Sally's Family Place

Dec. 2012 -- Gladiola Parker Moore Scholarship
My nephew James E Moore and I, Sally Moore Koestler,
have established a scholarship at Chowan University
in honor of our mother and grandmother, Gladiola Parker Moore.

Gifts will go to worthy students, struggling to finance their way through college.
Mama's struggle was monumental.
Contributions to the fund welcomed.
These should be addressed to:
   Office of Development Chowan University
    Attn: Elizabeth Brown
   One University Place
   Murfreesboro, NC 27855
Memo line on check: Gladiola Parker Moore Scholarship.
___________________________________________________________

North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue has appointed James Elliott Moore to the Historic Murfreesboro Commission. The purpose of the commission is to acquire and preserve historic properties in Murfreesboro, to conduct long-range planning for preservation and to carry out programs related to these purposes. James was born in Ahoskie in 1954 and grew up on the nearby family farm Maple Lawn. He attended Chowan University, where he received the A.A. degree in 1974. From there he went on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was awarded the B.A. in history in 1976 and M.S.L.S. in 1977. After working in public libraries for four years, he entered the civil service as an Army librarian intern at Fort Monroe, Virginia in 1981. During a career stretching over thirty years, he has worked in libraries at Fort Monroe, Virginia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Camp Darby, Italy; NATO Support Activity in Brussels, Belgium and Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Since February, 2000 he has been the director of the Robert F. Sink Memorial Library at Fort Campbell. He has a lifelong passion for local history and historic preservation. While in graduate school, he wrote thirty-five sketches for "The Dictionary of North Carolina Biography" edited by the historian William S. Powell. Moore is a life member of the Murfreesboro Historical Association and vice-president of the of the Montgomery County (TN) Historical Society and treasurer for the Clarksville-Montgomery County Arts and Heritage Development Council. He was appointed to the Board of Visitors for Chowan University in 2011. James lives in Clarksville, Tennessee with Sean Hogan, also a librarian, and their dogs Bosco and Bama. James and Sean are active at Trinity Episcopal Church and serve on the Advisory Council for the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. They also participate in the Tennessee Library Association and Nashville Cares. James pursues a variety of interests including genealogy, Baroque architecture, grand opera, Anglican church history and collecting antique silver. His ultimate goal is to retire to a villa in Tuscany with an unlimited supply of books and gin.

July 2011 - The Family History and Genealogy Fair was a success - here are a few pictures by Cathy Spruill of the occasion

Sally and James working with some of the folks

Buck and Becky Carter from Powellsville

before and after paintings of Hope Plantation
by artist Francis Speight
painting of Francis Speight by his wife Sarah Blakeslee

Family History and Genealogy Fair, Roanoke Chowan Heritage Center, Hope House Road, Windsor, North Carolina
Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30, 2011 "Blood's Thicker Than Water"
I will be making presentations on both days. Hope to see you there, Sally

Campaign for Painting -- Chowan University is conducting a campaign to purchase an important Moore family heirloom.
The large painting "Sir Walter Raleigh Spreading His Cloak for Queen Elizabeth" was done by one of the early art professors at Chowan Baptist Female Institute, the precursor of Chowan University.
Ann Ward Moore (1834-1901) posed for the figure of the queen. Various Murfreesboro citizens were used as models for the courtiers and the royal guard. Ann James Ward was Chowan's first graduate in July 1853. Later that same year, she married John Wheeler Moore. This painting embodied fully the Moore family's love of all things English and its devotion to the history of North Carolina. For generations it hung in the parlor at Maple Lawn. Sold out of the family in the 1990's the painting has changed hands several times in recent years. Chowan University has an agreement with the present owner to purchase this iconic object for $15,000. If you would like to aid this cause, please make a check payable to "Chowan University" and add "Ann Ward Moore painting" on the memo line. Mail to Office of Development, One University Place, Chowan University, Murfreesboro, NC 27855. For further information contact John Tayloe, vice-president for development at taylo1@chowan.edu or by phone at 255-398-1232.

note-- this painting was painted in the 1850's -- when Ann Ward Moore and John Wheeler Moore were living in their mansion located on what is now part of the campus of CU

Ann Ward as Queen Elizabeth detail
residents of Murfreesboro were used as models for all the people pictured
photo by Cathy Spruill

Painting was in special exhibit of art Nov 2000
by the students and professors of Chowan College 1848-1901
Pictured with the painting, Sally Koestler and nephew, James E. Moore
photo by Cathy Spruill

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church is having a good old-fashioned homecoming on October 3, 2010.

