Last week, we looked at twelve of the thirteen children of Caroline Matilda Moore and Henry Jefferson “Jeff” Moore of Ararat, Virginia. This week, we will look at their fourth child, John Rucker Moore, who was born on the 4th of November 1853 in the western part of Patrick County.
Unlike several of his brothers who moved away, John Rucker Moore spent the greatest part of his life in Patrick County. In fact, I have admired the Judge Moore home on Tudor Orchard Road ever since I was a little girl.
In the 1880 census, twenty-six-year-old John Rucker Moore was living in the town of Taylorsville (Stuart) and was a practicing attorney at law. On the 27th of February 1881, he married Miss Sallie Lou Rucker, the daughter of Larkin Grandison Rucker and Lavinia Ann Davis. Larkin G. Rucker was the local county clerk.
In December 1881, John and Sallie’s first child, Caroline was born, followed by Jessie Grandison Moore in July of 1884; son John Rucker Moore, Jr. on the 30th of July 1890; and Edwin Bruce Moore on the 6th of June 1892.
John Rucker Moore served as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Patrick County for twelve years, after which he was elected judge of the county court. In 1893, when Grover Cleveland became president, Claude Swanson was serving his first term in Congress. Swanson had Moore appointed commissioner of the federal land office, a position which he would hold until the end of Cleveland’s administration. Moore and his family remained in Washington, D.C. until 1897. Upon his return to Patrick County, he was re-appointed Judge of the Court, a position he held until 1904, when the court was changed from a county to a circuit court.
On the 13rh of October 1902, Judge Moore’s oldest daughter Caroline married Dr. Leonidas Camden Dickerson of Floyd County. On the 22nd of July 1907, second daughter Jessie married William Adolphus McCandless, manager (and later president) of the Halifax Cotton Mill in South Boston. Oldest son John Rucker Moore, Jr. married Miss Estella Ragsdale in June of 1931. Estella was the daughter of Fitzhugh Ragsdale, engineer for the Dick & Willie Railroad. Youngest son, Edwin Bruce Moore married Danville native, Miss Susie Virginia Mitchell in 1916.
Judge John Rucker Moore, Sr. was Chairman of the Democratic Party of Patrick County for many years. After his retirement from public life, Judge Moore turned to horticulture and like a couple of his brothers, began working with his orchards.
In 1935, Sallie Rucker Moore passed away at the age of seventy-eight years of age and was laid to rest at Stuart Cemetery. Two years later, Judge John Rucker Moore, Sr. passed away on March 16th, 1937. Several local papers recounted the judge’s last day, “Judge John R. Moore, one of Patrick’s most prominent citizens died at his home here of a heart attack early Tuesday morning. He had been in declining health for some time, but he appeared to be as well as usual Monday. At about 4 o’clock Tuesday morning he complained of feeling badly so his son, Rucker, prepared and gave him soda water, which he said relieved him, but when the son went to awake him for breakfast a few hours later, he was dead. From all appearance he passed quietly while asleep.”
Funeral services were conducted from Judge Moore’s home at 2:30 o’clock Wednesday by Rev. A.E. Estall and Rev. J.E. Brooks. He was laid to rest beside his wife at Stuart Cemetery. Music was furnished by the Stuart Male Quartet. Active pallbearers were: F.P. Burton, John D. Hooker, M.E. Thompson, J.G. Davis, L.C. Dickerson Jr., W. Blair Clark, W. L. Joyce, and A. Leon Powell.
I recently had the pleasure of talking with Sara Leigh Dickerson Collins, the great granddaughter of Judge John Rucker Moore, Sr. Sara shared the above family photo with names as follows: back row, left to right: Jessie Moore McCandless; John Rucker Moore, Jr.; Sue Mitchell Moore; Edwin Bruce Moore. middle row, left to right: Cora Moore Gilmer; Judge John Rucker Moore, Sr.; Sallie Rucker Moore; and Caroline Moore Dickerson. Children on the front row have not been identified. Next week, we will learn about Sara’s grandfather, Dr. Leonidas Camden Dickerson, Sr. Woody may be reached at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com or (276) 692-9626.
