Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-06-30
PIONEER HISTORY
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

hunting, and spent much time at it,
yet he did not neglect his duties. In
the spring and summer he worked on
the farm and in the fall and winter
he attended school. The schoolhouse
was six miles from his home and, al
though he walked, he attended so
regularly and was so successful in his
work that at an early age he was
qualified to teach, which he did for
several years. He was an earnest
christian, and in addition to his regu-
lar work, which was strenuous enough
in those days, he taught on Sundays
community class of children and
grown people, of all ages, in the
wids of Mcdowell county, about
j twelve miles from Abb's Valley.
The curriculum of this heterogeneous
school embraced almost everything
from the primer to the Bible. School
opened at sunrise and closed at sun
set, and, as the teacher walked to
and fro, it was necessary for him to
start from home before dawn. 1t
seems that long journeys afoot were
of frequent occurrence. He was in
the habit of thus attending court at
Jacksonville twenty odd miles away,
and it was his custom to return the
same day. He walked barefooted, his
shoes slung by string across his
shoulder.
In the year 1926, at the age of
twenty four, he was married to Miss
Matilda Peery, daughter of George
Peery. Of this union two daughters
were born, one of whom died in in
fancy, the other, Lavinia, married
Cyrus Mcdonald and moved with her
husband to Missouri. He lost his wife
about the year 1885.
In 1843 he married Miss Mary
Barns, a member of the wellknown
Cove family. To them were born
nine children, four daughters and five
sons, one of whom, Clinton, died in
infancy. Robert, the eldest son, en-
listed in the army at the age of 16,
and was killed at the battle of Win
chester. He fills an unknown grave
on that battlefield. His other sons,
Charles, Luther and Oscar are still
living. Charley, in Monroe county,
W. Va; Squire Luther lives at
Tazewel and Oscar at the old home
in Abb's Valley. The daughters all
married natives of this county and
are still living. They are Matilda,
wife of Samuel Mustard, Lavicie,
wife of R. 7. Higginbotham, Barba-
ra, reict of Jospeh Moss, and Mary,
wife of Allen Davidson.
"Uncle Billy" Moore, as he was
affectionately called by his friends,
lived his entire life of ninety-one
years, except the first fourteen, on
the farm where he was born. Among
his neighbors and acquaintance,
throughout that long period, he "bore
without abuse the grand old name of
gentleman. " He was cordial host
and many enjoyed the hospitality of
his home. He was kind to the poor
and one of his daughters bears wit
ness that he never under any circum-
stances refused food OF lodging to
the passing stranger. He was a zeal
Gus member of the Methodist church,
yet he delighted in entertaining min
listers of all denominations He was n
member of the first missionary con-
ference held in this part of the coun-
try, and, beginning early in life, he
contributed, on yearly ascending
scale, to the missionary cause. Dur
ing his last years, he set apart Fri
day as a day of fasting that his
offering might be more generous, and
one of his last requests to the daugh-
ter who had been the stay and COM
panion of his old age, was to send a
remittance, after his death, to his
cousin, the good Bishop Taylor, in
Africa. He died December 10Th,
1891, survived by his wife, who lived
until the year 1906.
His descendants are many, and the
story of his life. and of the heroism
and sufferings of the pioneer family
IN Abb's Valley, will be handed down
to succeeding generations far into the
future. He was the last connecting
link between the old order and the
new. He sleeps amid the scenes
where in tranquility and benefcence
his long life was spent. Many who
have not yet reached middle age re-
member the kindly face and have
heard with delight, around a grand
fathers fireside, the stories of his
romantic boyhood and the bedtime
prayer of simple faith and hope.
And one of these has stood at evening
time on the little pastoral hillock
where he is at rest, and heard the
blood call of the subconscious pioneer,
and has seen magic reel unroll
shadowy films of that far away time
when the fires were lighted in the
Indian camp hardly, and the treble
call of the panther was heard in the
gorge beyond.