My Genealogy Hound

OSCAR D. MOORE, a member of the firm of Harris & Moore, leading grocers of Cortland, is a native of New York, and was born March 12, 1849.

His father secured his education in the public schools, after which he followed agricultural pursuits. He was engaged in this business and also in lumbering in Tioga County, N. Y., the remainder of his days. In politics he was an active Republican and at one time held the office of overseer of highways. Although a poor and hard working man, he was a good citizen and took an active interest in educational matters. He was desirous of giving his son a better education than he himself had received; just as his son was about to enter college, Mr. Moore’s health failed and he was unable to carry out his plans. He reached an advanced old age, dying in 1895.

Oscar D. Moore received a common school education, after which he took a course preparatory to entering college. When his father’s health gave way, he was called upon to help support the family, which he did by teaching school in Tioga County, N. Y. After seven years of teaching he entered the ministry and for thirteen years he preached the doctrines of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Morristown, St. Lawrence County, N. Y. He is an earnest and devout Christian, and, during that period of his career, labored conscientiously for the cause of Christ and the Church. He then conducted a grocery store in Cedars, N. Y. While there he was considered the leader of the Republican party, and was called upon to accept a number of offices; for three years he served in an official capacity as postmaster and later was notary public for a time. In 1895, he came to Cortland and engaged in the grocery business in partnership with M. K. Harris, the firm name being Harris & Moore. These gentleman carry a line of goods that is the equal of any in the village, and being honest and fair-dealing men, they have acquired a large and paying business.

Mr. Moore was united in marriage September 1, 1883, his wife formerly being Mary Brooks, a daughter of Isaac Brooks. They have reared one child, R. May, whom they adopted. Mr. Moore is a prominent member of the John Lewis Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 587, of Cortland. He is kind and genial in disposition and has many friends and well wishers in the various communities in which he has lived. At the present Mr. Moore has charge of the Congregationalist Church at Groton City, occupying the pulpit each Sabbath morning.