LUCY ELIZABETH (RIGGS) MOORE
LUCY ELIZABETH (RIGGS) MOORE
Lucy Elizabeth Riggs was born October 20th, 1876 in Las Animas County, Colorado. She was 2 years old when the family started for the Sulphur Springs Valley where we settled. She is our 4th daughter 9th child.
EDUCATION
When she was old enough Lucy started school at the Home Ranch School. After 1900 she attended school in the El Dorado School.
Lucy attended Northern Indiana Normal School for a year but it was too cold for her and she was too homesick so she didn’t return. She then attended the U of A.
MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN
“3 Rhoda an Martha Stayed all night here
Mrs Lenenthaw come to bake lucy wedding cakes for wendsday
5 Aug 1906 Mr Moar an Lucy was married at home
went to Prue place to live”
Arizona Range News
Friday August 8th, 1902
NUPTIALS
Mr. Gus L. Moore and Miss Lucy E. Riggs were married at the residence of Mr. And Mrs. Brannick Riggs, the bride’s parents, at 1 p.m. Wednesday August 6th, 1902. The ceremony was performed by Justice C.O. Anderson. Mr. Wm. Riggs performed the function of the best man and Mrs. J.J. Riggs the best lady. The ceremony was witnessed by a large number of relatives and friends of the contracting parties, at the conclusion of which congratulations were exchanged and the happy couple and guests then repaired to the dining room where lunch was served.
The young couple are well and favorably known throughout this valley. The groom is a young man of energy and ability and the bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brannick Riggs and is a bright and accomplished young woman. Both have hosts of friends in this section who join in wishing them a long, happy and prosperous matrimonial career.
The young couple started the same afternoon for their new home on a nearby ranch where they will reside in the future.
“31 Oct 1912
lucys little Elizabeth got burnt with halowin
Ranching”
Gus L. Moore came to Arizona in 1900 and became an employee of Mr. Riggs. He worked for us over a year. Gus married Lucy Elizabeth and started into the cattle business for himself. In August of 1903 Gus, Lucy and little son, William Riggs Moore, moved from the Prue Ranch in the Riggs settlement to a ranch six miles east of Willcox, at the foot of the Dos Cabezas mountains where they took up a homestead about a mile south of their present ranch. Gus and B.K. moved a small three room frame house from the 202 Ranch for them to live in. Two wells were already here as this was an established watering place. Mr. Moore built corrals, a barn, and sheds for which the material was hauled by wagon and team from Brannick B. Riggs’ sawmill in the Chiricahua Mountains. Later a porch, and a small lean-to room were added to the house, and a cellar dug just back of the kitchen door for storage of vegetables and meats. A few years later they located where they live now. The ranch is situated seven miles easterly from Willcox on the western slope of the Dos Cabezas Mountains and is one of the best grass ranches in this locality. During a severe rain storm on September 14th, 1907, lightning struck the barn, burning it to the ground. Total losses were all the new cut prairie hay, wagon, buggy, harness, saddles, including Mrs. Moore’s side-saddle.
September 1st, 1907
“gus More barn Struck by lightning
an burned down to the groung”
Arizona Range News
Friday, September 20th, 1907
On Saturday afternoon during an electrical storm lightning struck the large barn on the ranch of Gus Moore. Fire followed destroying the barn and contents.
From modest beginnings their ranch and their herd have increased. The whole ranch is fenced and cross fenced and divided into five pastures. Each pasture has one or more windmills and wells with storage water tanks and watering troughs. Near the ranch house over 50 acres are cleared and under cultivation. A well was drilled to a depth of over 200 feet providing water for irrigation. Yearly tons of hay is cut which is fed during the winter and dry season to the cattle. The cattle on this ranch are the usual white faced Herefords.
In 1907 the Riggs Cattle Company had purchased the Cross J Ranch and cattle, and the Moore Family moved back to the Prue Place in the Riggs Settlement so Mr. Moore could help gather the Cross J cattle out of the mountains. The family lived at the Prue Ranch until June of 1910, and moved back to a new house which had been built one-half mile north of the original ranch site. In 1909 Mr. Moore’s parents had moved from Sherwood, Texas, and were now living at the old ranch.
Arizona Range News
Friday, March 9th, 1917
010875
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
Department of the Interior, U.S. Land Office at Phoenix, Arizona, February 19th, 1917.
Notice is hereby given that Gus L. Moore, of Willcox, Arizona, who, on June 13th, 1910, made Homestead Entry, No. 010875, for the NE 1/4 of NW 1/4, of Section 7, Township 14 S., Range 26 East, G.&S.R. Meridian, has filed notice of intention to make Final Five Year Proof, to establish claim to the land above described, before L.V. McCourt, U.S. Commissioner, at Willcox, Arizona, on the 23rd day of April, 1917.
Claimant names as witnesses: Albert E. Keeth, Henry C. Martin, Stanley W. Craig, Ivey B. Gardner, all of Willcox, Arizona
J.L. Irvin, Register.
3-2--3-30
Gus and Lucy have six children, three boys, William Riggs Moore, Frank Roberts Moore and Gus Lee Moore, Jr. and three girls, Elizabeth Moore, Lila Belle Moore and Marjorie Caroline Moore who is not in this picture.
Lucy passed away March 5th, 1965. She is buried in the Riggs Family Cemetery.
(Riggs Family Cemetery location, row 1 headstone l)