Geary & Lois Bridges Moore

Geary Evans Moore was born March 9, 1896 in Cleveland Co. NC. He died April 8, 1961 and is buried in Cliffside Cemetery. His parents are Columbus and Cora Sarratt Moore. His siblings are Emma, Cuttie, Allow, Tencie and Otto. (See the Moore family tree beginning with John Jackson Moore [1754-1840].)

Geary had no formal education. He went to work in the textile mill at Cliffside when he was only eight years old. He worked for the local railroad for some time and also operated the Cliffside ice plant. In the 50’s he worked as night watchman for the Mill. As far as I know he lived all of his life in Cliffside. In the 1910 census Geary is listed as living at #4 Church St. with his parents. He was 12 years old at the time. On the census his occupation was listed as doffer at Cliffside mill. He enjoyed gardening and loved baseball.

Lois Bridges Moore was born August 22, 1896 in Rutherford County, NC. Her parents are William and Mary Elizabeth Bridges. Mary Elizabeth’s maiden name was also Bridges. Lois siblings are Mallie, Collie, Alpha, Fanny, Beauna and Lawrence. Lois died on November 15, 1983 in Cleveland Memorial Hospital in Shelby. She is buried beside her husband in Cliffside Cemetery. (See Lois’ family tree beginning with Samuel Bridges [1845-Aft. 1880].)

Geary and Lois were married November 19, 1916. Lois completed high school and following marriage stayed at home to raise her family. During this time she also sewed for the public. When the children were older she worked in the textile mill at Cliffside for a while. Their first child is Agnes Moore. She was born October 7, 1917. The second is Marshall Moore. He was a sickly child. It is said that he scratched the roof of his mouth and they could not stop the bleeding. He died at 15 months of age. Their third child is Robert William Moore. He was born October 10, 1922 and died in 1979. Their youngest child is Corene Selma Moore. She was born February 1, 1927.

Through the years, Lois and Geary lived in several of the mill houses around Cliffside. They are listed in a housing document dated 1935 as living at 13 Railroad St. I believe that one or more of the homes that they lived in burned. Later on they bought a home of their own on a quiet dead end road about a mile from Cliffside. Lois loved gardening. She always planted lots of flowers around her home. She loved to read and also to crochet. Her children and grandchildren treasure the crochet pieces she lovingly made for us. Just a few years before her death, Lois moved from this house and into a trailer on the property of daughter Agnes and her husband E. N. Earley. They lived in Ellenboro.

In preparing this family history Corene and Agnes searched for old photographs of their parents. There were not many to be found. Perhaps they were just lost over the years, or possibly some were lost in the houses that burned.

A Grandaughter Remembers

I am Marilyn, daughter of Robert Moore. I have fond memories of the time spent with my grandparents. I remember when they lived in a house where the railroad tracks ran behind their house. I remember running out to wave to the engineer. Sometime he would throw candy from the window of the engine. I would put pennies on the track for the train to flatten. I remember times when my cousin Barbara Ann Earley would come over. We would sit on the front porch. She would read to me or tell stories. Many a hot afternoon grandma and I would walk the short distance to the drug store for an ice cream cone.

My most vivid memories were of them living in the house at the end of a dirt lane. It was a big house, or so it seemed to a little girl. It had a big wrap around porch on three sides. I believe this is the house they bought. Most of my visits were in the summertime when school was out. I would come up from Jacksonville, Florida, to spend part of my summer vacation. There was a large field behind the house and to one side. On the other side there were woods with a path winding through it that led down the hill and into Cliffside. When the wind was blowing just right we could hear the big town clock chime the quarter hour or strike the hour of day. At that time my grandfather was working as night watchman at Cliffside mill. Grandma and I would sleep together in the front bedroom. We would talk and laugh for quite a while before going to sleep. Sometimes she would tell stories. Every morning grandma would make a big breakfast of eggs, bacon or ham, grits and homemade biscuits for grandpa to enjoy when he came home from working all night. After breakfast, grandpa would go to bed in the small back bedroom. I remember hearing him coughing for quite a while before he finally went to sleep.

