On our latest American Nomad Historical Adventure, we’re traveling through time to a true North Carolina treasure: the 1785 Federal-style estate of Moorefields in Hillsborough.
Nestled on seventy-five acres, adjacent to the protected wilderness of Seven-Mile Creek, the story of Moorefields spans centuries. Before European settlement, Native American tribes like the Occaneechi lived in this area. The land’s recorded history begins with Colonel John Gray, who moved to the newly formed Orange County in 1752. Gray received a 500-acre land grant from Lord Granville and built an estate he called Grayfields, one of the earliest homes in what would become Hillsborough in 1754. While the exact location of the Grayfields home is now lost to time, its legacy is foundational to this historic property.
The story of the Moorefields house as we know it today starts in 1785, when Judge Alfred Moore, a native of the Cape Fear region near Wilmington, purchased the former Grayfields estate and built a summer home. Here, he could escape the oppressive coastal heat and diseases like malaria (carried by mosquitoes) which were common in the Cape Fear.
Moorefields location was a perfect refuge, situated in the heart of the “Occaneechi Mountains”—mini-foothills that provide refreshing breezes—and close to the important government center in Hillsborough. Moore strategically built the house on one of the highest points in Hillsborough to take full advantage of the southerly winds that softened the oppressive summer heat.
Beyond the climate, Moore also selected Hillsborough for its important role in early American government. As one of the largest towns in central North Carolina and a key seat for state government affairs in the piedmont, it was an ideal location. As North Carolina’s Attorney General during the 1780s, Moore’s proximity to Hillsborough and its growing legal scene made it easy to conduct business. Typically, Moore and his family resided at Moorefields from May to late October. We’ll delve deeper into Alfred Moore’s fascinating biography later.
After Justice Moore’s death in 1810, the Moorefields property was divided into five sections in accordance with his will in 1847. The segment containing the main house—bordered by Rocky Run, Seven Mile Creek, and Gray’s Creek—remained in the family the longest. This portion was eventually purchased by Thomas and Louise Webb in 1913 and then sold in 1919 to Ada and June Ray, who held the 157-acre property until May 14, 1948.
The new owner was Edward Thayer Draper-Savage, a noted artist and French professor at UNC. A veteran of two wars—as a World War I ambulance driver and later a translator for French pilots at Chapel Hill’s Horace Williams Airport during World War II—Draper-Savage initially sought a country retreat to build a cinderblock studio for his sculpture and painting. In a surprising intersection of the past and present, he discovered that his own Wilmington family connections meant he was related to the Moores by marriage, a discovery that proved deeply meaningful to him.
Today, the home is open for tours (Thursdays) under the guardianship of the Friends of Moorefields. Moorefields is one of the oldest early-Federal style houses in the North Carolina Piedmont. Though the interior does not contain any belongings of the original Moore family, visitors can travel through the stories of Draper-Savage’s life and his passion for preserving the home. They can learn about his fascinating journey from a World War I ambulance driver to an artist, educator, and preservationist.
In this edition of American Nomad, we’ll travel through time to tour the home, meet Judge Alfred Moore, and explore his legacy. We’ll then fast-forward to the 20th century to discover the fascinating life of artist, educator, preservationist, and cat lover Draper-Savage.
I had the privilege of enjoying a private tour with Moorefields’ Executive Director, Cecily Nisbet. Her passion for Moorefields—and for making it a destination for history buffs, art enthusiasts, and nature lovers—is contagious. While the house has been in a preservation trust since Mr. Savage-Draper died in 1978, it has not been widely open for tours. Recently, the Friends of Moorefields began hosting public tours on Thursdays and private tours on select days. They are also planning community events, such as their upcoming annual Bluegrass Festival on October 11th. What sets Moorefields apart is its setting on over seventy acres of protected land. The lush grounds and gardens are a perfect spot for a peaceful nature walk or for hosting an event on the front lawn.
Cecily began our tour on the front porch, explaining the history of the site and life during Alfred Moore’s lifetime. She mentioned that a centuries-old road bed, which once connected the property to downtown Hillsborough, can still be found. While on the porch, we discussed the lives of Moore and his extended family. I mentioned that Alfred Moore is my second cousin, as I’m a descendant of Roger Moore. For me, sitting where a family member would have had conversations with guests felt like coming home—a reminder that learning about the past helps us create a better future.
