JOHN W. MOORE. Every line of business is being successfully prosecuted
in the nourishing city of Anna, Illinois, for it is of sufficient importance
to command a large trade from the surrounding country, and the people who
make it their market demand the best of goods and service. One of the
enterprising and progressive business men of this city is John W. Moore, who
has been identified with various lines of endeavor, and is now dealing in
wholesale and retail groceries and seeds, with a trade that extends over
several states. Mr. Moore is a native of the Prairie State, having been born
in Massac county in 1872, and is a son of Francis M. and Emma B. (Phillips)
Moore.
Francis M. Moore was born in the state of Indiana in 1838, from whence he
emigrated as a young man to Massac county, there carrying on the trade of
blacksmith until his death in 1876. His widow, who was born in Tennessee in
1848, brought her family to Anna in 1880, and here the youth grew to
manhood, securing a somewhat limited education in the public schools, as he
was compelled to give up his studies early in order to contribute to his own
support. He secured employment in the mercantile establishment of J. C.
DeWitt, with whom he resided while working, and continued in that
gentleman's employ until 1894, at which time he entered the business field
on his own account on South Railway Street. After three years he sold his
interests to Mrs. A. I. Jean, and began to work in the blacksmith and farm
implement business of W. C. Mangold, with whom he continued for two years,
at which time the firm of Mangold-Moore Implement, Hardware & Harness
Company was established. Mr. Moore was vice-president of this business,
which handled implements, hardware and harness, and was capitalized at
$10,000, but after continuing in that line for two years Mr. Moore sold out
and bought his present business from Mr. DeWitt. He carries wholesale and
retail groceries and seeds, but the greater part of his attention has been
given to the wholesale seed trade, which, during the eight years that he has
been in charge of the business, has increased from $8,000 to $40,000 sales'
yearly. His goods are shipped all over Illinois and into several adjoining
states, and the manner in which he has carried on his dealings has gained
him customers that have done business with him year after year. Mr. Moore is
possessed of superior business ability, and tire rapid growth of the Moore
Seed Company may be attributed to the progressive ideas and methods which he
has introduced. His belief in the future of Anna has been made manifest by
his association with movements for promoting the interests of the city, as
well as by his investment in a number of pieces of valuable real estate.
Mr. Moore was married to Miss Oma.Peeler, who was born in Johnson county, in
1874, daughter of J. C. and Nancy (Evers) Peeler, and three children have
been born to this union: Ernestine, who is five years old; and John C. and
Jean C, twins, who are two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Moore are members of
the Methodist Episcopal church and much interested in its work, Mr. Moore at
present acting as a member of the board of trustees. He belongs to Blue
Lodge No. 520 and Royal Arch Chapter No. 45, of Masonry, and to the Odd
Fellows, all of Anna. In political matters he is a Republican, but he has
found his business duties too engrossing to allow him to enter the political
field as an active participant.
Extracted from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 583-584.
| Jackson | Williamson | |
| MO |
 |
Johnson |
| Alexander | Pulaski |
