William S. Moore
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William Sutton Moore (November 18, 1822 – December 30, 1877) was an American lawyer, newspaper editor, and politician from
Washington, Pennsylvania Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania. A part of the Greater Pittsburgh area in the southwestern part of the state, the city is home to Washington & Jefferson College and Pony League baseball. The populat ...
. A
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, he was most notable for his service as a member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
from 1873 to 1875. A native of Amity, Pennsylvania, Moore graduated from Washington College (now
Washington and Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries to ...
) in 1847, studied law, and attained
admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in 1848. Moore practiced in
Washington, Pennsylvania Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania. A part of the Greater Pittsburgh area in the southwestern part of the state, the city is home to Washington & Jefferson College and Pony League baseball. The populat ...
. Moore became active in politics as a Republican, and served as Washington County
Prothonotary The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. ''prothonotarius'' ( c. 400), from Greek ''protonotarios'' "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the B ...
from 1854 to 1857, and Washington County Treasurer from 1863 to 1866. Beginning in 1857, Moore was part-owner and publisher of the ''Reporter'', a local newspaper. In 1872, Moore was a successful candidate for the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
. He served one term, March 4, 1873 to March 3, 1875. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874. Moore was often in ill health after being diagnosed with throat cancer in the mid-1850s. His health rapidly declined in mid-1877, and he died in Washington on December 30, 1877. He was buried at Washington Cemetery in Washington.


Biography

Moore was born in Amity, Pennsylvania on November 18, 1922, the son of James and Ann (Sutton) Moore. His mother died when he was young, and he was raised by his uncle and aunt, Hugh and Sarah Moore. He attended the local schools, and in 1842 began attendance at Washington College (now
Washington and Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries to ...
), from which he graduated in 1847. Three of Moore's college classmates went on to serve in Congress: James G. Blaine (Maine);
John V. Le Moyne John Valcoulon Le Moyne (November 17, 1828 – July 27, 1918) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois. Life and career Le Moyne was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, the son of Madeleine Romaine (Bureau) and Francis Julius LeMoyne. Le Moyne at ...
(Illinois); and
William Henry Mills Pusey William Henry Mills Pusey (July 29, 1826 – November 15, 1900), an American banker, was a one-term Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa's 9th congressional district in southwestern Iowa from 1883 to 1885. Born in Washington County, Pennsy ...
(Iowa). While attending college, Moore also began the study of law in the office of
Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan (March 31, 1794 – July 9, 1852) was a 19th-century politician and lawyer who served briefly as United States Secretary of the Interior under President Millard Fillmore. Early life McKennan was born in New ...
. He was
admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in 1848 and began to practice in
Washington, Pennsylvania Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania. A part of the Greater Pittsburgh area in the southwestern part of the state, the city is home to Washington & Jefferson College and Pony League baseball. The populat ...
.


Career

A
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
from the time the party was founded in the 1850s, Moore served as
prothonotary The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. ''prothonotarius'' ( c. 400), from Greek ''protonotarios'' "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the B ...
of Washington County from 1854 to 1857. He was a delegate to the
1856 Republican National Convention The 1856 Republican National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that met from June 17 to June 19 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the first national nominating convention of the Republican Party, which had been founded tw ...
. He resigned as prothonotary after being diagnosed with throat cancer, and he endured bouts of ill health as his condition worsened over time. In 1857, he became one of the owners of the ''Reporter'' newspaper, and also served as the paper's editor. Moore remained affiliated with the ''Reporter'' until his death. From 1863 to 1866, Moore served as Washington County Treasurer.


Congressman

In 1872, Moore was elected to the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
and he served one term, March 4, 1873 to March 3, 1875. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1874. During his Congressional term, Moore served on the Committee on Revision of the Laws of the United States. As part of this committee, he oversaw the work to revise Title 38, the federal statutes related to currency and monetary policy.


Death and burial

After leaving Congress, Moore resumed his work as editor of the ''Reporter''. In August 1877, his health took a turn for the worse, and he visited cancer specialists in Philadelphia. He retired in October, and his health continued to worsen. Moore died in Washington, Pennsylvania on December 30, 1877. He was interred at Washington Cemetery in Washington.


Family

On January 23, 1850, Moore married Elizabeth Leamon Brownlee of Canton Township. They were the parents of three children: Annie, Alice, and Joseph Henderson. Annie Moore was the wife of
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
Captain and railroad executive Alexander McCarrell Patch, and the mother of General
Alexander Patch General Alexander McCarrell Patch (November 23, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in both world wars, rising to rank of general. During World War II, he commanded U.S. Army and Marine Corps force ...
.


See also

*
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, William S. 1822 births 1877 deaths Pennsylvania prothonotaries American publishers (people) People from Washington County, Pennsylvania Washington & Jefferson College alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American businesspeople