Cecily also mentioned that Alfred Moore originally planted fifty oak trees. Sadly, the last one fell during Hurricane Fran in 1996, a storm many North Carolinians will never forget. Since then, the Friends of Moorefields have begun replanting oaks and cultivating beautiful gardens filled with butterflies.
Cecily then gave me a tour of the home’s interior. The beautiful 1780s Federal staircase was stunning. Inside, the home immerses you in the life of Draper-Savage, a phenomenal artist and intellectual whose story reverberates in every room. The majority of the furniture was Draper-Savage’s—family heirlooms, personal documents, and photographs. I felt as though I was entering a friend’s house, where you can learn about their life by flipping through photo albums or gazing at their personal artwork.
As a prominent artist in the midst of the Parisian modern art movements of the 1920s and 30s, Draper-Savage had many artist and intellectual friends who would visit him at Moorefields, gifting him original works of art. The house is a mini-art gallery. One of his interesting quirks was his love for having his picture taken, and he placed a photograph or portrait of himself in every room. I personally found this to be more of a “Rembrandt” or “Cézanne”-like study of self-documentation for artistic means rather than an act of ego. I look forward to doing a more in-depth feature on Draper-Savage in the coming weeks for my Art Expeditions blog; he was a tremendous talent with a fascinating life story.
After the house tour, we explored the peaceful grounds. Draper-Savage instructed that his body never leave Moorefields, so he was embalmed in the home before being buried outside, alongside his cats. Hearing that his cats were buried in velvet-lined coffins touched my heart, as a fellow animal lover. Cecily also guided me through the Cedars of Lebanon forest, which felt like a mystical wonderland, and pointed out several potential walking paths they are looking to create for guests. A final tour highlight was exploring the Moore-Cameron family cemetery.
Get to Know Alfred Moore – Patriot, Founder of the University of North Carolina, Supreme Court Justice
Alfred Moore was born in 1755 in the Cape Fear region of southwestern North Carolina not far from Wilmington.
He descended from the prominent Moore Family of the Cape Fear area, nicknamed ‘The Family’ for their influence in the region. His great-grandfather, James Moore served as Governor of Carolina from 1700 to 1703 (when Carolina was one united Colony – it was divided in 1712). In 1726, his grandfather Colonel Maurice Moore and Grand-Uncle Roger Moore helped to found the colonial port city of Brunswick Town on the Cape Fear about thirteen miles from present day Wilmington.
From 1726 until its burning by the British during the Revolutionary War, Brunswick Town was one of the major port cities in North Carolina. It even served as a capital city for the colony, with Governor Dobbs and Governor Tryon living at the estate of Russellborough until Tryon relocated to New Bern with the building of Tryon Palace. As we learned in our deep dive into the War of Regulation, Tryon’s decision to build a palace in New Bern by taxing the people of North Carolina infuriated many citizens, especially the Regulators in the backcountry near Hillsborough (more on that in a moment)
- Virtual representation was the British theory that Parliament represented the interests of all the empire’s subjects, including the American colonists, even if they did not elect members of Parliament. However as British citizens you were supposed to have the right to a direct representative in parliament.
- Why a Stamp Act Tax: After the French and Indian War, Britain was essentially bankrupt. The victory had secured vast new lands in North America, but at a huge cost. British citizens were already among the most heavily taxed in Europe, and they already paid a form of stamp tax. Therefore, it seemed logical to them that the American colonies should bear some of the financial burden, especially since the war was fought on American soil. However, colonists felt they were being exploited. Their opposition was not just about the tax itself, but about the fact that their trading interests were being thwarted by British mercantilism, and they had no direct say in Parliament on matters of taxation.
1764 – A Turning Point for Alfred Moore:
In 1764, on the eve of The Stamp Act Crisis, young Alfred’s mother passed away and his father sent him to Boston to be educated. (Judge Maurice Moore had also attended school in New England). After several years of intense study, he returned to North Carolina to ‘read the law’ in his father’s law office. Alfred was admitted to the Bar in 1775, just as the American Revolution was taking hold.
