John Moor (1)

From Moore Family - 1648-1978 - Chapter 1 - pg 7

JOHN MOOR (1)

John Moor (1), the progenitor of our race of Moore's was born in the county of Argile, Scotland in 1648. He belonged to the Clan of MacDonald of Glencoe.

In the Revolution of 1688, it was some time before all the Scottish Chiefs submitted and took the oath of allegiance to the new government. In 1691, King William issued a proclamation offering amnesty to all the chiefs and their clans who would take the oath of allegiance before Dec. 31, 1691. All the chiefs submitted within the time except MacDonald of Glencoe, and he on Dec. 31, 1691 appeared at Fort Wilharn but could not find a magistrate to administer the oath. MacDonald took the oath Jan. 6, 1692, six days after the time given in William's proclamation. Orders were given to destroy MacDonald and the entire clan.

One hundred and twenty soldiers were sent to occupy Glencoe, professing peace and friendship. They were received with the kindest hospitality. On the evening of February 12, 1692, after their entertainment at the MacDonald home, an attack was made upon MacDonald. He was shot through the head, and his family murdered, and the inhabitants of all ages were cruelly massacred. More than forty were killed.

In this infamous massacre, John Moore (1), our progenitor, was shot dead in his garden. His wife, finding him dead, covered his body with a sheet, and fled to a malt-kiln for safety. That night she was delivered of a son, the John Moor (2), who was among the early settlers of Londonderry, New Hampshire. Mrs. Moor had two daughters, Elizabeth and Beatrix, whom she left in the care of a servant while she fled for safety. She remained in the malt kiln three days, when she took her young son and returned to her house. She found the body of her husband had been taken away, and the daughters and servant had gone, and the house deserted and she alone with her babe.

Her husband's brother, Samuel Moor, with most of her family relatives, had removed some time before this event, to Antrim Co., Ireland. By the help of friends, she Joined her relatives in Ireland. Two years later, the servant brought the two daughters to her.

Chapter 1 pg 8

Our forefathers in Scotland were Presbyterians, but were obliged to worship in form according to regulations of the established church of England. They looked to America as the only place where they could worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.

On March 26, 1718, I find two hundred from the North of Ireland signed a memorial to Samuel Shute, Governor of Massachusetts to assure his excellency of their sincere and hearty inclination to transport themselves to that very excellent and renowned plantation, upon their receiving from his excellency suitable encouragement. Among the signers of this memorial I find the names of John Moor (1), Samuel Moor (1), and William Cochran, afterwards the father-in-law of John Moor (1). Gov. Shute promised the memorialists a township twelve miles square of the unoccupied lands in New England, and sixteen families made immediate preparation to leave Ireland for America, arriving in Boston, August, 1718. These emigrants did not make the selection of their lands until April 11, 1719.

When the news of their settlement reached Ireland, many families prepared to leave for America. It was agreed that the Moor's and their relatives should leave Ireland in company and settle together.

John Moor, son of Samuel Moor (1) remained in Ireland, but came to America in 1724. Samuel Moor (I) was 65 years old. Charter John (1), (John 1) was 27. William Cochran 55, and Andrew Todd 23. These with their families left Ireland in the Spring of 1720. On their passage the vessel was captured by pirates. While in their hands, a Mrs. Wilson was delivered of her first child. Their helpless innocence so moved the pirate band that after taking most of their money, they permitted them to go on their journey, bestowing upon Mrs. Wilson some valuable presents, among which was a silk dress, a piece of which I have in my possession, given me by Mrs. Robert C. Mack of Londonderry, N. H., in 1873.

The party arrived in Boston in June, 1720, and soon after joined their friends (who had previously come from Ireland in 1718), in Nutfield, later Londonderry, now Derry, N. H.