William S. Moore

{{short description|American attorney, newspaper editor, and politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = William Sutton Moore

|image =

|alt =

|caption =

|office1 = Member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 24th congressional district

|term_start1 = March 4, 1875

|term_end1 = March 3, 1877

|predecessor1 = William McClelland

|successor1 = John W. Wallace

|office2 = Treasurer of Washington County, Pennsylvania

|term_start2 = February 22, 1862

|term_end2 = November 13, 1863

|predecessor2 = James Pollock

|successor2 = J. W. Douds

|office3 = Prothonotary of Washington County, Pennsylvania

|term_start3 = October 14, 1854

|term_end3 = October 11, 1857

|predecessor3 = James Brown

|successor3 = James B. Ruple

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1822|11|18}}

|birth_place = Amity, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1877|12|30|1822|11|18}}

|death_place = Washington, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|resting_place = Washington Cemetery, Washington, Pennsylvania

|party = Republican

|spouse = Elizabeth Leamon Brownlee (m. 1850)

|children = 3

|relatives = Alexander Patch (grandson)
Joseph D. Patch (grandson)

|education = Washington College

|profession = Attorney
Newspaper editor

}}

William Sutton Moore (November 18, 1822 – December 30, 1877) was an American lawyer, newspaper editor, and politician from Washington, Pennsylvania. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1873 to 1875.

A native of Amity, Pennsylvania, Moore graduated from Washington College (now Washington and Jefferson College) in 1847, studied law, and attained admitted to the bar in 1848. Moore practiced in Washington, Pennsylvania. Moore became active in politics as a Republican, and served as Washington County Prothonotary from 1854 to 1857, and Washington County Treasurer from 1863 to 1866. Beginning in 1857, Moore was part-owner and publisher of the Reporter, a local newspaper.

In 1872, Moore was a successful candidate for the United States House of Representatives. He served one term, March 4, 1873 to March 3, 1875. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874.

Moore was often in ill health after being diagnosed with throat cancer in the mid-1850s. His health rapidly declined in mid-1877, and he died in Washington on December 30, 1877. He was buried at Washington Cemetery in Washington.

Biography

Moore was born in Amity, Pennsylvania on November 18, 1922, the son of James and Ann (Sutton) Moore.{{cite magazine |last=Moore |first=Joseph William |date=December 1961 |title=The Life of William Sutton Moore: A Washington County Editor |url=https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/view/1905/1753 |magazine=Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine |location=Pittsburgh, PA |publisher=Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania |page=362 |ref={{sfnRef|Joseph William Moore}}}}{{efn|Some sources indicate that Moore was born in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}}}} His mother died when he was young, and he was raised by his uncle and aunt, Hugh and Sarah Moore.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}} He attended the local schools, and in 1842 began attendance at Washington College (now Washington and Jefferson College), from which he graduated in 1847.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}} Three of Moore's college classmates went on to serve in Congress: James G. Blaine (Maine); John V. Le Moyne (Illinois); and William Henry Mills Pusey (Iowa).{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}}

While attending college, Moore also began the study of law in the office of Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}} He was admitted to the bar in 1848 and began to practice in Washington, Pennsylvania.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}}

Career

A Republican from the time the party was founded in the 1850s, Moore served as prothonotary of Washington County from 1854 to 1857.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=364}} He was a delegate to the 1856 Republican National Convention.{{cite book |author=Joint Committee On Printing, United States Congress |date=1950 |title=Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JrXYvgrwkM0C&pg=PA1584 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |page=1584 |isbn=978-0-598-68615-2 |via=Google Books |ref={{sfnRef|Joint Committee On Printing}}}} He resigned as prothonotary after being diagnosed with throat cancer, and he endured bouts of ill health as his condition worsened over time.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=364}} In 1857, he became one of the owners of the Reporter newspaper, and also served as the paper's editor.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=364}} Moore remained affiliated with the Reporter until his death.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=364}} From 1863 to 1866, Moore served as Washington County Treasurer.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=364}}

=Congressman=

In 1872, Moore was elected to the United States House of Representatives and he served one term, March 4, 1873 to March 3, 1875.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|pages=366–377, 380}} He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1874.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|pages=376–377}}

During his Congressional term, Moore served on the Committee on Revision of the Laws of the United States.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=369}} As part of this committee, he oversaw the work to revise Title 38, the federal statutes related to currency and monetary policy.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|pages=369–370}}

Death and burial

After leaving Congress, Moore resumed his work as editor of the Reporter.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=380}} In August 1877, his health took a turn for the worse, and he visited cancer specialists in Philadelphia.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=380}} He retired in October, and his health continued to worsen.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=380}} Moore died in Washington, Pennsylvania on December 30, 1877.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=381}} He was interred at Washington Cemetery in Washington.{{sfn|Joint Committee On Printing|page=1584}}

Family

On January 23, 1850, Moore married Elizabeth Leamon Brownlee of Canton Township.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}} They were the parents of three children: Annie, Alice, and Joseph Henderson.{{sfn|Joseph William Moore|page=363}}

Annie Moore was the wife of United States Army Captain and railroad executive Alexander McCarrell Patch, and the mother of General Alexander Patch and Major General Joseph D. Patch.{{cite book |last=Wyant |first=William K. |date=1991 |title=Sandy Patch: A Biography of Lt. Gen. Alexander M. Patch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZ0hAAAAMAAJ&q=%22He+married+Annie+Moore+,+the+daughter+of+William+S.+Moore%22 |location=Westport, CT |publisher=Praeger |page=14 |isbn=978-0-2759-3454-5 |via=Google Books}}