James Beech Moore
Encyclopedia
James Beach Moore was a Canadian Quaker.
According to his obituary in the Canadian Baptist magazine, "When Rev. Moore died, he was the oldest minister in the Baptist
denomination of Canada and probably the only survivor of Canadian nationality who participated in the American Civil War
.... Elder Moore, as he was more familiarly know in later life, occupied the pulpit in practically every Baptist church in the province [of Ontario] on one or more occasions."
James Beach Moore was born into a Quaker family in Norwich, Ontario. His great-grandfather, Samuel Moore had been a leader of the Quaker movement in Nova Scotia. His father, William Shotwell Moore, had moved from Rahway, New Jersey
to Ontario where he married Rachel Tompkins and together they had 16 children, James Beech Moore being the youngest. James' great-uncle, Elias Moore
, though a leader in the Quaker community, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
from 1835 to 1840, had been arrested for his part in the Upper Canada Rebellion
. His great-uncles, Enoch
and John, had also been arrested in the same rebellion. Another great-uncle, Lindley
had been a leader in the abolitionist and temperance movements in Rochester, New York.
According to James' obituary in the Waterford Star newspaper, "when he was seventeen years old, he determined to enter the Gospel ministry, although he was opposed by his father who had been a Quaker in all of his training and his sympathies. The young man had the choice of leaving home or leaving the religious meetings. He chose the former and was baptized and united with the Baptist Church at Burgessville."
"He left home to obtain an education, preparatory to entering the ministry. Fate directed his steps to the United States and, when the civil war broke out, he enlisted, being selected as an aide de camp to General Philip Kearny
with the army of the Potomac in Virginia. His father obtained his discharge and he returned home to enter Woodstock Baptist College, " where he studied for six years.
"He was ordained to the ministry and became pastor of a small Church in Whitevale, Ontario
at a salary of four hundred dollars a year. He was instrumental in forming three new churches in the district.
"Rev. Mr. Moore [then] devoted a year to evangelistic work after which he assumed a pastorate in Tillsonburg and from 1880 onward labored there and in the nearby village of Brownsville. After a year or two in the village of Scotland he came to Waterford. After five years as pastor of the Waterford Baptist Church, he again began evangelistic work and for eight years was [traveling] among the churches, while his family lived in Toronto. Then he returned to the pastorate and assumed charges in Blenheim, Brownsville and Delhi successively. At the conclusion of his Delhi pastorate, he retired because he was then nearly 70 years of age.
"As late as the summer of 1928, in his 86th year, his services were still in keen demand and he preached 28 sermons that year. It was about this time that McMaster University
conferred on Moore the degree of Doctor of Divinity. In the last few years he had continued to do supply work when called upon.
"For the last twelve years or more [of his life], Moore had made his winter home at St. Petersburg, Florida, where he became permanent chaplain of the Canadian Association of St.Petersburg, comprising about 300 members, the Grand Army of the Republic
which included forty Civil War veterans, and the Three Quarter Century Club, comprising over 300 members, all of whom were over 75 years of age. The Elder's infinite capacity for telling stories made him a prime favorite with the Canadian colony in Florida."
James Beech Moore married Hannah Elizabeth Greenwood. Their son, William Henry Moore
, a lawyer and author, was elected to the House of Commons of Canada, where he sat as a Liberal for almost 15 years, from 1930 to 1945. Their one grandson, W. Gordon Brown
, was the founder of Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, the leading Canadian theological training school for evangelical Baptists from 1949 to 1993. Another grandson, L. Douglas Brown
, brother to W. Gordon, was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1949.
According to his obituary in the Canadian Baptist magazine, "When Rev. Moore died, he was the oldest minister in the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
denomination of Canada and probably the only survivor of Canadian nationality who participated in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.... Elder Moore, as he was more familiarly know in later life, occupied the pulpit in practically every Baptist church in the province [of Ontario] on one or more occasions."
James Beach Moore was born into a Quaker family in Norwich, Ontario. His great-grandfather, Samuel Moore had been a leader of the Quaker movement in Nova Scotia. His father, William Shotwell Moore, had moved from Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
to Ontario where he married Rachel Tompkins and together they had 16 children, James Beech Moore being the youngest. James' great-uncle, Elias Moore
Elias Moore
Elias Moore born into a Quaker family in New Jersey just after the American Revolution began, later became a Member of Parliament in Canada....
