Samuel Curtis Francis Moore

  General Notes:

THE CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW ZEALAND [AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL DISTRICT]
THE KAURI TIMBER COMPANY'S SAWMILLS at Whangaroa (Mr. Robert Pengelly, manager) cover an area of three acres on the foreshore which is leased from the Government. The mills were originally owned by Messrs. Wigmore and Co. and were afterwards purchased by the Whangaroa Sawmills Company, but when the Kauri Timber Company came into existence the property was taken over by it with others. The main building has a floor space of nearly 14,000 square feet, whilst there is a large drying-shed with 3000 square feet of superficial space, besides offices, blacksmith's shop and other buildings. The machinery includes a forty-five horse-power engine with a Cornish boiler, vertical saw, travelling circle bench saws, drag bench, small benches for box-making, and cut and rip saws. Seventeen men are continually employed and the monthly output averages 220,000 feet of sawn timber. The wharfage and shipping accommodation cannot be excelled, there being seventeen feet of water at low tide. The company's "booms" at the months of the Kaeo and Pupuke river are very massive, and the logs are brought down from the bush at the periodical "floods"; they are then formed into rafts containing from 100 to 200 logs and towed to the mill by the sturdy steam paddle-boat "Yankee Doodle." This steamer acts also as a tug for towing vessels in and out of the harbour.
MR. CURTIS MOORE, formerly manager of the Kauri Timber Company's saw mills at Whangaroa, was born in New Hampshire in 1839, and throughout his life has been associated with the timber industry. At an early age he was in charge of a mill in the United States turning out 40,000 feet of sawn timber per day. Leaving America in 1862, Mr. Moore was wrecked on Baker's Island and was brought on to New Zealand in an American whaler, and since that time he has spent forty years in connection with kauri timber. After being a while in Auckland he started a mill in the Kaipara district and in 1864 took charge of Mr. McLeod's mill at Helensville for three years. Mr. Moore was engaged in mill work on the Thames goldfields for nearly four years, and after being at the Shortland Sawmills for eleven years, he returned to Helensville and again took charge of what are now the Helensville Timber Company's Mills. Five years later he returned to the Shortland Sawmills, remained in charge of them after the Kauri Timber Company took them over, and was some time after removed to Whangaroa. Mr. Moore had the misfortune to lose three of his fingers by an accident at the Manukau in 1863, and has met with other painful accidents. Public affairs have always found in him a sincere worker. He has been associated with road boards and school committees, was instrumental in establishing a lodge of the I.O.O.F. at Helensville and has been a Mason for fifteen years. Mr. Moore was for a time chairman of the Whangaroa School Commissioners, and whilst at the Thames he was superintendent of the local fire brigade for several years. Some time ago he was transferred from the management of the Kauri Timber Company's Whangaroa mills to that of their mills at Aratapu.
ARATAPU, on the west bank of the Wairoa river, about ninety-eight miles from Auckland, claims to be the main centre of commerce in the Hobson County, but Dargaville is running it close for this coveted honour. The town is the extended development of a timber milling settlement, founded in the early days by Mr. Bonnar, but now the property of the Kauri Timber Company, under the management of Mr. Curtis Moore. The double mill, with its extensive wharfage accommodation, adds considerably to the traffic on the river. Hobson County Council has its offices at Aratapu, and the town has a post and telephone office, a public school, a hall, Anglican and Wesleyan churches, a branch of the National Bank, a Masonic Lodge, a hotel, several boardinghouses, a skating rink and billiard saloon. The country surrounding the town is flat and fertile, and maintains a number of well-to-do settlers.

