J.B. Moore Family Fort Scott Scholarship

To contribute to this scholarship fund, make your check payable to the "FSCC Endowment Association", reference "JBMooreFamilyScholarship" in the Memo, and mail to:

Fort Scott Community College
c/o Gary Palmer
2108 S. Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701

FSCC SCHOLARSHIP PURPOSE

Given J.B. Moore’s standing as a long-time Fort Scott small business owner and civic leader, the purpose of this scholarship is to help draw attention to and encourage local Fort Scott business ownership, entrepreneurship, and innovation. A thriving local business community in Fort Scott is the foundation necessary to provide: 1) better jobs, 2) a solid local tax base (including for schools and school activities), and 3) future economic growth and prosperity. In the present age of mass retailing and the Internet, cutting-edge business strategies are necessary for Fort Scott small businesses to compete locally and regionally as well as nationally and internationally. This type of innovative business thinking and daring are necessary to funnel wealth back into Fort Scott and make it a place that is capable of drawing in new residents and companies from around the regional frontier into the Fort.

As J.B. was also supportive of education in general and as the family has a history of teachers, music teachers, and lawyers as outlined in the family member appendix below, scholarship consideration will also be given to exceptional Education, Music Education, and Pre-Law majors in addition to Business and Computer Science majors.

J.B. MOORE HISTORY & FSJC INVOLVEMENT

Jesse Burris "J.B." Moore (1870-1931) was a farmer from young manhood until 1896, and from that time until 1901, the owner of a bakery. In September of 1901, he entered into the grocery business, in which he continued until the time of his death. He was interested, although not particularly active, in Republican politics. His business organizations included the Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Merchants Association, the Religious Luncheon Club, and the Old Current Topic Club. He was much interested in, and the supporter of, all school sports. His religious affiliation was with the First Baptist Church. His hobbies were school, his home, and his children. - From "Illustriana Kansas" (1933, Out-of-Print (part of a larger bio believed to have been written by Marion Warren))

Jesse Burris "J.B." Moore
circa 1925

In 1901, J.B. Moore opened J.B. Moore & Sons Grocery at 1002 S. Main in Fort Scott which would later be expanded to include 1004 S. Main. Owing in part to his years spent on the farm, J.B. had a common touch with people and his customers, many of whom were Fort Scott High School and Junior College students from across the street. One person described J.B. as a "handsome, fine-looking man, was noted for his pleasant smiling ways." J.B. enjoyed participating in the everyday discourse between his customers that took place inside his store or on the benches out in-front where students and people from the neighborhood would often congregate. J.B. was thought of as generous, kind, and considerate and one person speculated that he gave customers credit and "probably lost a lot." J.B. was also known for his sense of humor and an occasional practical joke.

J.B. Moore & Sons Grocery - 1004 S. Main, Fort Scott

J.B. was also a man for all seasons. Though J.B. himself had minimal formal education, J.B. had been instilled by his mother Margaret the value of learning and education and he instilled these values in his children and, in turn, his grandchildren. J.B. was, in part, schooled by his mother and self-taught and he was said to recite poetry, quote Shakespeare, and listen to opera and classical music. J.B., the raconteur, would enthrall his children and grandchildren (four of whom he resided with) with his stories. Due in part to J.B.’s influence, a daughter and all eight of his adult Moore and Warren grandchildren would eventually attend the Junior College across the street.

J.B. enjoyed being around the young people from the high school and junior college, he very popular with them, and as such there was said to be an outpouring of emotion when his passing was announced at a school assembly in May 1931.  J.B. Moore & Sons Grocery would continue to operate after J.B.’s death and for nearly 50 years in all until it was sold in 1948. J.B.'s obituary mentions that he "maintained one of the most up-to-date and prosperous groceries in the city" in a time when there were over 20 grocery markets in Fort Scott.  Also that "he was endowed with self reliance, and a spirit of honesty and initiative." J.B. took a great deal of pride in being able to provide a valuable service to his customers and in being able to earn their loyalty and repeat patronage.  Along with the presence of the railroad, Fort Scott was originally built on the independent pioneering spirit of enterprising small business owners like J.B. Moore.

J.B. MOORE FAMILY

J.B. Moore & Sons was truly a family business as all five of J.B.'s adult children would at one time or another work there as did his wife Maggie and daughter-in-law Ardelia including as clerks, salespersons, drivers, et al.

SPOUSES

Nellie Alphonsine Moore (1871-1894) – Fr. NY State, father Buradore Wiltsee Devon store owner, 2 children. 

Nellie Alphonsine Moore
circa 1890

Margaret "Maggie" Moore (1872-1954) – Gillies parents emigrated from Scotland, fr. Kansas City, 5 children.

CHILDREN

Marion Alphonsine Warren (1890-1968) – Teacher and an education and music education advocate. Husband Harry (Emporia State) served in the Kansas State Senate and was a prominent Fort Scott attorney. 4 children.

