Dorchester Illustration World War One Service Member biography: Richard Henry Moore
At the Dorchester Historical Society, we are in the process of a year-long project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I. Using a collection of photographs we have of WWI Dorchester residents, we will be featuring servicemen in a number of short biographies throughout the year. At the culmination of the project, we hope to produce an online exhibit that highlights these men and their service to our country.
Our next biography features: Richard Henry Moore.
Written by Camille Arbogast.
Richard Henry Moore was born May 9, 1895, at 34 Fuller Street in the Ashmont section of Dorchester. His mother, Sarah Dowling, immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1884. His father, Richard F. Moore, arrived in 1887 and worked as a laborer for the city of Boston. They married in 1891 and had seven other children: Owen born in 1891, John in 1893, Anne in 1897, Mary in 1899, Francis in 1901, Alice in 1903, and Thomas in 1907.
By 1900, the family owned 22 Bailey Street, only one street over from where Richard was born five years before. Richard’s older brothers had gone to work: Owen, 18, was a streetcar conductor; John, 16, was a plumber’s apprentice. Richard was still in school; he attended four years of high school.
In 1917, Richard was employed as a billing clerk for the Boston and Albany Railroad, working in their office at 187 Kneeland Street in Boston. On his draft registration that he filled out that spring, he was described as being tall, with blue eyes and dark hair. On December 6, 1917, he was drafted and inducted into the National Army at Local Board 21, Dorchester’s draft board. He was sent to the 151st Depot Brigade based at Camp Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts. At the time, the 76th Division was training at Camp Devens and was largely comprised of draftees from New England. On February 6, 1918, Richard was transferred to the Medical Department of the 302nd Infantry. On May 25, he was attached to the Medical Department of the 301st Infantry. He was promoted to Private First Class and began serving in Sanitary Squad #50 in June. On July 6, Richard departed for France, sailing from New York on the USS Cedric. On January 21, 1919, he was promoted to Corporal. In February, he began serving with Evacuation Hospital 27. Richard was promoted to Sergeant on May 29, and Sergeant First Class on April 16. On August 30, he sailed from Brest, France, on the USS Kroonland, arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey, on September 10. He was demobilized on September 16, 1919.
After the war Richard returned to 22 Bailey Street and to his job with the Boston and Albany Railroad. In 1922, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and only two years later, when he was 29, he married Maybelle Meeker, born in Butler County, Ohio, and a longtime resident of Muncie, Indiana. The couple settled in Chicago and by 1928, they were renting 2911 Shakespeare Avenue; they were still living there in 1930. By 1935, they owned 6652 North Rockwell Street. In the late 1950s, they lived at 6129 North Winchester Avenue. By 1930, Richard was a public accountant with his own accounting business.
On June 5, 1957, Richard died after a brief illness. He was buried in New London Cemetery, Shandon, Butler County, Ohio. He was survived by his wife, Maybelle, and four of his siblings.
Sources
Birth Certificate, Massachusetts Vital Records, 1840–1911. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts; Ancestry.com
1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940 Federal Census; Ancestry.com
Service Card, Military, Compiled Service Records. World War I. Carded Records. Records of the Military Division of the Adjutant General’s Office, Massachusetts National Guard.
Boston Directory, Boston, MA: Sampson & Murdock, 1922; 1233
Selective Service Registration Card, World War II: Fourth Registration. Records of the Selective Service System, National Archives and Records Administration; Ancestry.com
“Dies in Chicago,” Muncie Evening Press, 6 June 1957: 25; Newspapers.com
“Death Notice,” Chicago Tribune, 7 June 1957: 66; Newspapers.com