Moore, Charles, 1855-1942

Charles Henry Moore (b. 1859) was the son of William James Moore, who had emigrated from Copiah County, Mississippi, to Nacogdoches, Texas in 1844. Moore was raised in Anderson County.

From the description of Moore, Charles H., Reminiscences, 1932-1933 (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 755804035

Moore was chairman of the National Commission of Fine Arts (1915-1937), served as overseer at Harvard University, and was author of works about George Washington.

From the description of Letters to Dora Neill Raymond, 1923-1942. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 122468731

From the guide to the Letters to Dora Neill Raymond, 1923-1942., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)

Chairman of the National Commission on Fine Arts.

From the description of Charles Moore papers, 1889-1940. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34419096

Author and art historian.

From the description of Papers of Charles Moore, 1858-1944 (bulk 1900-1937). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79449458

Museum director; Detroit, Michigan.

Directed Detroit Museum of Art 1914-1917. Later name changed to Detroit Institute of Arts.

From the description of Charles Moore papers, 1914-1917. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122396981

Biographical Note

• 1855, Oct. 20: Born, Ypsilanti, Mich.
• 1878: A.B., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
• 1890: Ph.D., George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
• 1878 - 1895 : Newspaper work in Detroit, Mich., and Washington, D.C
• 1889 - 1903 : Political secretary to Senator James McMillan of Michigan
• 1910 - 1937 : Member, National Commission of Fine Arts (chairman, 1915-1937)
• 1918 - 1927 : Acting chief, Division of Manuscripts, Library of Congress
• 1921: Published Daniel H. Burnham: Architect, Planner of Cities. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 2 vols.
• 1926: Published The Family Life of George Washington. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
• 1929: Published The Life and Times of Charles Follen McKim. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
• 1942, Sept. 25: Died, Gig Harbor, Wash.

From the guide to the Charles Moore Papers, 1848-1944, (bulk 1900-1937), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Charles Moore was October 20, 1855 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was educated at Phillips Andover Academy and Harvard College, graduating in 1878. Returning to Michigan, he became a newspaper reporter in Ypsilanti and Detroit. In 1888, Moore left journalism to become political secretary to Michigan senator James McMillan. When McMillan became chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee of the District of Columbia, Moore was appointed clerk to the committee. Upon Moore's urging McMillan worked for passage of legislation creating a Senate Park Commission, established in 1901, to plan for the future development of Washington. As secretary of this commission, Moore worked with, and accompanied on tours, such architectural luminaries as Daniel H. Burnham and Charles F. McKim. Moore's service was invaluable in providing assistance to the Commission in preparing the needed legislation providing for the creation of a formal mall between the Capitol and the Potomac River.

With this work accomplished, Moore returned to Detroit in 1903 where he worked in different corporate settings. In 1910, Moore was appointed to the Fine Arts Commission which was charged with the responsibility of determining the suitability of proposed monuments, statues, and public buildings in Washington. He was chairman of this commission from 1915 to 1937.

Retiring from the business world in 1914, Moore devoted himself to public service and to the study of history and the writing of biographies of Burnham and McKim. He died September 25, 1942.

From the guide to the Charles Moore papers, 1901-1940, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)