Benjamin Franklin Moore (Nashville, TN)

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Photo of B. F. Moore (date unknown)

Benjamin Franklin Moore (November 2, 1848 – November 4, 1925)

Biography

  • Name: Benjamin Franklin Moore
  • Birth: November 2, 1848 Nashville, TN
  • Death: November 4, 1925 Nashville, TN
  • Spouse: Mary Frances (Wilson) Moore (1872-1957)

Benjamin Franklin Moore was born November 2, 1848, in Nashville, Tennessee, to William Harvey Moore (1801-1887) and Tabitha Turner (Saunders) Moore (1812-1895). There are no historical mentions as to his education, but a contemporary newspaper article states he was educated at home.

The first mention of employment is in one of his obituaries, where it is mentioned that he started his career as a nightwatchman in a bank. The 1872 Nashville City Directory lists him as a clerk in a tobacco store. This early employment would influence his life, as the 1873 City Directory lists Benjamin as being employed in "cigars and tobacco". By 1878, he was a partner in a tobacco firm named Whitworth & Moore, and in 1880 he had his own tobacco firm named B. F. Moore & Company. There are many newspaper advertisements for this firm in the Nashville papers at that time.

On March 8, 1898, the 49-year-old Benjamin married the 25-year-old Mary Frances Wilson, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. By this time, Benjamin was a wealthy man and had been elected to the Nashville City Council in 1896. There are accounts of Mary's beauty and charm in the contemporary press, so no doubt this was a good match. Together they had one daughter, Mary Wilson Moore (1901-1997). After their marriage, there are many newspaper accounts of the various parties and social events that Mary both attended and planned. She was a Nashville socialite.

Benjamin's health had begun to suffer, and he decided in early 1900 to sell out of the tobacco business, resign from the City Council, and move to a farm he owned in Murfreesboro. He still had business interests in Nashville and maintained a home there. On September 4, 1905, the Murfreesboro Bank and Trust Company opened in Murfreesboro, TN, with Benjamin being elected President. The Murfreesboro Bank & Trust Company survived until 1991, when it was purchased by the Third National Bank in Nashville, charter 13103. About this same time, in 1905, he sold his home in Murfreesboro and moved back to Nashville. There is an account of him buying a large commercial building in Nashville, in 1909, for $91,000.

By this time, banking was an interest of Benjamin. He had begun to accumulate capital stock of The Hermitage National Bank of Nashville, charter 9532, and in late 1910, he was able to purchase the entire stock holdings of the banks' Vice-President, W. J. Cude. This gave him a controlling interest in Hermitage National and at the next scheduled meeting of the shareholders on January 10, 1911, he used his controlling interest to elect himself President of the bank. Benjamin remained President until, once again, his declining health forced him to resign in May, 1915 and merge Hermitage National with The Tennessee National Bank of Nashville, charter 10622. The new bank was named The Tennessee-Hermitage National Bank of Nashville and operated under charter 9532. Benjamin retired from day-to-day business activities at this time, at the age of 66. Benjamin was a Mason and was also very involved in his local Presbyterian church. He continued to dabble in real estate after his retirement.

Benjamin Franklin Moore died at home of kidney and prostate disease on November 4, 1925, two days after his 77th birthday. He was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, in Nashville.

Bank Officer Summary

During his banking career, B. F. Moore was involved with the following bank(s):

(Bank Note image needed)


Sources

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