Based on Y DNA Haplotree results of descendants of James Moore's sons, Peter and Benjamin, James Moore's roots have been identified to the Muir/Mure lines of SW Scotland. The difficulty has been proving which line of Muirs he connects with.
First, however, there needs to be a more accurate estimate of his age. Based on the manner in which he signed legal documents in the last years of his life, James Moore was believed to have been born between 1625 and 1646. In one of his final documents, in 1735, he noted his age as 110.[1] Yet, in a document from 1708, he was noted as "about 62", which would place the date of birth around the year 1646. In all likelihood, 1646 is more accurate than 1624/25.
For this profile, 1646 is used as an estimated birthdate. However, despite previous estimations that this James could have been a son of Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607, this argument seems no longer tenable based on the current estimated ages of haplogroups. Descendants of James Muir of Four Hills (in Prince George's County, Maryland) are proven to be FGC15791FT176771. FT176771 is estimated as having emerged ca. 1600. It's phylogenetic "sibling", FT88521 is estimated to have emerged ca. 1350. The previous estimation that Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607 was largely based on previous estimates of the ages of FT88521 and FT176771. The new estimates makes this no longer possible.
While the majority of test-takers under the FT176771 haplotree are descended from this James Moore (b. ca. 1646), there are two FT176771 test-takers (one is Big Y-700-tested, the other is tested to only Y-37... see kits 269407 and 774122), both of those kits indicate their most distant traceable ancestors were born in Dublin, Ireland (one in ca. 1815, and the other in ca. 1831). It is believed that the descendants of James Moore of Four Hills last shared an ancestor with these two ca. 1600 (the estimated emergence of FT176771). The question is when the line migrated from SW Scotland (where these Moore lines were Muir) to Dublin (perhaps via the Ulster Plantation), and how these other two lines (which might share an ancestor between the two, ca. 1800) came to the Dublin area.
As to when James arrived in Maryland, there have been two men identified as having been transported to Colonial Maryland... one in 1657 (James More) and the other, in 1661 (James Moor). Given the average length of indenture (4-7 years), and noting that James patented Four Hills in 1671, the latter date seems probable. If this is true, James made the ocean journey at age 16/17 (and, it seems, not long after the death of his father). It may even be that James of Four Hills did not arrive under an indenture, and set to patenting lands soon after his arrival.
By the time he was constable of Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1698, James' ownership in land exceeded 1,400 acres (and despite a claim made on one family tree, there's nothing to support the claim that he built houses on all the properties before selling them), making him one of the largest landowners in the area known as the Mount Calvert Hundred and Marlborough.
The Ordinary at Beall's Gift
With the designation of Charles Town as the first county seat of Prince George's County, Moore apparently saw further opportunity in using a nearby lot of land - Beall's Gift - as an ideal spot for an ordinary. Records indicate Moore likely ran this ordinary from at least March 1701 to April 1704. Offering accommodations, food, and beverage, the ordinary was regularly of service to grand juries. Yet, the vending of alcoholic beverages also caught the eye of the courts, as he was often cited for "breach of the peace", and in one instance, quite specifically for "vending of Licquors and making of people drunk on ye Sabbath Day."
The reason for leaving the business of ordinary operator is unclear. As the last recorded license was issued in 1702, there is speculation he may have not received a renewal of license in 1704. On the other hand, it may be that he simply no longer wished to deal with his problems with the courts. He sold all but 1/2 acre of Beall's Gift to James Stoddard, in 1704, and appears to have focused on his primary occupation as a planter.
