AUDREY C. MOORE, D. O.
Audrey C. Moore, D. O., the pioneer osteopath in California, the first
practitioner of osteopathy west of Kansas City, Missouri, has for over a
quarter of a century been a resident of San Francisco. Dr. Audrey C. Moore for
his pioneer work and his early distinguished attainments deserves all the honor
that the profession can bestow upon him. The history of osteopathy in
California is largely written around his personality.
He was born at Quincy, Illinois, March 12, 1867. His father, Samuel T. Moore, a
native of LaGrange, Missouri, started the first tobacco factory in that section
of the county. The firm was Moore, Wakefield & Turner at LaGrange, and
their equipment was afterward sold to Wellman & Dwyer of Quincy, and that
firm still continues the business. Samuel T. Moore was a Union soldier in the
Civil war, being with Sherman on his march from Atlanta to the sea. Afterwards
he became second vice president of the Gardner Corn Planter Works at Quincy, and
died in 1874. He represented an old American family of Revolutionary stock and
English descent. His wife, Cynthia Louisa Craig, was born at Canton, Missouri,
is now living at Los Angeles, and is a member of a Maryland family of Scotch
ancestry and Revolutionary stock.
Audrey C. Moore was educated in public schools, in the Missouri State Normal at
Kirksville, and he remained at Kirksville for eleven years clerking in a drug
store. For two years he was deputy assessor of Adair County. His experience in
the drug business led him to take up the study of medicine. While pursuing his
studies he met Doctor Still, the originator and founder of the osteopathic
science. Doctor Still had young Moore visit his school, which was located at
Kirksville, and which as yet had not reached the point where it was chartered
to confer diplomas. Mr. Moore found at the primitive school only Doctor Still
and his two sons, Charles and Harry, and a man named H. C. Wells, taking
treatment for a headache. Doctor Still placed his hands over those of Doctor
Moore and directed his movements in treating this case. The man was relieved,
and after two or three days of continued investigation Doctor Moore decided to
take up the new science. In the course of study he treated Mr. Wells repeatedly,
and the latter induced him to go to Platte City, Missouri, where five patients
awaited him in the office. He received a certificate of graduation from Doctor
Still, and at Platte City had all that he could possibly do. His graduation
from Doctor Still’s College was in 1894. That made him one of the very earliest
pupils of the school. While practicing at Platte City Mr. Patterson, secretary
of the Still School, telegraphed him to return. For several months he remained
in the Kirksville institution, until the next class graduated, when they all
received diplomas.
Doctor Moore did some of the pioneer work of his profession in combating the
prejudices that assailed it, and he was the first osteopath to be arrested. He
went to Macon, Illinois, at the request of F. B. Tate, a manufacturer, and was
arrested while working on the case. When the case came to trial he needed no
attorney and was dismissed by the court.
In November, 1895, Doctor Moore met a Doctor Lowrie, who induced him to come to
California for a vacation. A few days later he arrived in Los Angeles, and
unable to resist the charm of the Golden State he started to practice, and in a
short time had considerable business. Looking for a place to start a school, he
finally took the Hotel Del Campo at Anaheim. That was in May, 1896. He started
there with a class of twenty, B. W. Shier being associated with him. Out of
this came the incorporation of the Pacific Sanatorium and School of Osteopathy,
the second institution of its kind in the world after the parent school in
Kirksville. In the same year Doctor Moore began publishing a sixteen-page
monthly osteopathic journal, continuing it for the year he remained there. In
this publication he was assisted by W. L. Metcalfe, who was running the Orange
County paper and took care of the mechanical work for Doctor Moore. Many Los
Angeles people became interested in the new school and induced Doctor Moore to
remove to the larger city. He moved into the Pacific Block on Spring Street,
and a year later Doctor Moore sold his interests to five men, Dr. C. E. Henry,
a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical School, T. K. Smith, Dr. F. B. Duffy, C.
E. Bailey and Mr. Hayden.
The school at Los Angeles founded by Doctor Moore has become one of the famous
institutions. Every osteopath in the West owes a debt of gratitude to Doctor
Moore for his pioneer work in the days before osteopathy was recognized as a
profession and when the fight for it was against a blank wall of opposition.
After selling his Los Angeles school Doctor Moore came to San Francisco, in
1897, and in the course of his practice he has had as patients many prominent
men of the state. He leased the building at 204 Sutter Street for a period of
ten years, remaining there until its destruction by fire. He then removed to
1123 Divisidero Street, and since 1915 has had his offices and beautifully
appointed home at 1527 Sutter Street. Doctor Moore is a member of the Bay, the
State and National Osteopathic associations. He was a member of the State Board
of Examiners in 1906-07. He has many commercial interests in San Francisco.
Doctor Moore is a progressive in politics and retains his affiliations in the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Kirksville, Missouri.
On August 28, 1898, at Los Angeles, he married Miss Alice T. Meyer, who was
born in that city. Her mother, Mary Meyer, was a pioneer woman of the state.
Her father was a leading cattle man of Siskiyou County. Mrs. Moore is a member
of the Triple Cleff Club and the Episcopal Church.
They have two sons, and the younger plans to follow the profession of his
honored father. Both are members of the Olympic Club of San Francisco. These
sons are Frederick C. Moore, a graduate of the San Francisco High School, now
with the Shell Oil Company; and Audrey C., Jr., a student in high school.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker
Source: "The San Francisco Bay Region," by Bailey Millard, Vol.
3, page 211-215, The American Historical Society, Inc., 1924.