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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lafayette County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Robert R. Moore, the genial proprietor of Moore Hotel, Lewisville, Ark., owes his nativity to Greensboro, Ga., where he was born November 8, 1845, a son of W. H. and Frances (Rea) Moore, natives of South Carolina and Georgia, respectively. W. H. Moore was a minister of the old school Presbyterian denomination, and as such was quite distinguished, preaching the gospel for a number of years. He early moved to Georgia, and latter to Alabama, and died in 1853, at Cooper’s Well, in Mississippi. The mother died in 1852, and was buried at La Fayette, Ala. They were the parents of four children, the subject of this sketch being the only survivor. He was reared principally in Alabama, attending school until his sixteenth year, when he left his home, friends and books to engage in the late war. He enlisted in Company I, Thirty-seventh Alabama Infantry, Col. James F. Dowdell, ex-Congressman from Alabama, commander. He was under the command of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. For some time he served in the Brigade Commissary Department. He was wounded at the battle of Resaca, Ga., and afterward was ordnance sergeant, in which capacity he served until the surrender at Greensboro, N. C. He participated in the last battles fought by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, March 19, 20 and 21, 1805, at Bentonville, N. C. There were about 1,300 men in his regiment on starting out at the commencement of the war, and at the close there were but seventy-six bearing arms; and of his old company of 125 men, there was but one private engaged in the last battle, namely Ruff Moore, of La Fayette. Ala. Immediately after the close of the war Mr. Moore, accompanied by his trusty servant and former slave, Jim, who had been true through all his trials, returned to Alabama, remaining there but a short time and then coming West, locating in Columbia County, Ark., where he engaged in farming for six years. At the end of that time he moved to Lafayette County, and engaged in the mercantile business, book-keeping, etc., for twelve years, and then engaged in the hotel business in Lewisville. In 1889 he moved to this place (New Lewisville), and erected one of the handsomest hotel buildings in Southern Arkansas. It is two stories high, built in the shape of an L, and contains some fourteen rooms, 12x14 and 14x16, all handsomely furnished. The dining-room is 16x30. The house is elegantly furnished throughout; the cuisine is well arranged, and it is the aim of Mr. Moore and his amiable wife to make guests feel comfortable and at home. In this they succeed so well that everybody leaves with the full determination that should they again visit the place, they will give mine host Moore a call. Mr. Moore has been twice married; first, in 1870, to Miss Mattie E., daughter of Alex, and Frances (Price) Byrne, natives of Tennessee, of Irish descent. After a felicitous married life of two years, Mrs. Moore died, leaving one son, Howard B., about two months old, who is now attending the Arkansas Industrial University, at Fayetteville, Ark. In 1882 Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Mrs. Lizzie B. Young, nee Smith, daughter of Dr. Newton and Mary (Spencer) Smith, natives of Alabama and Georgia, respectively. Mrs. Moore was born in Alabama, in 1846. To Mr. and Mrs. Moore have been born one child— Carrie G. Both he and wife are members of the Old School Presbyterian Church. In secret societies Mr. Moore affiliates with the Lewisville Lodge No. 57, K. of P., K. of H. of Magnolia, Ark., and A. L. of H. of Texarkana, Tex. In his political views he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 44 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lafayette County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Lafayette County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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