Early Maryland Land Patents
Properties with which James Moore was associated[7]:
Sneaking Point - 22 Feb 1671[8]
Dunbar - ?[9]
Four Hills - 11 Oct 1671, 400 acres[10]
Moore's Plains - 14 Jun 1673, 475 acres[11]
Moorefields - 23 Sept 1680, 150 acres
Beals Hunting Quarter - 8 Mar 1680, 300 acres[12]
Leith - 22 Feb 1681, 500 acres[13]
The Horse Race - 6 Mar 1681/82, 300 acres[14]
The Defence - 7 Mar 1681, 150 acres[15]
Potterne Week - 2 Jul 1685, 203 acres[16]
Moore's Little Worth - 30 Aug 1694, 40 acres
Child's Portion - 11 Sep 1694, 227 acres[17]
Moore's Addition - 16 Feb 1694, 231 acres[18]
Moore's Croft - 10 Nov 1695, 123 acres
Beale's Gift - 3 Jun 1702, 16 acres
Partnership - 1704, 500 acres
Barbadoes - 10 Dec 1714, 150 acres
Berry Fortune - ?[19]
Gifts to Children/Grandchildren
A yellow cow - 10 May 1717 [20]
One Bay Mare - 25 Mar 1717[21]
Child's Portion - 20 Jul 1723[22]
The Gift - May 1735, to grandson, James Hoskinson[23]
Sligo - May 1735, to son, George Moore [24]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Benjamin Moore[25]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Peter Moore[26]
1680 Neighbor of Ninian Beall
As early as 1680, James Moore and Ninian Beall (1625-1717) were listed as having been associated, as joint executors of the will of Robert Lashey (who lived in the part of Calvert County which became Prince George's County in 1696.)[27] There is also an ongoing debate as to if/how James may have been related to Ninian Beall. In a document in 1708, James referred to Ninian as his "brother". Speculation exists as to whether Ninian's wife, Ruth, was a Moore (and sister to James), if James' wife was a sister to Ninian. Indeed, or even if James and Ninian were married to each other's sisters. Current autosomal DNA results for descendants of Ninian and Ruth are revealing very low centimorgan matches (perhaps too low) on Chromosome 6, with known descendants of James Moore. For descendants of James Moore, Chromosome 6 has been identified as their Moore-specific autosomal DNA. Additionally, while records of birth have been located for James and his brother, John, there is no record for the birth of a Ruth Muir in the records of Glasgow's High Church.
Illegitimate Son, James Hook
Y DNA evidence suggests, in the late 1680s, James Moore had a relationship with Annaple Beall Hook, who, at the time, was the wife of Thomas Hook/Hooke. Based on a Y-67 level test of a male Hook descended from James Hook, b. ca. 1680-85, James was not a son of Thomas Hook/Hooke, but of James Moore. While the test taker was encouraged to upgrade testing to Y-111, to establish absolute proof, he expressed no interest. There are also at least two autosomal test takers, descended from James Hook, who match some of James Moore's descendants at better than 3 cm.
Witnessed Wills
In 1688/89, James Moore witnessed the will of Thomas Elles of Patuxent River, Calvert County, in 1688/89; the will of Henry Bonner of Prince George's County, in 1702; and the will of Ninian Beall, Jr. of Prince George's County, in 1710.
1735 Death
Based on available information, James died in Prince George's County, Maryland,after he had distributed gifts of land to his family, in May 1735.
Y DNA, Origins, and Deeper Ancestry
Direct paternal lines back to MRCA James Moore (1624-1735) are confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA testing. As of August 2021, there have been at least ten descendants of James Moore who have taken the FTDNA Y-DNA test. All but two have tested at the Big Y-700 level. Descendants of James Moore's sons, Peter (kits 815350 and B284181) and Benjamin (kits N25192, 643636, 675678, 815693, 461253, 815343, N17390), demonstrated a branching from FT176771, resulting in FT370928 and Y133362, respectively.
Testing to the BY3368 haplotree indicates this line of Moores is from the same line of Moore/Muir/Mure who are traceable to SW Scotland. For a Moore, this points to connections to the Muir family, as early as the 12th century, in what is now East Ayrshire. For additional information, please see the BY3368 and Subclades Y DNA Project which is closely examining all the family lines within Group 2 of the Moore Worldwide Y DNA Project.
Additionally, analysis of the first 111 markers of Y DNA reveal a specific genetic signature for Y descendants of James Moore, which includes the following markers and values: DYS607=16; DYS537=11; DYS532=14 (with one test taker being the exception, with "15"); DYS715=23; and DYS561=16.