Dr. Godwin Cotten Moore who was the founder who gave the land for the church which is one mile from Mulberry Grove. - the descendants of all the early members are invited - Homecoming worship will begin at 10:30 a.m. They have special seating for us so please let them know that you are a descendant of Dr. Moore. Following the worship service, lunch will be served on the grounds. RSVP francesrevans@yahoo.com .

below some of the family of Dr G C Moore who attended or participated in the program on October 3, 2010

1. James E Moore, 2. Betty Hickey & Dory Baco, 3. Cathy Spruill, James E Moore, Helen Carson, 4. The farm group

- 4 Aug, 07 - Julia Short Raynor, 98, died Saturday, August 4, 2007 at Highland House of Fayetteville. buried in Ahoskie Cemetery August 7. [widow of James William Raynor II of Powellsville]

- 12 May, 07 - 50th Reunion of the Chowan College Class of 1957 - we attended the graduation ceremonies at Chowan University and then were treated to dinner and a great get together for the old classmates of '57.

-Sept 13, '06 - The public was invited by Dr. Benjamin F. Speller, Jr., President of the Historic Hope Foundation, to join him in a conversation with Genealogist Sally Moore Koestler at the Roanoke Chowan Heritage Center , September 13, 2006 at 5:30 p.m.

13 Sept 06 - Mrs. Sally Koestler & Dr. Speller
at the Roanoke Chowan Heritage Center

-Sept 6, '06 - 30 or so members of the Moore clan descended on Murfreesboro to help Chowan College "morph" into Chowan University. Then after the convocation we were treated to a luncheon by the new University. The group then gathered at the old Historical Association, where James E Moore presented a seminar about the family's history and connection to the Wheeler House. A surprise birthday celebration for Robbie Pierce was held. [son of John Wheeler Pierce] Then most of our party toured the Wheeler House. A great time was had by all.

at the Hertford Academy
Left to Right: Front Row: Robbie Pierce, Debbie Sacra.
Second Row: William King, Faye Chaney, Sally Koestler,
Carol Jellie, Dory Pierce, Cathy Spruill, Cathy McMahan.
Third Row: Paul Sacra, Kimberly Sacra, Jennifer Sacra,
Libby McGhee, Tommy McMillan, Betty Hickey, Bobby Pierce.
Fourth Row: Scott Blackwell, Wyatt McGhee, Wyatt
McGhee IV, Ursula Pierce, James Moore.
Doorway: Mack McMahan.

- March 31 - April 1, '06 - the Murfreesboro Historical Association is sponsoring a living history event -
A Civil War Reenactment on Broad Street - Union soldiers will portray camp life at the Hertford Academy, and Confederate soldiers will take over the grounds of the Wheeler House. - also enjoy a candlelight tour showcasing the Wheeler House.

- now 20 June 05 - this year 7 of Raynor and Ola Moore's great grand children graduated from high school.
Raynor Moore IV, Daniel Lawrence, Madeline Pinnsoneault, Jane Yearwood, Hal Holloman, Troy Holloman, and Josh Roberts.

Recent deaths in the family:
- on the 9 May 2005 at age 35, William Abner Holloman, son of Jane and Bob
- on the 15 March 2005 John Milton Hickey of Virginia Beach, husband of Betty Pierce Hickey
- on the 28 Feb 2005 Fred Rhea Lassiter of Gates Co NC, husband of Evelyn Rountree Lassiter

- Sally's hard disk crashed 19 Jan 05 and had to be replaced. I lost a lot of files.
- Sally is now back at home recovering from a complete [right] knee replacement surgery on Nov 2, 2004.
so write again if I have been slow in responding to your messages. 11/11/04

- Sally went to Salt Lake City with the Texas Research Ramblers Oct 17-24, 2004.

Oct 9/11 '04 Memphis TICA Show- Sally with Ann and Ralph Parker
in front of the Saroko Cage - photo Bob Koestler

died 9 Feb 2004 - Adele Evelyn Koestler Ehrlich Boskey age 90 yr 8 mo

died 11 Dec 2003 - Margaret Emily Rountree Ward, at age 91
[daughter of Dorsey and Nettie Rountree] just ten days after her son
died 1 Dec 2003 - John Atwood Ward