Indianola, Tx-d. Jan. 4,1950, Buda, Tex) m. Aug. 21, 1890, Ashby, Tx to Robert Gill Kuykendall (b. May 15, 1870, Mata. Co. Tx -d. Dec 19, 1905, Buda, Tex) Issue: Marion, Dorothy, Wylie & Wm. Issac.

4) William Erastus Moore (b.Oct. 26, 1837, Rahway, NJ-d. June 5, 1902, Ashby, Tx) m. Dec. 15, 1869, Concrete, Tx to Mary C. Swift (b. July 3, 1846, Concrete, Tx-d. Dec. 17, 1878, Ashby, Texas)

5) Robert Baxter Moore (b. April 11, 1807, Elisabethon, NJ-d. Sept. 16. 1875, Indianola, Tx) m. July 2, 1832, NY, NY to Mary Crowell Layton, (b. Jan. 12, 1812, Woodbridge, NJ-d. April 12, 1896, Ashby, Tx)

6) Safety Layton (b. New Jersey-d. New Orleans, La.) m. Hetty Marsh (b. Oct. 10, 1785, NJ, d. May 5, 1870, Newark, NJ.)

7) Captain Christopher Marsh (b. May 7, 1742, Woodbridge, NJ-d. Oct. 26, 1810,Woodbridge, NJ) m. Ann Brown (b. May 5, 1749, Woodbridge, NJ-d. Dec. 2, 1813, Woodbridge, NJ)

8) Daniel Marsh (b. Feb. 25, 1705, Rahway, NJ.-d. Nov. 1, 1756, Elisabethon, NJ.) m. Mary Rolph

9) Henry Rolph (b. Sept. 26, 1678, Cambridge, Mass-d. ca. 1722, Elisabeth, NJ) m. Mary Connelly.

Judge Henry Rolph-1715, Judge of Court of Common Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Middlesex, Co. NJ.
Reference: "Monnettes's First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey, Vol. IV, page 543. (51)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) "Historical and Biographical Record of Cattlemen in Texas" by Cox., pages 621-622, here after noted as "Cox".
2. Martha Moore of Bay, City, Texas, hereafter noted as "MM".
3. Cox-MEK files
4) Cox
5.)Eudora I. Moore, copies in author's possession, here after noted as "Dora".
6) Dora
7) Dora
8) Dora
9) Dora
10) Dora
11) MEK files
12) Cox
13) Cox
14) Cox
15) Cox
16) MEK files
17) MEK files
18) "MM"-Roster of Terry's Tx Rangers, by John M. Claiborne
19) MM-MEK files
20) Confederate Veterans Magazine, Sept. 1902, page 418, Nashville, Tenn
21) Dora
22) Dora
23) Memorial & Genealogical Record of SW Tx., Goodspeed, 1894, p.626,627.
24) Confed. Mag., ibid
25) Natl. Archives & Records Center, Washington,DC, Confederate Section.
26) Goodspeed, ibid
27) Texas Hand book, Vol. I, page 236. Tx State His. Asso, Austin, Texas
28) Goodspeed, ibid
29) Dora
30) Cox
31) Dora
32) Dora
33) Cox
34) MEK files
35) Goodspeed, ibid
36) Goodspeed; Cox; Kuykendall-Moore bible
37) Dora
38) Dora
39) Dora
40) Dora
41) MM
42) Obituaries filed by "MM" in Matagorda Co. museum, Bay, City, Tex.
43) Obits, ibid
44) MM
45) MM
46) MM
47) MM
48) Dora
49) Kuykendall-Moore bible
50) ibid
51) MM

This entire biography on William Erastus Moore (my great-grandfather; my father's mother's father) was made possible by basically two individuals plus Kuykendall Family files in possession of the author. My dear cousin, Martha L. Moore of Bay City, Texas, contacted me in 1986 and gave me her entire file on her uncle Will Moore that she had compiled over many, many years of personal research. She is a member of the DAR and the genealogy back to Henry Rolph (1678) was her sole work and her's alone.

The second person was Eudora Inez Moore., "Aunt Doaty (Dora)". Aunt Doaty lived and died on the Kuykendall ranch at Buda, Texas from 1901 until her death in 1933. She wrote an extensive daily diary, copies of which are in possession of close family members who allowed me to copy freely from them. Her "Recollections of Old Indianola", where she lived for many years, was the backbone of this biography on her brother, Will Moore.

Compiled in 1988 by .

Revised in 1991, 1996, & 2002.

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