First, however, there needs to be a more accurate estimate of his age. Based on the manner in which he signed legal documents in the last years of his life, James Moore was believed to have been born between 1625 and 1646. In one of his final documents, in 1735, he noted his age as 110.[1] Yet, in a document from 1708, he was noted as "about 62", which would place the date of birth around the year 1646. In all likelihood, 1646 is more accurate than 1624/25.
For this profile, 1646 is used as an estimated birthdate. However, despite previous estimations that this James could have been a son of Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607, this argument seems no longer tenable based on the current estimated ages of haplogroups. Descendants of James Muir of Four Hills (in Prince George's County, Maryland) are proven to be FGC15791FT176771. FT176771 is estimated as having emerged ca. 1600. It's phylogenetic "sibling", FT88521 is estimated to have emerged ca. 1350. The previous estimation that Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607 was largely based on previous estimates of the ages of FT88521 and FT176771. The new estimates makes this no longer possible.
While the majority of test-takers under the FT176771 haplotree are descended from this James Moore (b. ca. 1646), there are two FT176771 test-takers (one is Big Y-700-tested, the other is tested to only Y-37... see kits 269407 and 774122), both of those kits indicate their most distant traceable ancestors were born in Dublin, Ireland (one in ca. 1815, and the other in ca. 1831). It is believed that the descendants of James Moore of Four Hills last shared an ancestor with these two ca. 1600 (the estimated emergence of FT176771). The question is when the line migrated from SW Scotland (where these Moore lines were Muir) to Dublin (perhaps via the Ulster Plantation), and how these other two lines (which might share an ancestor between the two, ca. 1800) came to the Dublin area.
As to when James arrived in Maryland, there have been two men identified as having been transported to Colonial Maryland... one in 1657 (James More) and the other, in 1661 (James Moor). Given the average length of indenture (4-7 years), and noting that James patented Four Hills in 1671, the latter date seems probable. If this is true, James made the ocean journey at age 16/17 (and, it seems, not long after the death of his father). It may even be that James of Four Hills did not arrive under an indenture, and set to patenting lands soon after his arrival.
By the time he was constable of Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1698, James' ownership in land exceeded 1,400 acres (and despite a claim made on one family tree, there's nothing to support the claim that he built houses on all the properties before selling them), making him one of the largest landowners in the area known as the Mount Calvert Hundred and Marlborough.
The Ordinary at Beall's Gift
With the designation of Charles Town as the first county seat of Prince George's County, Moore apparently saw further opportunity in using a nearby lot of land - Beall's Gift - as an ideal spot for an ordinary. Records indicate Moore likely ran this ordinary from at least March 1701 to April 1704. Offering accommodations, food, and beverage, the ordinary was regularly of service to grand juries. Yet, the vending of alcoholic beverages also caught the eye of the courts, as he was often cited for "breach of the peace", and in one instance, quite specifically for "vending of Licquors and making of people drunk on ye Sabbath Day."
The reason for leaving the business of ordinary operator is unclear. As the last recorded license was issued in 1702, there is speculation he may have not received a renewal of license in 1704. On the other hand, it may be that he simply no longer wished to deal with his problems with the courts. He sold all but 1/2 acre of Beall's Gift to James Stoddard, in 1704, and appears to have focused on his primary occupation as a planter.