1850 Northumberland, Coos, NH
Samuel Moore46 born c 1804
Hannah Moore46 born c 1804
James Moore21 born c 1829
Catharine J Moore14 born c 1836
Samuel C Moore12 born c 1838
David S Moore10 born c1840

for consideration:
1860 12th Ward, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
**Mary LloydFemale59New Hampshire [ in 1870 she is living with Hollis and Mary Moore in MA]
Saml MooreMale22New Hampshire; occupation: machinist
Sarah LloydFemale20New Hampshire

THAMES STAR 1 Oct 1880 - "Amalgemation of Fire Brigades ...... Superintendant [of the Shortland Brigades]Mr Curtis Moore ( a gentleman who has had considerable experience with fire brigades in American)...... "
[ He was Superintendent from 10 Sep 1880 - 17 April 1882]

He also served as an Officer [Judge] in the KiriKiri Racing club in the years 1890 - 1894. He also was a Manager of Stone's Thames sawmill [no years given]

1892 - news clipping THAMES STAR "...Mr Curtis Moore manager of Mr Darrow's sawmill at Kiri Kiri met with a serious accident...now lies in a somewhat critical condition at the Hospital....Mr Moore resigned the position of Manager of the Kauri Timber Company's Mill at Shortland a week or two ago for the purpose of accepting a similar office at the Thames River Mill at Kiri Kiri...the bearings of a crank rod were not working properly....he went into frame to tighten them...the crank came dowm and caught the upper part of Mr. Moore's chest, jamming him in the frame...he managed to get away...it was found Mr. Moore's chest was crushed...also feared that several of ribs are broken..in great pain...no visitors admitted..."
Tuesday 22 November 1892...Mr Curtis Moor ...passed a good night and is doing as awell as can be expected.

11 Oct 1895 - THAMES STAR - FIRE AT PARAWAI - Early this morning an eight roomed house at Parawai situated close to the water race was totally destroyed by fire...the glare was observed from shortland at about 10 o'Clock and the triangle at the Shortland Mill was rung. A few persons ahstened to the scene, but on their arrival the flames had complete posession of the building and nothing could be done. The house owned by Miss Moore, daughter of Mr. Curtis Moore and had been unoccupied for two years....it was situated at the head of the road after passing Mr. Grubbs residence...the origin of the fire is a mystery. the building was insured in the North German Office for 200 [pounds]. Mr Moore estimated the loss over the insurance at 100 [pounds].

New Zealand, Naturalisations, 1843-1981
Name:Curtis Moore
Birth Date:abt 1841
Age:69 Yrs
Birth Place:Northumberland, New Hampstee
Former Nationality:American
Occupation:Mill Manager
Residence City:Aratapu
Naturalisation Date:25 Nov 1910
File Number:1910/2333
Certificate Register:55
Register Page Number: 82

THAMES STAR 30 April 1914 - MOORE - On April 29th at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Bulford, Junction Road, Paeroa, Curtis Moore, aged seventy-five years.
THAMES STAR vol XLVII issue 14796 - 30 April 1914 - The funeral of the late Curtis Moore will leave the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Bulford, Junction Road, Paeroa, tomorrow (Friday) First prox at 2 PM for Paerora Cemetery.

200430 - via e-mail
From the First wife: Lena, Hannah, George Washington ( my grandfather) Flora, Lella, Eva and from the second marriage I only have 2 names, Gert and Arthur. Perhaps the others died as children. Arthur had 4 children Muffet, Dougal Jim and Barbara. [e-mail from his great grand dau Jill ( Slane) Ensor ]

Find a Grave Memorial 218598653

Samuel married Catherine Margaret Abigail Storry. (Catherine Margaret Abigail Storry was born in 1839, died on 26 Apr 1882 in Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, New Zealand and was buried in Shortland Cemetery - Thames, Waitako, New Zealand.)

Samuel next married Cecilia Barbara McCarthy, daughter of Daniel Felix McCarthy and Honora O'Sullivan, in 1885 in New Zealand. (Cecilia Barbara McCarthy was born on 11 Apr 1865 at sea - S.S.Ulcoats, S.W.Coast, Africa, died on 26 Apr 1893 in Thames, New Zealand and was buried on 27 Apr 1893 in Tararu Cemetery, New Zealand.)

  Marriage Notes:

New Zealand, Marriage Index, 1840-1937
Name:Cecilia McCarthy
Marriage Year:1885
Marriage Place:New Zealand
Spouse:Curtis Moore
Folio Number:1017