Charles Bruce Moores (August 6, 1849 – January 5, 1930) was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. A native of Missouri, he came from a family of politicians including his father John H. Moores, his grandfather Isaac R. Moores, and uncle Isaac R. Moores, Jr. who all served in the Oregon Legislature. A Republican, he served as the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives during his sole term in the House in 1895.
Charles B. Moores | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 18th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives | |
| In office 1895–1896 | |
| Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 34th district | |
| In office 1895–1896 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 6, 1849 Benton, Missouri |
| Died | January 5, 1930 (aged 80) Portland, Oregon |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Sarah E. Chamberlain |
| Alma mater | Willamette University
University of Pennsylvania Law School University of Michigan |
Early life
editCharles Moores was born to John H. Moores and Virginia Lafayette Lamon on August 6, 1849, in Benton, Missouri.[1] In 1852, the family moved to the Oregon Territory over the Oregon Trail, arriving in November.[2] This included his grandfather Isaac and uncle Isaac, junior.[2] After living in Portland for a few months, the family relocated south to Salem in March 1853.[2] Moores received his education there where he attended Willamette University, graduating in 1870 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[3][4] One of his classmates was Theodore Thurston Geer, later Governor of Oregon.[5]
Moores then worked as draughtsman for the Oregon and California Railroad and in their real estate office, working a total of five years for the railroad in Portland before moving to the East Coast in 1874.[3][4] In Washington, DC, he enrolled in a business college before relocating again to Pennsylvania where he studied law at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.[3] Moores then finished his legal studies at the University of Michigan where he graduated from in 1877 with a Bachelor of Laws degree with honors before returning to Salem where he lived for 45 years.[3][4][6] In Salem, he passed the bar and briefly practiced law.[3][7]
He was married to Sarah E. Chamberlain (born October 20, 1853) on November 1, 1881, and they had four children, Merrill, Gordon, Chester, and Gertrude, all born in Salem.[1] In 1880, he was selected to work as the chief clerk at the Oregon House of Representatives.[1] Both Merrill[8] and Gordon would later work as clerks in the House as well.[9] From 1882 to 1887 he worked as the private secretary of Oregon Governor Z. F. Moody.[1]
Political career
editIn 1894, Moores was elected to the Oregon House to represent Marion County and District 34.[10] Serving as a Republican in the 1895 session, his only session, he was elected as the Speaker of the House by fellow House members.[10] Following this term Moores was appointed as the register of public lands at the United States Land Office in Oregon City in 1897, and served in that position until 1903.[1][7] He lived in Oregon City for eleven years.[6]
In 1910, Portland Mayor Joseph Simon appointed him to the public docks commission.[6] He was a commissioner for ten years, five as chairman.[1][4] Moores was also the chairman of the Oregon Republican Party's central committee in 1912 and 1914,[4] and served on the city council in Salem.[3] He ran for the office of Oregon Secretary of State in 1912, but lost to Ben Olcott.[6]
Later life and family
editAfter retiring from public service Moores remained in Portland and became involved in history preservation, as well as a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of the later for 53 years.[4][6][7] He served as a president of the Oregon Pioneer Association in 1915, and was member of the organization for 17 years.[6] Moores was a director at the Oregon Historical Society from 1910 to 1918 and was the vice president of the board from 1918 to 1927.[4][6][11] He also was employed with the Capital Lumbering Company in Salem and served on the board of trustees at Willamette University for 53 years beginning in 1878.[4][6][7] At Willamette he had previously served as treasurer and secretary, while his father had also been a trustee at the college.[4]
His father John had been in the Oregon State Senate,[12] his grandfather was in the Oregon Territorial Legislature,[13] and his uncle had also been Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.[14] Son Gordon C. Moores served in the Washington Legislature[4] and son Chester A. Moores served as chairman of the Portland Housing Authority[15] for which he won the 1946 Portland First Citizen Award.[16] Charles Moores died on January 5, 1930, and the age of 80 in Portland, where he lived the last 24 years of his life.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Wright, Anne Julia Mims (1911). A Record of the Descendants of Isaac Ross and Jean Brown: And the Allied Families of Alexander, Conger, Harris, Hill, King, Killingworth, Mackey, Moores, Sims, Wade, Etc. Consumers Stationery and Printing Co. pp. 98.
Charles B. Moores oregon speaker.
- ^ a b c Burial Details. Salem Pioneer Cemetery. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Republican League Register, a Record of the Republican Party in the State of Oregon. Portland, Oregon: Register Pub. Co. 1896. p. 353.
Charles B. Moores oregon speaker.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Carey, Charles Henry. (1922). History of Oregon. Pioneer Historical Publishing Co. Vol. 3, pp. 117–118.
- ^ Geer, Theodore Thurston (1912). Fifty Years in Oregon: Experiences, Observations, and Commentaries Upon Men, Measures, and Customs in Pioneer Days and Later Times. The Neale Publishing Company. pp. 115.
Charles B. Moores oregon speaker.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Miller, Robert A. (December 1930). "In Memory of Charles B. Moores". Oregon Historical Quarterly. XXXI. Oregon Historical Society: 393–397.
- ^ a b c d Lockley, Fred. (1928) History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp 305–306.
- ^ Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide: 1917 Regular Session (29th). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide: 1911 Regular Session (26th). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ a b Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide: 1895 Regular Session (18th). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ "News Department". Washington Historical Quarterly. VI (1). Washington University State Historical Society: 75. January 1915.
- ^ Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide: Oregon Legislative Assembly (6th) 1870 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide: Oregon Legislative Assembly (7th Territorial) 1855 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide: Oregon Legislative Assembly (3rd) 1864 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
- ^ Dannals, Florence. Big Postwar Industrial Center Proposed to Save Vanport City. Archived June 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine "Vanport," October 22, 1944.
- ^ Portland First Citizen Award. Archived March 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.