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Morgan Family Pioneer Heritage
Wesley Moore

Seventh child of John Thomas and Annie Andersen Moore

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Picture of Wesley Moore made in 1915.

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Another portrait of Wesley Moore made in 1915, probably at the same time as the one above.

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Wesley Moore and his sister Annie Moore. Picture appears to have been made prior to 1915.







Life Sketch for Wesley Moore

written by Delcia Moore - July, 1981

Wes, as he was known by everyone, was the sixth son and seventh child of John Thomas Moore and Annie Andersen Moore. He was born in Spanish Fork, Utah on September 30, 1891. He brothers Tom, George, John, Ernest and Bill were here to welcome a new brother. A baby girl had died (stillborn) previous to his birth.

They had a farm in Clinton Valley not far from Spanish Fork and life for this family was not an easy one. The parents were hard working, thrifty people and provided the necessary things such as food and clothing. The boys went barefoot in the summer to save their shoes for school and church. At Christmas time they got such things as a knife, ball or harmonica and maybe a piece of candy. There was not an abundance of money but they learned to work and to love their parents.

A brother, Leon, was born after Wes but died at six weeks of age. Annie and Ralph became a part of the family while they still lived in Utah.

In 1897, John T. Moore hearing of the great productive land that was available in Idaho and feeling the need to improve the living conditions of his family, made plans to leave Utah. He loaded a wagon with most of their possessions (furniture, machinery, seed, etc.) and with four boys (Tom, George, John, and Ernest) started for Idaho. Mother, Annie, along with Bill, Wes, Ann and Ralph came by train. They arrived in Shelton, Idaho on October 30, 1897. Two more children, Florence and Reed, were born in Idaho making a total of ten living children.

The family spent the first winter in one room of a log house shared with Jim Angus. One hundred Twenty acres was purchased from Claude Carlyle and a permanent home was built on this property. Another one hundred sixty acres was rented and later purchased from Charles Martin. This acreage was divided equally and purchased by all four brothers, George, John, Bill and Wes. All the family worked their land together and exchanged work. It seemed they were haying all summer long, going from one place to the other. All the farm work was done by horses and horses being the only mode of transportation.

Wes along with the other children attended grade school in Shelton in a one room building. Some of the teachers were John Johnson, Jane Morgan, and Robert Sermon. He loved to play baseball and usually was the pitcher. In his youth he was in ward drama and was a good actor. His father was the director as well as taking part in the dramas. These dramas as well as the dances which they held were almost all of the entertainment enjoyed by the people in these days. People from miles around came to Shelton for the dramas and dances. Wes had a dry sense of humor as did most of his family. He didn't often display his affection but they knew of his love for them.

Wes was called to serve a mission to the Central States Mission from June 22, 1912 to November 22, 1914. Through his mission he acquired the love to read the Bible, Book of Mormon, etc., and as a result had a great knowledge of the scriptures.

On April 4, 1917, Wes and Alice L. Brown were married in the Salt Lake Temple. As there was still a lot of snow, they were taken by sleigh to Idaho Falls by Francis and Olive Burtenshaw where they, accompanied by Ollie and Clem Page, caught the train to Salt Lake City.

Wes and Alice (Al) began their married life on Shelton Road and as Al had said she lived on the same street all of her life. The farm which they were buying had a home formerly owned by Charles Martin. This house was their home all of their married life. They worked hard together. The farm work was done with horses, cows milked by hand, and water hauled from the canal which ran in front of their house. This water was packed in buckets to the house for all uses including, drinking. Sometimes the water was so muddy it had to set in the buckets and settle before it could be used.

Five children came to bless their home: Twins-a boy and a girl were premature and stillborn; Ross Wesley Moore born April 29, 1919; Joseph Harlod Moore born February 25, 1922; and Delcia Bernice Moore born June 6, 1926.

Besides farming, Wes also worked during the winter months for several years at the sugar factory in Lincoln. He was badly injured while working there, suffering a fractured skull. He had a bad scar on the side of his head as a result of this accident. Wes and Al were custodians of the Shelton church in the years of about 1936-1940. They also worked in the seed house at Ririe for several years. Wes was a floor walker making 75 cents an hour and Al was picking peas for 45 cents an hour.

Wes was ward clerk for the Shelton Ward for 15 years. He was a good penman and kept very neat and accurate books. During this time he also kept records for Bert Brown, a sheepman. He was Sunday School superintendent and a counselor in the Y M M I A at different times. He also taught the Gospel Doctrine class in Sunday School for several years. In 1947, he served a Stake Mission for the East Rigby Stake.

During World War II both sons served; Ross in the Army and Harold in the Coast Guard.

Wes suffered his first heart attack in the summer of 1950. Until he recovered enough to continue his farm work, his brothers and nephews milked the cows and did the farm work. In October 1951 he suffered another heart attack and passed away on October 27, 1951. His funeral was held Tuesday, October 30, 1951 at 2 PM in the Shelton church. Bishop Lynn Brown conducted the services and burial was in the Shelton-Ririe Cemetery.


"It is said that a father is more than a hundred school masters.

His job is not an easy one, his responsibilities are great.

A father is a companion, a pattern, a teacher, a guide, and an inspiration."

Wes has been a very special person in the lives of his family. His desire was that they grow up to be stalwart men and women and honor the name of their birth.

Born: September 30, 1891
Baptized: August 5, 1900
Ordained to Deacon: December 17, 1903 by John S. Howard
Mission: Central States: June 22, 1912 - November 22, 1914
Married: April 4, 1917 to Alice L. Brown, Salt Lake Temple
Ordination to Seventy: June 8, 1918 by W. G. Steele
Ward Clerk: fifteen years
Stake Mission: January 12, 1947

Wesley and Alice Moore Gravestone

Click on the link above to see a picture of the gravestone for Wesley and Alice Moore in the Shelton, Idaho Cemetery