Alfred Moore and the War of Regulation
As we learned in our “Reckoning with the Regulators” post, the Regulator War emerged in the Backcountry near Hillsborough during the 1760s. These Piedmont farmers protested corruption in local government, targeting officials like the much-hated Edmund Fanning. While Maurice Moore had protested Parliament’s actions, the Regulators were not opposed to the crown itself but to its corrupt appointees. Though not all officials were corrupt, men like Fanning charged excessive fees. This frustration culminated in the September 1770 Hillsborough Riot, where Regulators attacked Fanning, vandalized his house, and dragged future Declaration of Independence signer William Hooper through town.
Governor Tryon responded by mustering a paid volunteer militia to crush the movement. Alfred Moore joined the fight alongside his uncle, Captain James Moore, and his future brother-in-law, Revolutionary War hero General Francis Nash, who both commanded units under Tryon. This culminated in the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771, which saw Tryon’s forces quash the Regulator Rebellion. Following Tryon’s victory at the Battle of Alamance, prominent Regulator leaders like Benjamin Merrell and James Few were brought to trial.
The presiding judge for their June 16, 1771, case was none other than Maurice Moore. This is a fascinating historical detail, as Moore himself had been suspended from his judgeship by Tryon for protesting the Stamp Act just a few years earlier. While their grievances differed, it’s intriguing to consider whether Judge Moore could empathize with the men on trial, even while his duty required him to hand down a harsh sentence. Ultimately, many opponents of the Regulators may have been sympathetic to their complaints about flaws in the system; they could not condone the targeted violence against officials during the September 1770 riot.
Joining the Revolution: Alfred Moore
North Carolina’s Cape Fear region was a hotbed for patriotic zeal in the years leading up to the first shots of the Revolution at Lexington and Concord. Alfred’s uncle, Captain James Moore, was heavily involved in the Wilmington-New Hanover County Sons of Liberty.
In the summer of 1775, the region was in turmoil. Though a recently admitted attorney, Alfred was on the edge of his seat as his family became embroiled in the growing conflict. In May, Royal Governor Josiah Martin fled the capital in New Bern for the safety of Fort Johnston. The fort was in disrepair, and within weeks Martin was forced to flee again, this time to his ship, HMS Cruizer. On July 19, 1775, Patriots Cornelius Harnett and John Ashe, friends of the Moores, burned down Fort Johnston. Learn more about The Burning of Ft. Johnston here
Alfred’s work as an attorney would have to take a backseat to his role as a patriot. His uncle, James, helped organize and served as a delegate to the Third Provincial Congress in August and September 1775. One of the tasks of this session was to form a North Carolina militia. Alfred joined the militia on September 1, 1775, as part of the First North Carolina Continental Regulars, serving under his uncle.
Alfred would soon realize the high cost of war when a Loyalist attack on Brunswick Town in January 1776 left his brother, Ensign Maurice Moore, dead. This fight was a preview of the much larger and more important Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge in February 1776, which would essentially drive the British out of North Carolina until the Southern Campaign of 1780-81 with Lord Cornwallis. The loss of his brother only ignited a deeper fire for patriotism and liberty that Alfred would carry with him through the war and into his later years as a judge.
The Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge:
After the fall of Fort Johnston, Royal Governor Josiah Martin, determined to retake control of North Carolina, remained off shore in his boat, the HMS Cruizer. From there, he petitioned Parliament for troops to help restore order. Martin recognized that while men like James and Alfred Moore were not easily defeated, he could rally loyalist support from former Regulators who had sworn oaths to the crown, as well as Scottish Highlanders who had a strong loyalty to the British Crown—partially based on the oaths they had taken after losing the fight at Culloden in their native Scotland.
On February 27, 1776, the Scottish Highlander forces under Donald MacDonald and loyalist militia fought against Captain James Moore and the patriots of Cape Fear. Alfred Moore also fought in this key early battle. According to a historian from King’s Mountain, this major patriot victory in the South helped convince the Fourth Provincial Congress in Halifax in April 1776 to be the first colony to formally authorize a vote for independence (Halifax Resolves). This victory was also a factor in the Continental Congress’s decision to move forward with the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. At this point, both North Carolina and South Carolina were free from major British military presence, becoming effective supply centers for the patriots in the North.
