| MOORE-SEIGLER-TALBERT-BATES
While I am new to genealogy research, I am not new to the
history of the Moore family. What an exciting historical
moment in Scottish history – rather like the play,
MAC BETH. Family history was something my sisters and I
learned from our mother and grandmother. Though Southerners,
like the Chinese, are great ancestor worshippers how fortunate
we are to know about our roots. After the Civil War, I believe
that lineage became even more important when the material
wealth of many families was lost. A family’s name,
in some cases, was the only inheritance that remained.
In 1992, I toured Great Britain with my sister, Mary,
and her husband. When we arrived at Glencoe, there, like
a scene from a Hollywood movie, stood a lone piper in full
tartan dress amid the purple heather on the hills playing
the Massacre of Glencoe. It truly brought tears to our eyes.
I had often been told by English tourists whom I had met
on my trips abroad about the eerie feeling they had when
they visited this tragic place. And, it did have an air
about it.
My grandmother, Susan Corisande Seigler, was the wife
of John Lewis Talbert and one of three daughters born to
Mary Jane Moore, who was the daughter of John Ferguson Moore
and wife of John Seigler. The Talberts moved to Memphis,
Tennessee, when my mother, Bertye Kathleen Talbert, was
in her teens. In 1932 she married Langdon Doyle Bates. I
am the eldest of their three daughters – Madge Patricia
Bates Smith, Mary Selden Bates Wehbi and Kathleen (Kathy)
Doyle Bates. We grew up in Memphis, but I now reside in
Clearwater, Florida, and Mary and Kathy live in the Los
Angeles area.
The Talberts, like the Moores, were a prominent family
who lived in the Edgefield area. My great, great grandfather,
Joseph L. Talbert, gave his life at the battle of Maryland
Heights in 1862. He was a young man in his 30s who left
behind his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Quarles, and three children.
I quote from his obituary of October 29, 1862, “a
worthy scion of an ancient and honorable parent-tree, and
a devoted son of the South. We are losing many of our jewels
in this terrible war, but … never, will we cease to
struggle in every possible way for that freedom and honor
which drew the life-blood of our best and bravest”.
This was a fitting tribute to him and to those soldiers
of our family who, also, gave their lives in other wars
fighting for freedom and honor.
Because of my Scottish heritage, I was asked to be the
Mistress of Ceremonies of the Dunedin Highland Games here
in Florida. In the four years that I served, the committee
believed me to be the only female to serve in this capacity
at any Highland Games. I considered it quite an honor.
I am proud to be a descendant of John Moor. I look forward
to this 50th Moore Reunion and to meeting the branches of
this illustrious family tree.
Patricia Bates Smith
Clearwater, FL
psmith2003@earthlink.net
also see: Kathleen (Kathy)
Doyle Bates Biography
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