Blacks of ML – Luke Moore & Mariah Ward

Luke Ward Moore 1802 – 1878
& Mariah Ward ca 1827 – 1904
of Maple Lawn & Mooretown

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Farm Map of Maple Lawn

MAPLE LAWN is also the ancestral home to the many descendants of Luke Ward 1802-1878 and Henry Jones. The mutual devotion and respect between their families and ours has continued to this day. In 1870, these two “Afro-American” families were “living in the place.” Luke Ward and Henry Jones headed the families, listed as age 60. These men were listed in James Ward’s 1843 will. These folks share our heritage of Maple Lawn.

ca 1918 The Big Oak, to the right, is a tobacco barn
to the left are the old slave quarters on the farm,
more tobacco barns later took their place.
There were lots of volunteer peaches near this spot when I was little.

“We are like family.” Luke Moore’s family later lived across the little creek from the “Jones Hole” in that old house on the “race path”. [I think.] His descendants mainly lived in “Mooretown.”

Luke Ward

Luke Ward’s tombstone at the Jones’ Hole

From the Murfreesboro Enquirer 01 Aug 1878, E. L. C. Ward, Ed “Luke Ward departed this life at Maple Lawn in Hertford County July 15 A D 1878. This venerable and respectable man of color was born in 1802 and had thus much exceeded the Psalmists’ limit of human life. For seven years before his death, he belonged to New Bethany Baptist Church and was a humble and consistent Christian. After bondage lasting through the lives of three generations of men, in the providence of God, he was delivered from the evils of African slavery and then anon from the still more cruel servitude of sin. As a servant he had been ever obedient and mindful of his duties, likewise as a free citizen he was above all reproach. With a rare and ceaseless courtesy, he was as thoughtful of the feelings of others as the finest gentleman of the land. In modesty and humility, he was proverbial. While ever ready with a kind answer whenever accosted, he was yet a man of few words, and they always well weighed in their utterance. As with painful steps he limped along to his daily labor, watchful thought and regard for duty were evident in every lineament. He was very slow to wrath, spare to censure, and exceeding charity in his estimate of others. To his white neighbors, he was equally acceptable as to his race, and Rev. Thaddeus Wilson did not overdraw his portrait when, in the funeral discourse, he was presented as a pattern worthy of all imitation. He has left many stalwart sons and daughters and descendants, even to the third generation, to join his sorrowing and desolate widow in grief for his departure. As the Sabbath drew to its close on the 26th, just as the sun sank from view, he was buried in the ancient Jones cemetery, where so many of his ancestors and kindred have been gathered in the two centuries past. Truly, God is no respecter of persons, and in His love and mercy, this meek old man could not have trusted in vain. May his blameless and consistent life prove a lesson to us all, and may our last days be like unto his.” (Note: abstracted by David Powell – My guess is Mrs. Ann James Ward Moore wrote the obit)

Luke Ward 10 Apr. 1805 – 13 July 1878 (ts)
married Mariah Ward ca 1827 – 1904
I. Daniel Webster Moore Jan 1849 – 1 July 1917, age 68
He has a tombstone [Jones’ Hole] that says he is the son of Luke & Mariah
a. Mandy Moore Amanda M Moore 16 Sept 1868 – 25 Oct 1908
married 26 Dec 1888 W H Sessoms
broken marker for Amanda
married 21 Dec 1871, Rachel Lassiter ca 1849 – aft 1930
dau. of Moses and Bettie
b. William Daniel Moore ca 1873 –
c. John Henry Moore 21 July 1876 –
“short, stout, brown eyes, black hair.”
WWI reg named Alice K Moore as next of kin
married Sally A [Sadie] Moore ca 1874 –
married ca 1929 2nd Martha
d. Daniel Webster Moore 12 Sept 1880 –
“short, stout, black eyes and black hair” WWI reg
married Laura A Jenkins

Daniel Webster Moore and his wife Laura Jenkins Moore

i. Mandy Moore ca 1902 –
ii. Margaret [Cousie] Moore [White] ca 1906 –
1. Joe White
2. Molly White
3. Margaret White [Artis]
a. Teresa Artis
4. Laura White [Artis]

visiting Maple Lawn September 06 Margaret Artis, Sally Koestler, Laura Artis, Teresa Artis, and Cathy Spruill – Julia Lawrence and Steve Spruill [not pictured],

II. Noah Moore ca 1850 – 28 Mar 1917, age 67
married Emma Moore ca 1856 – bef. 1910
a. Augustus Moore 1877 –
b. Lydorah Moore 1879 –
c. Jack Herbert Moore 20 Mar 1892 – ca 1949
[he was Uncle Godwin’s tenant]
Herbert Moore married Lenora Carter ca 1892 – ca 1930
Gussie and Lenora Moore
i. Julia Gussie Moore ca 1912 –
ii. Herbert Wilson [Dugger] Moore 2 Feb 1913 – 23 Feb 1995
iii. Elbert [Wig] Moore 6 July 1914 – 24 Dec 1984
married Bess
iv. Earnest Bradley [Buck] Moore 1917 – 18 March 2003, age 84
married Elretta Wynn died 8 July 2016 age 95 her parents her obit.

ca Feb 1950 Earnest Moore spreading canvas on the tobacco plant bed Elretta Wynn Moore and Earnest Bradley Moore
At the graveside service at the Jones’ Hole for my brother John
They were also there for Arthur and participated in the service.

