In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1909) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Compendium of history and biography of the city of Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan (1909), The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annals of Wayne County (1889)
GEORGE F. MOORE, wholesale dry goods merchant of Detroit, was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, December 10, 1832, and is one of the twelve children of John and Clara Moore, and of New England ancestry. His grandfather on the paternal side came from Holland, and was among the earliest settlers of Berkshire County, and his descendants have left an honorable impress upon the commercial and political life of New England. Mr. Moore's mother was of Scotch descent, but her ancestors came to America prior to the Revolutionary War. John Moore was a man of sturdy character, and infused into his children those sound principles which have given them honorable and useful positions in the world. He dealt largely in lands, and was also engaged in the coal and timber trade, owning large tracts of land in Berkshire County. He possessed natural business ability, good judgment, was animated by honest and conscientious motives, was highly respected and esteemed, and as a business man was quite successful. He removed with his family to Batavia. New York, in 1847, and died there in
His son, George F. Moore, was educated in the public schools of Berkshire and Batavia, and at the age of eighteen began his commercial career as a clerk in the dry goods house of Wells & Seymour, of Batavia, with whom he remained three years. He then went to Buffalo, New York, and for a year was in the employ of Howard, Whitcomb & Co. His next engagement took him to New Orleans and Memphis, where he spent the winter of 1854. In 1855 he returned to Buffalo, and for three years was in the service of his former employer. His business career in Detroit dates from 1859. In that year he entered the dry goods store of Town & Shelden, by whom he was employed for six years, when he and James L. Edson, were admitted as partners. The firm name was Allan Shelden & Co., the late Senator Zachariah Chandler being a special partner. In 1872 Mr. Moore and Mr. Edson retired from the firm and established the present wholesale dry goods house of Edson, Moore & Co. They began business in a building erected for them on the southwest corner of Jefferson avenue and Bates Street, where they remained until 1882, when the growth of their business demanding larger quarters, the building on the opposite side of Bates Street and on the corner of Jefferson Avenue was erected for their use. The growth of their business to its present comitianding
Il62 position among the wholesale houses of the Northwest, has been rapid, at the present time their sales exceed those of any dry goods house in the State, and their establishment is one of the largest concerns in its line west of New York City. In view of these results, it is needless to say that Mr. Moore has had a remarkably busy life, or that he possesses excellent business capacity and judgment. An important factor in his career has been his practical experience since early manhood, with the line of business in which he is engaged. Starting in life without assistance, save what his own industry and worth had justly earned, he has gained a deserving place among the most successful merchants of Detroit. The life and labor of even the most successful business man, made up of daily rounds of duty, would seem to furnish little of note to the biographer, but it should be oftener kept in mind that the growth and good of the nation, and of each individual citizen, is secured through the development of commercial enterprise, rather than by the ready eloquence of mere political place hunters. The mercantile community increases the consumption of raw material by opening new avenues of trade and by pushing the sale of various products, while the political representative often hinders legitimate commerce by crude legislation and unbusiness-like schemes in the interest of his party.
The personal supervision of extensive interests has given Mr. Moore but limited opportunity to engage in other pursuits, but no citizen has shown, in more substantial ways, his deep interest in all enterprises pertaining to the good of Detroit. Progressive and public-spirited, his aid is never refused to any deserving projects. He possesses far-seeing business judgment, the power to thoroughly grasp complicated details, is careful and methodical, and steadily and persistently foUows a course he has decided upon, and is not easily turned from a project his judgment approves. His integrity is unquestioned, and upon his business honor there is no stain. Personally he is reserved in manner, but with those who possess his full confidence he is genial and companionable. He is warmly attached to his friends, his home and the domestic ties are especially dear to him, and his chief enjoyment is found in the family circle. For many years he has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church, and is generous in his donations to religious and charitable objects.
He was married in 1855 to Adela S. Mosher. daughter of Amasa A. and Susan Mosher. They have had five children, Edward H. (deceased). George F, Jr., Willis Howard, Harriet L., deceased wife of John Arthur Heames, and Adela S., wife of J. Ledlie Hees.
As printed in The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annals of Wayne County (1889). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
GEORGE F. MOORE.
As one of the foremost representatives of the wholesale dry-goods trade in Detroit for a long period of years Mr. Moore was a conspicuous figure in business affairs and he was also known as a citizen of unequivocal loyalty and integrity and as one whose public spirit led him outside the line of direct personal advancement to do his part in the promotion of the general welfare of the community and the material upbuilding of the city with whose interests his own were so long and prominently identified. He was one of the founders of the great dry-goods house of Edson, Moore & Company, and he continued one of its interested principals until his death, which occurred on the 25th of March, 1904.
Mr. Moore was born in picturesque old Berkshire county, Massachusetts, on the loth of December, 1832, being one of the twelve children of John and Clara Moore, both representatives of old and honored families of New England. His paternal grandfather was a native of Holland and was numbered among the early settlers of Berkshire county. His descendants have left a record of worthy accomplishment not only in New England but elsewhere in the Union. Mr. Moore's mother was of Scotch lineage, and her original American ancestors settled in Massachusetts prior to the war of the Revolution. John Moore was a man of sturdy character and strong mentality, being influential in his community. He dealt largely in land, becoming the owner of large tracts in Berkshire county, where he was also engaged in the coal and timber trade for a term of years. In 1847 he removed to Batavia, New York, where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, his death occurring in
The subject of this memoir was afforded the advantages of the common schools of Massachusetts and New York, having been fifteen years of age at the time of the family removal to the latter state, where he was reared to maturity. At the age of eighteen years he became a salesman in the retail dry-goods store of Wells & Seymour, of Batavia, with whom he remained three years, after which he was similarly employed in the city of Buffalo for one year. He passed the winter of 1854 in the south and then returned to Buffalo, where he was again employed as a salesman, remaining three years.
In 1859 Mr. Moore made his advent in Detroit, and during the first six years of his residence here he was employed in the old-time dry-goods store of Town & Shelden. At the expiration of that period he was admitted to partnership in the business, as was also the late James L. Edson, with whom he was so long associated in business. At the time of their admission to the firm the title was changed to Allan Shelden & Company, one of the interested parties in the concern having been the late Senator Zachariah Chandler. In 1872 Messrs. Moore & Edson retired from the firm and established the present wholesale dry-goods house of Edson, Moore & Company, of which further and adequate mention is made in the memoir dedicated to Mr. Edson and appearing on other pages of this volume.
Mr. Moore's close personal supervision of his extensive mercantile interests gave him but limited opportunity to direct his efforts in other directions, but no citizen showed in more substantial ways his deep interest in all that tertained to the good of Detroit. Progressive and public-spirited, his aid was never refused to any deserving projects. He was a man whose entire life was guided on the plane of loftiest integrity and honor and upon his name rests no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. He was a RepubHcan in his political proclivities and was a zealous member of the First Presbyterian church, with which he was actively identified for a long term of years prior to his demise.
In 1855 Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Adela S. Mosher, daughter of Amasa A. and Susan Mosher, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Edward H., George F., Jr., Willis Howard, Harriet L., and Adela S. All of these are deceased excepting Adela S., who is the wife of J. Ledlie Hees, of New York city. The wife of Mr. Moore died in 1902.
As printed in Compendium of history and biography of the city of Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Allan Shelden (b. 1832) James L. Edson (b. 1834)
Their biographies name George F. Moore: James Lafayette Edson
The printed record stops around 1909. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.