Early Maryland Land Patents
Properties with which James Moore was associated[7]:
Sneaking Point - 22 Feb 1671[8]
Dunbar - ?[9]
Four Hills - 11 Oct 1671, 400 acres[10]
Moore's Plains - 14 Jun 1673, 475 acres[11]
Moorefields - 23 Sept 1680, 150 acres
Beals Hunting Quarter - 8 Mar 1680, 300 acres[12]
Leith - 22 Feb 1681, 500 acres[13]
The Horse Race - 6 Mar 1681/82, 300 acres[14]
The Defence - 7 Mar 1681, 150 acres[15]
Potterne Week - 2 Jul 1685, 203 acres[16]
Moore's Little Worth - 30 Aug 1694, 40 acres
Child's Portion - 11 Sep 1694, 227 acres[17]
Moore's Addition - 16 Feb 1694, 231 acres[18]
Moore's Croft - 10 Nov 1695, 123 acres
Beale's Gift - 3 Jun 1702, 16 acres
Partnership - 1704, 500 acres
Barbadoes - 10 Dec 1714, 150 acres
Berry Fortune - ?[19]
Gifts to Children/Grandchildren
A yellow cow - 10 May 1717 [20]
One Bay Mare - 25 Mar 1717[21]
Child's Portion - 20 Jul 1723[22]
The Gift - May 1735, to grandson, James Hoskinson[23]
Sligo - May 1735, to son, George Moore [24]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Benjamin Moore[25]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Peter Moore[26]
1680 Neighbor of Ninian Beall
As early as 1680, James Moore and Ninian Beall (1625-1717) were listed as having been associated, as joint executors of the will of Robert Lashey (who lived in the part of Calvert County which became Prince George's County in 1696.)[27] There is also an ongoing debate as to if/how James may have been related to Ninian Beall. In a document in 1708, James referred to Ninian as his "brother". Speculation exists as to whether Ninian's wife, Ruth, was a Moore (and sister to James), if James' wife was a sister to Ninian. Indeed, or even if James and Ninian were married to each other's sisters. Current autosomal DNA results for descendants of Ninian and Ruth are revealing very low centimorgan matches (perhaps too low) on Chromosome 6, with known descendants of James Moore. For descendants of James Moore, Chromosome 6 has been identified as their Moore-specific autosomal DNA. Additionally, while records of birth have been located for James and his brother, John, there is no record for the birth of a Ruth Muir in the records of Glasgow's High Church.
Illegitimate Son, James Hook
Y DNA evidence suggests, in the late 1680s, James Moore had a relationship with Annaple Beall Hook, who, at the time, was the wife of Thomas Hook/Hooke. Based on a Y-67 level test of a male Hook descended from James Hook, b. ca. 1680-85, James was not a son of Thomas Hook/Hooke, but of James Moore. While the test taker was encouraged to upgrade testing to Y-111, to establish absolute proof, he expressed no interest. There are also at least two autosomal test takers, descended from James Hook, who match some of James Moore's descendants at better than 3 cm.
Witnessed Wills
In 1688/89, James Moore witnessed the will of Thomas Elles of Patuxent River, Calvert County, in 1688/89; the will of Henry Bonner of Prince George's County, in 1702; and the will of Ninian Beall, Jr. of Prince George's County, in 1710.
1735 Death
Based on available information, James died in Prince George's County, Maryland,after he had distributed gifts of land to his family, in May 1735.
Y DNA, Origins, and Deeper Ancestry
Direct paternal lines back to MRCA James Moore (1624-1735) are confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA testing. As of August 2021, there have been at least ten descendants of James Moore who have taken the FTDNA Y-DNA test. All but two have tested at the Big Y-700 level. Descendants of James Moore's sons, Peter (kits 815350 and B284181) and Benjamin (kits N25192, 643636, 675678, 815693, 461253, 815343, N17390), demonstrated a branching from FT176771, resulting in FT370928 and Y133362, respectively.
Testing to the BY3368 haplotree indicates this line of Moores is from the same line of Moore/Muir/Mure who are traceable to SW Scotland. For a Moore, this points to connections to the Muir family, as early as the 12th century, in what is now East Ayrshire. For additional information, please see the BY3368 and Subclades Y DNA Project which is closely examining all the family lines within Group 2 of the Moore Worldwide Y DNA Project.
Additionally, analysis of the first 111 markers of Y DNA reveal a specific genetic signature for Y descendants of James Moore, which includes the following markers and values: DYS607=16; DYS537=11; DYS532=14 (with one test taker being the exception, with "15"); DYS715=23; and DYS561=16.
