the advantages of living in the country. Through much of 1837, Moore wrote a series of articles describing the natural resources of Texas and the geography of various regions of the nations. Moore's series on the geography of Texas was in 1840 compiled into a book Maps and Descriptions of Texas. The book was reprinted in 1844 as Description of Texas. The articles were widely quoted in other newspapers and journals; an 1843 issue of Southern Agriculturist copied at least one Telegraph article in whole. Moore included many articles explaining and justifying the Texas Revolution and the very existence of the Republic. At the same time, as early as 1837, the newspaper advocated annexation to the United States, even publishing a series of articles explaining that Texas should have been considered part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1846, not long after Texas was annexed, Moore and Cruger changed the name of the newspaper to Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register, as they explained, "to designate the plotical tenets that we shall advocate". Moore designed the Seal of Houston, adopted on February 24, 1840. He was paid $50 for his work. In 1854, Moore sold the newspaper to Harvey H. Allen. Politics Moore was elected as mayor of Houston in 1838. The second mayor of Houston established the first municipal police force. Using both the mayor's office and the printing press, he protested the practice of dueling and attempted to mediate disputes in order to prevent duels. Geologist Despite his opinion of Moore's reporting, in 1860 Sam Houston–now Governor of Texas–appointed Moore the State Geologist. Personal life Moore wedded Elizabeth Mofat Wood in 1840, whom he had known in Bath, New York. The Moores had nine children. Death and legacy Moore died in Duluth, Minnesota on September 1, 1864. He is enterred in Brooklyn, New York at Green-Wood Cemetery. Notes References Sources External links American newspaper people Mayors of Houston 1808 births 1864 deaths Telegraph and Texas Register 19th-century American politicians Republic of Texas politicians Newspaper publishers (people) Geologists Texas politicians Texas Unionists