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We are so happy you have come to visit our site. We are the descendents of John and Betty More who immigrated from Rothiemurchus, Scotland, in 1772 to Delaware County, New York. Their legacy includes the formation of this nation, the settling of new lands, innovation, faith, family and community.
John and Betty’s Story
John More and Betty Taylor More were Scottish Highlanders who came to the New World in 1772 and in 1786 settled near Roxbury, New York.
John More fought in the War of Independence and his descendants helped in the conquest of the interior of the new continent.
A book written by David Fellows More in 1890 contains a collection of historical stories and a genealogical record of the family up to that point in time. It is available online via the link below.
Are you a descendant?
If you think you might be a descendant, there are many resources available via our archives and digital collections.
Our Genealogist curates a treasure trove of digital artifacts that are available for descendents.
A large collection of physical documents is archived at the Fenimore Art Museum Research Library in Cooperstown NY.
We also have a virtual cemetery on Find A Grave.
Historic Sites
In 1890, fifty years after John More’s death, a group of descendants convened in Roxbury, New York, to form the John More Association (JMA) for the purpose of maintaining the genealogical record of the family, promoting communications between family members, to further the interest of members of the family, and to maintain the John More Monument and burial places of John and Betty. JMA maintains several historical family landmarks in the New York Catskill Mountains.
Rothiemurchus Estate is situated in County Inverness on more than 24,000 acres of land that lies at the heart of the Cairngorm mountains in the Highlands of Scotland. It is the place where John and Betty Taylor More lived for two years before departing for the New World in the Fall of 1772. Today, Rothiemurchus is a favorite vacation spot and natural preserve. It has a 50km footpath network, tours and amazing activities in heart-stoppingly beautiful surroundings. Within its boundaries Rothiemurchus has one of the largest remaining parts of the ancient Caledonian Forest, which is of exceptional national significance, as it is continuously managed for the natural regeneration of trees without interruption.
The Estate grounds, and especially the Rothiemurchus Churchyard and Boring Mill Cottage, have the most direct links to John and Betty in Scotland.
History of the Estate relates that, in the late 1500’s, John Grant of Freuchie acquired the lease for his second son, Patrick who became the first Grant laird of Rothiemurchus. Shortly after, a royal charter gave outright title and the Grant family has held the stewardship of the estate unbroken over 400 years to the present day. The current Owner Trustee of Rothiemurchus is John P Grant and the Rothiemurchus Estate Trust.
Sites specifically linked to John and Betty are the Rothiemurchus Churchyard ruins and the Boring Mill Cottage, both of which are located on the Estate.
The Gothic Revival Mansion on the Hudson River named ” Lyndhurst” is of historical interest to John and Betty Taylor More descendants. Cousin Jay Gould (Genealogical Number 326, Alexander Line) was the third owner of the property which he used as a summer retreat from New York “society.”
Jay Gould is America’s 9th wealthiest man of all time! He was born in Roxbury, New York, in 1836, and after early careers as a bookkeeper and a surveyor, a brief stint in the leather-tanning industry brought him to New York City. He married Helen Day Miller and they had six children. He purchased the estate in 1880 at the zenith of his power.
Gould was one of the railroad barons of the 19th century and owned the Union Pacific Railroad, the Western Union Telegraph Company, and Manhattan Elevated. He used Lyndhurst as an escape from the pressures of business life. When his health was impaired by tuberculosis, Lyndhurst served as a country retreat until his death in 1892, leaving a fortune of $70 million.
Jay Gould’s daughter, Helen, who later married Finley J. Shepard, was given charge of the property upon her father’s death. She was involved in numerous philanthropic works during her lifetime. After her death in 1938, her sister, Anna, Duchess of Talleyrand-Perigord, returned from France and maintained Lyndhurst until her death in 1961 when the 67-acre estate passed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Today, the mansion is open to the public and the National Trust offers self-guided tours for individuals and groups, as well as catered functions and internships. The estate also features a Carriage House Cafe and Lyndhurst Museum Shop.
For more information on Lyndhurst Mansion go to lyndhurst.org
In 1777, John and Betty Taylor More and their family were warned of an impending Indian attack by their friend, Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant. They fled from their cabin home near Hobart, New York, and settled for several years at another location in the Catskill area. In about 1786, the family settled on a claim near where Grand Gorge, New York, now stands.
This new home site was situated at the intersection of several trails, which became roads. By 1880, the settlement — known as Moresville — was thriving and much of the activity centered around John’s small home-tavern.
John and Betty ran what was known as John More’s Tavern until 1817 when Betty suffered a stroke and was unable to work in the tavern. Their son, John Taylor More (John T.) took over management of the tavern. Eventually the building was replaced by a larger structure known as the Moresville House. It was destroyed by fire in 1940.
