Biographies
from
The History of Otsego County, New York
1740-1878
D. Hamilton Hurd
Published by Everts & Fariss, Philadelphia
MOORE, Ansel C - Morris
Ansel C. MOORE was born in the town of Butternuts (now Morris),
Otsego Co., N.Y., Aug. 9, 1798, and was the second son of a family
of four brothers of Alanson Moore, a native of Salisbury, Conn., and
Asenath SKINNER, of New Canaan, Conn., the latter born Jan. 19,
1765, and her husband, Sept. 22, 1766. They were united in marriage
at Butternuts, Nov. 2, 1795, having emigrated some five or six years
prior to this time. Ansel Moore's educational advantages were quite
limited during his early days, generally attending school but three
months during the winter season in an old log school-house and
occasionally was permitted to attend in the summer, though most of
the time employed on the farm with his father until the age of eighteen,
when he engaged with Robert L. BOWNE & Son, who owned a
woolen- and cotton-mill and store at Elm Grove, one mile north of
the present village of Morris, where he was employed as a clerk in
the store. Here he remained two years, and in the winter following
taught school three months in the town of Westford. The spring
following he was appointed deputy clerk in the county clerk's office
in Cooperstown, where he remained about two years, doing all the
business of the office, and when he entered it not yet twenty-one
years of age. After leaving there he went into Butternuts woolen and
cotton factory store, located near the site of the present factory,
where he remained until March 26, 1825, at which time he commenced the
mercantile business in the village of Morris, which he followed many
years. While at Cooperstown, Mr. Moore gained some knowledge of
the banking business, and subsequently, at its organization, was made
director of the Bank of Cooperstown; was also second or third
subscriber to stock; was eventually made vice-president, but being
so far distant resigned his position, and in the year 1856, feeling the
need of a bank at Morris, and failing to get others interested
sufficiently to take the step with him, resolved to establish one on
his own account, and did so, running it in connection with his store,
which proved to be a very successful undertaking. Mr. Moore
started in life without a farthing, his father's property, comprising
some 100 acres of land, being deeded, by the consent of all parties, to
his brother, Orrin H. Moore. The banking business gradually increasing,
he gave up the mercantile trade (his patience becoming somewhat
tried) to his son, Albert G., and son-in-law, James E. COOKE, and
devoted his entire time to the interests of the bank, and a few years
since, feeling that sixty years of active business life required a
settlement, and desirous of being indebted to none, set about to close
up matters, and to-day can say that he owes no man a dollar. The
banking business passed into the faithful hands of his son and
son-in-law heretofore mentioned, and is still progressing under the firm name of James E. Cooke & Co. Mr. Moore was married, July 26, 1826, to
Esther Matilda FREEMAN, daughter of Elisha Freeman, of Columbus,
Chenango county. To them were born five children, four daughters
and one son, viz., Mary Augusta, Josephine, Albert Gallatin, Martha
Amelia, and Victorine, all of whom are living, except Albert Gallatin,
who died Feb. 10, 1876.
Mr. Moore has been called to every position of trust in the gift
of his townsmen; served also as postmaster eight years, and has
been called upon several times to accept the nomination as member
of assembly, which he refused on account of his business at home
demanding his attention. He has been connected with the Episcopal
church of Morris some forty years; was born a Democrat, and has
never failed to cast his vote at a single election.--
Excerpt from History of Otsego Co., NY, opposite page 208