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William Steel Moore
(1726 - 1812)

The following excerpts were taken from:
White, Emmett R. Revolutionary War Solders of Western North Carolina: Vol II. (Burke County). Southern Historical Press, Inc. Greenville, SC. 1998.

William Steel Moore was born in 1726 in Northern Ireland. His first marriage was to Miss Ann Cathey, daughter of George Cathey. His second marriage was to Miss Margaret Patton on August 4, 1774 (shortly before the Revolution). He was the father of nine children: 1) William; 2) Thomas; 3) Robert; 4) Mary- married Robert Penland; 5) Alice - married John Rutherford; 6) Margaret - married Benjamin Tutt; 7) Charles Augustus - married Margaret Penland; 8) Samuel.

Less than a year following his marriage to Margaret, William became Captain of a Company in the 2nd Rowan Regiment under Col. Christopher Beekman. Beekman was said to have been one of "the highest ranking and most influential military leaders from present Burke County (Phifer 309).

Peter Mull, who would serve as Burke Sheriff from 1790-1792 also served as a Captain in this Regiment. The Regiment was involved in the Moore's Creek Bridge Campaign/Cross Creek Expedition of February and March 1776. Following his return from the Moore's Creek Campaign, Moore became a frontier fort Commander, guarding against hostile Cherokee Indians. The fort he commanded was known as Fort Moore and was located in western Burke County, now McDowell County.

In July of 1776, Moore and his fort were tested, as the Indians conducted a major offensive strike against the western frontier. During this period Lt. Col. Charles McDowell was in command and upon the death of Capt. White at North Cove, he was replaced by William Moore. In August and September of 1776, Moore joined with a huge Cherokee Expedition headed by Brig. Gen. Griffith Rutherford, where he played a major role in suppressing the Cherokees. Moore gave a written report of his actions during the Cherokee Campaign. He tells of the killing and scalping of several 'braves' and how they plundered and destroyed their villages. Moore also tells of unruly behavior within the troops who were selling prisoners as slaves for easy money.

Land Records indicate that Moore entered the western Catawba Valley along with fellow settlers George Cathey (Ann's father) and Hunting John McDowell. During this time he would have been married to his first wife, Ann Cathey. William continued to live in Burke County until the early 1790's, during which time he served as Justice of Burke County, trustee of the Morgan Academy*, and Sheriff.

Moore had obtained land on Hominy Creek in the French Broad Valley. He resided in the area around 1794 and lived there until his death in 1812, upon which he was buried in a private cemetery near Hominy Creek.

* Served as one of only eight trustees of the Morgan Academy, the first of only two academic schools in the state that were commissioned by an act of the North Carolina House of Commons in 1783. Other trustees included Waightstill Avery, Charles McDowell (State Senator), Alexander Erwin; James Greenlee (Burke Sheriff 1780-1783); Benjamin Elledge; Abraham Denton; David Vance (Lieutenant under General George Washington, Captain at Battle of Cowpens, Ramseur's Mill, and Kings Mountain); and President James Templeton.