Based on Y DNA Haplotree results of descendants of James Moore's sons, Peter and Benjamin, James Moore's roots have been identified to the Muir/Mure lines of SW Scotland. The difficulty has been proving which line of Muirs he connects with.
First, however, there needs to be a more accurate estimate of his age. Based on the manner in which he signed legal documents in the last years of his life, James Moore was believed to have been born between 1625 and 1646. In one of his final documents, in 1735, he noted his age as 110.[1] Yet, in a document from 1708, he was noted as "about 62", which would place the date of birth around the year 1646. In all likelihood, 1646 is more accurate than 1624/25.
For this profile, 1646 is used as an estimated birthdate. However, despite previous estimations that this James could have been a son of Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607, this argument seems no longer tenable based on the current estimated ages of haplogroups. Descendants of James Muir of Four Hills (in Prince George's County, Maryland) are proven to be FGC15791FT176771. FT176771 is estimated as having emerged ca. 1600. It's phylogenetic "sibling", FT88521 is estimated to have emerged ca. 1350. The previous estimation that Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607 was largely based on previous estimates of the ages of FT88521 and FT176771. The new estimates makes this no longer possible.
While the majority of test-takers under the FT176771 haplotree are descended from this James Moore (b. ca. 1646), there are two FT176771 test-takers (one is Big Y-700-tested, the other is tested to only Y-37... see kits 269407 and 774122), both of those kits indicate their most distant traceable ancestors were born in Dublin, Ireland (one in ca. 1815, and the other in ca. 1831). It is believed that the descendants of James Moore of Four Hills last shared an ancestor with these two ca. 1600 (the estimated emergence of FT176771). The question is when the line migrated from SW Scotland (where these Moore lines were Muir) to Dublin (perhaps via the Ulster Plantation), and how these other two lines (which might share an ancestor between the two, ca. 1800) came to the Dublin area.
As to when James arrived in Maryland, there have been two men identified as having been transported to Colonial Maryland... one in 1657 (James More) and the other, in 1661 (James Moor). Given the average length of indenture (4-7 years), and noting that James patented Four Hills in 1671, the latter date seems probable. If this is true, James made the ocean journey at age 16/17 (and, it seems, not long after the death of his father). It may even be that James of Four Hills did not arrive under an indenture, and set to patenting lands soon after his arrival.
By the time he was constable of Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1698, James' ownership in land exceeded 1,400 acres (and despite a claim made on one family tree, there's nothing to support the claim that he built houses on all the properties before selling them), making him one of the largest landowners in the area known as the Mount Calvert Hundred and Marlborough.
The Ordinary at Beall's Gift
With the designation of Charles Town as the first county seat of Prince George's County, Moore apparently saw further opportunity in using a nearby lot of land - Beall's Gift - as an ideal spot for an ordinary. Records indicate Moore likely ran this ordinary from at least March 1701 to April 1704. Offering accommodations, food, and beverage, the ordinary was regularly of service to grand juries. Yet, the vending of alcoholic beverages also caught the eye of the courts, as he was often cited for "breach of the peace", and in one instance, quite specifically for "vending of Licquors and making of people drunk on ye Sabbath Day."
The reason for leaving the business of ordinary operator is unclear. As the last recorded license was issued in 1702, there is speculation he may have not received a renewal of license in 1704. On the other hand, it may be that he simply no longer wished to deal with his problems with the courts. He sold all but 1/2 acre of Beall's Gift to James Stoddard, in 1704, and appears to have focused on his primary occupation as a planter.
