Thomas B. Moore, who follows farming on section 29 and has long been known as an extensive and successful dealer in live stock in Roscoe township, is a native of the middle west, and in his life displays the enterprising spirit which has been the dominant factor in the rapid growth and up building of the Mississippi valley. He was born in Watertown, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, on the 14th of July, 1849, a son of Stephen and Sarah (Waite) Moore, both of whom were natives of Bugbrook, Northamptonshire, England, the father having been born October 10, 1801, and the mother on the 13th of April, 1807. His death occurred January 10, 1864, while she passed away on the 17th of March, 1881. Their children were: Robert W., born January 29, 1833, died October 8, 1868, in Kansas City, Missouri. Mary B., born May 6, 1837, became the wife of Lewis Brown, and died May 28, 1895, at Roscoe, Illinois, leaving three children. Hannah W., born August 4, 1841, married Horace D. Hopkins, of Roscoe, who died May 17, 1898, leaving four children. John W., born September 28, 1844, married Mary Goodrow and has one son. Martha J., born February 18, 1847, married Harris Hardy and has three living sons and lost one daughter.
No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of life for Thomas B. Moore in his boyhood days, his time being divided between play and work. He attended the public schools and aided his father in farming pursuits. He remained at home until twenty-five years of age, after which he followed the butcher’s trade, his father being a butcher. Subsequently he turned his attention to farming and removed to Minnesota. He was there engaged in the hardware business for two years, on the expiration of which period he came to Illinois in 1877, settling in Roscoe township, Winnebago county, where he has since carried on general agricultural pursuits on the old farm homestead that belonged to his wife’s father, Luther H. Fassett, who was a very prominent and prosperous farmer of this locality, leaving two hundred and forty acres at the time of his death. He passed away October 19, 1895, having for several years survived his wife, who died August 28, 1888.
It was on the 3d of April, 1877, that Mr. Moore was married to Miss Emma Fassett, with whom he traveled life’s journey for about twenty-two years, but on the 19th of January, 1900, Mrs. Moore departed this life at the age of fifty-five years, leaving one son, Frank Fassett Moore, who was born in Roscoe, February 13, 1880, and was married June 20, 1901, to Clare Runyard, who was born February 19, 1880, and is a daughter of Robert and Ella (Ketcham) Runyard, of Charles City, Iowa. Unto Frank Fassett Moore and his wife have been born two daughters: Emma F., born in Roscoe, January 4, 1903; and Eliza B., born May 21, 1905.
Mr. Moore and his son are associated in their farming interests, and now have a valuable and extensive tract of land, which they have placed under a high state of cultivation, adding all modern equipments. In addition to the cultivation of the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, they have engaged quite extensively in the raising of live stock, and their annual shipments return to them a good income. Mr. Moore is enterprising in all of his business interests, possesses keen discrimination of this portion of the state. He and his son belong to Roscoe lodge, No. 75, A. F. & A. M., and in politics is a stalwart republican. While serving for twelve years as a member of the school board he has effectively promoted the cause of education in his district, and his co-operation can always be counted upon to further progressive movements.
Source: Charles A. Church, Past and Present of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County, Illinois (Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1905), p. 779.