Notes for DAVID KIER MOOR:

Son of William and Eliza (Kier) Moor.
Born: October 28, 1943 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.
Died: February 21, 1918 in Isabelle County, Michigan.
Buried: Plot: 11B; Union Cemetery, Blanchard, Isabella County, Michigan.
Married: Ellen Callwell November 5, 1865 in Putnam County, Ohio.

DAVID K. MOOR
The subject of this sketch is an honorable representative of one of the old and esteemed families of Isabella county and to him also belongs the credit of having been an active participant in the settlement and subsequent development of Fremont township, where he located in an early day. William Moor, the subject's father, was a native of Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, as was also his mother, who bore the maiden name of Eliza Kier. These parents moved to Ohio a number of years ago and from Putnam county, that state, came to Isabella county. Michigan, in 1865, settling in the wilds of what is "now Fremont township. William Moor located on eighty acres of homestead land in section 7 and experienced all the hardships and vicissitudes incident to life in the back woods. For some time he acted as "tote man"' for the settlers west of the Big Cedar swamp, drawing supplies from Hubbardston and Ionia with a team of horses, the meanwhile as opportunity afforded, felling the forest, grubbing the ground and preparing his land for tillage. Later he devoted bis entire attention to the improvement of his land and in due time succeeded in developing a fine farm and a comfortable home. This he sold out and moved to the southwest part of Indiana, both dying there some years ago.

David K. Moor was born October 28, 1842, in Armstrong county. Pennsylvania, and when quite young was taken by his parents to Putnam county. Ohio, where he spent his early life and obtained such educational discipline as the indifferent country schools of those times afforded. He assisted his"fatlier on the farm until arriving at the years of maturity and in 1865 moved with the family to Allegan county, Michigan, where he worked for a few months, helping construct a dam, after which he came to Isabella' county and assisted his father to clear and improve the farm in Fremont township, to which reference is made in a preceding paragraph. Leaving the parental roof a few months later, he homesteaded his present farm in section 21, consisting of eighty acres, to the improvement of which he at once addressed himself and which under his effective labors and judicious management was in due season cleared and reduced to cultivation. While thus engaged he endured many vicissitudes and hardships not a few, among others being the high prices at which groceries and other necessities sold, flour at one time commanding as much as twenty-five dollars per barrel, the barrels having to be rolled through the woods to the houses where ordered.

With the passing years success attended the efforts of Mr. Moor and it was not long until he was comfortably situated, with bright prospects for the future. By energetic and continuous toil, he succeeded in bringing his land to a high state of tillage and later increased its value by a number of substantial improvements, including a fine modern brick residence erected in 1906, also a good barn and outbuildings, besides a large amount of fencing. He now has one of the best farms and among the most attractive and desirable homes in the township and is certainly well situated to enjoy the many material blessings by which he is surrounded. Beginning life in the woods, with no means worthy of mention and no help from influential friends, he has with his own strong arms, backed by a determined purpose, carved out a comfortable competency, his farm being conservatively estimated at six thousand five hundred dollars, to say nothing of valuable live stock, machinery, implements, etc., and a surplus capital which insures his future against the proverbial "rainy day."

Mr. Moor served his township twenty terms as treasurer and proved a most capable and faithful official, besides holding for one year the position of road commissioner. He has been active in political circles and is one of the leading Democrats of Fremont township, still wielding a strong influence for his party, keeping in touch with the leading questions and issues of the day and abreast of the times on all matters in which the public is interested. On November 5, 1865, he was united in marriage with Ellen Callwell, whose birth occurred November 12, 1845, in Putnam county, Ohio, being a daughter of David and Eve (Perine) Callwell, natives of that state, the father born in 1823 and the mother in 1825. These parents spent nearly, if not all, their lives in Ohio and died there in the year 1884 and 1846, respectively.

Mr. and Mrs. Moor have reared a large family, fourteen children in all, whose names are as follows: William, born October 17, 1866, is deceased, being survived by a widow who prior to her marriage was Issa Estella; Melissa, born August 16, 1868, is the wife of Joe Rundell and lives in Owosso, this state; Robert was born November 7, 1870, and lives at Heron, Montana, his wife having formerly been Amy Roberts; Letitia, born February 22, 1871, married Enoch Smith and resides at Big Rapids, Michigan; John, whose birth occurred on November 13, 1873, married Emma Vicory and is a farmer of Fremont township; Charles, who married Nellie Delo and who is also a resident of Fremont township, was born May 27, 1875; Anna, born January 13, 1877, is the wife of Earl Jordan, of Detroit; Mary, now Mrs. Walter Hardy, was born August 25, 1878, and lives in Big Rapids; Emmet, born February 2, 1880, works on an ore steamer plying the Great Lakes, but makes his home with his parents; Lottie, wife of Norm Mathews, was born January 28. 1881, and lives in the city of Big Rapids; Stella, born January 18, 1884, married Minor Walton and lives in Mt- Pleasant; George A. C. was born March 6. 1886, and is also married, his wife having formerly been Edith Conrad ; Grace, born October 17, 1887, is deceased; Edward, whose birth occurred on April 23. 1891, is unmarried and a member of the home circle.
(Source:Past and present of Isabella County, Michigan By Isaac Alger Fancher, Myrta Wilsey Burwash)