Discover the world of an American Industrialist: Charles E Moore 1894-1953

This is the story of our Grandfather. Born in San Bernardino, CA, Moore came up the hard way. Former grade school 'dropout' turned machinist for the Santa Fe Railway, at 18 he became a 'boomer': the machinist's name for a 'drifter.' He 'boomed' all over the US and Mexico until 21 when he found work at a machine tool company. As the legend goes, Moore's ambitions were thwarted by the owner who told him that he didn't have the education to succeed. "I was horribly insulted" he later said, "but then I calmed down and realized that he was right". So Moore enrolled in High School as a 6'6" 285lb freshman and finished four years in one. He served as a lieutenant in The Coastal Artillery during WWI. Following The War, he worked at his old machinist job, eventually buying the company in 1927 and renaming it: "The Moore Machinery Company" in San Francisco. He ascribed to "a policy of never selling a machine that we wouldn't take back if the customer didn't like it".

Ironically, it was this policy that led to Moore's eventual purchase of Hendy Iron Works located in Sunnyvale, CA. He paid a visit to the owners of Hendy to quiet their concerns. It was then that he saw Hendy's vast untapped potential. During his ownership (1940-47) a record-breaking 754 Liberty Ship Triple Expansion EC-2 Engines were produced at a rate of one every 40.8 hours.

Explore how his life intersects with events in "The History of our Nation". Through a series of original images, articles and videos found here, you will experience his central role in the evolution of heavy industry and ironworks. Moore was an important influence on the success of The United States during World War 2.

The 1940's Historical Reenactment below will take you back to the day when the 400th Liberty Ship Engine was produced.

Enjoy!