Randle T. Moore
Encyclopedia
Randle Thomas Moore was an eminent figure in the development of northwestern Louisiana
during the latter part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Moore is best known to Louisiana history
, of which he was a keen student, for a physical confrontation that he had on the streets of downtown Shreveport with the legendary Huey Pierce Long, Jr.
Of humble origins, R. T. Moore was born to John Milton Moore and the former Jennie E. Jones, both natives of Tennessee
. His father was a farmer
; so Moore spent much of his young life helping in the cotton
fields. He eventually worked for others in the area and earned fifty cents a day. At sixteen, Moore found work in Texarkana
as a clerk in a general store
, where he stayed for three years. For the next several years, he worked as a store clerk, a grocer
, and even a shoe
salesman.
In 1900, Moore married the former Susan Martha Frost, the daughter and sister, respectively, of eminent Arkansas
lumber
men Enoch Wesley and Edwin Ambrose Frost. Randle and Susie had four children: Wesley Frost Moore, Virginia Elizabeth Moore Lewis, Edwin Ambrose Moore, and Randle Thomas Moore, Jr.
In 1901, Moore organized the Sabine Lumber Company in Zwolle
, a community in Sabine Parish. His interest in lumber was the direct result his marriage to Susan Martha Frost, whose father had founded the Frost-Trigg Lumber Company and, later, the Frost-Johnson Lumber Company. Moore later served as president on the board of the company after the convalescence and subsequent death of his father-in-law.
He had other business interests too, including the then fledgling Kansas City Southern Railway
, which acquired the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad. In addition, he founded, owned, and operated the Commercial Building Company until 1956. He was also the vice president of both the City Savings Bank
and Trust and the newly-founded Commercial National Bank in Shreveport.
Moore served as a member of the board of trustees of the former Mansfield Female College and Methodist-affiliated Centenary College of Louisiana
in Shreveport. He was also president of the Shreveport chapter of the Boy Scouts of America
, the president of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce
, director of the Shreveport Young Men's Christian Association as well as director of the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home orphanage
in Ruston
, the seat of Lincoln Parish.
Moore donated his stately home, constructed in 1920 with the use of Swiss craftsmen, at the southeast corner of Kings Highway and Fairfield Avenue to the City of Shreveport, which converted it into the Randle T. Moore Community Center. Moore's friend James C. Gardner
, the mayor
of Shreveport from 1954–1958, recalls that Moore asked him to spare some nearby oak
trees from being razed to accommodate the widening of Kings Highway. Gardner said that his efforts to maintain the trees "established a trust with him that was shortly to manifest itself." Gardner explained that Moore agreed that upon his death or the passing of Mrs. Moore, whichever occurred last, the home would be donated to the city as a community center provided that parking could be procured "without destroying the beauty of the house and the land."
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
during the latter part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Moore is best known to Louisiana history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, of which he was a keen student, for a physical confrontation that he had on the streets of downtown Shreveport with the legendary Huey Pierce Long, Jr.
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
Of humble origins, R. T. Moore was born to John Milton Moore and the former Jennie E. Jones, both natives of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. His father was a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
; so Moore spent much of his young life helping in the cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
fields. He eventually worked for others in the area and earned fifty cents a day. At sixteen, Moore found work in Texarkana
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
as a clerk in a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, where he stayed for three years. For the next several years, he worked as a store clerk, a grocer
Grocer
A grocer is a bulk seller of food. Beginning as early as the 14th century, a grocer was a dealer in comestible dry goods such as spices, pepper, sugar, and cocoa, tea and coffee...
, and even a shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
salesman.
In 1900, Moore married the former Susan Martha Frost, the daughter and sister, respectively, of eminent Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
men Enoch Wesley and Edwin Ambrose Frost. Randle and Susie had four children: Wesley Frost Moore, Virginia Elizabeth Moore Lewis, Edwin Ambrose Moore, and Randle Thomas Moore, Jr.
In 1901, Moore organized the Sabine Lumber Company in Zwolle
Zwolle, Louisiana
Zwolle is a town in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,783 at the 2000 census.-History:The first inhabitants of the bowl shaped area of land upon which the town of Zwolle is situated were the Mound Builders. Lured here for protection from storms, the "bowl" offered them...
, a community in Sabine Parish. His interest in lumber was the direct result his marriage to Susan Martha Frost, whose father had founded the Frost-Trigg Lumber Company and, later, the Frost-Johnson Lumber Company. Moore later served as president on the board of the company after the convalescence and subsequent death of his father-in-law.
He had other business interests too, including the then fledgling Kansas City Southern Railway
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
, which acquired the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad. In addition, he founded, owned, and operated the Commercial Building Company until 1956. He was also the vice president of both the City Savings Bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
and Trust and the newly-founded Commercial National Bank in Shreveport.
Moore served as a member of the board of trustees of the former Mansfield Female College and Methodist-affiliated Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
in Shreveport. He was also president of the Shreveport chapter of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, the president of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, director of the Shreveport Young Men's Christian Association as well as director of the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, the seat of Lincoln Parish.
Moore donated his stately home, constructed in 1920 with the use of Swiss craftsmen, at the southeast corner of Kings Highway and Fairfield Avenue to the City of Shreveport, which converted it into the Randle T. Moore Community Center. Moore's friend James C. Gardner
James C. Gardner
James Creswell Gardner, I, known as Jim Gardner , was a power company executive best known as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, who served a single term from 1954-1958....
, the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Shreveport from 1954–1958, recalls that Moore asked him to spare some nearby oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trees from being razed to accommodate the widening of Kings Highway. Gardner said that his efforts to maintain the trees "established a trust with him that was shortly to manifest itself." Gardner explained that Moore agreed that upon his death or the passing of Mrs. Moore, whichever occurred last, the home would be donated to the city as a community center provided that parking could be procured "without destroying the beauty of the house and the land."