Finding Moore

Scholefield Family Tree

Clara Ann (Moore) Scholefield’s family must also be investigated. The census records reported her parents birth places differently almost every year, and her death certificate named her mother as Sarah Jane, but the newspapers reported that Clara’s mother was named M. J. Moore.1

To add to the confusion, as we go back in time from the 1900 Census when Clara was with her husband, she is living with a Horace and Ann Moore in Alameda California in 1880.2

Moore, Horace, W, M, 59, Marr, Clerk in Book Store, New York, NY, NY
——, Ann, W, F, 59, Wife, Marr, New York, NY, NY
——, Susan, W, F, 17, Daughter, Singl, California, NY, NY
——, Clara, W, F, 17, Daughter, Singl, California, NY, NY
——, Arthur, W, M, 13, Son, Singl, Attends School, California, NY, NY
Ann, Susan and Clara have the notation Boarders in the occupation column. It is likely the whole family boarded in the Julian Fox household because there was an erasure in the relationship column next to Horace.

I assume that Horace is a brother to James. Susan, Clara, and Arthur could have been visiting. According to Clara’s obituary3, she was back in Globe by 1882 where she married. Because of the erasures on the page and the extra notation, it is possible that none of the Moores were talked to directly. It was perfectly acceptable for the enumerator to talk to neighbors. Even if he talked to Julian Fox, it cannot be expected that Fox knew all the details about the family.

James and M. J. are in Globe, Pinal County, Arizona, where I had expected the whole family to be.4 However, there are some oddities about this enumeration too.

Moore, M J, W, F, 45, Marr, Hotel keeper, South Carolina, N Carolina, N Carolina
——, James A, W, M, 56, Husband, Marr, Miner, New York, New York, New York
Crampton, John F, W, M, 19, Son, Singl, Hotel keeper, California, Connecticut, S Carolina
Gam, Young, C, M, 35, Singl, Cook, China, China, China
Groves, John S, W, M, 55, Boarder, Marr, Dealer in Cotton, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Penn
Beard, Wm W, W, M, 45, Boarder, Singl, Mining Supt, New York, NY, NY
Taylor Wm, W, M, 38, Boarder, Singl, Ivory Dealer, Pennsylvania, Penn, Penn
Bachelder, John L, W, M, 35, Boarder, Singl, Carpenter, New Hampshire, New Hamphire, N Hampshire
Cline, Peter, W, M, 51, Boarder, Singl, Millwright, Virginia, Mass, Ireland
Kingsbury, W V, W, M, 54, Boarder, Marr, Miner, Ohio, Mass, Conn
Tuner, George L Sr, W, M, 68, Boarder, Wid, Deputy Marshall, Vermont, Conn, Conn
Turner, Geo L Jr, W, M, 26, Boarder, Singl, Stock raiser, Oregon, Vermon, Ohio
Rowlison, W D, W, M, 50, Boarder, Marr, Carpenter, Virgina, N Jersey, Ireland

Why is M. J. the head of household? Who is the John F. Crampton who is listed as her son? Was she married to another man before she married James A. Moore? John Crampton is noted in her death notice when discussing the fact that she had been living among her children.


In 1870, the family is living in Maricopa Wells, Pima County, Arizona Territory.5

Moore, James A, 42, M, W, Retail Merchant, 5000, 18000, New York, Male Citizen over 21
——, Jane, 34, F, W, Keeping House, South Carolina
——, Mary E, 14, F, W, California
——, Sarah J, 12, F, W, California
——, John F, 9, M, W, California
——, Susan, 7, F, W, California
——, Clara, 7, F, W, California
——, Arthur, 3, M, W, California

It now looks likely that Clara’s mother’s middle name was Jane. With the number of records that point to the first initial of M. it seems that Helen was mistaken when she reported her grandmother’s first name on her mother’s death certificate. She did get the middle name correct though. Note, however, there is a Sarah J(ane?) in the family. Because their ages are similar it seems that John F. Crampton is now named John F. Moore? Were the older girls Mary E. and Sarah J. Cramptons as well? Or was James married previously as well?


Going back to 1860 presents a difficulty when searching for James Moore. There are so many of them that it is very hard to verify which one he is (and no, there are none in San Bernardino who are of the correct age). However, when searching for his wife by checking for Cramptons in San Bernardino, the apparent family structure of the following record seems to confirm that Matilda Jane did marry a Crampton and that her three oldest children were from that marriage.6 The only reason to say that it seems to confirm is because this census did not list familial relationships.

John Crampton, 26, M, Teamster, $100 personal estate, Connecticut
Matilda J ——, 23, F, S. Carolina
Mary E ——, 3, F, California
Sarah J ——, 1, F, California
Wesley Smith, 24, M, Laborer, Ohio


Once again, 1850 is impossible when it comes to locating James without more information. And because Matilda Jane ______ Crampton Moore was likely not married at age 23, it might be difficult to find her. She may be located under just her first name, age, and place of birth — but only if that combination is unique. So, I’ll be right back (wish me luck)…

You weren’t wishing hard enough! There are 20+ Matildas born just in 1834 in SC and none living in California. And Jane is just too common.

Looking at our previous research into the censuses, I now know that the M. J. Moore and J. Arthur Moore in the 1900 Census are related.

Research Plan:

  1. Search for John Crampton (or is he Moore) in later censuses. He should be near his mother.
  2. Research and fill in information about Clara’s siblings.
  3. Check search engines for James A. Moore in the hopes of narrowing down a search window to locate him on early censuses.
  4. Check for California marriage records to see if Matilda Jane’s two marriages can be located. Her maiden name is needed.

1. See post dated 21 Aug 2008 for census information; See post dated 17 Aug 2008 for her death certificate; “Touching Arizona,” Weekly Republican, 14 Feb 1901, p. 6, col. 4; digital images, GenealogyBank.comĀ (http://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 5 Sep 2008), Historical Newspapers.
2. 1880 U.S. census, Alameda County, California, population schedule, Alameda, enumeration district (ED) 30, p. 13 (handwritten), 640 (stamped), dwelling 130, family 133, Horace Moore household which was not numbered separately from the Julius Fox household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Sep 2008); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 62.
3. See post dated 23 Aug 2008.
4. 1880 U.S. census, Pinal County, Arizona, population schedule, Globe, enumeration district (ED) 12, p. 20 (handwritten), 402 (reverse, stamped), dwelling 82, family 89, M. J. Moore household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Sep 2008); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 37.
5. 1870 U.S. census, Pima County, Arizona Territory, population schedule, Maricopa Wells, p. 1 (handwritten), 32 (stamped), dwelling 2, family 2, James A. Moore household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Sep 2008); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 46.

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