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John O[1] Moore was born 1778 (based on joining the navy aged 14 in 1793).
His parents are unknown.
Aged 14[2] in 1793, he entered the Royal Navy. [3]
He became a Lieutenant of Seniority 24 July 1801. [4]
He was appointed to the Sea Fencibles, Galway 7 January 1804. [3]
He commanded a man-of-war for His Britannic Majesty. [5]
He married Margaret[6] Joyce[1] around 1805 (estimated based on eldest child born 1806).
He was harbourmaster of Galway 1830-1849. [7]
He became a Junior Retired Commander 25 July 1831. [3]
He became a Senior Retired Commander on 23 June 1846. [3]
He resided Merchant's Road, Galway City. [8]
John died Galway 2 March 1849. [2][8]
John was probably born in Ireland, but there is no evidence, so he could just as easily have been born in Scotland, England, or Spain for example.
Dr Mills claims that John married 1843[1], but he seems to have confused this date with the 1843 marriage of John's son Richard John Moore & Sarah Rawlins.
The Moore section of Dr Mills's notes includes the following entry, but the significance is unknown. Perhaps a wife of one of his grandchildren?
John's middle initial "O" is uncertain. It does not appear in any sources other than Dr Mills.
Dr Mills cites no source, but implies that it may represent "Ogle" by writing the following:
Note that Ogle Moore also had a "Nelson Sword".
Perhaps he went by the last name "O'Moore" (meaning "grandson of Moore") for a period, though this is unlikely considering how long the Moore family had been established in Ireland.
Family folklore claims that John fought in the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar and was awarded a sword. This is reinforced by a "Nelson Dress Sword" being passed down through the generations. However, the British Admiralty replied to a query, confirming that no officer named Moore was present at Trafalgar.
Ballycurran Castle was owned by the Lynch family and later passed to the Clarkin family. It was burned down by James Clarkin around 1914 when he lost the house to the Congested District Board[10][11][12]. There is a newspaper clipping advertising the auction:
It is more likely that John received his Nelson sword as a reward for his contribution at the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen, based on descriptions of similar swords awarded for that battle. [14][15]
Here is the sword's journey (also viewable as a diagram of relationships here, better if you click "alternative view"):
A GEDMatch DNA comparison shows that John Moore's documented descendants, 5th cousins Philip Broughton-Mills (GEDMatch T454288) and George Hawkins (GEDMatch M226790), share an 8.1cM segment on chromosome 10 from 1,058,802 to 3,759,134.
"Capt John O. Moore R.N. was married in 1843 to a Miss Joyce."
"On the 2d inst-. in Galway, Captain John Moore, R. N. This gallant and meritorious officer entered the royal navy at the early age of fourteen, and took part with distinguished zeal and bravery in many of the most memorable engagements, including Copenhagen and Toulon."
MOORE. (Retired Commander, 1846. F-P., 18; H-P., 36.) John Moore entered the Navy, 14 Feb. 1793, as A.B., on board the Brazen cutter, Lieut.-Commander Jas. Fegen; removed, in the following April, to the Colossus 74, Capts. Chas. Morice Pole and John Monckton, successively employed in the Mediterranean and Channel; served next, from Feb. 1796 to May 1797, in the Carnatic 74, flagship of Rear-Admiral C. M. Pole; and then became Midshipman (a rating he had attained in the preceding Oct.) of the Ambuscade of 40 guns, Capt. Henry Jenkins. On 14 Dec. 1798 he was Master’s Mate of that frigate when captured, in the Bay of Biscay, by the French ship Baionnaise of 32 guns, 8 swivels, and at least 250 men, after a severe conflict, in which the British sustained a loss, out of 190 men, of 10 killed and 36 wounded, and the enemy of 30 killed and 30 badly wounded. Being received, in March, 1799, on board the Russel 74, Capts. Herbert Sawyer and Wm. Cuming, he served in that ship in the action off Copenhagen 2 April, 1801, and on 27 and 24 of the ensuing June and July was successively constituted an acting and a confirmed Lieutenant in her. He went on half-pay in Oct. 1801; and was subsequently appointed – 7 Jan. 1804, to the Sea Fencibles in Galway – 18 May, 1805, to the Triton, Capt. Wm. Cashman, at Waterford, where he remained until May, 1810 – and, 5 March, 1812, to the Impress service at Dublin, in which he was employed for upwards of two years. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 25 July, 1831, and on the Senior 23 June, 1846. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
"March 2, at his residence, Merchant's-road, Galway, at a very advanced age, John Moore, Esq., a Captain of her Majesty's Royal Navy."
The City of London awarded Nelson and his captains swords
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Featured National Park champion connections: John is 17 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 21 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 19 degrees from George Catlin, 18 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 23 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 20 degrees from George Grinnell, 24 degrees from Anton Kröller, 20 degrees from Stephen Mather, 18 degrees from Kara McKean, 17 degrees from John Muir, 14 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 27 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
Categories: Royal Navy