Friday, January 22, 2016

The Murder of Hugh J Moore






Hugh Moore was born on June 28, 1839 to Thomas Moore and Frances Stallard in Scott County, Virginia.

He enlisted in Company C, Virginia 25th Cavalry Regiment on 16 Aug 1862.

After the war, he married Malissa Cocke (or Cox) on September 18, 1871. They lived in the Floyd District. The closest town was Dungannon.

On November 13, 1899, Hugh More was killed by Dack Ramey. The Alexandria Gazette carried the following story on November 16th:
"Wednesday night, at Osborne's Ford,Scott county, Captain Hugh Moore, a wealthy citizen, was shot dead by Dack Ramey. It is supposed the purpose was robbery. Six years ago Ramey-then seventeen years old was sent to the penitentiary for twelve years for the murder of John Lee. On account of the evidence being circumstantial Governor Lee pardoned Ramey.
(Source: Alexandria gazette. (Alexandria, D.C.), 16 Nov. 1889. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Link)

Family history said the Malissa Moore was walking toward the house with her younger children, the youngest, Della, was only six moths old, when she heard the shot. She looked up and saw Ramey riding away from the house on his horse. The story also continues that Ramey saw Moore sitting in the front room and shot him through the window. The family believed there was a dispute over a horse.


An Officer Shoots a Murderer —
A dispatch from Estillville, Va., says that on
Saturday about noon S. W. Wax and John
E. Mass met Dock (Dack) Ramey, the murderer of
H. J. Moore, near Osborn's ford, accompanied by
his brother Bill and father, John Ramey.
The officers ordered the Rameys
to halt and surrender. Dock (Dack) and Bill drew
their Winchesters, and four shots were fired simultaneously.
The Rameys shot too soon, and the officers' fire was fatal.
Dock (dack)fell to the ground, and was in the act of firing
when another load of buckshot quieted him forever.
(Source: Staunton spectator. (Staunton, Va.), 15 Jan. 1890. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Link)


Murder on the Clinch: Killing of Dack Ramey was written by Omer C. Addington to tell the other side of the story. Dack's father maintained that Dack shot Hugh Moore in self defence and that the men who shot him were part of a vigilante group that led Dack into a trap and shot him in cold blood.

We will never know what actually happened. We do know that this was a tragedy that eventually let to the death of three people: Hugh More, Dack Ramey and his brother Bill.

4 comments:

  1. Where is this picture taken? Could you give me some info on it? Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Where is this picture taken? Could you give me some info on it? Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is across the river from Dungannon. I think the used to call it the River Rd, but it is State Route 659. A few years ago, changes were made in the path of the road. The road is now in back on the house, but before it curved around in front of the house. You can find it on Google maps, but it isn't easy. I know exactly where it is, and it still took me a while to locate it.

      Delete
  3. It is across the river from Dungannon. I think the used to call it the River Rd, but it is State Route 659. A few years ago, changes were made in the path of the road. The road is now in back on the house, but before it curved around in front of the house. You can find it on Google maps, but it isn't easy. I know exactly where it is, and it still took me a while to locate it.

    ReplyDelete