William Moore of Reading
(1747 - 1823)
~
selected documents

Signature

Thomas Moore Family Record

Thomas Moore Family Record

This old document is still in the family's possession. It is taken as authoritative, tying together three generations of this Moore line. Broken pieces can be filled in from other records. Be a handwriting expert - when was it written?

Image courtesy David Seyler. (full size here)

Signature

William Moore's signature is preserved in various probate files:
     1800 brother Robert Moore bond,
     1802 uncle Judge James Moore bond & inventory
     1806 friend Robert Gray died at William's home bond
     1824 James Moore of Convoy & Womelsdorf, witness will.

Family tradition, from the Judge James Moore family

Written in 1888, first two pages here

Full article, links to JSTOR: Part 1 - Judge James Moore,   Part 2 - son Major James Moore

1778 Militia Fines - Earliest record of William Moore in America

Militia Fines
Militia Fines

Militia Fines Militia Fines

Capt. Nagle's company guarded the large prisoners of war camp at Reading.

1784 Berks County Tax Collections

Tax records

Thomas Dundas was William Moore's neighbor and business associate from 1784 to at least 1795.

1791 Marriage to Mary Campbell

Another doc

Another doc

Son Thomas was ten, so this must have been a second marriage.

1794 Whiskey Insurrection - Cavalry

Another doc Another doc

1795 Will of Samuel Moore - Proof that William and Samuel are brothers!

Deed for Samuel's lot

Samuel's will names "my nephew Thomas Moore son of my brother William Moore", and appoints executors "my brother William Moore and my cousin David Moore of Chester".".


Deed for Samuel's lot

A 1796 deed repeats: "Samuel Moore...made his last Will and Testament...and...did...appoint his brother the above named William Moore and his Cousin David Moore of Chester to be the Executor..."

1797 Newspaper Add

Wheat for sale

1806 Reading City Directory

PDF doc here

Five families, from Moore and Cook lines:

Reading map, center of town, (Penn St. aka Market). Wm Moore had lots #10 & #11:

Another doc

1817 Partnership ended

Dissolution of partnership Fire newspaper story

This business partner is Samuel Moore of Stouchsburg, not to be confused with William's brother Samuel Moore of Lebanon.

1820 Fire

Fire newspaper story Fire newspaper story

Fire newspaper clipping from Berks Journal courtesy William Wells.

1820 After the fire - sincere thanks

Thank yous after fire

1820 Ran Away

Ran Away

1820 Notice to debtors

Notice to debtors

Panic of 1819 - Wikipedia

1822 Assignment - Insolvent Debtor

Assignment

In January 1822 William Moore of Reading, unable to pay his creditors, assigned all his assets in trust to two assignees, who were to sell the lands and pay off his creditors as best possible. This was then common practice.

The assignment instructions gave favorable treatment to the husband of William's niece, John Reynolds.

Also of interest, one of the assignees, William Moore of Lebanon and his wife Elizabeth Graff were raising her orphaned niece, Mary Anne Doll, who would eventually marry Dr. William Moore, grandson of William Moore of Reading.

Rough transcription of assignment document - here. Entire document - here.

1822 April - All of William Moore's real estate for sale

Real estate sale Real estate sale Real estate sale

William Moore of Reading had assigned all his real estate to George D.B. Keim and William Moore of Lebanon to be sold off to pay his creditors.

1823 Newspaper death notice

Death notice

"Died, 14 days ago today, William Moore, in his 77th year of age, for many years a well-known and esteemed businessman in Reading." Translation courtesy Brigitte Keen.

Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading

Family plot

gravestone

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