John Henry Moore
Year of Birth: 1846
Year of Death: 1867
Interment source:
Hay, Fred M. Cemetery Interments in Corpus Christi and Surrounding Area
Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales
1. Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1867
2. Biography
A simple carved wooden panel marks the resting place of John Henry Moore who was the son of John Marks Davenport Moore and Harriet Conklin Moore. Family records report that John Henry was born in Talledega in 1847 and died in Corpus Christi on 16 August 1867. John Henry' father (also buried in Old Bayview Cemetery) was born on 21 March 1811 in Oglethorpe, Georgia to William Harvie Moore and Mary Garland (Marks) Moore. John Marks Moore went into the mercantile business in 1834 with M. E. Conklin, and in 1836 married Conklin's daughter, Harriet, the mother of John Henry Moore. That same year John Marks Moore also established an iron forge company near Talladega, Alabama and pioneered the iron business in that state. His expertise also led to his election twice to the Alabama State Legislature. Later John M. Moore developed an interest in helping dig a deep water shipping channel at Corpus Christi, Texas; and about 1860 when John Henry was about 14 years old, the family moved to south Texas. During the subsequent Civil War, John Henry's father was involved in obtaining arms and ammunitions for the Texas Military Board, in blockade running, and in commerce with Mexico. After the war, the city of Corpus Christi again began to pursue the possibility of completing a good ship channel between the Corpus Christi and Aransas bays. However, this was interrupted by the yellow fever epidemic that struck the city in 1867 and the quarantine that followed. The economic disaster was nothing compared to the personal disaster as many families lost numerous loved ones in the terrible epidemic. It was during this difficult time that John Henry Moore died at 21 years of age. The diaries kept by Joseph Almond who also lost family members during the epidemic notes that John Henry Moore died on August 16 in the midst of the epidemic. However, Mr. Almond notes that John Henry was one of a couple of individuals (also George H. Drinkard) who did not die of yellow fever. Mr. Almond states in his diary entry that John Henry died of "cancer".
This information is based on material found in the family website of Moore descendent Suzanne Glazbrook Garrett and husband Larry Rettinger.
Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell