This site maintained by Sandra Branson Young

© Copyright 2003
All Rights Reserved



 

Part of the Lemuel Moore Narrative
Back to the Narrative

Where were the Pennsylvania Moores in Different Years?
It is known that Anthony migrated from Pennsylvania to Greene Co. Tennessee but it was a long and arduous journey that probably had some stops along the way.  Between Pennsylvania and Tennessee was Virginia.  Many who migrated to Tennessee made a brief stop in Virginia before proceeding southward.  There are several counties in Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia within close proximity to one another prior to 1800:  Lee, Russell, Washington and Grayson Counties of Virginia border the northeast section of Tennessee (where Washington and Greene Counties are located) and the northwest section of North Carolina (Ash, Wilkes and Surry Counties).  People who lived in Surry Co NC, Ash Co NC, Wilkes Co NC, Lee Co VA, Russell Co VA, Washington Co VA Grayson Co VA, Washington Co TN, Sullivan Co TN, Hawkins Co TN and Greene Co TN were all within fairly close proximity to one another.  What was once part of Virginia or North Carolina may now be part of Tennessee, or vice versa.

There was a road from Philadelphia through the upper and central points of Pennsylvania by way of Juniata Creek and Fort Ligonier to Pittsburg.  The distance from Philadelphia to Pittsburg was about 320 miles.  From there many of the settlers took the road through the Valley of Virginia to Cumberland Gap by way of Lexington and Crab Orchard, Kentucky, Cumberland Mountain, Powell Valley, Abingdon, Boutetourt and Lexington Virginia; Staunton and Martinsburg West Virginia (Thomas Speed: The Wilderness Road).  Those who took flat-boats down the Ohio River were those with very little baggage.  It is known that Anthony organized a company of families and it is assumed that he chose the land route to secure their safety.  Therefore, we can reasonably assume that Anthony and his company were in Virginia for some length of time - whether briefly passing through or perhaps staying several months to gather needed provisions for the arduous trip further south.  The quote below from Goodspeed's History does not elaborate on the location of Anthony's one-year preparation for the trip south.  It is possible that he was in Virginia raising a company.  If so, it would place him Virginia in 1777, the year of Jesse Moore's birth.  If James Moore was with Anthony, it's possible that James was the father of Jesse who was born in VA.

Anthony Moore came to East Tennessee with his family in 1778. The latter, detained a year to raise a company to go through what was then called "The Wilderness," liked the country so well that he remained here, one of the earliest settlers of East Tennessee.

Source: Goodspeed's History of Greene County -- 1887

The reason this is being pointed out is because there were several members of the Moore family who eventually migrated to Knox and Laurel Co Kentucky who were born in Virginia - namely:  Jesse Moore (born about 1777) and Lemuel Moore (born about 1772).  It is not known if Jesse and Lemuel were related to the family of Anthony Moore (several other Moores were in Greene Co, TN in 1783 - assumed to be his brothers), however in 1820 Jesse Moore was living next to Moses Moore (who was in Greene Co TN prior to 1808) in Laurel Creek, Knox County, Kentucky.  In 1840 Lemuel Moore was living very near Jesse Moore in the newly formed Laurel Co, KY.  It can be reasonably assumed that Jesse Moore was closely related to the family of Anthony Moore.  As for Lemuel, we don't know if Anthony's family was in Virginia in 1772.  We do know that Anthony served in the Revolutionary War until shortly before his trek south.  He served in the Third Company, Sixth Battalion, Northampton County, Penn. Militia.  Another Moore who was in Greene Co TN - Hugh Moore - also served in the Revolutionary War out of Pennsylvania.  It seems unlikely that they were in Virginia in 1772.  There were several Moores who migrated to Greene Co TN along with Anthony including: Hugh, Robert, Samuel and James.  It's possible that some or all of these were Anthony's brothers and one of them may be the father of Lemuel.  We are fairly certain that Lemuel was related to this family because in 1850 a James Moore was living with him in Laurel Co KY.  It was learned that this James Moore was born in Greene Co TN.  Lemuel's birth place of Virginia in 1772 does create a mystery.  How could he be connected to the Moores in early Greene Co TN and yet not be from the same region of the country where they originated?  Was there an error in the census records where his birth place was obtained?  That is possible also.  Could it have been PA instead of VA?  There were Moores living in nearby Rockcastle Co KY when Lemuel was in Laurel Co KY.  At least one of those Moores (William Moore) served in the Revolutionary War in the Virginia Line.  It is possible that Lemuel was related to the Moores in Rockcastle Co KY, however it is not known if they came to Kentucky from Greene Co TN.

The following maps of early Tennessee and North Carolina are presented to show that the region where Anthony and his entourage lived in the years 1778 to 1783 were then part of North Carolina, with very close proximity to four southern Virginia counties.  The region where Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina border each other is the region where the Moores settled in 1778/1779.  It is possible that several members of the Moore family were born in Virginia and/or North Carolina (depending on the year of their birth). 

Maps of Early North Carolina and Tennessee

Directly to the west of North Carolina in 1776 was the Territory of Tennessee.  The District of Washington shown in map #1 was eventually divided and part of it became Washington Co, NC.  See Map #2.  It was just one or two years after this occurred that Anthony Moore arrived in Tennessee Territory (1778/1779).  It wasn't until 1783 that Greene County was formed from Washington County.  See Map #3.  Prior to that it is assumed that Anthony and his family were in Washington Co, which was part of North Carolina until Tennessee was admitted as a state in 1796.