Moore & Willis
Mysteries for 25 years, a family past recently revealed
Jennie/Jane (Ana)Belle Willis was born 28 July, 1868 in Lincoln Co., Missouri, the daughter of Lewis M. Willis and Luda Caroline Bayless/Bailess. She married James Kirby in about 1886, and had daughter Carrie Phylena Kirby 23 Feb., 1888. Jennie then died 28 Jun., 1936 in Pike Co., Missouri, of tuberculosis.
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Jennie's daughter Carrie married Samuel S. Cook in about 1906, had several children, and died 28 Feb., 1957 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Hannibal, MO. There are several of Carrie's descendants still in the Ralls and Marion County area.
Alfred Lewis Moore was born 08 September, 1870, in Pike Co., Missouri, born to Isaiah Moore and Adelia C. Sneed. He married Jennie Belle Willis-Kirby about 1892. A.L. Moore died 18 Jun., 1937, of cirrhosis of the liver.
Children of Alfred Lewis Moore and Jennie Belle Willis were:
Robert Lee Moore and Cecil Mae Moore, twins, were born 25 Dec., 1893 in Ralls County, MO.
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Cecil married Arch Lamberson on 25 Dec., 1909, and A. L. Moore gave his consent to the marriage in
writing. The bride is listed as being from Ashburn on the marriage license. Cecil had several children and died 10 Jan., 1928 in Ralls County, MO. The descendants of Cecil's children who lived to adulthood are in Illinois; Missouri; Colorado, and New Mexico. -
Robert married Bertha Ellen Gillette about 1914. He died in 1959 in Marion Co., MO. His descendants are in the Hannibal area, as well as in California and Oregon.
Beulah Carman Moore was born 25 Jul., 1896 in Ralls County, MO. She married George F. Bassnett, and died in 1978 in Hannibal. I am not sure if Beulah had children.
Mahala "Haley" Moore was born 17 Apr., 1900 in Ralls Co., MO. She married Samuel E. Jeffries in about 1916 and had three sons. She then married someone named Burks and had another son. Haley died 15 Jul., 1969, in Missouri. Some of Haley's family ended up in Washington state.
Margaret V. Moore was born 24 Sep., 1913 in Ralls co., MO. She died 11 Feb., 1923 in the hospital in Hannibal after complications of appendicitis.
Both Alfred and Jennie were in the 1930 Ralls County, Missouri, federal census. After 25 years of looking, I finally found their death certificates when the new Missouri Archives Death Certificate Index came online recently. Most information about this family is relatively new to me, so if you find these folks as newly discovered descendants of your ancestors, please contact me.
Alfred and Jennie were hard to find for many reasons. For example, Jennie's maiden name was alternately recorded as Willis and Ellis on her children's death certificates. Also, she was recorded as Jane A. Willis in the 1870 census, and then as Ann in 1880, both in Lincoln County, which made finding her even more remote of a possibility, as I didn't know her family had come from there. Her death certificate really cleared things up. As for Alfred, he just missed making the 1870 census, being born in September. Then in 1880 I still have no idea where the family is. Again, his death certificate was crucial to breaking the logjam. Thank you, Missouri State Archives!