Elretta with her eight oldest grandchildren.
There are now 15 and ten great-grandchildren. 1999

AHOSKIE  Ernest Bradley Moore Sr., 84, a native of Hertford County, died March 18, 2003, at Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.
The Rev. Ernest B. Moore Jr. will conduct a funeral at 11 a.m. Saturday at New Bethany Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Moore family cemetery. Hertford County Undertakers, Winton, is in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Elreeta W. Moore. Children, the Rev. Ernest B. Moore Jr. of Johnson City, Tenn., General Moore and Donnie Moore, both of Newport News, Va.,
Thomas Moore of Hampton, Martha Dukes of Haywood, Calif., Frances Rankins of Ahoskie, and Leanora White of Chesapeake;
One brother, Theodore Askew of New York; 15 grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.
from the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald Mar 27, 03

14 May 03 – Dear Aunt Sally, I went to the farm to plant some spiderwort yesterday. I was shocked to see Miss Elretta’s house had burned. I talked with Linny’s and Juddi’s daughter, who said it had burned on May 5 at around 8:00 in the morning. Faulty electrical socket. Miss Elretta was up and able to get out, but everything was lost. She is staying with Francis up the road in a brown trailer. She had insurance and plans to erect a modular house on the site. Catherine

v. James [Coo][Chancy E] Moore 1919 – 30 May 1974
Coo changed his name from Chancy to James when he joined the military and married Doris.
Doris died after a short illness on 9 April 2015

Doris Moore 1999

Dugger, Buck, and Wig are pictured here performing at a family reunion after Coo’s death. The Moore Brothers were a popular quartet.

Herbert married 2nd Mrs. Virginia Bembery
she had by her first husband
i. Thomas Bembery 1 Nov 1912 – 1 Jan 1981
[allergic to the sun] so he worked as Daddy’s “hired man”
married Gladys ? 11 Dec 1920 – 12 Jan 1996
Herbert & Virginia had several foster children, including
i. Odessa Rayner ca 1922 – [cousin]
ii. Calestine Rayner ca 1927 – [cousin]
iii. “Boot Boy” Theodore R Askew
iv. Corners Williams ca 1909 – [nephew]

d. Horace Moore 1893 – “Tall, slender, black eyes, black hair” WWI reg.
Married Sallie Sessoms ca 1895 –
i. John C Moore ca 1912 –
ii. Noah H Moore ca 1915 –
iii. Horace Leigh Moore 1916 –
foster children:
i. Albert Sessoms ca 1914 – [nephew]
ii. James M Sessoms ca 1927 [nephew]

e. Otis Moore ca 1896 –

III. Calvin Moore 20 June 1855 – 28 Jan 1918
a. Julie Moore ca 1885 –
i. Maggie Moore ca 1907 –
ii. Syble Moore ca 1910 –
b. Lillie Moore ca 1897 –
c. William Moore ca 1903 –
d. Julie Moore ca 1908 –
e. Rufus Moore ca 1909 –

IV. Luke Moore ca 1860 –
married Annie J. ? – 30 April 1896
marker for 1st wife of Luke II
a. Luke Moore Jr. 15 Aug 1881 –
“med ht, stout, Dark brown eyes, Black hair” WWI reg
was farming with W A Thomas
married Violet P
b. Lizzie ca 1883 –
c. Hattie Moore ca 1885 –
d. Edward Moore ca 1889 –
e. Pearl Moore ca 1895 –
married 1896 Levina [Goodman] Sessoms ca 1875 –
e. Elsie M Moore ca 1903 –
f. Ramie Moore ca 1904 –
g. Robert R Moore ca 1905 –
h. Christine [Minnie] Moore ca 1907 –
i. Beatrice Moore ca 1910 –
j. Eugene Moore 1910 –
married Frances Elizabeth Darden
i. Eugene Moore II d. Feb 2003
ii. Clarence Moore [dec]
iii. Ernest Moore [dec]
iv. Juanita Moore
v. Gloria Moore [dec]
vi. John Moore [Wanda’s father]
vii. Charles Moore
married Carolyn Atkinson
1. Charles Christopher Moore 1979 –
2. Kevin Moore 1984 –
married Erica Williams

viii. Mable Moore
[mother of Jason Parker of recent Kentucky Wildcat fame]
ix. Diane Moore’s son’s email
k. Mabel [or Margie] Moore ca 1913 –
ca 1919

