Our Unique Stories

ANNIE MAE collier MOORE

1900-1965

Life Story

Early Life in Lawrence

Annie Mae Collier Moore was born on February 22, 1900, in the Lawrence community of Newton County, Mississippi. She was the youngest daughter of Patrick “Pat” Collier and Laura Black Collier and grew up in one of the area’s large and well-established African American farming families.

The 1900 federal census records Annie as a three-month-old infant living with her parents and numerous siblings, including Lida, David, Will, Mary Bell, Edd, Jessie, Everliner, Mary Ella, and Patrick, Jr. Also residing in the household was her grandmother, Mary Black, linking Annie to an earlier generation whose life experiences stretched back into the era of slavery.

Raised in Beat 4 of Newton County, Annie spent her childhood surrounded by family, faith, and the agricultural traditions that defined life in rural Mississippi. Like many children in the community, she attended the local school and learned to read and write despite the limited educational opportunities available to African Americans during the Jim Crow era.

Education and Farm Life

By 1910, Annie was attending school while also contributing to the family’s livelihood as a farm laborer on the home farm. Census records show that she was literate and able to read and write, achievements that reflected both her determination and her family’s commitment to education.

The death of her father in 1913 brought significant changes to the family. Under the leadership of her mother, Laura, the Collier household continued farming and maintaining its close family bonds. By 1920, nineteen-year-old Annie remained at home, helping support the family farm while preparing for the next chapter of her life.

Migration to St. Louis

In 1921, Annie left Mississippi and moved to St. Louis, Missouri, becoming part of the broader movement of African Americans leaving the rural South in search of greater opportunities.

According to her obituary, shortly after arriving in St. Louis she united with the Galilee Baptist Church, where she became an active and devoted Christian worker. Her faith would remain one of the defining characteristics of her life.

While living in St. Louis, Annie married Phillip Moore. Together they established a home and built a life rooted in faith, hard work, and family.

Life in St. Louis

The 1940 census records Annie and Phillip living on Spruce Street in St. Louis. Annie worked as a hand ironer, a physically demanding occupation common among African American women during that era.

Also living in the household was her widowed mother, Laura Collier, who had left Mississippi in her later years to live with Annie and Phillip. The arrangement reflected the strong family values that had long characterized the Collier family.

Despite the economic challenges of the Depression era, Annie remained committed to both her family and church work.

Move to Chicago

In 1945, Annie and Phillip relocated to Chicago, Illinois, joining thousands of Southern migrants who were reshaping the city’s South Side.

Upon arriving in Chicago, Annie united with Antioch Baptist Church, where she became an active member and remained faithful to the congregation for the remainder of her life.

The 1950 census records Annie and Phillip living on South Wells Street in Chicago. Also residing in the household was fifteen-year-old Perky Lee Evans, demonstrating the couple’s continued involvement in supporting extended family members.

While Phillip worked outside the home, Annie devoted herself to maintaining the household and continuing her church activities.

A Life of Faith

Faith remained at the center of Annie’s life.

Her obituary described her as a devoted Christian worker who faithfully served in numerous departments of her churches throughout her adult life. From Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Lawrence to Galilee Baptist Church in St. Louis and Antioch Baptist Church in Chicago, Annie’s commitment to her faith never wavered.

Friends and family remembered her as a woman whose Christian devotion guided her actions and relationships throughout her life.

Final Years

During the final years of her life, Annie experienced declining health. According to her obituary, she suffered through several years of failing health but remained steadfast in her faith.

Her husband, Phillip Moore, preceded her in death, leaving Annie to continue forward with the same strength and devotion that had characterized her life.

On December 5, 1965, Annie Mae Collier Moore passed away at 2:00 a.m. following several months of illness. She was sixty-five years old.

Death and Burial

Funeral services were held at Union Chapel Methodist Church in Lawrence, Mississippi. The service was officiated by Reverend M. H. Calhoun and assisted by Reverend C. T. Townsend.

A tribute to Annie’s Christian life was presented by M. E. Whitehead, and Virginia Evans performed a solo during the service.

The church was filled with relatives and friends who gathered to honor her life and legacy.

Annie was laid to rest in Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi, returning to the community where her journey had begun sixty-five years earlier.

Legacy

At the time of her death, Annie was survived by three sisters:

and three brothers:

She also left behind a niece, two nephews, and numerous other relatives and friends.

Annie Mae Collier Moore’s life reflects the experiences of many African Americans who participated in the Great Migration while maintaining deep ties to their Southern roots. From the farms of Newton County to the churches of St. Louis and Chicago, she remained a woman of faith, family devotion, and quiet service.

Her story stands as a testament to the enduring strength of the Collier family and the important role that church, community, and family played in sustaining African American life throughout the twentieth century.

Resting Place

Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery

Photos/Albums

Annie Mae Collier Moore
Annie Mae Collier Moore, 1900-1965

Sources

  • 1900 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Patrick Collier.
  • 1910 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Patrick Collier.
  • 1920 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Laura Collier.
  • 1940 U.S. Census, St. Louis, Missouri, household of Phillip and Annie Moore.
  • 1950 U.S. Census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, household of Phillip and Annie Moore.
  • Obituary of Annie M. Moore, The Newton Record (Newton, Mississippi), December 15, 1965.
  • Find A Grave memorial and cemetery records for Annie Mae Collier Moore, Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi.
  • Family records identifying Annie Mae Collier Moore as the daughter of Patrick Collier and Laura Black Collier and wife of Phillip Moore.

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