Moore House
Ennis, Ellis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Moore House Built in 1905 for Malinda (Anderson) and Hardin T. Moore, this Neoclassical Revival house is a significant part of Ennis' architectural history. The Moores married in 1892, after both Malinda and Hardin had been widowed in previous marriages. They lived on a ranch east of Ennis before moving into town after the house was built. Malinda Anderson came to Texas with her family in the 1850s and first married James Robert Farrar in 1868. Farrar died a wealthy man in 1888, leaving Malinda substantial land and business holdings, which she managed with diligence. Hardin T. Moore had come to Texas with his family in the 1830s and settled in neighboring Kaufman County. A Civil War veteran, Moore also had property in the region left to him after his father died. Census records showed him as a stockman and cattle merchant, but he also appears to have had interest in a real estate and loan business. After his first wife died in 1872, he remarried, and his second wife died in 1888. The size and craftsmanship of the Moore House reflects the wealth and prominence of the family. Its Neoclassical elements are exhibited in the fluted ionic and Doric columns, the roofline balustrades with urns, the garland motif decorating the porch frieze, and the dominant central entry bay. By 1914, the Moores had separated, but Malinda continued living here until her death in 1930. She is buried at Myrtle Cemetery in Ennis between the graves of her two husbands. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1905 for Malinda and Hardin T. Moore, this Neoclassical Revival house — with fluted Ionic and Doric columns, balustrades, and urns — announced the wealth of a family formed by two remarriages. Malinda had inherited substantial land and businesses from a first husband and managed them herself with notable diligence, while Hardin, a Civil War veteran and cattle merchant, brought his own holdings. She lived here until her death in 1930.
Why it matters
Beyond its architecture, the house records a widowed woman's command of land and commerce in an era when such independent management was uncommon and rarely celebrated.
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Related people
- · Malinda Anderson Moore
- · Hardin T. Moore
Themes & tags
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