Robert Moore (Oregon pioneer)

Infobox Politician
name = Robert Moore


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office = Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
term_start = 1830
term_end = 1831
predecessor =
successor =
constituency = Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
office2 = Legislator in the Provisional Government of Oregon
term_start2 = 1843
term_end2 = 1843
predecessor2 = position created
successor2 =
constituency2 =
majority2 = Chairman
birth_date = October 2 1781
birth_place = Pennsylvania, United States
death_date = September 2 1857
death_place = Oregon
party =
relations =
spouse = Jane Gilbert Tubbs Apperson
civil partner =
children =
residence =
occupation = soldier
religion =


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footnotes =

Robert Moore (October 2 1781-September 2 1857) was an American politician and pioneer in the Oregon Country. A Pennsylvania native and veteran of the War of 1812, he also participated in the early movements to form a government in Oregon Country and founded Linn City, Oregon. Before traveling to Oregon in 1840 he had served in the Missouri General Assembly.

Early life

Robert Moore was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on October 2 1781.Corning, Howard M. (1989) "Dictionary of Oregon History". Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 169.] In 1805, Moore married Margaret Clark,cite web
last = Flora
first = Stephenie
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Emigrants to Oregon in 1840
work =
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.oregonpioneers.com/1840.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-11 ] and they would have ten children. In the east he served as a soldier in the War of 1812cite book
last = Tobie
first = Harvey Elmer
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = No Man Like Joe: The Life and Times of Joseph L. Meek
work =
publisher = Binfords & Mort
year = 1949
doi =
id = ] before moving to the Midwest where he helped to found several towns and built several businesses. The Moores would move to Illinois where Robert left the family to immigrate to Oregon Country. Margaret would die in 1848 in Missouri.

Oregon

Robert Moore traveled to Oregon over the Oregon Trail in 1839. He started out with the Farnham party from Peoria, Illinois, known as the Peoria Party. Moore joined the Shortess party briefly after the Peoria Party split at Bent’s Fort. He arrived in Oregon 1840 at Willamette Falls. Three of his ten children also immigrated west.

In 1840, after arriving, Moore began building Robin’s Nest across the river from Oregon City.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = From Robin's Nest to Stumptown
work = Oregon's Historic Trails
publisher = End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
date =
url = http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/road2oregon/sa33pdx.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-11 ] He purchased the 1000 acres from a local Native American chief named Wanaxha. The town was later renamed Linn City in honor of Missouri Senator Lewis Linn who sponsored the Donation Land Claims Act. By 1845, Moore was also operating a ferry across the Willamette River to Oregon City.

Politics

Moore’s political career began in Missouri where he was elected to the state house in 1830 to represent Ste. Genevieve County. [ [http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/history/historicallistings/molegm.asp Missouri State Legislators 1820-2000.] Missouri State Archives. Retrieved on March 18 2008.] cite book
last = Lockley
first = Fred
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Visionaries, Mountain Men, & Empire Builders
work =
publisher = Rainy Day Press
year = 1982
doi =
id = ] In Oregon on February 18, 1841, Moore was selected to a constitutional committee by fellow pioneers in an early and failed attempt at forming a provisional government.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = 1841
work = Oregon Trail 1841 to 1843
publisher = End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
date =
url = http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/5531/oregontrailthird.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-11 ] Though a constitution was never adopted, Dr. Ira L. Babcock was selected to serve as a supreme judge with probate powers to deal with the estate of prominent pioneer Ewing Young, while Moore was chosen as a justice of the peace.

Then at the July 5 1843, Champoeg Meeting Moore participated and voted in favor of forming a provisional government.cite book
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Oregon Blue Book: 1917-1918
work =
publisher = Oregon Secretary of State
year = 1917
doi =
id = ] The proposal passed 52 to 50, leading to the creation of the Provisional Government. Robert Moore was selected for the legislative committee that same year to draft the Organic Laws of Oregon. [ [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/legislative/histleg/pre-provisional/1843.htm Oregon Legislative Assembly (2nd Pre-Provisional) 1843 Meetings.] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on March 18 2008.]

Later years

In 1848, the region south of the 49th degree of latitude became the United States' Oregon Territory. In 1850, Robert Moore was appointed as territorial printer. From 1850 to 1851 Moore was the owner of the "Oregon Spectator" newspaper based out of Oregon City. Also in 1850, Moore became the postmaster for the community. [ [http://www.ci.west-linn.or.us/information/history.htm History of West Linn.] City of West Linn. Retrieved on March 18 2008.] He also advocated for the property rights of Dr. John McLoughlin, whose land holdings in Oregon City were denied in the Donation Land Act of 1850. Moore remarried in 1851 to Jane Gilbert Tubbs Apperson. In 1854, a fire destroyed much of Linn City, so the business district was relocated to the west and the city became West Linn. The rest of the city was destroyed by a fire in 1861 before flooding that December wiped out what remained. Robert Moore died on September 2 1857, at the age of 75.

References

External links

* [http://oregonmag.com/OrHistArticle.htm Oregon or the Grave]