*We’ll be visiting Moore’s Creek Bridge in late October – don’t forget to subscribe for more Liberty Trail Adventures*
Alfred continued to serve the Patriot cause, fighting in the defense of Charleston at Sullivan’s Island in June 1776. This pivotal battle, fought under Patriot leaders William Moultrie and General Charles Lee, repelled Commodore Peter Parker, General Clinton, and Cornwallis, preventing the capture of Charleston. The Carolinas were largely left alone by the British until May 1780, when Clinton and Cornwallis finally captured Charleston in the Siege of Charleston.
Alfred’s service in the militia continued until personal tragedy struck. On January 15, 1777, both his father, Judge Maurice Moore, and his beloved uncle, Captain James Moore, died on the same day in Wilmington. Shortly after, on March 8, 1777, Alfred stepped down from the regular militia to assist with family affairs.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Moore found happiness by marrying Susanna Eagles. Several of their children are buried at Moorefields. For the next several years, he resumed his law practice and worked as a rice planter at his plantation, Buchoi. Moore continued to serve in the regional militia. When Captain James Craig captured Wilmington for Lord Cornwallis to use as a supply base, Moore was highly effective at harassing Tories in the Cape Fear region.
Craig retaliated against Alfred Moore by sending a detachment to his home at Buchoi, burning an outbuilding, plundering supplies, and taking all enslaved persons. This was a common British tactic, as they promised freedom to enslaved people who joined their army. However, these promises were often broken, and the treatment of Black Loyalists could be harsh, highlighting the unfortunate reality that liberty was not available to all in the midst of the fight for it.
Craig ordered Moore to be captured and killed. When Craig failed to capture Moore, he tried to convince Moore to lay down his arms and sign an oath of loyalty in exchange for amnesty and the restoration of his plantation. Moore was undeterred; he rebuffed the British and continued to fight.
His hometown of Brunswick Town was heavily damaged by the British in 1776 and was burned to the ground in 1781. Now a ghost town with only the foundations of homes remaining, it stands as a testament to the fact that men like Alfred Moore risked everything in the fight for liberty. With Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, the path to building a new nation had begun.
Like his father, Alfred felt called to public service. In 1782, he was elected as a state senator for Brunswick County, and later that year, he was appointed Attorney General of North Carolina. He served for eight years, stepping down in 1790 after the General Assembly created the office of Solicitor General. Moore felt this new office, which provided equal power and pay, would prevent him from doing his job fairly.
He continued his public service by helping to found the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the oldest public university in the United States (founded in 1789). In 1793, Moore, gifted $200 and a pair of globes, which were the first apparatus for instruction presented to aid higher learning. The Moore family, including Alfred’s cousin, later-Governor Benjamin Smith (who gave a first gift to UNC as well) were strong advocates for public education, and their support for UNC lives on in its excellent academic legacy.
Fun fact: Father of the University of North Carolina, William R. Davie was a legal associate of Alfred Moore. Davie also mentored Andrew Jackson (they both had ties to the Waxhaw region near Charlotte). Davie was a Revolutionary War leader, fighting at Battle of Charlotte (read more here)
Moore’s keen intellect and deep understanding of the law, as well as his esteemed career as Attorney General, made an impression on President John Adams. When fellow North Carolinian James Iredell stepped down as a Supreme Court Justice, Adams appointed Moore to the bench in 1799.
A strong Federalist, Moore served for four years as an Associate Justice under Chief Justice John Marshall. His portrait hangs in the Supreme Court to honor his contributions as a founding father of the early Supreme Court. Unfortunately, poor health forced him to step down in 1804.
Moore passed away in Bladen County in 1810 at the home of his daughter. He is buried at St. Philip’s Church in Brunswick Town with his Moore ancestors.
Moorefields continued to be in the family until 1913. The family cemetery includes a number of Moore descendants including the extended Cameron and Waddell families.
