Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Ely MOORE
HONORABLE ELY MOORE, only son of Captain Moses Moore, by his third wife, Mary Coryell, was, according to the entry in his grandfather's Bible, born on July 6, 1799, and according to his biographers, on July 4, 1798. When still a young man he removed to New York City. In 1834 he was elected to Congress from that city and re-elected two years later. He took an important part in national legislation and served as chairman of many important committees. He was an orator of more than ordinary ability. His speech delivered in New York in 1834, at a meeting held to urge the completion of the Washington monument, is a classic in its eloquence. An extract, in which is described Washington's attack on Trenton, is given below:
"In no one instance perhaps, was Washington 's influence with the army so strikingly exemplified as in his attack on the enemy at Trenton. O'er and o'er have I listened with intense anxiety, in the days of my boyhood, whilst, my now departed sire, who fought and bled on that proud field, recited with thrilling interest, all that related to the enterprise. 'It was on a Decembers night,'would he say, 'when our little heart-broken army halted on the banks of the Delaware. That night. was dark, cheerless, tempestuous, and bore a strong resemblance to our country's fortune! It seemed as if heaven and earth had conspired for 'our destruction. The clouds lowered-darkncss and the storm came on apace. The snow and hail descended, beating with unmitigated violence upon the supperless, halfclad, shivering soldiers; and in the roarings of the flood and the wailings of the storm was heard by fancy's ear the knell of our hopes and the dirge of liberty! The impetuous river was filled with floating ice. An attempt to cross it at that time, and under such circumstances, seemed a desperate enterprise, yet it was undertaken, and, thanks be to God and Washington, was accomplished. " 'From where we landed on the Jersey shore, to Trenton, was about nine miles, and, on the whole line of march, there was scarcely a word uttered, save by the officers, when giving some order. We were well-nigh exhausted,' said he, 'many of us frost-bitten, and tile majority of us so badly shod that the blood gushed from our frozen and lacerated feet at every tread, yet we upbraided not, complained not, but marched steadily and firmly, though mournfully onward, resolved to persevere to the uttermost, not for our country-our country, alas! we had given up for lost-not for ourselves-life for us no longer wore a charm-but because such was the will of our beloved chief-'twas for Washington alone we were willing to make the sacrifice. When we arrived within sight of our enemy's encampments, we were ordered to form a line, when Washington reviewed us. Pale and emaciated, dispirited and exhausted, we presented a most unwarlike and melancholy aspect. The paternal eye of our chief was quick to discover the extent of our sufferings, and acknowledge them with his tears; but suddenly checking his emotions, he reminded us that our country and all that we held dear was staked upon the issue of the coming battle. As he spoke, we gathered ourselves up and rallied our energies; every man grasped his arms -more firmly, and the clinched hand, and the compressed lip, and steadfast look, and the knit brow, told the soul's resolve.
" ' Washington observed us well, then did he exhort us, with all the fervor of his soul, "On yonder field to conquer, or die the death of the brave." At that instant, the glorious sun, as if in prophetic token of our success, burst forth in all his splendor, bathing in liquid light the blue hills of Jersey. The faces which, but a few moments before, were blanched with despair, now glowed with martial fire and animation. Our chief, with exultation hailed the scene; then casting his doubts to the winds, and calling on the "God of battles" and his faithful soldiers, led on the charge. The conflict was fierce and bloody. For more than twenty minutes, not a gun was fired; the sabre and the bayonet did the work of destruction; 'twas a hurricane of fire, and steel, and death. There did we stand,' would he say, 'there did we stand, "foot to foot and hilt to hilt," with the serried foe! and where we stood, we died or conquered.'
"The result of that action, gentlemen, is well known to you all, as are also its bearings upon the fortunes of America. Had defeat attended our arms at that trying crisis, our cause was lost, and freedom had found a grave on the plains of Trenton! But the wisdom and prudence of Washington secured us the victory, and consequently our liberty.
"How great our obligations then, and how much it behooves us, at this time, to show our gratitude by erecting to his memory a monument that shall tell to after-ages, not only that Washington was great, but that we were grateful. Let it no longer be delayed. To pause is to invite defeat; persevere, is to insure success.
Col. Moore was a firm friend of President Andrew Jackson during his term in Congress. The President, in token of his esteem, presented him with a life-size portrait of himself, now in the possession of one of Col. Moore's children. He was editor of the National Trades Union, in New York, while a Congressman, and at tile termination of his second term he was made president of the Board of Trade, and was subsequently appointed Surveyor of the Port of New York, which position he filled, until appointed by President Polk, in 1845, Marshal of the South District of New York. In 1838-9, he was political editor of the New York Evening Post, and in 1851, owned and edited the Warren County Journal, at Belvidere, New Jersey. In 1853, he was made Indian Agent for the Miami and other tribes of Indians in Kansas, and in 1855, Registrar of the United States Land Office, at LeCompton, Kansas, where was highly honored, and filled many important trusts, and where he died on January 27, 1860, and was buried on his farm two miles from the city with distinguished honors. He married, first in New York in 1824, Emma Conant, daughter of Gilbert Conant of that city, and, second, Clara Baker, a widow. By his first wife he had issue :-
Mary Moore, born in New York City, October 4, 1825; died at New Brunswick, New Jersey, July 26, 1889 ;- married Gilbert Uel Reynolds.
Emma, born January 16, 1827 ; married March 27, 1850, John Coughtry.
Helen, born September 10, 1833, died in Washington, D. C., 1872; married George C. Baker .
Ely Moore, Jr., born December 7, 1834, living in Lawrence, Kansas; married Rose M'Kenney.
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