Edward (Moore) More (1560 - 1605)

Born 1560 in Bampton, Oxfordshire, England

Descendants

Died Jun 1605 at about age 45 in Low Leyton, Essex, England

Biography

Edward More was born at Lower Haddon in the Parish of Bampton, Oxfordshire. Edward's birth date is not recorded. Any dates give on internet genealogy sites are just guesses.

Documentary evidence (Court Reports for Recusancy and family papers) show that the family name was written 'MORE' (i.e. with one 'o') and in spite of it appearing on various otherwise reputable internet genealogy sites there is no truth in the statement that the Edward's (or his father's) second name was formerly 'Moore' (i.e. with the double 'o'). In the interersts of genuine documented genealogy this needs to be removed.

Edward More married Mary More of an unrelated More family. Mary was, in fact the great granddaughter of Sir/St. Thomas More, one time Chancellor to KIng Henry VIII. Mary was born at Hambleden, Buckinghamshire (and not as some erroneously say at Barnborough, Yorkshire) on 25 December 1553.

After their marriage Edward and Mary lived on the small estate owned by Mary's father at Low Leyton, Essex. Court reports for recusancy (refusal to conform to the Church of England terstify to their presence there until Edwards death on 1605. They had seven children - two sons, Henry and Thomas, both of whom became Jesuit Priests, and five daughters, three of whom became Nuns at Convents in Catholic Europe.

Edward More died at Low Leyton in 1605 when, in June, the Court gave mary permission to administer his estate. Mary later went to live with a married sister at Stondon Massey, Essex, where she died in 1630.

[Source: Martin Wood (myself) author of "The Family and Descendants of St. Thomas More". Published in the UK by 'Gracewing'. April 2008.]

Postscript: In spite of it being found on some of the otherwise reputable internet genealogy sites. There is absolutely no truth in the claim that Edward and Mary had a son John Moore (with the double 'o') said to have been born in 1584 in Reading or, depending on where you look, in about four other places in England, and even in Ireland - all a sure sign of guesswork.

The English ancestry of the John Moore who is said to have been born somewhere in England (or Ireland?) in 1584, is unknown. He is said to have married Elizabeth Merritt, and to have emigrated to Virginia in the Ship 'Bona Nova', followed two years later by Elizabeth in the 'Abigail. They settled in Elizabeth City County, Virginia. There seems no reason to doubt this latter information about John Moore as it is well documented.

In view of the above it is, in the interests of genuine genealogy, it is important that any link between John Moore and the family (and ancestors) of either Edward or Mary More needs to be deleted [Martin Wood. July 2012.]

Sources