Early Maryland Land Patents
Properties with which James Moore was associated[7]:
Sneaking Point - 22 Feb 1671[8]
Dunbar - ?[9]
Four Hills - 11 Oct 1671, 400 acres[10]
Moore's Plains - 14 Jun 1673, 475 acres[11]
Moorefields - 23 Sept 1680, 150 acres
Beals Hunting Quarter - 8 Mar 1680, 300 acres[12]
Leith - 22 Feb 1681, 500 acres[13]
The Horse Race - 6 Mar 1681/82, 300 acres[14]
The Defence - 7 Mar 1681, 150 acres[15]
Potterne Week - 2 Jul 1685, 203 acres[16]
Moore's Little Worth - 30 Aug 1694, 40 acres
Child's Portion - 11 Sep 1694, 227 acres[17]
Moore's Addition - 16 Feb 1694, 231 acres[18]
Moore's Croft - 10 Nov 1695, 123 acres
Beale's Gift - 3 Jun 1702, 16 acres
Partnership - 1704, 500 acres
Barbadoes - 10 Dec 1714, 150 acres
Berry Fortune - ?[19]
Gifts to Children/Grandchildren
A yellow cow - 10 May 1717 [20]
One Bay Mare - 25 Mar 1717[21]
Child's Portion - 20 Jul 1723[22]
The Gift - May 1735, to grandson, James Hoskinson[23]
Sligo - May 1735, to son, George Moore [24]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Benjamin Moore[25]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Peter Moore[26]
1680 Neighbor of Ninian Beall
As early as 1680, James Moore and Ninian Beall (1625-1717) were listed as having been associated, as joint executors of the will of Robert Lashey (who lived in the part of Calvert County which became Prince George's County in 1696.)[27] There is also an ongoing debate as to if/how James may have been related to Ninian Beall. In a document in 1708, James referred to Ninian as his "brother". Speculation exists as to whether Ninian's wife, Ruth, was a Moore (and sister to James), if James' wife was a sister to Ninian. Indeed, or even if James and Ninian were married to each other's sisters. Current autosomal DNA results for descendants of Ninian and Ruth are revealing very low centimorgan matches (perhaps too low) on Chromosome 6, with known descendants of James Moore. For descendants of James Moore, Chromosome 6 has been identified as their Moore-specific autosomal DNA. Additionally, while records of birth have been located for James and his brother, John, there is no record for the birth of a Ruth Muir in the records of Glasgow's High Church.
Illegitimate Son, James Hook
Y DNA evidence suggests, in the late 1680s, James Moore had a relationship with Annaple Beall Hook, who, at the time, was the wife of Thomas Hook/Hooke. Based on a Y-67 level test of a male Hook descended from James Hook, b. ca. 1680-85, James was not a son of Thomas Hook/Hooke, but of James Moore. While the test taker was encouraged to upgrade testing to Y-111, to establish absolute proof, he expressed no interest. There are also at least two autosomal test takers, descended from James Hook, who match some of James Moore's descendants at better than 3 cm.
Witnessed Wills
In 1688/89, James Moore witnessed the will of Thomas Elles of Patuxent River, Calvert County, in 1688/89; the will of Henry Bonner of Prince George's County, in 1702; and the will of Ninian Beall, Jr. of Prince George's County, in 1710.
1735 Death
Based on available information, James died in Prince George's County, Maryland,after he had distributed gifts of land to his family, in May 1735.
Y DNA, Origins, and Deeper Ancestry
Direct paternal lines back to MRCA James Moore (1624-1735) are confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA testing. As of August 2021, there have been at least ten descendants of James Moore who have taken the FTDNA Y-DNA test. All but two have tested at the Big Y-700 level. Descendants of James Moore's sons, Peter (kits 815350 and B284181) and Benjamin (kits N25192, 643636, 675678, 815693, 461253, 815343, N17390), demonstrated a branching from FT176771, resulting in FT370928 and Y133362, respectively.
Testing to the BY3368 haplotree indicates this line of Moores is from the same line of Moore/Muir/Mure who are traceable to SW Scotland. For a Moore, this points to connections to the Muir family, as early as the 12th century, in what is now East Ayrshire. For additional information, please see the BY3368 and Subclades Y DNA Project which is closely examining all the family lines within Group 2 of the Moore Worldwide Y DNA Project.
Additionally, analysis of the first 111 markers of Y DNA reveal a specific genetic signature for Y descendants of James Moore, which includes the following markers and values: DYS607=16; DYS537=11; DYS532=14 (with one test taker being the exception, with "15"); DYS715=23; and DYS561=16.
