Andrew B. Moore

For other people named Andrew Moore, seeAndrew Moore (disambiguation).

Andrew B. Moore
16thGovernor of Alabama
In office December 1, 1857 – December 2, 1861
Preceded by	John A. Winston
Succeeded by	John Gill Shorter
Personal details
Born	Andrew Barry Moore (1807-03-07)March 7, 1807 Spartanburg, South Carolina,US
Died	April 5, 1873(1873-04-05)(aged 66)
Political party	Democratic

Andrew Barry Moore(March 7, 1807 – April 5, 1873) was the16th Governorof the U.S. state ofAlabamafrom 1857 to 1861 and served as Governor at the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War.

Early life

Moore was born in Spartanburg District, South Carolina, to Jane and Charles Moore, a cotton planter and veteran of theAmerican Revolutionand theWar of 1812.Moore's father purchased land inPerry County, Alabama,in 1820, and his family moved there, although the younger Moore remained in school in South Carolina before joining his family in 1826.

Career

After teaching school at Marion in Perry County for two years, Mooreread law,and was admitted to the bar in 1833. For eight years, he served as Justice of the Peace for Perry County.

In 1839 Moore was elected to theAlabama House of Representativesas a Democrat, reelected in 1842, and served four consecutive terms. Elected Speaker of the House in 1843, 1844, and 1845,Moore worked closely with GovernorBenjamin Fitzpatrickin the liquidation of the State Bank. Moore advocated the relocation of the state capitol to Montgomery and delivered the last speech in the old Hall of the House of Representatives in Tuscaloosa.

Moore resumed his law practice in 1846. He was a presidential elector for Democratic candidateLewis Cassin 1848. Appointed by GovernorHenry W. Collierin 1851 to fill a vacancy on the circuit bench, Moore served in that capacity until 1857, when he accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for governor. He was elected without opposition.

Education andinternal improvementsreceived significant attention during Moore's first term. Construction was completed on theAlabama Insane HospitalatTuscaloosa,and Dr. Peter Bryce was appointed its first superintendent. The Institute for the Deaf and Blind was established atTalladega.The Medical College, a branch of theUniversity of Alabama,was established atMobile.Moore advocated state aid supplemented by Federal land grants to promote railroad construction. He particularly favored efforts of the Alabama and Alabama River Railroad to connect the northern and southern areas of the state.

Then considered a moderate on theslaveryissue, Moore defeated the extremist William F. Samford,in the gubernatorial election of 1859. Although he became more concerned with the defense of slavery afterJohn Brown'sraid on the U.S. Arsenal atHarper's Ferry, Virginia,in October 1859, Moore continued to recommend caution. Nevertheless, the state legislature enacted a law to provide for a state military organization in February 1860. The law established a Military Commission composed of the governor, an adjutant and inspector general, a quartermaster general, and a state army of eight thousand volunteers. The legislature also approved a resolution requiring the governor, in the event of a "black Republican" being elected president, to call for the election of delegates to a state convention "to consider, determine, and do whatever necessary to protect the interests of the state." On December 24, 1860, Moore issued writs of election, leading to the Secession Convention of 1861.

Between the November 1860 election ofAbraham Lincolnand the meeting of the Alabama Convention on January 7, 1861, Moore took several decisive steps to safeguard the state's financial status and defensive capabilities. He urged banks to suspend specie payments and to exchange large amounts of capital for state bonds. He ordered the state militia to seize the U.S. Army arsenal at Mt. Vernon andForts MorganandGainesonMobile Bay.He contributed more than five hundred troops to assist Florida GovernorMadison S. Perryin capturing the U.S. Army forts atPensacola.

When the government of theConfederate States of Americawas organized inMontgomeryin February 1861, Moore used his influence to help secure the election of the conservativeJefferson Davisover the more radicalWilliam Lowndes Yancey.

After he left office, Moore was appointed specialaide-de-campby GovernorJohn Gill Shorter,and he worked to coordinate the procurement and transportation of supplies to GeneralAlbert Sidney Johnstonin northern Alabama. Following the surrender ofRobert E. LeeatAppomattox,Moore was arrested by Federal troops and imprisoned atFort PulaskiinSavannah, Georgia,with other Confederate leaders. Released in August 1865, he returned to Marion, Alabama, and resumed law practice.

Personal life

Governor Andrew Moore House

In 1832, he married Mary Goree, the daughter of a local planter. They resided in Marion, Alabama.

Death

He died in 1873.

References

• Alabama Department of Archives and History