V. William (Norman) Moore ca 1864 (June 1862) –
married 1894 Malinda Sessoms May 1869 –
a. Laura Moore Feb 1894 –
b. Missouri Moore Feb 1895 –
c. McClerion Moore Apr 1897 –
d. McKinly Moore May 1900 – bef 1910
e. Charlie Moore 30 May 1900 –
“employed by William Moore, next of kin Milinda Moore” WWI reg
married Rida B. Askew 1900 –
i. Ida Pearl Malinda Moore [Singleton] ca 1927 – 2000

Jacqui dau. of Ida Pearl at Maple Lawn June 11, 2000

ii. Oris Lorraine Moore [Armstrong] ca 1930 –
iii. Charles “Buddy” Moore Jr
f. Gertie Moore ca 1903 –
g. Rida Moore ca 1905 –
h. Annie Moore ca 1907 –
i. Assia Moore ca 1912 –
j. William Moore ca 1914 –
Grandson Jack Moore ca 1918 –
Peter Bass ca 1921 –
Nathaniel Bass ca 1923 –
Jonas Bass ca 1925 –
VI. Lillie Moore ca 1868 –
VII. Hester Moore ca 1870 –

From the Will of Anne Ward Moore signed 6 Nov 1900:
“I wish the same tenants, namely Webster Moore, Luke Moore, and Noah Moore, to continue tenants on the farm and under the same conditions as long as they act according to the same regulations heretofore required and fulfill the contract agreeable to all parties.
I give to Ellen Moore, a servant, $25.

1900 Census Harrellsville Twsp Hertford Co, NC
House # 160 Name Relation Birth date Occupation
Moore, William Sr Head B M June 1862 37 m 6 Farming
” Malinda Wife B F May 1869 31 m 6
” Laura daughter B F Feb 1894 6 S
” Magre? daughter B F Feb 1895 4 S
” McClerion Son B M Apr 1897 3 S
” McKinly Son B M May 1900 S

1910 Census Ahoskie Twsp
House #292
Moore, William Sr. head m b 44 m 16 farmer
” Malinda wife f b 40 m 16 8 7
” Laura dau f b 15
” Missouri dau f b 13
” Maclenan dau f b 11
” Charles son m b 9
” Gertie dau f b 7
” Rida dau f b 5
” Annie dau f b 3

House # 293
Moore, Luke head m mu 51 m 8 farmer
” Rene? wife f mu 35 m 8 5 5
” Lizzie dau f mu 27 s
” Hattie dau f mu 25 s
” Edward son m mu 21 s
” Pearl dau f mu 15 s
” Elsie dau f mu 7 s
” Ramie dau f mu 6 s [that was a boy!!]
” Robert son m mu 5 s
” Beatrice dau f mu 10/12 s
” Minnie dau f mu 3 s

e-mail from Jacqui: My aunt has been researching our Moore family history. This is what she has found: My name is Jacqui Singleton. My mother is Ida Pearl Malinda Moore Singleton. My aunt’s name is Oris Lorraine Moore Armstrong. Charlie Moore was her father. Her mother was Rida B. Askew Moore. My great-grandfather was William Moore Sr., married to Malinda Sessoms Moore. My great-great-grandfather was Luke Ward Moore, who was from the plantation owned by Major John W. Moore. (Luke Moore was purchased from William Bently in 1757) My Moores lived in Hertford Co., NC, and settled in Cofield Co. from Sally: Luke Moore being purchased from William Bently in 1757! I believe he must have been his father or grandfather. Somewhere here I have a copy of the notice that appeared in the Murfreesboro Paper when Your great great grandfather died in the 1880’s. I sorta think it might have been Luke or his father who told the Major the day of his wedding that he didn’t “rightly know the name of the man who is marrying Miss Annie, but I have heard tell he is powerful lazy.” —- from Jacqui:My aunt had a few questions 1 – In the death notice for Luke Ward Moore I, what were the names of his mother and father? 2- Mariah, Luke’s wife, died in 1904, do you have any information about who her mother and father were? 3- Were any Manumission papers issued to any of the Moore slaves? 4- Do you know if any of the slaves from your family’s plantation went to Roanoke Island to receive any freedom papers? 5-Three ships were mentioned in James Ward’s will (Information from Bertie County Seat at Windsor, NC) 1852? I.H. Sample, Sophia Collins, Carolina …all schooners that sailed into parts on the east coast? ———- from Sally: I was unaware of my James Ward died 1843 owning any schooners; but do know he was well-to-do. There appear to be several James Ward in Bertie County at that time. I haven’t placed them all. I know the Hertford County records prior to 1863 were destroyed in the fires at the courthouse, once in the thirties and again in 1863.