NOTE: Philip Goodbread MOORE, 18 MAY 1824 - 07 SEP 1880
Philip was born May 18, 1825 at Floyds Neck in Camden County,
Georiga on the south side of the Satilla River near what is
today known as Woodbine. They lived in a large house build by
his father, James, some years before on two hundred acres of
land he had been granted by the state in 1787. €19
Jeffersonton was the county seat for Camden County because it
was near the center of the county, on the south side of the
Satilla River and about 20 miles from St. Marys. The
population was slightly over 100 people in the town, but within
a ten mile radius several thousand persons, black and white,
lived on the small farms and large rice plantations. About
fifteen miles to the south was the St. Marys River and Florida
Territory. Florida's population had already grown to the point
to cause six counties to be created. €19
Philip was sworn into Capt. T. D. Tracy's company of Charles
Floyd's Battalion of the Georgia Mounted Militia on Sept 23,
1840 at Traders Hill, Georgia (near the Okefenokee Swamp) about
20 miles from home. His service of six weeks was for purposes
of searching out any Seminoles taking refuge in the Okefenokee
during the Seminole war going on in Florida. During this time
of service it is likely that Philip toured the area of north
Florida along the Suwannee River down to the area of present
day Branford and then back through the village of Alligator
(Lake City) and into Georgia. The appearance of the land
evidently was appealing to settlers in southern Georgia and
resulted in the migration from Camden County Georgia to
Columbia County Florida Territory about 1841 €6 or 1843-44 €19
The decision was made that about half of the extended family
would move to Florida territory. James, Philip's eldest
brother, was to remain in Georgia to do what he could with the
old place. Remaining with him was his sister Sarah Ann, 25,
and her husband Major John W. Jones - recently appointed
administrator grandpa James' estate. Jackson, 21, also chose
to remain. €19
To make the move with Philip, 17, would be his mother
Priscilla, 52, his sister Pamella (Parmelia), 32, and her
husband, Harry Pratt, brother Arthur, 24, John, 17, and Jacob,
15. Priscilla's brothers, John S. and Jacob, as well as a
nephew, John M. B. Goodbread, had decided to move as well. €19
For the new migrants there were two routes they could choose to
make the journey. One was down the well travelled Kings road
(built 1765) towards Jacksonville and St. Augustine. There was
a ferry to cross the St. Marys river at Kings Ferry near the
old town of Coleraine. Then a woods trail turned west around
the St. Marys river and joined the new road between
Jacksonville and Alligator, which was also just a woods trail
itself. They could leave the road near Ocean Pond and follow a
trail toward the Suwannee River. €19
The other choice was the route taken by the militia Seminole
expedition down the eastern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp to the
Suwannee River and then downriver. This route did not have as
good roads as the Kings Road, but there would be less ferry
expense at the St. Marys river. The river could be fordable at
its upper end. It was decided that this was the way to go. It
would take as much as ten days to travel the distance of about
75 miles, then a few days to scout for the best place to
settle, provided the weather remained good. €19
It was quite a wagon train. At least twenty wagons, with
cattle, horses, and hogs. There were at least thirty persons
in at least four families and at least thirty slaves. It was
no small undertaking and lots of planning had to be done. They
probably all settled within a few miles of each other near what
is called the Suwannee Shoals. They probably all started with
a small area and increased it as the need arose. In the next
few years they expanded their holdings and the original
settlers were joined by many more from back in Georgia. €19
Sometime between 1845 and 1850 Philip decided he wanted a place
of his own, away from the rest of the family. He chose about
80 acres south of Falling Creek and about four miles north of
Alligator. Just why he chose this particular location is not
known. It was about average land for this area. Perhaps he
like being near the town where he had a better chance to hire
out as a carpenter and at the same time to do a little farming.
The family of Abraham Isaac Jacob Rivers was his closest
neighbor. €19 About 1853 the Moles moved lived nearby. €56
Phillip Goodbread Moore built a new home for his family in
1870, which still stands today, honored as one of the oldest in
the county, as the date of construction was authenticated by a
diary Phillip kept, in which the purchase of the lumber from C.
H. Ross was entered. Mr. Ross and Lewis Rivers operated a saw
mill at Falling Creek, powered by the waterfall. Phillip,
being a carpenter, must have taken great pride in this new home
for his family. The Moore home is located on what was
Phillip's farm, located south of Falling Creek and about four
miles north of Alligator. His son Marion lived out his live of
89 years in this Moore home, having married Sadie Rivers in
1902. €19
P. G. Moore was an enlisted man in the Columbia Trappers
serving under Capt. J. R. Francis during the Civil War. €2