Children of Geary and Lois Bridges Moore

Agnes Elizabeth Moore was born on October 7, 1917 in Cliffside North Carolina. She was the first child of Geary and Lois Moore. She was raised and attended school in Cliffside. Following school she worked for many years at the Cliffside Mill.

Agnes married E. N. Earley. He was born on September 23, 1917 and died at Rutherford Hospital on July 5, 2002. E. N. is buried at Cliffside Cemetery.

According to the housing list of 1935, E. N. and Agnes lived at #23 Pine Street in Cliffside. I believe that E. N. worked for the Avondale Mill. Later he began buying rental houses in Ellenboro. He also had a small store and gas station there.

Agnes and E. N. have one daughter, Barbara Ann Earley. She married Charles James. Dr. Charles “Buck” James practiced medicine in the Cliffside area for many years. Barbara is a teacher and an author. They have three sons; Alfred, Mack and Bradford. All three brothers are involved in their own computer business.

Marshall Moore was born in 1918 and died in 1921 at 15 months of age. He is buried in Cliffside Cemetery.

Robert William Moore was born on October 10, 1922 in Cliffside N.C. On July 15, 1979, he died of emphysema at Lexington County Hospital, Lexington, S. C. He was only 56 years old.

Robert grew up in the town of Cliffside and graduated in the class of 1940. In the high school yearbook, Robert is described as a happy friendly fellow. He was also listed as the Best Looking boy in the Senior Class. His nickname was Pete. When Robert was a little boy, his dad’s nickname was Pete. Back then Robert was called Re-Pete.

Robert played the guitar as a young man and also had a good singing voice. After graduation, he tried to enlist in the Army. Because he had a ruptured eardrum, the Army would not take him.

In 1942 Robert married classmate Mary Elizabeth Robinson. Wanting to help in the war effort, Robert and Mary Elizabeth moved to Wilmington, N.C. where he got a job at the shipyards. Their only child Marilyn Moore was born on January 23, 1944. The family moved to Jacksonville Florida about 1947. Mary Elizabeth and Robert divorced in the early 1950’s. Robert married Eulala in the mid 1950’s and they had one daughter, Janice.

Robert learned the trade of firebrick mason and gained a reputation as one of the best in the United States. He traveled extensively in the States and often to foreign countries. He wrote to his sister Corene about the beauty of the places that he visited. Most of all Robert loved the mountains. From his hometown of Cliffside, the Blue Ridge Mountains can be seen in the distance. It only takes an hour’s drive or less to reach Chimney Rock or Asheville.

Corene Selma Moore was born on February 1, 1927 in Cliffside NC. She was the youngest of the children. She was closest to her brother Robert since he was only five years older. Corene always wanted to tag along everywhere Robert went. Once Robert and a friend built a boat. The family lived near the river and Corene begged to go out in the boat. Robert knew that she was afraid of water and couldn’t swim. He finally gave in and said she could go, but threatened to toss her out in the middle of the river. Corene never asked to go out in the boat again. All in all, she had a happy childhood with friends and cousins all around.

After graduation from high school she attended Nursing School at Memorial Hospital in Charlotte. After graduation she went to work at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital in Charlotte. She got re-acquainted with Frank Cannon, another high school student from Cliffside. Corene and Frank were married on October 18, 1952 at Cliffside Baptist Church.

Frank G. Cannon, Jr., was born on April 4, 1928. He is the son of Frank G. Cannon, Sr. and Clarris Williams Cannon. Frank Cannon Sr. worked for Duke Power Co. Frank Cannon, Jr. attended Cliffside School and then attended Duke University before joining the Navy.

After discharge from the Navy, Frank went to work for Commercial Credit Co. and was soon transferred to Atlanta, Ga. At one time they owned a hardware store. Later they opened their own hearing aid business and ran it for many years.

Frank and Corene retired in 2003 and moved to Cartersville, Ga. Their children are Wesley, Margrace, Kathleen, Geary Pete and Mary.