First, however, there needs to be a more accurate estimate of his age. Based on the manner in which he signed legal documents in the last years of his life, James Moore was believed to have been born between 1625 and 1646. In one of his final documents, in 1735, he noted his age as 110.[1] Yet, in a document from 1708, he was noted as "about 62", which would place the date of birth around the year 1646. In all likelihood, 1646 is more accurate than 1624/25.
For this profile, 1646 is used as an estimated birthdate. However, despite previous estimations that this James could have been a son of Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607, this argument seems no longer tenable based on the current estimated ages of haplogroups. Descendants of James Muir of Four Hills (in Prince George's County, Maryland) are proven to be FGC15791FT176771. FT176771 is estimated as having emerged ca. 1600. It's phylogenetic "sibling", FT88521 is estimated to have emerged ca. 1350. The previous estimation that Muir-3954 and Stirling-1607 was largely based on previous estimates of the ages of FT88521 and FT176771. The new estimates makes this no longer possible.
While the majority of test-takers under the FT176771 haplotree are descended from this James Moore (b. ca. 1646), there are two FT176771 test-takers (one is Big Y-700-tested, the other is tested to only Y-37... see kits 269407 and 774122), both of those kits indicate their most distant traceable ancestors were born in Dublin, Ireland (one in ca. 1815, and the other in ca. 1831). It is believed that the descendants of James Moore of Four Hills last shared an ancestor with these two ca. 1600 (the estimated emergence of FT176771). The question is when the line migrated from SW Scotland (where these Moore lines were Muir) to Dublin (perhaps via the Ulster Plantation), and how these other two lines (which might share an ancestor between the two, ca. 1800) came to the Dublin area.
As to when James arrived in Maryland, there have been two men identified as having been transported to Colonial Maryland... one in 1657 (James More) and the other, in 1661 (James Moor). Given the average length of indenture (4-7 years), and noting that James patented Four Hills in 1671, the latter date seems probable. If this is true, James made the ocean journey at age 16/17 (and, it seems, not long after the death of his father). It may even be that James of Four Hills did not arrive under an indenture, and set to patenting lands soon after his arrival.
By the time he was constable of Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1698, James' ownership in land exceeded 1,400 acres (and despite a claim made on one family tree, there's nothing to support the claim that he built houses on all the properties before selling them), making him one of the largest landowners in the area known as the Mount Calvert Hundred and Marlborough.
The Ordinary at Beall's Gift
With the designation of Charles Town as the first county seat of Prince George's County, Moore apparently saw further opportunity in using a nearby lot of land - Beall's Gift - as an ideal spot for an ordinary. Records indicate Moore likely ran this ordinary from at least March 1701 to April 1704. Offering accommodations, food, and beverage, the ordinary was regularly of service to grand juries. Yet, the vending of alcoholic beverages also caught the eye of the courts, as he was often cited for "breach of the peace", and in one instance, quite specifically for "vending of Licquors and making of people drunk on ye Sabbath Day."
The reason for leaving the business of ordinary operator is unclear. As the last recorded license was issued in 1702, there is speculation he may have not received a renewal of license in 1704. On the other hand, it may be that he simply no longer wished to deal with his problems with the courts. He sold all but 1/2 acre of Beall's Gift to James Stoddard, in 1704, and appears to have focused on his primary occupation as a planter.
