Thomas Moore Of Sussex County

Thomas Moore who died in Sussex County in 1765 was the ancestor of the Moore family of Franklin County, NC. Supposedly he was married twice to 2 of the daughters of Robert Barham, although the evidence for this is not perfect. Analysis of land records shows that he was probably a member of the Moore family of Gloucester County, VA. Unfortunately, most of the Gloucester County records have burned, so that tracing back further is difficult. However, it is possible that he was descended from John Moore who came to Virginia in 1620. The name Augustine Moore was common in this family and also appears in the records of Abingdon Parish in Gloucester County where Thomas Moore was probably christened. Another question of interest to the Moore family is whether we are related to Bartholomew Figures Moore (1801-1878) former North Carolina attorney general. Family tradition is that we are and records examined to date seem to agree.

The will of Thomas Moore was recorded in Sussex County in 15 Aug 1765. He bequeathed land to his wife Sarah Moore, son Thomas Moore, son William Moore, and son Barrum Moore. Also mentioned were son John and daughters Elizabeth Johnson, Ann Renn, Susanna, Martha, Rebecca and Sarah. The parish register of Albemarle Parish in Surry/Sussex County has these records of the Thomas Moore family:

  • Anna, d. of Thomas Moore and w. Mary, born 22 Oct 1739
  • Mary, d. of Thomas Moore and w. Mary, born 7 June 1742
  • William, s. of Thomas Moore and w. Mary, born 27 Feb 1744/5
  • Susanna, d. of Thomas Moore and w. Mary, born 17 May 1748
  • Barrham, s. of Thomas Moore and w. Mary, born 16 Feb 1750/1
  • Martha, d. of Thomas Moore and w. Sarah, born 15 Feb 1753
  • Rebecca, d. of Thomas Moore and w. Sarah, born 11 Sept 1754
  • Sarah, d. of Thomas Moore and w. Sarah, born 27 Aug 1757
  • Mary Moore of the small pox, died 13 April 1751

Barham Family

From these records it is clear that Thomas married twice first to Mary who died in 1751 and second to Sarah. As far as I know all researchers have identified his wives as 2 of the daughters of Robert Barham who left a will in Southampton County, VA, proved August 1760. The ancestry of the Virginia Barhams is well documented to the point of a genealogy existing that was prepared by the College of Arms. Robert Barham's great great uncle was Samuel Argall governor of Virginia.

Mary Barham was born by 1711 when she was mentioned in the will of her maternal grandfather. Sarah was probably born after 1711. There does not seem to be any connection of Mary Moore that shows she was a Barham except the fact that she named a son Barham Moore.

More is known about Sarah Moore that connects her with the Barham family, and it would seem by extension make it more probable that Thomas Moore had a close relationship with the Barhams. Sarah Barham married first Samuel Sands who purchased 200 acres in Surry County on 18 Aug 1731. In 1734 he purchased another 100 acres in Surry and resold it on 30 Nov 1734 and the deed was signed by Samuel Sands and Sarah Sands. The account of the estate of Samuel Sands, dated 16 Nov 1737, in Surry County listed among others Sarah Sands, Robert Barham, John Barham, and Robert Barham, Jr. We see from the previously mentioned will of Thomas Moore that Sarah (Barham) (Sands) Moore was still alive in 1765. The will of Sarah Moore, proved 21 Nov 1771, in Sussex County named sons John Sands, Samuel Sands, daughters Martha Moore, Rebecca Moore, and Sarah Moore, and grandson Barham Sands.

Moore family of Gloucester County, Virginia

To learn more about the ancestry of Thomas Moore we look at the land records of his family.

  • William Knight to Thomas Moor 285 acres on Little Swamp, Surry County, 14 May 1737.
  • Land grant to Thomas Moore 300 acres in Surry County, 30 June 1743.
  • Abraham Evans to Thomas Moor the elder of Abbington Parish in Gloucester County 200 acres in Albermarle Parish and bounded by the Little Swamp, Surry County, 18 July 1746.
  • James Carter to Thomas Moore 485 acres near Raccoon Swamp in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, 15 March 1747.
  • Robert Moore of Gloucester County to Thomas Moore, Jr., of Albemarle Parish for 30 pounds 100 acres on Little Swamp, Surry County, 4 June 1750.
  • Thomas Moore, Sr., to Thomas Moore, Jr., 80 acres on the side of Little Swamp. Land is bounded by Thomas Moore, Jr., Sussex County, 20 April 1759.
  • Thomas Moore to son William Moore 185 acres bounded by Thomas Moore, Jr., and the Little Swamp, Sussex County, 17 Nov 1762.
  • William Moore and wife Ann Moore of Sussex sell 200 acres bounded by Little Swamp, Barham Moore, and Thomas Moore, Sussex County, 19 March 1778.

It appears that Thomas Moore had 2 main property locations, one on the Little Swamp and one on the Raccoon Swamp. Thomas Moore's will mentions land on Raccoon Swamp, and land on Little Swamp implicitly through his bequests of 185 acres to William and 180 acres to son Thomas. The interesting part is the land purchased by Thomas Moor the elder of Gloucester County. We see that he purchased 200 acres in 1746, and that Robert Moore sold 100 acres of apparently a part of this land in 1750. Although the county records for Gloucester County were lost, the parish register for Abingdon Parish was not. Looking at the records it looks like we are looking for records that show Thomas Moore the elder died between 1746 and 1750 and he had a son Robert who inherited all or half of his land in Surry County. In fact the register records do appear to confirm this. A Thomas Moore died in Abingdon Parish on 21 July, and was buried on 25 July 1748. A Robert Moore, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Moore was baptized 20 March 1714/5. A Thomas Moore, son of Thomas Moore, was baptized 17 March 1705/6.

Although there is no will the records seem to show that Thomas Moore the elder split his 200 acres in Surry between two of his sons, Thomas and Robert. In the will of Thomas Moore of Sussex his bequest to his son Thomas Moore is 180 acres he now lives on. We see from the similar bequest to William that he is including in his will land that was already deeded. 80 acres was given to his son in 1759, and the other 100 acres must be part of the 200 acres sold to the elder in 1746. It could be that Thomas Moore inherited the other half of the 200 acres and this plus the 80 is the 180 mentioned in the will.

Trustram Moore, James Moore, and Bartholomew Figures Moore

In 1737 Thomas Moor of Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, purchased 275 acres in Isle of Wight County, and one of the witnesses was Tres. (Trustram) Moore. The nuncupative will of Tristram Moore was recorded in Isle of Wight County 23 July 1739. He gave his son James his land in Gloucester County. Surry County court orders February 1742/3 show that a Thomas Moore was one of the securities for Ann Moore, executor of the estate of Trustram Moore. It does not appear simple to separate all the Thomas Moores, but the best guess is that this latter is the one who died in Sussex in 1765. Abingdon Parish records show that Trustram Moore, son of Thomas and Ann Moore was baptized on 13 Feb. 1703/4. James Moore, son of Tristram Moore was baptized 16 Feb. 1730/31.

As previously noted family tradition is that we are related to the family of Bartholomew Figures Moore. Googling his name one can find several interesting biographies. These histories show that he was the son of James Moore who was born in Southampton County, VA, in 1765. From a letter of James Moore found at http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com: "I was born on the 7th day of January, 1765, in Southampton Co., Va., about 50 miles from the Southampton Courthouse, now Jerusalem. I was the second son of James Moore and his wife, Sheila Williams, of Southampton Co., Va. My father died in 1778 in the midst of the Revolutionary War and was a firm and fervent man in the Cause." It seems possible or even likely that the James Moore who died in the Revolution was the son of Trustram Moore.