My Entry in the Tenth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge

An interesting feature of small town newspapers is the sense of humor that tends to get injected into the stories.

Add to that the "everyone knows everyone" factor usually involved, and this can make for some very interesting reading!

The town of Moores Hill, Indiana is a small town founded by my 4th-great grandfather, Adam Moore.  Adam, and his wife, Judith, had several children. Two of his sons were John C. Moore and my 3rd-great grandfather, Levin Smith Moore.

I am still doing some research into these two families, but I do know a few facts already.  I have seen several records that list Indiana Ruth Dowden as the wife of John C. Moore. Also, I know that Levin was married to a Dowden, before his marriage to my ancestor, Mary R. Sparks. I have not discovered yet how the two Dowdens were related. They might have been sisters or cousins, I am still researching this.

I found this short poem in a book entitled Cotton's Keepsake: Poems on Various Subjects. The author/poet wrote on several topics in various forms, but he had a chapter that he titled "Hymeneal Punnings".

Title page of Cotton's Keepsakes

               

Andrew Johnson Cotton

According to the book, Alfred J. Cotton was both a preacher and a judge. With these two occupations in a small town, I am sure that his name was on many of the marriage records!  In fact, he is listed as the justice of the peace on Levin & Mary Ann's marriage records.

This paragraph, found at the beginning of the chapter, sums up how these "punnings" were a regular part of the marriage process in Moores Hill!

             ~ "Judge Cotton, of Dearborn County, Indiana, has for many years enjoyed a very liberal hymeneal patronage. The young people flock to him to be joined in one, and he does the business with a grace and ease that does honor to him. After it is over, he writes out the marriage notice and sends to the paper for publication, often appending very happy remarks."  (p. 131) ~

Below, you will find the "punning" remarks that he had to say regarding the Moore brothers, and the Dowden ladies:

       JOHN C. MOORE AND RUTH DOWDEN, LEVIN S. MOORE AND
     MARY ANN DOWDEN.

         These fair young ladies, full well I know,
                Had goods and cash in store,
         In great abundance one would think,
                but still they wanted MOORE.

          Well, more they got, I know that, too, but still as 'twas
                before---
           They were unhappy all the time unless they could have
                MOORE.
           My saucy muse now I don't choose to hear "one single word
                more"
           If you don't mind, right soon you'll find yourself kicked out
                     the door.    (p. 141)


In conclusion, I have to say that this poem might mean just a chuckle or two to other people. But for the descendants of Adam Moore's sons, this is quite a treasure! In fact, I think that this poem, matted and framed might just make a nice Christmas present.

What do you think?

Source:

Cotton, Alfred Johnson. Cotton's Keepsake: Poems on Various Subjects. Applegate & Co., 1858.

http://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/

Hoosier Roots Run Deep in Indiana

Good news for this Hoosier Lady!

When starting a blog, one of the more difficult tasks is coming up with a name. It is a good idea to find something catchy, but it should also speak volumes about the blog itself.  I chose the name “This Hoosier’s Heritage” not only because I am a born-and-bred Hoosier, but also because I knew my roots grew deep in the state of Indiana.

Several weeks ago, I sent off my application to the Society of Indiana Pioneers.  If they can verify that you have ancestors in the state of Indiana before 1840, you are then welcome to join the Society and your ancestors will be added to their database.

Carrie (Hillman) Haessig on the left, Ethel
(Haessig) Schrader on the right 

My paternal grandmother, Ethel Haessig, has roots that run deep in Dearborn County.  Her mother, Carrie Hillman, was born in the small town of Moores Hill to Thomas Hillman and Anna Moore.

Thomas Hillman and Anna (Moore) Hillman

Anna Moore has a very rich heritage in Dearborn County, and much has been written about her grandparents' and great-grandparents' accomplishments and pioneering spirits. Her grandfather, Adam Moore, and his wife, Judith Smith, travelled from Maryland, and established the town of Moores Hill. The town was supposed to be named Moore’s Mill; but, through an error by the postmaster, it was mistakenly, and forever, named Moores Hill.

Adam Moore's will (naming Levin, and his siblings)

Anna Moore is the daughter of Levin Moore and Mary Sparks. Although Levin’s father, Adam, played a pioneering role in the founding of Moores Hill; Mary’s side of the family played an even bigger role in the history of Dearborn County.

Elijah Sparks' Life in Indiana

Her grandfather, Elijah Sparks, brought his wife, Elizabeth Weaver, and children (including Mary’s father, Hamlet) from Kentucky into Indiana Territory in 1806. He became a Territorial Judge for Dearborn County, until his death in 1815. Although Elijah helped to settle this southeastern corner of the Indiana Territory, he was not fortunate enough to witness its statehood.

I was waiting on pins and needles for a reply from the Society of Indiana Pioneers, and was delighted with their answer. According to their genealogist, "I will have no problem, whatsoever, in approving your application for both Elijah Sparks and Adam Moore."

My next step is completing the membership requirements for the Society, which is just a few small details on my part.

However, as all family historians are well aware...half of the fun is digging up the facts and stories.  The other half is in verifying whether they are indeed facts, half-truths, or legend. 

When an organization, such as the Society of Indiana Pioneers, verifies your research is in fact true, you breath a sigh of big relief.

Ahhh, now to continue digging deeper!! 

History...Up in Smoke

     "The executors of the Moore estate sold the furnishings and other contents of the old house to an antique dealer.  What he left was swept out into the yard and burned--a tragic loss."

     The above words are taken out of a book about Moores Hill College in Moores Hill, Indiana.  John C. Moore, the founder of the college, was a brother to my ancestor, Levin S. Moore.  Which means that they shared the same mother and father.

      Reading this sentence on the page above made me just about cry.  The parents that they shared, Adam and Judith Moore, travelled from Maryland to Indiana in 1818 and settled the town that bares their name.  I have read in other books that Adam was a well-read man and had a large library of books he would share with his friends and neighbors.

     This tells me that John, I am sure, probably had a large collection of his father's books.  He might have even had a journal or personal writings of his father.  To read that much of it was "swept out into the yard and burned"- just makes me burn!!!

     I would love to go back in time and prevent that craziness!  The sad thing is that this was probably fairly common and I am sure that many of you have probably faced something like this also. 

     Do any of you have stories like this that just make you wanna cry?  Tell them to the rest of us...maybe we can have one gigantic cryfest and get it out of our system.  Seriously, I would love to hear if you have stories like this also.