Biography of
John W. Moore

p. 583

     JOHN W. MOORE. Every line of business is being successfully prosecuted in the flourishing city of Anna, lllinois, for it is of sufficient importance to command a large trade from the surrounding country, and the people who make it their market demand the best of goods and service. One of the enterprising and progressive business men of this city is John W. Moore, who has been identified with various lines of endeavor, and is now dealing in wholesale and retail groceries and seeds, with a trade that extends over several states. Mr. Moore is a native of the Prairie State, having been born in Massac county in 1872, and is a son of Francis M. and Emma B. (Phillips) Moore.

     Francis M. Moore was born in the state of Indiana in 1838, from whence he emigrated as a young man to Massac county, there carrying on the trade of blacksmith until his death in 1876. His widow, who was born in Tennessee in 1848, brought her family to Anna in 1880, and here the youth grew to manhood, securing a somewhat limited education in the public schools, as he was compelled to give up his studies early in order to contribute to his own support. He secured employment in the mercantile establishment of J. C. DeWitt, with whom he resided while working, and continued in that gentleman's employ until 1894, at which time he entered the business field on his own account on South Railway Street. After three years he sold his interests to Mrs. A. I. Jean, and began to work in the blacksmith and farm implement business of W. C. Mangold, with whom he continued for two years, at which time the firm of Mangold Moore Implement, Hardware & Harness Company was established. Mr. Moore was vice-president of this business, which handled implements, hardware and harness, and was capitalized at $10,000, but after continuing in that line for two years Mr. Moore sold out and bought his present business from Mr. DeWitt. He carries wholesale and retail groceries and seeds, but the greater part of his attention has been given to the wholesale seed trade, which, during the eight years that he has been in charge of the business, has increased from $8,000 to $40,000 sales yearly. His goods are shipped all over Illinois and into several adjoining states, and the manner in which he has carried on his dealings has gained him customers that have done business with him year after year. Mr. Moore is possessed of superior business ability, and the rapid growth of the Moore Seed Company may be attributed to the progressive ideas and methods which he has introduced. His belief in the future of Anna has been made manifest by his association with movements for promoting the interests of the city, as well as by his investment in a number of pieces of valuable real estate.

     Mr. Moore was married to Miss Oma Peeler, who was born in Johnson county, in 1874, daughter of J. C. and Nancy (Evers) Peeler, and three children have been born to this union: Ernestine, who is five p. 584 years old; and John C. and Jean C., twins, who are two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Moore are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and much interested in its work, Mr. Moore at present acting as a member of the board of trustees. He belongs to Blue Lodge No. 520 and Royal Arch Chapter No. 45, of Masonry, and to the Odd Fellows, all of Anna. In political matters he is a Republican, but he has found his business duties too engrossing to allow him to enter the political field as an active participant.