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WILLIAM A. MOORE, CALIFOR NIA GOLD MINER, VETERAN OF CIVIL WAR AND OLDEST CITIZEN OF THE COUNTY EX PIRED EARLY THIS MORNING. DECEASED WAS , BORN IN 1827 Crossed Plains to California During the Famous Gold Rush and Spent Six Years in the Diggings—Re turned Home in 1859 and Enlist ed in the Army at Outbreak of Civil War. William A. Moore, oldest citizen of Clay county, a veteran of the Civ il war and one of the few remaining survivors of the famous California gold rush, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Marshall Michaelree at 618 West National avenue at 5:30 o'clock this morning of general de bility, at the age of 95 years, 7 months and 19 days. The deceased had been in poor health for some time and several months ago his condition was reported as critical and his death was hourly expected but he rallied and had been enjoying much better health until recently. William Moore was born in Huron county, Ohio, May 19th, 1827. He was a son of John Moore, a native of New York state. In November 1839, the elder Moore with his family em igrated to Indiana and came to pion! county to seek a home, locating two miles north of this city. At that time this section of Indiana was a wilderness. It was five years before the town of Brazil was laid out and Brazil was nothing more than a cross road hamlet with but a few pioneer farmers hhewing a home out of the virgin, forest. The young man remained on the farm helping his father raise his crops until 1853 when lured by the stories of the wonderful discovery of gold in California he joined the grand rush to that distant state on the shores of the Pacific. The first gold discoveries were made in the fall of 1849 and the big rush be gan the following year. As stories of the big finds of gold continued to filt through from the far west, young Moore’s adventurous spirit was fired and early in the spring of 1853 he started on the hazardous trip across the plains, mountains and deserts to the land of promise. For five months he battled with the hardships which beset his path in is overland trip before reacing his goal. In these days the west was untouched by railroads and the trip had to be made by wagon or horse back. Despite the handicaps and hardships of the trail, the danger of attack by blood-thirsty Indians, the scarcely marked trails over the mountains, the intense heat and dangers of the great desert young Moore finally arrived at the promis ed land and for five years lived the hectic life in the feverish hunt for gold with varying fortunes. Finally tiring of the wild life in the gold camps, young Moore return ed home in 1859 and resumed his work on the farm. At the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861 he enlisted in the Union army as a member of Company 1, 21st Indiana Regiment of Volunteers. He continued in the service for over a year when he discharged at Ship Island, near OF leans, on account of disability. . . Returning to Clay county, he was united in marriage in 1893 to Mary, K. Bailey, who died twelve years later. To this union there born three daughters and two sons, the latter both having preceded the father in death. The survivors are Mrs. Marshall Michaelree and Mrs. William Dodge, of this city and Mrs. Frank Sowar, of Muncie; also four grandchildren and six great-grand children. For many years the deceased was engaged in the harness business in this city, but owing to ill health he retired from active business about thirty years ago. Up to the time of his death Mr. Moore retained a re markable memory of the events of his life and talked interestingly of his trip across the American conti nent seventy years ago in the great gold rush. Relatives have been unable sa tet to locate Mrs. Dodge who is spend ing the winter in Florida and are rangements for the funeral and be made until she has been heal from.
Newspaper Details
Brazil Daily Times
Brazil, Indiana, US
Mon, Jan 08, 1923
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Joan M.
USA 12 Jul 2026
Other Publications Near Brazil, Indiana
Brazil National Index
Brazil Manufacture and Miner
Brazil Clay County Enterprise
Brazil Weekly News
Brazil Weekly Democrat
