California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


JOHN C. MOORE. It is asserted by many competent to know that, in matters pertaining to 
values of property in Fresno, no man is better posted than Mr. Moore, senior member of the 
real estate firm of Moore & Cate, with office at No. 1050 J street. The firm of which he is a 
member has carried through to a successful consummation some of the most important deals 
in the city and county of Fresno and has established a record as noteworthy as it is gratifying. In 
addition to their real estate business they represent twelve old-line insurance companies for 
fire protection, also the Equitable Life Insurance Company and the National Surety Bond 
Company. Another feature of the business is the making of loans. 

Referring to the ancestral history of Mr. Moore, it may be stated that he is a descendant of 
Virginian progenitors, who were represented in the. early wars of our country. His grandfather, 
John Moore, a native of old Virginia, and a soldier in the war of 1812, removed to Tennessee 
and settled upon a plantation. The father, Calvin Moore, was born and reared in Tennessee and 
carried on a plantation there up to the time of the Civil war. Being a Union man, he assisted the 
Union forces by engaging in scouting. After the war came to an end he removed to Sailor 
Springs, Clay county, Ill., and there conducted farm pursuits until his death. In religion he was a 
faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and in politics voted with the Republicans. 
His wife, Catherine Jenkins, was born in Tennessee and died in Illinois ; her father, William 
Jenkins, was a Virginian by birth and went from that state to Tennessee. 

In the Moore family there were originally twelve children and of these three sons and four 
daughters are now living, John C. being one of the youngest. He was born in Hawkins county, 
Term., March 31, 1861. When a boy he attended public school in Illinois and aided in the 
cultivation of the home farm. March 19. 18K3. he arrived in Los Angeles, and for five months 
was employed in a store at Orange, receiving $16 per month. On account of poor health he left 
there and went into the mountain regions around Bear valley, where he worked in lumber 
mills. After his return to Los Angeles he suffered a severe attack of typhoid fever. On regaining 
his strength he came to the San Joaquin valley. His long illness and inability to work had reduced 
his savings until he had only $30 when he arrived in Fresno in April. 1884. For three years he 
worked on farms, after which he and J. F. Hall bought eighty acres at Selma and planted the 
same in an orchard and vineyard. Eight months later he sold his half of the property at a profit 
of $1,000. He then turned his attention to trading in lands near Selma and at the expiration of 
three years had accumulated about $10.000. With this capital he embarked in the agricultural 
implement business at Selma, where he built up a large trade and continued until October of 
1895. Meantime he had assisted in incorporating the city of Selma and served as its first city 
clerk. He was also connected with the Fowler Switch Company and the Emigrant Ditch Company 
as secretary and manager. During the panic of 1893-94 he suffered the fate of most of the 
heavy property holders and lost the accumulations of years of labor, but he paid one hundred 
cents' on every dollar of his indebtedness and thus retained the excellent business credit he 
had built up. In October of 1895 he came to Fresno, where he has since engaged in the real 
estate, insurance and money brokerage business, having been successively the partner of T. C. 
White, G. J. Nees and J. Wilbur Cate. 

The marriage of Mr. Moore occurred in Selma and united him with Miss Matie Goodman, a 
teacher in the schools there and a native of Vermont. They have two living children, Calvin and 
Ruth, and lost one son, Alfred, in boyhood. Mrs. Moore is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church South. Fraternally Mr. Moore is connected with the Woodmen of the World. For years 
he has been an active worker in the Republican party and a member of Republican clubs, 
besides which he has served as secretary of the county central committee. In April of 1899 the 
Republicans elected him city trustee from the first ward and he continued in the office until the 
new charter went into effect in 1901, when he declined to become a candidate for re-election. 
He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a charter member of the Fresno Real Estate 
Exchange, in which he is now a director.