Jonathon Moar

 

Jonathan Moar was a blacksmith and an employee of the Hudson Bay Company when he came to Oregon. He heard of the gold in California and decided he would rather look for gold instead of blacksmithing. He left Hudson Bay Company and headed south to make his fortune. He didn’t strike it rich in the gold fields but did make a lot of money outfitting others to go mining

 

. During this time the Indians and whites were fighting. Jonathan joined a group of volunteers and fought in the Rogue River war of 1853

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He returned to the island and his friends the Logies.

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1854 Marriage of widow

Sometime during this year Isabella Miller Logie (widow of James) married Jonathan Moar. He was from Scotland and had been a boarder at the Logie home.

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1855 Birth of son

Jonathan and Isabella had their first child during 1855. He was named James after her first husband (James Logie)

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1857 Second Son!

.Another son was born to Jonathan and Isabella. He was named Thomas T. W. Moar. According to a bio of Jonathan Moar, Thomas remained on the island (Portrait and Biographical Record, page 398).

 

1858 Birth of first daughter

Margaret Ann Moar was born during this year. (census). She married Charles R. Wilson in 1878

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1860 Birth of son

Jonathan Moar is born during 1860 (census)

 

1860 Census, Sauvie Island, OT, #698

Moar, Jonathan 31

Isabella 36

James W. 5

Thomas 2

Jonathan 5/12

 

1861 Birth of daughter

Isabella Moar was born during 1861 (census). She married Norman McKay, son of Malcom McKay and Lucinda Lamberson. Malcom and Lucinda were early settlers in the St. Helens area.

 

1870 Census, Sauvie Island, # 505

Moar, Jonathan 40I

Isabella 45

James W 14

Thomas 12

Margaret 11

Jonathan 10

Isabella 9

Enyart, James` 35

Lizzie 10

David 6

Rebecca 5

 

1871 Death of Isabella

Isabella died at the age of 48. She had a short but full life. Both the settlers and the Indians called on her for her skills in healing. Dr. Bartley of Hudson Bay respected her skills and used her as his assistant

 

Education was very important to Isabella. She had a school in her home for the children of the early settlers. Some of the Bonser and Thomas families from the other side of the island sent their children to her. This would have been quite a trip. They would have had to cross some lakes and several fields. One of the Old-timers said his mother told him they had to open and close 18 gates to get across the island.

 

1878 Marriage of daughter

Mary Ann Moar married Charles R. Wilson on November 21. (Mult. Co. Mrg. Records, 1873-1883, pg 68)

 

1880 Second marriage

Sometime during this period, Jonathan Moar married Mary Ann (Nannie) Fox. They were married in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington.

 

A daughter was born to them during this year. Her name was Tomina (?).

 

1882 Birth of daughter

Ida May was born to Jonathan and Nannie in 1882.

 

1882 Marriage

Isabella Moar (daughter of Isabella and Jonathan) +married Norman McKay on January 11. The witnesses were Charles R. Wilson and Jonathan Moar. (Mult. Co. Mrgs. 1873-1883,pg 125)

 

1890 Guardianship filed

On May 17,1890 Jonathan was named guardian for the two surviving children of his marriage to Mary Ann Fox (Nannie). The date of her death is illegible. Listed as her half-brothers and sisters were, Jonathan Moar, Jr., Thomas T. W. Moar, James Moar, Mrs, Belle Clemens of Arthur, Oregon and Mrs. Ann Wilson of Aberdeen Washington.

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At the time of the guardianship the family was living in Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon.

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His biography in Portrait and Biographical Records, page 328 , says Jonathan worked as a blacksmith, helped his son on the ranch and was director and clerk for the local school.

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Another story says Jonathan Moar from the Orkneys was a blacksmith for Hudson Bay Company at Vancouver where he worked with his friend Jackson Abel, Catherine Reeders brother.