Moorefields: A Fresh Canvas in the 20th Century
We’ve spent a great deal of time diving into Alfred Moore’s important legacy as a patriot and founder of the United States. What is remarkable about Moorefields is its revitalization in the 20th century by artist, UNC French Professor, cat lover and amateur historian Edward Thayer Draper-Savage.
Mr. Draper-Savage is a real life character that could fill a book with his stories from his time serving as an ambulance driver, to living as an expatriate in the 1920s and 30s in France immersing himself in the arts and culture scene, to his arts education in New York before returning to his home state of North Carolina and finding his forever home at The Moorefields. Alfred Moore built Moorefields, and yet the fabric of Edward Thayer Draper-Savage’s love of the land and the historic home fills every room. I left wanting to learn more about his legacy.
Born into a well-connected family in the Wilmington area on January 6, 1894, Edward Thayer Draper-Savage showed a natural proclivity for the arts from an early age. With the onset of World War I, he, along with hundreds of thousands of young men, was thrust into a war overseas. Wilmington donated an ambulance to the war effort, and Draper-Savage was selected to serve as an ambulance driver.
Following the tragedy of World War I, Draper-Savage felt drawn to stay in Paris, a city and culture he fell in love with. While his time there is still being researched, he most certainly would have crossed paths with prominent artists like Pablo Picasso. He returned to the States in the mid-1930s to study art in New York before returning to North Carolina.
After serving for years as a French professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, he began looking for a space to accommodate an art studio. When he toured Moorefields, with its outbuildings and a barn that could be used for studio space, he instantly fell in love with the grand old house. Draper-Savage poured a lot of work into its preservation and into raising awareness about its history, often giving talks to local groups like the NSCDA.
For me, highlights of the tour were seeing his personal papers, photographs, and even a passport from his time in France after World War I. Draper-Savage loved French and would often write his notes in French. He was a meticulous note-taker, providing a wealth of knowledge about his life and personal collection at Moorefields. As an artist myself (I love to paint landscapes), it was a joy to see sketches and paintings done by Draper-Savage, including a sketch from his time in World War I. I can only imagine how art could be a therapy during the horrors of war.
Draper-Savage was equally talented as a sculptor. You can see several of his busts throughout the house, including ones of his beloved Aunt Nellie and his mother, Effie. There is also a bust near his grave that was given to him by his friend and fellow artist John Eddy Hutchins in 1960 in memory of Mr. Hutchins’ deceased wife and the fun times they had shared at Moorefields.
It’s these personal touches and “sketch marks” of a life lived that make Moorefields such a treasure. Whether imagining yourself listening to Judge Moore talk about the last Federalist issues of the day or hearing about his service in the Revolutionary War, or picturing the hospitality of a Draper-Savage dinner with a delicious meal and lively conversations about French culture, art, and history—if these walls could talk, what stories they would tell.
Draper-Savage displayed many family portraits dating back to the early 1800s from his family in Connecticut and North Carolina. Each of these portraits has a fascinating story to tell. Clearly his New England ancestors were abolitionists as referenced in the ‘Emancipator Newspaper’ in the painting. While Alfred Moore was sadly a slave holder, it is interesting to note that his cousins (3rd/4th cousins) were The Grimke Sisters (Sarah Moore Grimke’s bio) abolitionists from Charleston who later moved to Pennsylvania.
Among the treasures you’ll discover at Moorefields is a collect of artwork from Etienne Ret, John Hutchins and John Sloan
As a ‘pawrent’ to a cat (Cezanne) seeing the tribute to Draper-Savage’s cats touched my heart. It also reminded me of my sweet cat Tiger who is in heaven hopefully playing with Pompon and getting the best treats.
Moorefields is calling out to you, inviting you to travel through time while embracing the present serenity of this historic retreat in the heart of Hillsborough.
To plan your Moorefields time-traveling adventure check out their website for tour information.
Hi, I’m Adele Lassiter, the travel enthusiast behind American Nomad Traveler. This is where I share my love for history, cool museums, art, and travel tips. When I’m not writing, I’m a singer-songwriter with a passion for Americana music. You can find my new album here: adelelassiter.bandcamp.com
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