Burris Buradore "Burt" Moore (1893-1963) – WW1 and former District Court Clerk and Fort Scott Postmaster. Wife Leona & 2 children.

Little League Baseball circa 1910 including George, Pat, & Burt Moore

Harold Joel "Pat" Moore (1896-1967) – WW1 and later managed Moore Grocery. Wife Ardelia & 3 children. 
George Robert Moore (1899-1934) – Baseball enthusiast who once played in a local 1922 baseball exhibition game on a team featuring Babe Ruth against another team with brother Pat.

Mildred Lucille Sonneman (1909-2004) – Excellent piano player, popular figure in her Burke Street neighborhood and around the Country Club. Husband Bert attended KU.

Helen Moore (1906-1907) & "J.B." Moore (1913)

GRANDCHILDREN

With the opening of Fort Scott Junior College in 1919 across the street from the family home at 1008 S. Main, J.B.'s daughter Mildred and all eight of his adult grandchildren would matriculate to college there.

Mildred Moore
FSJC '29-30

Charles Warren
FSHS '32-33

Helen Warren
FSHS '32-33

Marion E. Warren
FSHS '38-39

Margaret Warren
FSJC '36-37

John Classen
FSJC '36-37

Charles Moore Warren (1914-1997) – KU, Washburn Law, USAAC WW2, Bourbon County District Court Judge, FSCC Athletic Hall of Fame. Wife Ava Topeka Business College. 2 sons KU. 1 son KU Law & a lawyer.

Helen Warren Childs (1916-1975) – KU. Husband Bob, 2 daughters, & a grandson KU. MD daughter.

Margaret Warren Classen (1918-1999) – Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg (Pittsburg State), teacher along with husband John (FSJC, KSTCP). Daughter & 3 grandchildren KU incl. 1 also USC, MMus NM State.

Marion Warren Brown (1922-2002) – KSTCP, teacher along with husband Alfred (Battle of the Bulge, FSJC, Southwestern). 3 children. Daughter Southwestern & a teacher. A granddaughter OK State & grandson PSU.

J.B. Moore
FSJC '41-42

Mary Mildred Moore
FSJC '40-41

Charles "Junior" Elliott
FSJC '38-39

Mary Jean Moore
FSJC '42-43

Patricia Moore
FSHS '47-48

Victor Hall
Graduated FSHS 1909

Mary Mildred Moore Elliott (1921-1997) – K-State along with husband Charles (FSJC). 2 sons.

J.B. Moore (1923-1994) – USAAC WW2, MMus Wichita State, music teacher, popular piano accompanist.

Mary Jean Moore Stegge (1924-1995) – Husband Dudley FB coach & administrator at MSSC. Daughter MSSC.

Patricia Moore Smith (1930-2012) – "Firpo & Patricia Smith Fort Scott Business Scholarship" at FSCC. 2 sons.

George Robert Moore (1928-1929)

Christmas 1944 at 1008 S. Main
Back: Mary Jean, Patricia, Marion E.
Middle: John, Sujean, Marion A., Maggie, Pat
Front: Margaret, Helen, Judy, Mildred, Ardelia

PARENTS

J.B.'s father Joel Burris Moore (from Illinois, 1833-1870) and mother Margaret Blair (Ohio, 1843-1911) each settled separately on the Kansas frontier near Devon circa 1860 and they would marry a year later. In addition to farming, Joel served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1864 until his death. Her father an Irish immigrant and a teacher, Margaret was said to be "intensely interested in music and educational affairs".

Joel Burris Moore & Margaret Blair Moore
w/ Cora  & Effie circa 1869

SIBLINGS

Effie Moore Killion (1866-1935) – Lifelong Devon resident. Husband George & 2 children.

Cora Moore Killion (1868-1940) – Lifelong Devon. Husband Jesse & 9 children. A son FSJC & a teacher.

Omer Warren Hall (1875-1948) – Eventually settled in eastern Washington State. Wife Ella Mae & 8 children.

Bertha Pearl Hall (1877-1887) – Margaret had re-married in 1873 to Kelly Hall.

Judson Jay "Judd" Hall (1878-1938) – Proprietor of Hall's Grocery on Oak Street. Wife Rose.

Edith Hall Gordon (1883-1959) – BakerU & UofChicago, Fort Scott- & Chicago-area teacher w/ husband Bert (KU, UofChicago, Kent Law). 4 children.

Victor Hall (1890-1967) – Stepbrother Frank’s son raised by J.B.’s mother Margaret (at 10^th & Main for a time). MS degree KSTCP, Parsons teacher. Wife Hazel & 4 children. A son was 1945 CBB Player of the Year & was later head football coach at West Point plus FB teammate of Heisman winners Doc Blanchard & Glenn Davis.