Our Unique Stories

tennie currie moore

1896-1970

Life Story

Tennie Currie Moore lived a life deeply rooted in the family, faith, and farming traditions of Newton County, Mississippi. Born on September 2, 1896, in the Lawrence community, she witnessed tremendous change during her seventy-three years while remaining firmly connected to the community she called home.

Early Life in Newton County

Tennie was born to Maggie Windham Currie and her husband, identified in family records as Arthur Currie. In her earliest census records, her name appeared as “Hennie” and “Ginie,” but throughout most of her life she was known simply as Tennie.

She grew up in the rural Beat 4 community of Newton County, where farming shaped everyday life. Like many young people in the area, Tennie learned the value of hard work at an early age, helping on the family farm while attending school when opportunities allowed.

Marriage to Charley Collier

Around 1912, Tennie married Charley Collier. Together they established a farming household and began raising a family in Newton County.

Four children were born to this union:

  • J. T. Collier (1912-1985)
  • Judie May Collier (1914–1916)
  • Annie M. Collier (born about 1917; later Annie M. Thompson)
  • Edna Collier (born about 1919; later Edna McGee)

The family worked the land during a period when agriculture remained the primary source of income for many African American families in rural Mississippi. Their lives reflected the perseverance and determination required to build a home and raise children in the Jim Crow South.

The family also experienced heartbreaking loss when their daughter, Judie May Collier, died in 1916 at only two years of age. Her death certificate recorded the cause of death as colitis, a disease that claimed the lives of many young children before modern medical treatments became widely available. Though her life was brief, Judie May remained part of the family’s story and legacy.

Charley Collier’s life was also cut short. He died during the influenza pandemic era, leaving Tennie a young widow with children to raise. Faced with tremendous responsibility, Tennie continued forward with resilience and determination.

A New Chapter with Gilbert Moore

Following the death of Charley Collier, Tennie began a new chapter in her life when she married Gilbert Moore, who was sometimes recorded in official documents as “Filbert” Moore.

Together, Tennie and Gilbert built a blended family that included Tennie’s children from her first marriage and the children born to their union:

Throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, Tennie and Gilbert worked to provide for their growing family. Census records show the family living and farming in the Lawrence area, where they remained closely connected to relatives, neighbors, and church members.

As the family expanded, Tennie became the center of a household that eventually included numerous grandchildren and extended family members. Her home served as a place of support, guidance, and stability for multiple generations.

Faith and Community

Faith played a central role in Tennie’s life. At an early age, she joined Jerusalem Baptist Church, where she remained a devoted member for many years. Later in life, she also became affiliated with Union Chapel United Methodist Church.

Her commitment to her church communities reflected the important role that faith institutions played in the lives of African American families in rural Mississippi. Churches served not only as places of worship but also as centers of fellowship, support, and community leadership.

Final Years and Legacy

Tennie spent her entire life in the Lawrence community, surrounded by family and lifelong friends. By the time of her passing, she had witnessed the growth of several generations of descendants and had become a respected matriarch within her family.

On February 1, 1970, Tennie Currie Moore passed away at a hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, at the age of seventy-three.

According to her obituary, she was survived by her mother, Maggie Currie; five daughters; two sons; thirty-four grandchildren; three sisters; and one brother. Her large family stood as a testament to the enduring legacy she helped build throughout her lifetime.

Funeral services were held at Jerusalem Baptist Church and were officiated by Rev. Rudolph Whitehead. Following the service, Tennie was laid to rest at Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Lawrence, Mississippi.

From her beginnings as a farm girl in rural Newton County to her role as a beloved mother, grandmother, church member, and community matriarch, Tennie Currie Moore’s life reflected the strength, faith, and perseverance that characterized so many families of her generation.

Resting Place

Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery

Photos/Albums

Sources

  • 1900 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Maggie Currie; documenting Tennie Currie (recorded as “Hennie” or a similar variation) as a young child living in the Currie household.
  • 1910 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Maggie Currie; documenting Tennie Currie as a teenager living on and working the family farm while attending school.
  • Mississippi marriage records and census evidence indicate that Tennie Currie married Charley Collier around 1912 in Newton County, Mississippi.
  • 1920 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Charley and Tennie Collier; documenting the family and their agricultural livelihood.
  • Mississippi birth and census records identify the children of Charley Collier and Tennie Currie as J. T. Collier, Judie May Collier, Annie M. Collier, and Edna Collier.
  • Mississippi Death Certificate, Judie May Collier (1916); recording her death at approximately two years of age from colitis.
  • Mississippi death records and family documentation identify Charley Collier as having died during the influenza pandemic era, leaving Tennie a widow with young children.
  • 1930 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Gilbert and Tennie Moore; documenting Tennie’s remarriage to Gilbert Moore and the formation of their blended family.
  • Mississippi marriage records and census records indicate that Gilbert Moore was sometimes recorded as “Filbert Moore” in official documents.
  • 1930 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, household of Gilbert and Tennie Moore; identifying children residing within the household and documenting the family’s farming activities.
  • 1940 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, household of Gilbert and Tennie Moore; documenting the family’s continued residence in the Lawrence community and agricultural occupation.
  • 1950 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Conhatta–Lawrence Road area, household of Gilbert and Tennie Moore; documenting Tennie’s role as homemaker and member of an extended family household.
  • Jerusalem Baptist Church records and Tennie Moore obituary; documenting her long-standing membership and service within the church.
  • Union Chapel United Methodist Church records and Tennie Moore obituary; documenting her later church affiliation and burial at Union Chapel Cemetery.
  • Tennie Moore Obituary (1970); documenting her death on February 1, 1970, at a Jackson, Mississippi hospital, her surviving family members, and funeral arrangements officiated by Rev. Rudolph Whitehead.
  • Tennie Moore Obituary (1970); listing survivors including five daughters, two sons, thirty-four grandchildren, her mother Maggie Currie, three sisters, and one brother.
  • Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi; burial place of Tennie Currie Moore following funeral services held at Jerusalem Baptist Church.
  • Census records, vital records, and obituary evidence collectively document Tennie Currie Moore’s role as matriarch of both the Collier and Moore family lines in Newton County, Mississippi.

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