Representative John Wesley Moore View All Years
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John Wesley Moore
Jones County
A native of Ohio he was born on his father’s farm in Mohawk Valley, Coshocton County, January 1, 1846, a son of Robert and Anna (Thompson) Moore, both of whom were born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and were of Scotch ancestry. John Wesley Moore secured his early educational discipline in the public schools of Coshocton County and attended, for one year, Denison University, at Granville, Ohio. In the fall of 1863 he enlisted as a private in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-second Ohio infantry, and received an honorable discharge in the fall of 1864. The summer of 1864 was spent by his regiment between the Appomattox and James rivers, near Petersburg. Mr. Moore was made a corporal at the age of eighteen. He was then matriculated in Cornell College, at Mount Vernon, Iowa, in which he graduated in 1868. The following year was spent on the home farm, in Ohio, and in 1869 he located near Olin, Jones County, Iowa. His father had acquired a tract of some 400 acres of wild land in that county and this land John W. broke, fenced and improved, later becoming its owner. During the winters of 1869-70 and 1870-71 he taught school in Sangamon County, Illinois. During the campaign of 1873 the chief topic before the people of Iowa was the demand for the enactment of railway-rate legislation. The Republican party, then largely controlled by the railroads, refused to make this issue a part of their platform and an independent faction, known as Anti-Monopolists, placed a ticket in the field. Mr. Moore was made the nominee of this party, in his county, for a seat in the lower house and was elected by a large majority, leading his ticket. He was the youngest member of that body in the session of 1874, was made a member of the railroad committee and was an active factor in securing the enactment of’ "Iowa’s pioneer railroad law.” This law was attacked by the succeeding legislature, supported by the press of the state and the railroad lobby, but they failed to agree upon an amendment. It has since stood the test of all courts and has been the base of railway legislation in all sections of the United States since its enactment. Mr. Moore was urged to accept a re-nomination, in 1875, but refused. While teaching in Illinois he had become engaged to a charming girl. Her health had become impaired and he urged an early marriage, in order that he might take her to southern California, in hopes that she would recover. They were married Sept. 1, 1875, journeyed to Washington, D. C., to visit his parents and returned to his wife’s home preparatory to going to California, when she died suddenly on October 5. He returned to Iowa and remained on his farm until the fall of 1879, when he sold the property, being advised by his physician that a change of climate was essential to continued life. He had married a second time, in March of 1879, and with his wife removed to New Mexico. There he remained until the spring of 1881. Not liking the country and being greatly improved in health he came north and reached Newton, Kansas. Here he bought a pair of horses and a carriage, and with his wife prepared to drive about the state, living in the open air. During a visit to the Crane ranch, in Marion County, he was so favorably impressed with the agricultural possibilities of that district that he purchased a quarter-section at the headwaters of the Cottonwood. There he located and again engaged in farming and stock-raising. Since early manhood Mr. Moore has been a close student of questions affecting the public welfare and during his residence in Kansas has been an active and influential factor in affairs political. His only public service in a political capacity was during the years 1887-1892. He was elected, on the Republican ticket, treasurer of Marion County, in 1887, and re-elected in 1889. He first attracted state-wide attention as a public speaker during the campaign of 1892, when he took the stump in support of President Benjamin Harrison. His speeches in favor of a protective tariff were masterly and his associates in that campaign often remarked that “Moore was the only man who could talk tariff and compel applause and laughter from his audience.” In a speech lasting three hours and interrupted by frequent applause Mr. Moore proved conclusively his mastery of the questions at issue and the audience extended congratulations on the success of the meeting. Previous to the meeting of the Republican state convention, in 1906, a platform was drafted and candidates named by the railroad attorneys. The platform and the names of the candidates were published in the “Topeka Daily Capital” the day before the opening of the convention. Although a number of close friends were on the ticket, which was ratified, Mr. Moore denounced, in open convention, this manner of platform drafting and slate making, and in so doing became the pioneer insurgent in Kansas. His stand in this matter caused the Democratic Party to urge him to accept a nomination at their hands for Congress in the Fourth district. This he accepted, with that party’s full knowledge of his Republican convictions. In accepting the nomination he was influenced by his desire to give public utterance of his convictions upon subjects pertaining to the general welfare. His last work in behalf of his party was during the campaign of 1908, when he stumped the state for Bristow and Stubbs. In 1907 he had purchased the “Marion Headlight,” with the end in view of turning Marion County from the stand-pat to the insurgent column. The publication was run without regard to expense and in the primary election of 1908 Stubbs, for governor, received a majority of 887, and Bristow, for senator, 773. Having accomplished his ends as an editor and publisher he sold the property the following year. Mr. Moore was appointed by Governor Morrill a member of the State Live Stock Sanitary Commission and rendered valuable service in that capacity. He is a member and post commander of Pollock Post, No. 42, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Kansas; Center Lodge, No. 147, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Delta Chapter, No. 19, Royal Arch Masons, and of the Methodist church. He has been married twice. On Sept. 1, 1875, he married Miss Harriet Z., daughter of Robert Bone of Menard County, Illinois. She died Oct. 5, 1875, as previously mentioned. On March 18, 1879, he married his present wife, who was Miss Matilda Katherine Lamb, a daughter of Jacob Lamb, a native of Ohio and a pioneer of Jones County, Iowa. Mr. Moore’s success in life was such as should fill in a great measure the cup of his ambition. His position is the result of his own well directed efforts. His methods have been clean, capable and honest, his standard of life high, and he possesses a well-earned popularity, the esteem which comes from honorable living and slowly develops from unselfish works.
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