Charles B. Moores
Encyclopedia
Charles Bruce Moores was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon
. A native of Missouri
, he came from a family of politicians including his father John H. Moores
, his grandfather Isaac R. Moores
, and uncle Isaac R. Moores, Jr.
who all served in the Oregon Legislature. A Republican, he served as the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
during his sole term in the House in 1895.
and Virginia Lafayette Lamon on August 6, 1849, in Benton, Missouri
. In 1852, the family moved to the Oregon Territory
over the Oregon Trail
, arriving in November. This included his grandfather Isaac and uncle Isaac, junior. After living in Portland
for a few months, the family relocated south to Salem
in March 1853. Moores received his education there where he attended Willamette University
, graduating in 1870 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. One of his classmates was Theodore Thurston Geer
, later Governor of Oregon
.
Moores then worked as draughtsman
for the Oregon and California Railroad
and in their real estate office, working a total of five years for the railroad in Portland before moving to the East Coast in 1874. In Washington, DC, he enrolled in a business college before relocating again to Pennsylvania
where he studied law at the University of Pennsylvania
. Moores then finished his legal studies at the University of Michigan
where he graduated from in 1877 with a bachelor of laws
degree with honors before returning to Salem where he lived for 45 years. In Salem, he passed the bar
and briefly practiced law.
He was married to Sarah E. Chamberlain (born October 20, 1853) on November 1, 1881, and they had four children, Merrill, Gordon, Chester, and Gertrude, all born in Salem. In 1880, he was selected to work as the chief clerk at the Oregon House of Representatives
. Both Merrill and Gordon would later work as clerks in the House as well. From 1882 to 1887 he worked as the private secretary of Oregon Governor Z. F. Moody.
and District 34. Serving as a Republican in the 1895 session, his only session, he was elected as the Speaker of the House by fellow House members. Following this term Moores was appointed as the register of public lands at the United States Land Office in Oregon City
in 1897, and served in that position until 1903. He lived in Oregon City for eleven years.
In 1910, Portland Mayor Joseph Simon
appointed him to the public docks
commission. He was a commissioner for ten years, five as chairman. Moores was also the chairman of the Oregon Republican Party
’s central committee in 1912 and 1914, and served on the city council in Salem. He ran for the office of Oregon Secretary of State
in 1912, but lost to Ben Olcott.
, being a member of the later for 53 years. He served as a president of the Oregon Pioneer Association in 1915, and was member of the organization for 17 years. Moores was a director at the Oregon Historical Society
from 1910 to 1918 and was the vice president of the board from 1918 to 1927. He also was employed with the Capital Lumbering Company in Salem and served on the board of trustees at Willamette University
for 53 years beginning in 1878. At Willamette he had previously served as treasurer and secretary, while his father had also been a trustee at the college.
His father John had been in the Oregon State Senate
, his grandfather was in the Oregon Territorial Legislature
, and his uncle had also been Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. Son Gordon C. Moores served in the Washington Legislature and son Chester A. Moores served as chairman of the Portland Housing Authority for which he won the 1946 Portland First Citizen Award. Charles Moores died on January 5, 1930 and the age of 80 in Portland where he lived the last 24 years of his life.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, he came from a family of politicians including his father John H. Moores
John H. Moores
John Henry Moores was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. The son of Isaac R. Moores, he was born in Alabama and moved to the Oregon Territory in 1852. In Oregon, he would serve in the Oregon State Senate and as the mayor of Salem.-Early life:John Henry Moores was born...
, his grandfather Isaac R. Moores
Isaac R. Moores
Col. Isaac R. Moores was an American soldier and politician in Illinois and Oregon. A native of Kentucky, he would serve in the Seminole War and the Black Hawk War before immigrating to the Oregon Territory. In Oregon, Moores served in the Territorial Legislature and at the Oregon Constitutional...
, and uncle Isaac R. Moores, Jr.
Isaac R. Moores, Jr.
Isaac Ross Moores, Jr. was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. The son of Isaac R. Moores, he was born in Illinois and moved to the Oregon Territory in 1852. In Oregon, he would serve in the Oregon House of Representatives, including as Speaker of that body.-Early...
who all served in the Oregon Legislature. A Republican, he served as the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
during his sole term in the House in 1895.
