Who is the "Moore" ?

I have been looking for a long time to identify who the “Moore” was that married Nancy J. Adamson, daughter of Allen and Elizabeth Saunders Adamson.  At last, I may have some information.

Nancy J. Adamson was born about 1838 in Kentucky.  She was the first known daughter in the family.  She was listed with her family in the 1850 Crawford County, Missouri Census as age 12 (listing is under Allen “Adsun”). Nancy’s mother, Elizabeth Saunders Adamson, died around 1858 and soon after her father, Allen, took off for Kentucky, leaving the younger children with his wife’s relatives.

In the 1860 Upton, Texas County, Missouri Census, Nancy was listed as living with her mother’s brother, John Saunders and his family.  Nancy was listed as “Nancy More”, age 23, born in Kentucky.  She was also listed with a one month old son (first name not given).  I have not found any marriage records for Nancy.

I have not found Nancy Adamson Moore after the 1860 Census; however, it appears that she had another child.  The 1870 Upton, Texas County, Missouri Census shows a Nancy J. Moore, age 3, born in Missouri, living with CM Hill and his wife Nancy Saunders Hill. (Nancy Saunders Hill was the daughter of George W. Saunders, brother to Elizabeth Saunders Adamson)

This young Nancy was again found in the 1876 Texas County, Missouri still living with the Charles M. Hill family.  In this census, she is listed as “Nancy J. Hill”, under ten years of age. And again, in the 1880 Piney, Texas County, Missouri Census, Nancy is listed with the Mitch and Nancy Hill family.  She is again listed as “Nancy J. Hill”, age 11, born in Missouri.

I have found no records for Nancy Adamson Moore after her listing in the 1860 Census.  It appears that she had two children, a son born about 1860 and a daughter, Nancy J. Moore, born about 1867.  My best guess is that Nancy J. Adamson Moore died between 1867 and 1870.

So who is this “Moore” who apparently married Nancy J. Adamson around 1860 and fathered two children with her?  Until about a month ago, I had no clue.  I had sent for some records from the Missouri Archives Union Provost Marshal Papers for Richard Douglass.  Richard had been married to Mary Saunders, sister to Elizabeth Saunders Adamson.  When the records arrived they included a reference to a “Robert Moore”.

I sent for those records and found that that "Robert Moore" had his horse stolen in Uplands Township, Texas County Missouri on the 10th of September in 1862 by Peter Saunders, Richard Douglass, JP Saunders and Thomas Saunders, along with two others.  [Peter Saunders was Elizabeth Saunders Adamson’s brother and JP and Thomas Saunders were his sons. Richard Douglass was married to Mary Saunders, sister to Elizabeth Saunders Adamson]

Another statement, dated the 10^th of October in 1862 reported that William Moore, Thomas Knight and AJ Moore saw the men named in the petition of Robert Moore rob him of a horse with saddle and bridle worth $98.

Since all the men named in these reports are closely related to Nancy J. Adamson Moore, I am guessing that this Robert Moore may have been the "Moore" who fathered the two children of Nancy Adamson Moore.

Some further research showed that Robert D. Moore served in the Eighth Missouri Infantry (CSA)-the same that Allen, Isaac, John Wesley and William Adamson (Nancy Adamson Moore’s brothers) served in.  Information found shows that Robert Moore enlisted in Thomasville, MO on 7 August 1862; “Eyes: gray; Hair: dark; Height: 6'; Age 27.  Serg't (October 10, 1862).  Farmer; Deserted Dec. 29, 1862 in Sebastian County, Arkansas; Captured and sent to Ft. Wyman, Rolla Mo; Probably took oath of allegiance; Released Feb. 1863.”

The 1860 Piney, Texas, Missouri Census shows a Robert More, age 25, born in Kentucky and a William More, age 21, born in Tennessee, listed as living with the RW Rodgers family. This would indicate that the Robert More listed here would be 27 years old in 1862, same as the Robert Moore listed above. And the above report named a William Moore.

So, I still have no actual proof that this Robert Moore is the “Moore” I am seeking.  Nor do I have any proof that he actually married Nancy J. Adamson (other than she was listed as Nancy More in the 1860 census).
Regardless, my speculation is that this is the “Moore” and his being attacked by Nancy’s family in September of 1862 had something to with his relationship with Nancy.  It’s interesting to note that she apparently had another child with him in 1867!

As of today, I have been unable to locate what became of this Robert Moore. I am hoping to perhaps find more military records, but records for those who served in the Missouri CSA are sparse. 

I also have not been able to find what became of Nancy Adamson’s child, Nancy J. Moore after 1880.  It may be that she continued to go by the name of Hill and I need to search for that. I have never found any additional records of references to the male Moore born in 1860.