In 1786, John More and his family became the first settlers in Grand Gorge, but their journey to the area had begun 13 years earlier. In the spring of 1773, John, his wife Betty, and their two sons, John T. and Robert, traveled from New York City to Harpersfield after waiting out the winter there. Having recently arrived from Scotland, they navigated up the Hudson River to Catskill, then rode horseback across land to Windham, Prattsville, and finally to Grand Gorge. They followed the Bearkill River to Stamford, where they purchased a tract of land from Colonel Harper and built their first log cabin.
By 1777, the family, which had since grown with the addition of another son, Alexander, born in 1775, was forced to flee from Harpersfield due to an Indian attack that destroyed their cabin. They were warned of an impending Indian attack by their friend, Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant. They retreated to Catskill, where four more children were born. The Mores remained in Catskill until 1786, when John decided to return to Harpersfield.
In Grand Gorge, John More encountered John Clark, who held a claim to a square mile of land where the village now stands. The two men agreed to exchange claims, so John More settled in Grand Gorge while John Clark took over the More’s former claim in Harpersfield. The More family initially camped on what is now the cemetery site next to the Methodist church, and John, with the help of his sons, soon built a cabin nearby.
Over the following years, more families moved into the area, and by 1790, a community had formed and was named Moresville in honor of its first settlers. John More emerged as a prominent leader in the community, serving as a magistrate appointed by the Governor. He handled local disputes, performed marriages, conducted church services, and taught children in his home, which by 1808 was a frame house used as both a farmhouse and tavern, located where Route 30 intersects Route 23 (the site of the Country Store).
John More lived a long and active life, passing away suddenly at the age of 95.
Hotel at intersection of today’s Rt 23 & 30 that was the location of the original John More Cabin/Tavern