During the 1990 John More Association family reunion, descendants unveiled an historical marker at the site of John More’s store and inn. Today, the location is the site of a gas sation and convenience store.
The historical marker is located on Route #23 in the center of Grand Gorge, New York, at its intersection with Route 30.
In 1865 Liberty Preston, whose first wife was Betsy More, built the frame house that is now known as Kirkside, and is located next door to the Jay Gould Memorial Church. Shortly after the church was built, in 1894, Miss Helen Gould bought the Preston home, which at that time belonged to Otis Monroe Preston.
Miss Gould bought the house for a summer home, and she gave it the name of Kirkside. At that time the house was a modest dwelling, but Helen Gould completely remodeled the house, enlarged it, improved the grounds, and eventually developed Kirkside Park. After her marriage to Finley J. Shepard in 1913, she spent more time at Kirkside and continued to improve the Kirkside estate.
Since the deaths of Helen Gould and her husband, Kirkside has been made a special memorial to her. The grounds have been the site of many JMA events over the years and most notably the 1915 “More Roxbury Pageant.” The pageant was given by the citizens of Roxbury and members of the More family in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the John More Assocaition and was held on September 3, 1915.
Read more at: https://househistree.com/houses/kirkside
John and Betty lived with Edward and his family on the farm during their last years. Betty passed away on October 13, 1823, and was buried in an orchard on the farm. Her remains were moved to Roxbury Cemetery upon John’s death.
John lived with Edward’s family for another 16 years, passing away on January 1, 1840, at the age of 94 years, 10 months and 7 days. The sandstone slab gravestones, which John carved for himself and Betty, were taken from a hillside quarry on the farm.
The ownership of the Edward L. More “Old Stone House” and its farm has changed numerous times over the years. In 1935, the John More Association bought, refurbished, and dedicated the House as a landmark of JMA history. During the ensuing years, however, the ownership and maintenance of running this operating farm became financially burdensome, and it was sold in the 1950’s. Profit from the sale was put in a trust fund to support operations of the Association.
Since then, discussion has been held whether the JMA should repurchase the farm, but at this time the property remains privately owned.
Location: The Old Stone House is located on Route #30, 2.3 miles north of Roxbury. It is on the right side of the road traveling north. The property has a small, tree-lined creek running in front and a flat, wooden bridge traversing the creek.
Photograph was taken in 1935 after the JMA remodeled the house. During the 1935 reunion, a tablet of bronze was placed on the house, with this inscription: “This house, erected by his son Edward in 1829, was the last residence of John More, who was born at Forres, Scotland, February 24, 1745. Died here January 1st, 1840. It was restored by his descendants, 1935.”
This early English Gothic style church built of St. Lawrence marble was constructed in 1893/94 in memory of Jay Gould (326) and his wife Helen Day Miller. Jay Gould was one of America’s wealthiest men of all time and was a railroad baron in the 19th century.
Planning for the church had begun following the destruction of Roxbury’s church by fire in 1891. Jay Gould had become interested in the project and promised “liberal aid” if the church were built of stone. Before planning of the project matured, Mr. Gould died. His children decided to honor the memories of their mother and father by building the church and paid the entire cost of the building, including the memorial windows and pipe organ.
Since that time, the Roxbury congregation has graciously extended use of the church and its grounds to the JMA during its quinquennial reunions. It serves as the starting point for the parade to the Roxbury Cemetery and hosts the closing activity of each five-year family reunion. The reunion ends with a church service for all Mores complete with bagpipes and banners for each line representing John and Betty’s eight children.
The church is located on the main street of Roxbury, New York, about two blocks in the opposite direction of the cemetery where John and Betty Taylor More are buried.
In 1889, the living children of Alexander More gathered for a visit in Margaretville, New York. At this gathering, they decided to hold a reunion of all the families of John More’s eight children. In organizing this first reunion, it was also proposed that a monument be erected at John and Betty’s gravesites as a memorial. An appeal for pledges to help pay for the monument was sent to known descendants and $2,868.50 was collected.
Erected in 1890 and unveiled at the first More reunion held that year, it was designed by cousin Charles H. More (4712) and is constructed from Scottish granite (except the lowest three bases which are Vermont granite.) It stands 28 1/2 feet tall, 8 feet square, and 1 1/2 feet thick. The total price of the Monument and the cemetery lot was $2,887.76.
JMA has been featured nationally on the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, PBS, and in The New York Times.
It was at the Alexandria, Virginia, Scottish Games in 1978 that the Right Honorable, the Lord Strathspey, Thirty Second Chief of Clan Grant, officially received the descendants of John and Betty Taylor More into the Clan Grant. The Mores claim the Grant Tartan and use it at JMA gatherings.
The mid-19th century house of Jonas More (fourth child of John and Betty) is restored and displayed on the grounds of the Cooperstown Farmer's Museum.
