Word was received here Saturday evening of the sudden death of John A. Moore at the home of his son, J. H., in Omaha, at 3 o’clock. He went down there Monday while his daughter, Flora, was in Chicago. Saturday morning he wanted to get up but his son thought it best for him to lie in bed for he seemed very weak. He had no illness, the spring of life simply ran dry, that was all. The body was brought up here Sunday morning and the funeral held at the Baptist church yesterday morning Rev. George Smith, of Herman, who had lived neighbor to them from his boyhood, and who conducted the funeral of his daughter, Sarah, some six years ago, officiating. The Masonic lodge of which he had been a member for about forty years, took charge of the body after the services at the church and gave it a Masonic burial. Mr. Moore was born near Dayton, Ohio, June 4th, 1830, and was therefore almost 86 years of age. He was married to Miss Anna Pierson April 12th, 1856 at Lawrence, Ill., and they came to this county in 1866, among the very earliest settlers, settling on a homestead a mile and a half south of Kennard. In March, 1881 they moved to this city and Mrs. Moore passed away Aug. 20th, 1890. Mr. Moore was a brick mason by trade and built or helped to build many if not most of the brick buildings in this city. His first job in the city was the brick building now occupied by Bruce McMillan on west Lincoln street. He either had the contract for or helped build the Stewart building, now occupied by the Home theatre and the Peebles grocery, the State Bank building, the Arndt Hardware, the Haller building now occupied by J. F. White, the Heinzerling building, now occupied by the Haller Proprietary Co., the Baltruch building, now occupied by the Danish Publishing House, the West school building the old part of Dana college, the old High school building and many others in this and Douglas county, so the work of his hands will remain as a monument to his memory. He joined the Baptist church as soon as he moved to this city and was one of the dutiful deacons for many years. Contrary to the general opinion he was not a soldier of the Civil war, though his brother, Jim, whose death occurred a few years ago, was. He was a good, clean, upright citizen, a loving husband and father and a faithful friend. He did his life’s work well and then had time to sit down in the evening of life and enjoy the fruits of his labor under the watchful care of his children. The children living are J. H., of Omaha, Mrs. P. D. Corell, of Plainview, Neb., P. S., of South Omaha, John, jr., Flora and Olive, of this city. Their many friends join in the kindest expressions of sympathy, and in the memory of a long life well spent.

Enterprise 28 April 1916

BLAIR OCTOGENARIAN DIES IN OMAHA

John A. Moore, Sr., of this city, died at the home of his son, J. H. Moore, in Omaha, on Saturday, April 22, aged 85 years.

Deceased was an old resident of Blair, coming to Washington county in 1866, and settling on a homestead a mile and a half south of Kennard, where he lived for many years and then moved to Blair. He was born at Dayton, Ohio, June 4, 1830, and was united in marriage April 12, 1857, to Miss Mary Ann Pierson, who departed this life several years ago. He was a mason by trade and many buildings in Blair stand as monuments to his workmanship, among which he helped to erect are the Kenny & Stewart, Lundt, Gutschow and Haller buildings.

His death was caused by infirmities incident to old age and he had been in feeble health for several years. The body was brought up from Omaha on Monday and the funeral was held at the Baptist church, of which he had long been a member, on Tuesday at 10 a.m., Rev. George Smith, of Herman presiding at the obsequies.

Deceased is survived by six children: T. S. and J. H. Moore, of Omaha; Mrs. Addie Corell, of Plainview; Miss Flora Moore and Miss Olive Moore, who reside at the family home here, and John A. Moore Jr., of Blair.

The Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member, assisted in the funeral rites.

Moore, John A.

Died 22 April 1916 (date calculated)

Burial in Blair Cemetery

Published in Blair Democrat on 27 April 1916

JOHN A. MOORE, PROMINENT PIONEER MASON, ANSWERS CALL

Funeral services were held at the Baptist church at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday over the remains of the late John A. Moore, who died in Omaha Saturday at the residence of his son, J.H. Moore, 3604 Ohio street, from ailments due to old age. The body reached this city Sunday and was taken to the Moore home on Lincoln street.

John A. Moore was born in Dayton, Ohio, June 4, 1830. He was married at Lawrence, Ill., on April 12, 1857. The couple came to Nebraska in 1886 and settled on a homestead near Kennard. In 1881 the family moved to Blair where Mr. Moore became interested in building work, as just at that time the city was having a big boom. Among the houses which Mr. Moore helped to build were the Arndt Hardware, the State Bank, the Kenny & Stewart building, now the Armory ; and all of the principal brick buildings along Washington Street and Walker Avenue.

For many years Mr. Moore has been an invalid and his death was not unexpected. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and his body was interred with all the honors due a Mason and a good citizen. The burial was in the Blair cemetery.

Among the surviving members of the family are Miss Olive and Moss Flora Moore of Blair, Mrs. ?ddie Corell of Plainview, Nebr., and three sons, John of Blair, ? S. and J.H. Moore of Omaha.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~