March 10, 1953

Dear Cousin: (Marianne)

You may be a little startled to be thus addressed by one

of whom you have probably never heard, so I will explain at once

that I am the younger brother (three scores and ten!) of Mary

Moore, who enjoyed so much knowing your brother Warner when he

was stationed in Honolulu.

I am not writing to tell you, as well I might, how proud

we Moores all are of the great distinction you have brought to

the name (it makes us all feel a little taller) but, oddly enough,

about a “work” of my own.

Some seven years ago, I asked Mary if she would writ an

informal history of the family, based on her long recollections

and her researches into the genealogy, that I could give to my son

and daughter against the day when they would become interested in

such things.

Mary responded in due course with a very felicitous account

of the family, but I didn’t do anything with it for several years.

The idea then occurred to me of adding some genealogical data that

Mary had given me and sending it to anyone in the connection who

might be interested. As I got further into the project, I supple-

mented what Mary had written with some footnotes and finally to

complete the picture I wanted to leave my own children I added “Some

Family Profiles and Appraisals”. The whole, I put together under

the title of “The Moores of Portsmouth, Ohio”.

Considerable portions of profile and appraisals are devoted

to your grandfather, of whom I stood in great awe, as a boy, and

for whom, as I came to appreciate his sense of values, I have had

increasing respect and admiration. I have tried, inadequately, to

express these feelings.

I am venturing to send you a copy of the family annals and

another for Warner in the hope that you may find parts of it of

interest (at least the mention of yourselves in Mary’s account!).

You will want to skip over the considerable sections devoted to

my father and mother, which were intended, of course, for only their

grandchildren. However, a few of the items about my father also

concern Uncle William as the two brothers were closely associated

in everything they did from boyhood on and were deeply devoted to

each other.

Mary mentions that not one of the early Moore men would

have killed a fly, unnecessarily. That this is no more figure of

speech is attested by a letter I had from Elizabeth Greene. She

wrote that she remembered seeing her grandfather many times fish

a fly out of his coffee, dry its wings with his napkin and set it

free. She said, further, that he would not permit the family to

use fly paper, with the result that the ladies of the house would

spread it around after he left for the office and would gather it

up just before he returned.

I think you will agree that, as far as Uncle William is

concerned, at least, Mary’s point is well corroborated.

If you find “The Moores of Portsmouth, Ohio,” of some

interested, I shall be delighted. If you do not, you will understand

my long hesitation in sending it.

With warm regards to you and your brother, I am

Sincerely,

Will Moore (signature)