, though a leader in the Quaker community, and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
from 1835 to 1840, had been arrested for his part in the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
. His great-uncles, Enoch
Enoch Moore (Loyalist turned rebel)
Enoch Moore ,son of Samuel Moore U.E. and Rachel Stone, married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of James Smith and Hannah Hawksworth, on March 30, 1803 in Old Holy Trinity Church, Lower Middleton, Annapolis, Nova Scotia...
and John, had also been arrested in the same rebellion. Another great-uncle, Lindley
Lindley Murray Moore
Lindley Murray Moore is notable for his activities as an abolitionist, and educator....
had been a leader in the abolitionist and temperance movements in Rochester, New York.
According to James' obituary in the Waterford Star newspaper, "when he was seventeen years old, he determined to enter the Gospel ministry, although he was opposed by his father who had been a Quaker in all of his training and his sympathies. The young man had the choice of leaving home or leaving the religious meetings. He chose the former and was baptized and united with the Baptist Church at Burgessville."
"He left home to obtain an education, preparatory to entering the ministry. Fate directed his steps to the United States and, when the civil war broke out, he enlisted, being selected as an aide de camp to General Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny, Jr., was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. He was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly.-Early life and career:...
with the army of the Potomac in Virginia. His father obtained his discharge and he returned home to enter Woodstock Baptist College, " where he studied for six years.
"He was ordained to the ministry and became pastor of a small Church in Whitevale, Ontario
Whitevale, Ontario
Whitevale is a hamlet located in the city of Pickering in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada.-History:Whitevale was an excellent example of nineteenth-century industry concentrating by a power source and then expanding of its own accord....
at a salary of four hundred dollars a year. He was instrumental in forming three new churches in the district.
"Rev. Mr. Moore [then] devoted a year to evangelistic work after which he assumed a pastorate in Tillsonburg and from 1880 onward labored there and in the nearby village of Brownsville. After a year or two in the village of Scotland he came to Waterford. After five years as pastor of the Waterford Baptist Church, he again began evangelistic work and for eight years was [traveling] among the churches, while his family lived in Toronto. Then he returned to the pastorate and assumed charges in Blenheim, Brownsville and Delhi successively. At the conclusion of his Delhi pastorate, he retired because he was then nearly 70 years of age.
"As late as the summer of 1928, in his 86th year, his services were still in keen demand and he preached 28 sermons that year. It was about this time that McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
conferred on Moore the degree of Doctor of Divinity. In the last few years he had continued to do supply work when called upon.
"For the last twelve years or more [of his life], Moore had made his winter home at St. Petersburg, Florida, where he became permanent chaplain of the Canadian Association of St.Petersburg, comprising about 300 members, the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
which included forty Civil War veterans, and the Three Quarter Century Club, comprising over 300 members, all of whom were over 75 years of age. The Elder's infinite capacity for telling stories made him a prime favorite with the Canadian colony in Florida."
James Beech Moore married Hannah Elizabeth Greenwood. Their son, William Henry Moore
William Henry Moore
Willam Henry Moore was a lawyer, author and Member of the Canadian House of Commons.- Biography :...
, a lawyer and author, was elected to the House of Commons of Canada, where he sat as a Liberal for almost 15 years, from 1930 to 1945. Their one grandson, W. Gordon Brown
W. Gordon Brown
William Gordon Brown was notable as the founder of Central Baptist Seminary, the leading Canadian training school for evangelical Baptist ministers from 1949 to 1993 when it merged with London Baptist Seminary to form Heritage Theological Seminary.Known as W...
, was the founder of Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, the leading Canadian theological training school for evangelical Baptists from 1949 to 1993. Another grandson, L. Douglas Brown
L. Douglas Brown
Rev. Lloyd Douglas Brown was born December 10, 1907, in Waterford, Ontario, Canada into the home of a Baptist minister, to the daughter of a Baptist minister, James Beach Moore who was the son of a Quaker...
, brother to W. Gordon, was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1949.