Ezra Franklin Moore
b. 14 November 1856, near Freedom, Indiana, to James L. and Louisiana (Dickerson) Moore
d. 11 April 1924, Norborne, Carroll County, Missouri

m. 30 December 1880, Owen County, Indiana
Adelphia “Delphia” Ann Need
b. 30 April 1858, Sulllivan County, Indiana
d. 24 June 1932, Carroll County, Missouri

Children with Adelphia Ann Need:

• Clara Adell (1881-1965) married Marion Granger Stewart
• James Oscar (1884-1961) married Matilda Charlotte Stauffer
• Lusia L. (1886-1952) married Claude C. York

Ezra was a twin, the other baby dying shortly after birth. He was so small that he could be held in the palm of the hand, and it was feared that he would not survive, but he was tenacious. When Ezra was a small child, he was sent to the Miller’s to have some grain ground. On the way home, one of the sacks fell off the wagon and broke. The lad stayed with the precious meal, guarding it from the birds, until the family came to look for him the next morning.

On 12 December 1869, Ezra’s father died, leaving six children under the age of 13 years. By 1876 Louisiana, the mother, had died and the six children were orphans.

Ezra, who was 19 when his mother died, went to live and work for his aunt, Hannah (Dickerson) Payne, in Brocton, Illinois. After his marriage to Adelphia, Ezra’s cousin urged him to “come west” to Missouri.

In February 1903 the Moore family moved to a farm west of Norborne, Missouri, where Ezra raised fine horses, cattle, and mules for the army. Then in 1912 Ezra and Adelphia built a home in Norborne. Ezra started the first co-op in Norborne with three other men and organized the first Odd Fellows lodge chapter.

Submitted by:
Kay Barchers
Richmond MO