Early life
Charles Moores was born to John H. MooresJohn H. Moores
John Henry Moores was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. The son of Isaac R. Moores, he was born in Alabama and moved to the Oregon Territory in 1852. In Oregon, he would serve in the Oregon State Senate and as the mayor of Salem.-Early life:John Henry Moores was born...
and Virginia Lafayette Lamon on August 6, 1849, in Benton, Missouri
Benton, Missouri
Benton is a city in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The population was 732 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Scott County.-Geography:Benton is located at ....
. In 1852, the family moved to the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
over the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, arriving in November. This included his grandfather Isaac and uncle Isaac, junior. After living in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
for a few months, the family relocated south to Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
in March 1853. Moores received his education there where he attended Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
, graduating in 1870 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. One of his classmates was Theodore Thurston Geer
Theodore Thurston Geer
Theodore Thurston Geer was the tenth Governor of Oregon, serving from January 9, 1899 to January 14, 1903. The Republican politician was in office when the legislature adopted the "Oregon System", Oregon's system of initiative and referendum...
, later Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
.
Moores then worked as draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
for the Oregon and California Railroad
Oregon and California Railroad
The Oregon and California Railroad was formed from the Oregon Central Railroad when it was the first to operate a stretch south of Portland in 1869. This qualified the Railroad for land grants in California, whereupon the name of the railroad soon changed to Oregon & California Rail Road Company...
and in their real estate office, working a total of five years for the railroad in Portland before moving to the East Coast in 1874. In Washington, DC, he enrolled in a business college before relocating again to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
where he studied law at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Moores then finished his legal studies at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he graduated from in 1877 with a bachelor of laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree with honors before returning to Salem where he lived for 45 years. In Salem, he passed the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
and briefly practiced law.
He was married to Sarah E. Chamberlain (born October 20, 1853) on November 1, 1881, and they had four children, Merrill, Gordon, Chester, and Gertrude, all born in Salem. In 1880, he was selected to work as the chief clerk at the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
. Both Merrill and Gordon would later work as clerks in the House as well. From 1882 to 1887 he worked as the private secretary of Oregon Governor Z. F. Moody.
Political career
In 1894, Moores was elected to the Oregon House to represent Marion CountyMarion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
and District 34. Serving as a Republican in the 1895 session, his only session, he was elected as the Speaker of the House by fellow House members. Following this term Moores was appointed as the register of public lands at the United States Land Office in Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
in 1897, and served in that position until 1903. He lived in Oregon City for eleven years.
In 1910, Portland Mayor Joseph Simon
Joseph Simon
Joseph Simon was a German-born politician and attorney in the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Bechtheim, Germany, and his family immigrated to the United States when he was one year old, settling in Portland, Oregon. A Republican, Simon served on the city council before election to the Oregon...
appointed him to the public docks
Port of Portland (Oregon)
The Port of Portland is the port district responsible for overseeing Portland International Airport, general aviation, and marine activities in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area in the United States....
commission. He was a commissioner for ten years, five as chairman. Moores was also the chairman of the Oregon Republican Party
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
’s central committee in 1912 and 1914, and served on the city council in Salem. He ran for the office of Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
in 1912, but lost to Ben Olcott.
Later life and family
After retiring from public service Moores remained in Portland and became involved in history preservation, as well as a member of the Independent Order of Odd FellowsIndependent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...
, being a member of the later for 53 years. He served as a president of the Oregon Pioneer Association in 1915, and was member of the organization for 17 years. Moores was a director at the Oregon Historical Society
Oregon Historical Society
The Oregon Historical Society is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preserves, and makes available materials of historical character...
from 1910 to 1918 and was the vice president of the board from 1918 to 1927. He also was employed with the Capital Lumbering Company in Salem and served on the board of trustees at Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
for 53 years beginning in 1878. At Willamette he had previously served as treasurer and secretary, while his father had also been a trustee at the college.
His father John had been in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
, his grandfather was in the Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
, and his uncle had also been Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. Son Gordon C. Moores served in the Washington Legislature and son Chester A. Moores served as chairman of the Portland Housing Authority for which he won the 1946 Portland First Citizen Award. Charles Moores died on January 5, 1930 and the age of 80 in Portland where he lived the last 24 years of his life.