Early Maryland Land Patents
Properties with which James Moore was associated[7]:
Sneaking Point - 22 Feb 1671[8]
Dunbar - ?[9]
Four Hills - 11 Oct 1671, 400 acres[10]
Moore's Plains - 14 Jun 1673, 475 acres[11]
Moorefields - 23 Sept 1680, 150 acres
Beals Hunting Quarter - 8 Mar 1680, 300 acres[12]
Leith - 22 Feb 1681, 500 acres[13]
The Horse Race - 6 Mar 1681/82, 300 acres[14]
The Defence - 7 Mar 1681, 150 acres[15]
Potterne Week - 2 Jul 1685, 203 acres[16]
Moore's Little Worth - 30 Aug 1694, 40 acres
Child's Portion - 11 Sep 1694, 227 acres[17]
Moore's Addition - 16 Feb 1694, 231 acres[18]
Moore's Croft - 10 Nov 1695, 123 acres
Beale's Gift - 3 Jun 1702, 16 acres
Partnership - 1704, 500 acres
Barbadoes - 10 Dec 1714, 150 acres
Berry Fortune - ?[19]
Gifts to Children/Grandchildren
A yellow cow - 10 May 1717 [20]
One Bay Mare - 25 Mar 1717[21]
Child's Portion - 20 Jul 1723[22]
The Gift - May 1735, to grandson, James Hoskinson[23]
Sligo - May 1735, to son, George Moore [24]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Benjamin Moore[25]
Child's Portion (part) - May 1735, to his son, Peter Moore[26]
1680 Neighbor of Ninian Beall
As early as 1680, James Moore and Ninian Beall (1625-1717) were listed as having been associated, as joint executors of the will of Robert Lashey (who lived in the part of Calvert County which became Prince George's County in 1696.)[27] There is also an ongoing debate as to if/how James may have been related to Ninian Beall. In a document in 1708, James referred to Ninian as his "brother". Speculation exists as to whether Ninian's wife, Ruth, was a Moore (and sister to James), if James' wife was a sister to Ninian. Indeed, or even if James and Ninian were married to each other's sisters. Current autosomal DNA results for descendants of Ninian and Ruth are revealing very low centimorgan matches (perhaps too low) on Chromosome 6, with known descendants of James Moore. For descendants of James Moore, Chromosome 6 has been identified as their Moore-specific autosomal DNA. Additionally, while records of birth have been located for James and his brother, John, there is no record for the birth of a Ruth Muir in the records of Glasgow's High Church.
Illegitimate Son, James Hook
Y DNA evidence suggests, in the late 1680s, James Moore had a relationship with Annaple Beall Hook, who, at the time, was the wife of Thomas Hook/Hooke. Based on a Y-67 level test of a male Hook descended from James Hook, b. ca. 1680-85, James was not a son of Thomas Hook/Hooke, but of James Moore. While the test taker was encouraged to upgrade testing to Y-111, to establish absolute proof, he expressed no interest. There are also at least two autosomal test takers, descended from James Hook, who match some of James Moore's descendants at better than 3 cm.
Witnessed Wills
In 1688/89, James Moore witnessed the will of Thomas Elles of Patuxent River, Calvert County, in 1688/89; the will of Henry Bonner of Prince George's County, in 1702; and the will of Ninian Beall, Jr. of Prince George's County, in 1710.
1735 Death
Based on available information, James died in Prince George's County, Maryland,after he had distributed gifts of land to his family, in May 1735.
Y DNA, Origins, and Deeper Ancestry
Direct paternal lines back to MRCA James Moore (1624-1735) are confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA testing. As of August 2021, there have been at least ten descendants of James Moore who have taken the FTDNA Y-DNA test. All but two have tested at the Big Y-700 level. Descendants of James Moore's sons, Peter (kits 815350 and B284181) and Benjamin (kits N25192, 643636, 675678, 815693, 461253, 815343, N17390), demonstrated a branching from FT176771, resulting in FT370928 and Y133362, respectively.
Testing to the BY3368 haplotree indicates this line of Moores is from the same line of Moore/Muir/Mure who are traceable to SW Scotland. For a Moore, this points to connections to the Muir family, as early as the 12th century, in what is now East Ayrshire. For additional information, please see the BY3368 and Subclades Y DNA Project which is closely examining all the family lines within Group 2 of the Moore Worldwide Y DNA Project.
Additionally, analysis of the first 111 markers of Y DNA reveal a specific genetic signature for Y descendants of James Moore, which includes the following markers and values: DYS607=16; DYS537=11; DYS532=14 (with one test taker being the exception, with "15"); DYS715=23; and DYS561=16.
