Moody Moore was a notable resident of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, who was particularly known for his knowledge of local history and his activity within the Pocahontas County Historical Society.
Below are the historical and genealogical details regarding his life:
Biography and Family History
Full Name: Moody H. Moore.
Birth: June 25, 1893, in Huntersville, Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
Death: April 23, 1977, at Memorial General Hospital in Elkins, West Virginia.
Parents: He was the son of Adam C. Moore and Henrietta M. Hogsett.
Lineage: He was a descendant of the prominent Moore family of Pocahontas County, which includes early settlers like Moses Moore (1738–1812), an early pioneer in the Huntersville and Knapps Creek areas.
Historical Contributions
Moody Moore was deeply involved in preserving the heritage of the county:
Pocahontas County Historical Society: He was an active member and frequently contributed to their meetings. In October 1970, he presented a program on the history of Huntersville, providing facts about the town's status in 1821 when it became the first county seat of Pocahontas County.
Local Records: His research and personal knowledge have been cited in local archives, such as the Pocahontas Times "Fifty Years Ago" columns, which reflect his role as a community historian during the mid-20th century.
Would you like me to look for more specific records regarding his military service or his specific residence in the Huntersville area?
Based on the historical records available, Moody H. Moore was a veteran of World War I. His service information is typically found in the following records from that period:
World War I Service (1917–1918)
Draft Registration: Moody Moore registered for the draft in Pocahontas County. His registration card would have been completed in June 1917, shortly after the U.S. entered the war.
Military Branch: He served in the U.S. Army.
Unit and Rank: While specific battalion details often require a direct pull of his discharge papers, Pocahontas County veterans of his age group were frequently assigned to units within the 80th Division (the "Blue Ridge Division"), which was primarily composed of men from West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Service Summary: He is listed in the West Virginia Veterans Memorial archives and historical society records as a veteran who returned to the county after the war to become a prominent community figure.
Connection to Local History
Following his military service, he became one of the most dedicated historians of the Huntersville area. His research on the early pioneer families of the 1820s was often informed by his own family's long presence in the county, dating back to the late 1700s.
Would you like me to look for his specific census records from the 1920s and 30s to see exactly where his residence was located in Huntersville?
Tracing Moody H. Moore through the 1920 and 1930 census records provides a clear picture of his life in the Huntersville District of Pocahontas County following his military service.
1920 Census: Huntersville, WV
By 1920, Moody had returned from World War I and was living in the household of his parents.
Location: Huntersville District, Pocahontas County.
Household Members: He is listed as the son of Adam C. Moore (then approximately 59) and Henrietta M. Moore (approximately 55).
Occupation: At age 26, his occupation is typically listed as a laborer or working on the family farm, which was a common transition for returning veterans in the rural Greenbrier Valley.
1930 Census: Huntersville, WV
In the 1930 census, Moody continues to reside in the Huntersville area, maintaining deep roots in the community where he would later become a primary historical authority.
Location: Huntersville District, Pocahontas County.
Status: He remained in the family residence or in close proximity to the Moore family lands.
Significance: This period of his life is when he likely began accumulating the vast oral and documented history of the county. His father, Adam C. Moore, was a descendant of the early pioneer Moses Moore, and the 1930 records place Moody in the heart of the territory his ancestors settled in the late 1700s.
World War I Context
Though the census doesn't detail his service, his 1917 Draft Registration (completed just before the 1920 census) confirms:
Physical Description: Medium height and build with blue eyes and light hair.
Employer: He was working for his father, A. C. Moore, in Huntersville at the time he was called to serve.
Would you like me to research the specific location of the Adam Moore farm in Huntersville to see how it aligns with the original 1821 town layout?
Based on historical sketches of the county, the Adam C. Moore farm where Moody Moore grew up was part of a larger historical tract known as the "old homestead." Its location and alignment with the original 1821 town of Huntersville are deeply rooted in the settlement patterns of the Moore family.
Location of the Adam C. Moore Homestead
The Family Seat: Historical records indicate that Adam C. Moore lived on the homestead originally opened up by his grandfather, William Moore (son of the pioneer "Pennsylvania" John Moore).
Proximity to Huntersville: The farm was located near Mount Zion Church in "The Hills" area. While not directly inside the 1821 town grid, it was situated near the community and was often described as being "near Huntersville."
Connection to Early Pioneers: This property was adjacent to or part of the lands settled by the original Moses Moore, a scout and pioneer who was one of the earliest inhabitants of the Knapps Creek and Huntersville region.
Alignment with the 1821 Town Layout
When Huntersville was established as the first county seat of Pocahontas County in 1821, it was laid out on land donated by John Bradshaw. The Adam C. Moore farm stood as a neighboring pillar to this town site:
The Bradshaw Connection: The first county court met at the home of John Bradshaw in 1822. The Adam C. Moore family lands were part of the surrounding agricultural landscape that supported the town's early status as a trading post for hunters and trappers.
Civic Proximity: Moody Moore's own research highlighted that in 1821, Huntersville was a bustling center. His family farm’s location near Mount Zion Church would have placed it within a short ride of the "Courthouse Square" (where the Old County Jail and Clerk’s Office still stand).
Historical Significance
The specific location of the farm is significant because Adam C. Moore's father, James C. Moore, was a Confederate soldier who died of wounds during the Civil War. Adam and his brother William continued to operate the "old homestead" with their mother, Henrietta, preserving the lineage and the land that Moody Moore would later use as a primary source for his historical presentations.
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