The Moore Family

The Moore Family. A Legacy of Literature and Faith. Stand today at Pleasant Square when the Trinity Episcopal Church bells mark the hour, and let the sound remind you of the Moore family that lived in Sing Sing (Ossining) for half a century. Benjamin Moore (1818-1886) was from an old New York family: the grandson of an Episcopal bishop and the son of Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), the author of the beloved Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” In 1842 Benjamin married Mary Elizabeth Sing (1820-1895), a descendant of village settlers. , In 1839, Clement C. Moore purchased Moorehaven, an estate just north of the village on the banks of the Hudson River that featured a house built by Dutch settlers as early as 1740 and was the site of a Revolutionary War skirmish. The home was known as The Christmas House and as Chelsea, the name of his home in New York City. While Clement C. Moore often visited Sing Sing, he never resided in the home. Benjamin and Mary (pictured left) set up housekeeping at Moorehaven and had four children. They also renovated the home twice, including an addition designed by Stanford White in the 1880s. , Benjamin Moore was a gentleman farmer known for his expertise in American flowers, and Moorehaven was abundant with a variety of trees, shrubs and roses. The Moores and the Sings were founding members of Trinity Episcopal Church. Many memorials can be found throughout the building, including two Tiffany stained glass windows donated by Mary, one in memory of her husband Benjamin and the other that honors her mother. In turn, the tower clock and bells were given in memory of Mary by her daughter Katharine in 1895.